AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY: Concepts and Experiences

Prepared under the aegis of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this text presents a fresh and comprehensive look at agricultural development policy. It provides a clear, systematic review of important classes of policy issues in developing countries and discusses the emerging international consensus on viable approaches to the issues. The text is unique in its coverage and depth and it:

— Summarises hundreds of references on agricultural development policies

— Cites policy experiences and applied studies in more than 70 countries

— Provides guidance for policy makers, giving examples of successes and failures

— Reviews issues related to the formulation of strategies and the requirements for making them successful

— Develops the conceptual foundations and illustrates policies that have worked, and some that have not, with explanations

Topics covered include agriculture’s role in economic development, objectives and instruments of agricultural policy, linkages between macroeconomic and agricultural policies, sectoral policies related to agricultural prices, the role of government in the sector, gender issues in agriculture, policies for the rural poor, land tenure policies, water management, agricultural financial policies, agricultural technology development and dissemination, and agricultural development strategies and rural development issues.

The book is suitable for use in university courses in agricultural and economic development, international development, natural resource management, and specialised topics in agriculture, and it serves as a valuable reference tool for policy makers and other professionals and researchers in the field of international agricultural development.