'Institutions' refers to both the formal and informal rules of interaction which by their very nature can exclude or include different members of society. Sustainable rural development will depend on removing barriers that exclude individuals on the basis of gender, class, and ethnicity from economic and social opportunities.
Ensuring inclusiveness entails reforming institutions and policies to establish equal rights and equal access to opportunities. Legal reforms and regulations are necessary that ensure equitable ownership of assets (particularly, land and livestock) and user rights (including water use, forest management) and promote equal opportunities (labor laws, corporate laws, equal opportunity laws). Also, rural women, entrepreneurs, and marginalized groups need access to improved rural financing opportunities.
Decentralized development efforts such as community driven development (CDD) offer the potential for increased community participation and ensuring the inclusiveness of all groups of society in rural decision making, irrespective of gender, social class, or ethnicity.
In addition to devolving control and decision-making power to poor women and men themselves these initiatives help communities build social capital by expanding the depth and range of their social networks.
Strong producer organizations and community-driven groups are needed to link farmers to markets and technology providers, combined with an enabling environment conducive to private investments.
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