Agricultural Development Principles: Economic Theory and Empirical Evidence

What are the food and agricultural development problems facing Third World nations? Does current economic theory help accelerate growth? Does it foster useful development policies? This book addresses these and other questions to provide a wide-ranging and thorough introduction to the theories, policies, and practices aimed at increasing food production and agricultural development.

Individual sections examine recent agricultual prograss in developing nations, including increased production and growing demand; the economic and social theory of agricultural development; and sources of accelerated growth through biochemical and mechanical technologies and improved argicultural institutions. Rural financial markets, cooperatives, and land reform are also examined. Later chapters focus on agricultural research and extention, agricultural marketing, trade, price policies, and planning. A concluding chapter looks at new strategies for accelerating agricultural development.

Past decades have seen an explosion of empirical research on Third Wolrd agriculture. This up-to-date, comprehensive overview will interest not only students of agricultural development in the Third World but also professional in government and international organizations.

Robert D. Stevens is professor of agricultural economics in the College is Agricultural and Natural Resources at Michigan State University.

Cathy L. Jabara is an economist within the U.S. Department of the Treasury.