This course is organized in three parts. The first one reviews new approaches to the measurement of poverty and inequality. A specific focus is devoted to the multidimensional facets of well-being.  The second part investigates the role of nutrition in social and economic development by highlighting the multisectoral and multifactoral causes of malnutrition. The third one analyzes factors driving rural change, how we define progress, and what can be done to bring about the overriding objective of rural development, which is to reduce, and eventually eliminate, poverty. The main objective is providing students with basic tools and instruments required to analyze and identify development challenges.