Agriculture and rural development

The agricultural sector and rural areas reflect the heterogeneous structure of the region and the challenges of structural change. The agriculture sector’s share of GDP varies between countries from below 2% to around 20%, while extreme poverty rates range from below 1% to over 60%. The region must further diversify its rural economies, in agricultural as well as non-agricultural activities, and do so in a sustainable manner by promoting innovation with inclusion, especially of young people and women in rural areas.