Rethinking public policy in agriculture : lessons from distant and recent history /

"In this report FAO establishes, based on contemporary and historical precedents, the need for developing countries to adopt policies that ensure strong complementarity between targeted public-sector interventions and private sector roles. The report provides a wide range of examples and highl...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chang, Ha-Joon
Corporate Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Rome : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2009.
Series:Policy assistance series ; 7.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to report online
Description
Summary:"In this report FAO establishes, based on contemporary and historical precedents, the need for developing countries to adopt policies that ensure strong complementarity between targeted public-sector interventions and private sector roles. The report provides a wide range of examples and highlights three important lessons. First, in all the now-developed countries, governments, at the early stages of economic development, supported agriculture through, inter alia, price stabilization and provision of inputs such as seeds and fertilizer. Second, the wide array and mix of policy options adopted by countries clearly underlines the importance of taking a pragmatic and flexible approach rather than getting locked into pro-state or pro-private-sector ideological viewpoints. Finally, agriculture thrives best when there is continuity in policy and public-sector support. In food insecure countries, state subventions are often justifiable to ensure price stability, food availability and affordability and, ultimately, political stability which are required for long-term investment and development."--Publisher's description
Physical Description:ix, 96 pages ; 30 cm.
Also freely available online.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 56-58).
ISBN:9789251064375
9251064377
ISSN:1819-4591 ;