What is Rural Development

Unlike urban development, rural development is not getting adequate attention in Africa. This is true in the aspects of development policy and as a research interest. It is still not a priority in the development agenda of many African countries. The consequence is that the governance of rural development in many African countries is still treated as a linear affair. The consequence being a negation of the complexities that impede the improvement of living conditions in rural communities in Africa. This chapter is based upon an explorative study that challenges existing notions of rural development. It uses the structured literature review and focused group discussion conducted with African doctoral researchers in Germany to identify how land management can be used as an intervention for rural development. As a way forward, it presents a land managed-based approach to rural development that can be adaptable or applicable in African countries.