Mind the gap! Bridging the rural-urban divide

Rural areas have long been a source of food, raw materials and labour for cities. So too, are cities places of opportunity for rural dwellers, providing markets for agricultural products, specialised services and sources of temporary employment and shelter. Urban-rural linkages are particularly intense in the peri-urban interface, characterised by constant flux, complex social structures, fragmented institutions and shifting focus. Different policy solutions are clearly needed for peri-urban areas to those advanced for rural or urban areas.