As accelerated urbanization widens the gap between rich and poor and population growth becomes a global phenomenon, key strategies promoting rural economic development need to be implemented. This book covers the progress of a development initiative in Madagascar that enabled a region suffering from chronic drought and famine to provide food and become the area's breadbasket. Working with local people, the project delivered increased new cultivations, abundant harvests and improvements in infrastructure, media access, education and health. This is an indispensable book for development practitioners, NGOs, farmer associations and students in rural economics and related subjects.