Rural Development Strategy (EDR).

This document is organized into five main chapters. Chapter 1, which corresponds to the Introduction, establishes the need for a rural development strategy in the context of Mozambique's growth and development, both now and in terms of its prospects for possible and desirable developments for the coming decades. Chapter 2 provides a brief overview of the current situation and future challenges in rural areas, highlighting the following facts: 1) By 2025, Mozambique will have more inhabitants; 2) The strong rural exodus is partly associated with urbanization and migration, but also denounces weaknesses in the rural economy; 3) One-third of the peasants are under 19 years of age; 5) Low productivity and rural agricultural production are worrisome; 6) The current national economic growth is based on a strong dependence on the urban economy and foreign aid; 7) Human development has improved and poverty is declining but remain very differentiated and unequal in social and regional terms. Chapter 2 ends with a summary of strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities in rural areas, as well as the determinants of changing the pattern of rural development.