eJADE electronic Journal of Agricultural and Development Economics Title: Toward a territorial approach to rural development (eJADE, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2007, pp. 66-98)

Post-publication reviewer’ comments The authors explore the possibilities of applying the territorial approach to rural development, based on quantitative studies and analyses on social development, poverty and inequality of the rural world in Latin America, and starting from the fact that if there has been social progress, rural poverty and inequality persist mainly in terms of income. The article is well-structured, the objectives and the methodological approach are clearly announced. The results are supported by statistical documentation and national examples of successful or unsuccessful programs. The search for congruence of the territorial approach with its results is, in our view, very relevant by the lighting of the new avenues of reflection and research for the theory of development.
We have read this article with great interest, without being able to prevent us from making a parallel with the Haitian rural situation where the chronic impoverishment of the peasantry requires survival actions such as migration among young people. For a peasant of pure strain to abandon his land, he must probably have lost faith in the values related to the Earth (cultural practices, life regimen modelled on the seasons of production, harvesting, etc.). In the words of Khan (2010) "a cultural dimension is at the very heart of territorial dynamics."

References Khan, René (2010). La dimension culturelle du développement territorial. Armand Colin | Revue d'Économie Régionale & Urbaine, 2010/4 – octobre, pages 625 à 650