The objective of this sub-programme is to promote local economic development, by raising the awareness and enhancing the capacity of central and local government policy makers with respect to rural-urban linkages development. The programme is based on the premises that urbanization should be accepted as inevitable, therefore, emphasis should be placed on how to address problems created by rapid rural-to-urban migration both within cities and rural areas.

The focus of the agency has recently been on urban-rural linkages to strengthen the balanced development of rural and urban areas. In this context it has studied peri-urban agriculture as a strategy for survival of the urban poor and at the same time as a contribution to the issue of food security.

At present, the programme is implementing two projects, namely: "Urban Policy Implications of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture and Rural-to-Urban Food Flows: A Case Study of Nairobi"; and "Guidelines for the Integration of Urban-Rural Linkage Issues into National and Sub-National Development Planning Processes (January 2002-December 2003)."

Our partners in this programme are:

• the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO);
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada;
• the Strategic Initiative on Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (SIUPA) and;
• the Coalition of African Organizations for Food Security and Sustainable Development (COASAD).