Short description
Examining government policies which aim to influence the inputs, outputs, and technology of farm household production, this text is organized around a central set of eight policy chapters which are preceded by material covering the framework and methodology of the economic analysis of policies.
Long description
This textbook considers the methods used by governments to change the economic and social framework within which agricultural production takes place: by influencing the prices of farm inputs and outputs, by modifying agricultural institutions, and by promoting new technologies in agriculture. The book is organised around a central set of eight policy chapters, covering topics of price policy, marketing policy, input policy, credit policy, mechanisation policy, land reform policy, research policy and irrigation policy. These chapters are preceded by material covering the nature of policy, in the context of the market versus state debate, and the principles used by economists to undertake agricultural policy analysis. They are followed by chapters that examine the status of women in agricultural policy, and that summarise aspects of food policy not covered in the main chapters. This book is designed for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses related to agricultural policy, agricultural economics, or rural development in developing countries. It will also be accessible to the non-specialist reader who wishes to obtain an overview of the individual policy topics covered.
Review
"...another in the excellent Cambridge University Press series of Wye Studies in Agricultural and Rural Development...not only achieves its design ambitions for use in undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to agricultural policy, agricultural economics, and rural development, but is also quite accessible to nonspecialist readers." Jock R. Anderson, Journal of Developing Areas
Table of contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I
- Agriculture Policy Analysis
- Markets, state and policy
- Policy analysis
- framework
- Policy analysis
- economics
- Part II
- Agricultural Policies
- Price policy
- Marketing policy
- Input policy
- Credit policy
- Mechanisation policy
- Land reform policy
- Research policy
- Irrigation policy
- Part III
- Cross
- cutting Themes
- Women and agricultural policies
- Food policy and food security
- Policies in perspective
- References
- Author index
- Subject index