This publication is part of the CUREMIS series (current and emerging issues for economic analysis and policy research) of FAO regional reviews on economic and policy aspects of food and agriculture. This volume focuses on the Latin America and the Caribbean and contains four reports on: new institutions for agricultural and rural development; the changing role of women in the rural economy; innovative policy instruments and evaluation in rural and agricultural development; and rural space and territorial dimension of development in the MERCOSUR countries (a Common Market agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).