This paper draws on the findings from case studies conducted between 1997 and 2001 in Mali, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Each case study is summarised in Briefing Papers 1 to 6 in this series, and full reports are available in the Working Papers Series on Rural-Urban Interactions and Livelihood Strategies. This paper describes current patterns of change in farming systems under the influence of urban proximity, including access to natural resources and access to markets; trends in occupational diversification and mobility with a focus on differences between and within households (based on gender, generation, wealth and location); the increasing importance of migration, remittances and social networks across space; and the role of urban centres in the development of their surrounding regions. Drawing on empirical evidence, it then summarises key issues for policy.