The role of enterprise development in the provision of rural infrastructure services in developing countries

摘要

Rural economies, especially in developing countries, are stagnating due to lack of business opportunities and investment and need to be 'kick started' if they are to survive and grow. Neither the public nor the private sector can solve this problem on its own. Therefore, it is suggested that new public-private sector initiatives, as discussed in this paper, will help to broaden the commercial opportunities for rural entrepreneurs whilst, at the same time, equipping them with the business and technical skills to take full advantage of these opportunities. Such initiatives could contribute greatly to sustainable employment and increased incomes in rural areas and, in turn, would have a direct effect on reducing poverty and raising living standards.