This collection of 17 papers examines the impact of the changing paradigm of rural development on poverty alleviation, equity, gender, food security, employment, and sustainability. The volume′s major concern is: are these goals of rural development being achieved in a globalized world? More specifically, it examines how endogenous and participatory approaches may prove helpful for sustainable rural development and the way the changing role of the state and the interventions of NGOs can make a difference.