The economy and the countryside: The relevance of rural development policies

Vietnamese agriculture continues to employ the great mass of the Vietnamese population. However, the position it can and should take in economic development remains subject to debate. This chapter will examine current developments in the economy and the countryside in the light of both their effects upon what remains a large and rather poor group of people, as well as implications for future research. Debate is healthy and normal. It is also a first step to developing a framework for analyzing policy and future trends.