In some industrialized western countries are juxtaposed densely populated areas and sparsely populated areas which are marginalized and on the way to desertification. The future of such areas which can be described by many adjectives, all connoted such as "fragile", "marginal","outlying", "penalized", depends on the policies done by the different authorities for the regional development. But the results obtained during the last few years, which are not convincing when taken as a whole, justify the resort to another approach: development, territorialities, partnership correspond to three concepts which are very connected and liable to be used as a matter for serious thought and later for intervention in this kind of areas. To claim from now on such a procedure, means to prepare oneself to face the significant territorial stake which those empty areas will represent tomorrow.