NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

“With the private sector booming, industry and services have overtaken farming to account for 54 percent of rural income.”

This amazing factoid comes from an article that Rob Katz just posted from the International Herald Tribune: Poor rural India? It’s a richer place by Anand Giridharadas.

I find it one of the most compelling items I’ve run across recently. Since the end of WW2, and the dawn of modern thought on economic development, the holy grail of development has been how to foster wealth creation in rural areas. While nobody might put India forward as the ideal model to emulate, it’s clear that (as the article goes on immediately to suggest) that current Indian policies are helping to turn the corner. A welcome glimmer of hope.