Agriculture in Economic Development

Abstract

In the writings of economists and others over the last twenty‐five years, the place of agriculture in the process of economic development in low‐income countries has increased in significance. This change is linked with a change in the emphasis among the general objectives in development: with rapid growth in population, the pressing needs to increase opportunities for employment and to alleviate mass poverty have begun to loom larger relative to the drive toward greater total wealth. The development of agriculture itself in any one economy is increasingly seen as a complex issue involving not only technical but also economic, social and political aspects, with the flows of materials and knowledge between agriculture, non‐agriculture and the outside world becoming more important. In low‐income countries the role of government in agricultural development is seen to be crucial, manifesting itself in a variety of policies both direct and indirect in their impact, their success being dependent not only on their apparent appropriateness but also on the effectiveness of administration. Agricultural development during the period has been very uneven, though there have been notable achievements in production and productivity in some of the most fertile areas of Asia. Looking to the future, it is not clear how increasing population and increasing aspirations can be sustained indefinitely, particularly in less well‐endowed natural environments. There will be growing need for conservation of resources, the development of appropriate technology and the maximisation of benefits from specialisation through trade, but above all, for the control of population growth. These five themes are discussed in the essay which follows. Finally, some limited guidance is given to the research opportunities for agricultural economists. Résumé L'AGRICULTURE DANS LE DÉVELOPPEMENT ÉCONOMIQUE Depuis vingt‐cinq ans, les économistes et autres analystes font une place de plus en plus importante dans leurs écrits au rôle de l'agriculture dans les étapes du développement économique des pays à faible revenu. Cette évolution est liée aux changements constatés dans la détermination des principaux objectifs à réaliser dans le cadre du développement. Avec la rapidité de la croissance démographique, le besoin pressant d'augmenter les chances d'emploi et de faire régresser le paupérisme des masses commence de prendre des proportions plus grandes par rapport à l'action en vue d'accroître les richesses nationales totales. Le développement de l'agriculture en soi est, dans toutes les économies, de plus en plus considéré comme un problème complexe, dans lequel entrent en jeu toutes les sciences et où les échanges de matériaux et d'expertise entre l'agriculture, les autres secteurs et le monde extérieur prennent plus d'importance. Dans les pays à faible révenu, le rôle de l'Etat dans le développement agricole apparaît comme décisif, se manifestant par diverses politiques, tant directes qu'indirectes dans leurs effets et incidences. Au cours de la période examiné...

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