RESUMEN To contribute to the current debate on rurality, research was conducted focusing on the discourses and practices of rural development. To this end, documents were reviewed that address this topic from 1950 to 2007, and was examined primary information provided by officials from various institutions and programs oriented rural development projects in Caldas. It was found a predominance of economic and productive approaches in rural development practices, and an eclectic position in speeches. Analysis of primary sources can be inferred that in Caldas there is a vanguard and theoretical management of the concept, but the practices continue to be guided by principles derived from theories and models considered outdated. Para contribuir al debate actual sobre la ruralidad, se realizo una investigacion enfocada en los discursos y practicas del desarrollo rural. A tal fin se llevo a cabo una revision de documentos que abordan esta tematica desde 1950 hasta 2007; asi mismo, se examino informacion primaria aportada por funcionarios de distintas instituciones que orientan programas y proyectos de desarrollo rural en Caldas. Se encontro un predominio del enfoque economico-productivo en las practicas del desarrollo rural y una posicion eclectica en los discursos. Del analisis de las fuentes primarias se puede inferir que en Caldas hay un manejo teorico vanguardista del concepto, pero las practicas continuan orientandose por principios derivados de teorias y modelos que se consideran ya superados.