The book is for people who are concerned with rural poverty and rural development. Some are from rich countries, but the great majorities are professionals in third world countries, working in government departments, voluntary agencies, political parties, commercial organizations, schools, universities, training institutes and research organizations. It is an attempt to speak to both practitioners and academics and to both social scientists and physical and biological scientists, without distinction of profession or discipline. It is about rural poverty and the perceptions, attitudes, learning, ways of thinking and behaviour of professionals. The focus is deliberately limited to rural poverty and to the third world