As the world changes, so should the collection of public statistics that inform governments and citizens about the nature of their lives and their livelihoods. The present Handbook is intended for the benefit of various groups concerned with rural development and the evolving nature of the agricultural industry. It aims to be a guide for the providers of statistics, not only those who confront measurement challenges for the first time, but also for those who are building on existing programmes. The book provides statistics on rural development and agriculture household income . The excerpts from this book focuses on rural development, national and international rural development policies and conceptual framework of rural development.