The agricultural sector and rural areas reflect the heterogeneous structure of the region and the challenges of structural change. The agriculture sector’s share of GDP varies between countries from below 2% to around 20%, while extreme poverty rates range from below 1% to over 60%. The region must further diversify its rural economies, in agricultural as well as non-agricultural activities, and do so in a sustainable manner by promoting innovation with inclusion, especially of young people and women in rural areas.