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Agriculture
Importance of agriculture in poor countries:
In developing countries, agriculture continues to be the main source of employment, livelihood and income for between 50% - 90% of the population. Of this percentage, small farmers make the up the majority, up to 70 - 95% of the farming population. Small farmers actually constitute the core of the private sector in many developing countries. In most developing countries agriculture and poverty are closely interlinked.
“Of the 1.2 billion poor, 75%, some 900 million, live in rural areas - depending on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods. …, if we are to reach the Millennium Development Goals, we must make an impact on rural poverty. In most poor countries, agriculture is the main economic sector; the largest employer and job creator, and the biggest export earner.”
Commodity markets: global trends, local impacts According to FAO report, The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO), the impact of commodity price fluctuations is greatest in the poorest countries of the developing world. An estimated 2.5 billion people in the developing world depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook - 2006-2015 This annual report analyses world commodity market trends and medium term prospects for the main agricultural products. It shows how these markets are influenced by economic developments and government policies and highlights some of the risks and uncertainties that may influence market outcomes. In addition to OECD countries, the market projections in the report cover a large number of other countries and regions including the agricultural giants of India, China, Brazil and Russia as well as Argentina, South Africa and several least developed countries.
Agriculture and trade in developing countries:
“Manufacturing protection has declined worldwide following substantial reforms of trade policies, especially in developing countries. Yet many industrial and developing countries still protect agriculture at high levels, which is hitting the world’s poor the hardest.”.. “Growth in agriculture has a disproportionately positive effect on poverty reduction, because more than half the population in developing countries lives in rural areas, and poverty is highest in rural areas. This report clearly shows the need for coordinated, global trade reforms if we are to help the rural poor.”
François Bourguignon, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, The World Bank.
Global Agricultural Trade and Developing Countries explores the outstanding issues in global agricultural trade policy and evolving world trade production and trade patterns. Its coverage of agricultural trade issues ranges from the details of cross-cutting policy issues to the highly distorted agricultural trade regimes of industrial countries and detailed studies of agricultural commodities of economic importance to many developing countries (World Bank).
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