Rural development has undergone many changes in the past decades, both conceptually as well as practically. An historical bibliometric study of the past 70 years reveals various dramatic paradigm shifts, expressed through an initial key emphasis on agricultural production to flexible discourse touching upon a wide spectrum of inter-related issues, such as food, water and land tenure security, energy supply, village renewal, agro- and ecological tourism, and digital connections, amongst others. As a result of the shifts in conceptualisation, strategies for rural development have altered as well, from top-down agroeconomic optimization strategies towards bottom-up and middle-out participatory strategies focusing on integrated socio-economic development, preserving and revitalizing spatial identity, and ensuring equal opportunities between urban and rural regions. This paper zooms in to the contemporary implementation challenges of rural development, specifically: how to make rural regions lucrative and attractive at the same time; and how to ensure that participatory approaches to do so work. Addressing these questions is based on practical experience in Bavaria, Germany, and on a content-centred review of rural development practices in sub-Saharan Africa. As lucrativeness and attractiveness may represent two different value systems; getting the better of the two words seems at first contradictory. However, there are a number of conditions under which they can simultaneously be achieved; nonetheless, it does not come by itself. It requires a lot of stimulation, activation and engagement of local leaders, citizens and local firms. A Mayor would for example play a crucial role in fostering inspiration and aspiration. Citizens should be engaged and feel proud of the uniqueness of their region and the related socio-spatial identity. Local firms should remain actively involved in pursuing quality products and services. Together these will ensure realization of hard and soft measures to support rural development