UH Hilo to host rural development presentation

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo hosts a public lecture on rural development by Dennis Flemming, executive director of the Hamakua Institute. His talk is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in University Classroom Building Room 100.

Rural development involves the efforts of diverse institutions and businesses to improve the quality of life for people in rural areas. “Rural Development: The Case for a Holistic Program of Study” will examine the global practice of facilitating rural development and why there is a need to develop a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to studying this field.

Flemming has spent more than 30 years designing, developing and managing multi-stakeholder development initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and conflict in the rural areas of several countries. The Hamakua Institute and UH Hilo are currently developing a new joint initiative to explore how rural development can more effectively address the significant challenges of sustainably improving livelihoods in rural island communities throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

The talk is sponsored by the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. For more information, call 932-7038.