Summarizing Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) activities during the October 1977-September 1978 fiscal year, this fifth annual report indicates that with Title V funding SRDC has continued its efforts to bring research and extension personnel together to work on problems in rural development. Support for programs and research at land grant institutions has been implemented through sponsorship of workshops, issuance of publications, bibliographies and synthesis papers, publication of a quarterly magazine, the near culmination of ten Functional Networks, and the development of a Rural Development Training Packet. The SRDC Publications Series now includes 27 titles on community resource development, rural development and program and research strategies; five new titles were added in the past year. A total of 202 Training Packets was sold or distributed and plans are underway for national distribution. The Functional Networks, which catalog and evaluate current research in specific high priority areas of rural development, prepared 6 bibliographies, 7 synthesis papers, and 10 general information papers. A synopsis of SRDC staff members' participation in workshops, conferences, and seminars is also given. The appendix presents a tabular account of the center's 1978 plan of action, including projected goals, approaches, and accomplishments. (DS)