Agriculture and the rural non-farm sector: rivals or complements?

Overwhelming evidence shows that in rural economies the non-farm sector is becoming increasingly important for jobs and incomes. At first sight, the RNFE offers an alternative to agricultural development, a rival for policy-makers’ attention and development funding. But how much does the non-farm sector’s growth depend on agriculture? Or is there substantial scope for independent development of the sector, and if so what policies are needed to realise the potential?