Integrated rural development. The Rehovot approach
Weitz, R.
Publications on Problems of Regional Development, Settlement Study Center, Israel 28: 92
1979
Document Number: 460635
The term integrated rural development is currently used by various agencies and researchers in varying contexts and with different connotations. This study presents a specific approach to integrated rural development, developed by a mixed group of scholars and planners at the Settlement Study Center in Rehovot, and describes the conceptual framework, the methodology of planning and the prerequisites for rural development which comprise the Rehovot Approach. The Rehovot Approach to Integrated Rural Development takes into account the political, organization, social and economic situations prevailing in most of the poor countries and tries to give a practical answer to some of the basic problems confronting the rural population. It is an approach based on a defined stragegy and a complementary set of methods and techniques for planning and complementation. It is geared to adapt itself to the myriad situations presenting themselves in each locality. The report is divided into 5 main chapters. (1) Integrated rural development strategy (agricultural growth as a prerequisite for rural development, urbanization as a promotion factor for rural development); (2) planning concept, local participation and government decentralization (integrated development, involves multi-purpose planning activities, the concept of "cross-function", local participation, government decentralization); (3) economic planning from above and below (getting to know the region and its areas, the "income target", planning from above: macro-plan, planning from below: sectoral and micro-plans, integrated economic plan for the region; (4) spatial organization and physical planning (flexible physical planning, a model for decentralized development, agrarian reform and physical planning); (5) implementation of the integrated development plan (stages of operation and preparation of projects, regional authorities, the "social planner").