Abstract
Economics of Agricultural Development is a comprehensive textbook to understand agriculture, its development and also to get idea of the world food systems. It also throws light on environmental and human consequences of agricultural development, international trade and capital flows. The book examines causes and effects of rapid population growth, persistent poverty and malnutrition in developing countries and solutions to these problems. It also focuses on the role of globalisation in agriculture, poverty alleviation and the environment sustainability. The book is divided into five parts, comprising of twenty chapters. In the first part titled ‘Dimensions of World Food and Development Problems’ issues like poverty, environmental degradation, famines and malnutrition were examined, and how improvement in agriculture, educational changes and economic development influence developing countries regarding such issues. It also discusses how limited food supply is competing with rapidly growing population and why countries remain underdeveloped. In the second part ‘Development Theories and the Role of Agriculture’ economic transformation from agriculture into other activities and the reasons for such transformation are discussed, and also including the role of growth strategies and development theories in identifying the successive stages of growth process and recognition of role of agriculture in developing countries. It also stresses the importance of some economic growth models regarding this issue. The third part of the book ‘Agricultural Systems and Resource Use’ explains the features of traditional agriculture, and its implications and diverse character. A slight discussion about farming systems and their determinants is also given. Part three also explains how natural resources are being depleted by human action like deforestation, over-grazing and pollution, and natural disasters like flooding, soil erosion and climate change, and also some solutions to these problems. It also aims at exploring the role of education, family structure, and gender and children’s roles in agriculture in developing countries. Part four of the book named ‘Getting Agriculture Moving’ throws light on several aspects of agriculture. First, it defines some theories of agricultural development and affect of costs and collective action on both factor and product markets. It also shows how agricultural research generates improved technologies that raises agricultural productivity and also affects factors of production. The important role of land reforms, credit programmes and new inputs in boosting agricultural production has also been explained. It also explores what approach the global economy should be taking regarding pricing policies and marketing systems. The last part of the book (part five), titled ‘Agricultural Development in an Interdependent World’ explains how international trade is more beneficial and efficient as per proponents of freer trade and how it is worse as per proponents of trade restrictions. It also explains how international trade should be more accessible by removing constraints and barriers to international trade and also highlights some influences of macroeconomic policies on prices, and market margins. It also explains the positive effects of foreign aid and assistance on agriculture research and extension in developing countries. Chapter 20 titled, ‘Lessons and Perspectives’ summarises the various components required for agricultural development. It also discusses future prospectus for agricultural development.
Main Points the Author Highlighted in the Book
Role of international trade or globalisation of goods, services and capital flows for agricultural development in developing countries.
Traditional agricultural practices and their impact on current farming system.
Role of private and public agricultural research in generating improved technologies for agricultural development.
Environmental and human consequences of agricultural development.
Real world case studies, relevant photos and websites, important glossary and lot of recommended readings.
Points, Author did not Cover in the Book
A lot of issues (poverty, population, and credit and labour market, trade) are discussed in the book but given only a slight touch. They should have been explained in a more detail.
The book is world based but covers only a case of few countries and did not make a comparison of agricultural growth among countries.
It did not mention the role of modern technology in agricultural development and positive effects of population on growth (Barrett, 2011).
It only mentioned two or three theories of international trade. There are a number of better theories which are not introduced.
Impressions and Suggestions
The book covers almost all the aspects of modern agricultural development economics. It is well written and very systematically structured. A useful list of references and websites is given. The index at the end covers all the important topics. The book should be given a little more touch to make it a standard text. The topics should be explained in more detail, and international comparisons be made.
Criticism
The book has explained, no doubt, a lot of topics and also covers many case studies, but it appears very little when we compare it with some other books. Many important topics have not been highlighted in the book like methodological issues and governance of agricultural statistics (Benedetti et al., 2010). Organisation of rural credit, impact of land reforms, administrative data and size of holdings in different countries should have been highlighted in the book. Another most important aspect that should have been covered in the book is the economic impact of agricultural research and extension on economic development of a country. There are other several important topics like information, incentives and the design of agricultural policies, and synthesis of agricultural trade economics that should have been covered.