Agriculture and development: A brief review of the literature

Abstract

After 20 years of neglect by international donors, agriculture is now again in the headlines because higher food prices are increasing food insecurity and poverty. In the coming years it will be essential to increase food productivity and production in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and with smallholders. This however requires finding viable solutions to a number of complex technical, institutional and policy issues including land markets, research on seeds and inputs; agricultural extension; credit; rural infrastructure; storage; connection to markets; rural nonfarm This paper is a product of the Research Support Unit, Development Economics. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world.

The diversity of agribusiness: a Latin American perspective

“…(Davis et al, 2009 ;Rigg, 2006 ;Haggblade et al, 2010 ;Dethier, Effenberger, 2011). Dans les zones rurales, les revenus hors exploitation représentent souvent plus de la moitié des revenus totaux.…”

Assessing China's Rural Reform Programs and the Lessons for Africa's Agriculture Development. A Review

“…The accompanying structural transformation of economies has seen a decline in the share of agriculture's contribution to GDP (Brinkley, 2006;Dethier & Effenberger, 2012;Economic & Department, 2005;Valdé s & Foster, 2010). According to the Economic and Department (2005), agriculture now contributes merely 3 percent to global GDP, which is only about one third of its contribution a few decades ago.…”

“…They have failed to direct their investment into agricultural R&D; rural infrastructure; access to markets and financial services; and policy support. Having received much attention from African governments, donors and the international community during the 1960s and 1970s, African agriculture suffered funding cuts in the 1980s and 1990s (Dethier & Effenberger, 2012;Jayne & Rashid, 2013). The over a decade long neglect and underinvestment for agriculture and agricultural R&D in SSA has left many African countries struggling to catch up whilst more challenges such as declining soil fertility, water scarcity, the ease of spreading plant and animal diseases/pests, large but aging rural populations and climate change are emerging (Shiferaw et al, 2013).…”

“…Despite the numerous challenges facing African agriculture, there is presently no better alternative for improving the welfare of the vast majority of Africa's poor (Dethier & Effenberger, 2012;Diao et al, 2010;ECA, 2004;Economic & Department, 2005;Jayne & Rashid, 2013;Kibaara et al, 2009). According to the Economic and Department (2005), in resource poor countries, a given rate of GDP growth due to agricultural growth reduces poverty five times more than an identical dose of GDP growth due to non-agricultural growth and in sub-Saharan Africa; agricultural growth is 11 times more effective.…”

New information and communication technologies in agriculture - factors, drivers and application possibilities

“…The mobile technology can provide better agricultural information services at lower cost and higher quality. (Dethier and Effenberger, 2012) The introduction of mobile phones has increased the efficiency of local markets in Niger, reduced the price 10-16 %. (Aker, 2010).…”