Some of the most promising advances in sustainable and equitable development are unfolding in rural settings. Here, a diverse group of stakeholders are reshaping food systems, leveraging local knowledge, bolstering climate resilience, and enhancing community participation in the developmental journey. The initial Rural Transformations series showcased dialogues with thought leaders at the vanguard of these endeavors, offering insights into the evolving landscape and potential of rural transformation.

In Spring 2024, the Rural Transformations series pivots to spotlight possibilities within the United States. The fate of Rural America's land-centric economies hinges on whether they can fulfill global climate commitments. The pivotal question is whether this metamorphosis will usher in innovative rural capabilities or merely perpetuate age-old patterns of colonial extraction stemming from urban-rural power disparities. For Rural America to emerge as a nexus of climate-adaptive, vibrant communities, we need visionary approaches in four key areas explored in this series.

First, valuing rural knowledge is imperative, elevating rural voices to an equal stature with their urban peers, fostering a collaborative future-building effort. Second, we must transcend traditional development models that prioritize monetary metrics, leading to undervaluation of land-derived products and narrowing the vision for a holistic rural evolution. Third, empowering rural inhabitants to shape their communities entails granting them decisive control over their land resources, necessitating innovative property rights perspectives. Finally, equipping rural producers with the necessary tools and specialized knowledge is crucial, reigniting the role once played by our land grant universities in this domain.