Government intervention in developing countries has often been biased towards the support of urban industries and the urban population. The resulting distortions in exchange rates and in the prices of the factors of production have had serious detrimental effects on rural areas. A gradual...

The Ivory Coast has been the scene of a remarkable economic upsurge since it gained independence in 1960. Agriculture and forestry have been the mainstay of growth. The evolvement of socio-economic structures in the rural areas is outlined in the following article which also discusses aspects of...

When the World Food Conference of 1974 demanded the eradication of world hunger within the brief time span of ten years, experts and laymen alike were surprised. The target seemed too ambitious, and it can be safely expected that it will not be achieved. A study has now been submitted by FAO to...

Until the middle of 1972, general optimism in assessing food supplies for the world was widespread. But since then, a more conservative view and a certain uncertainty in forecasting prospects have replaced the former high hopes. One of the crucial reasons for this change have been developments...

The resolution convening the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development which was held in Rome on July 12–20, 1979 called for a "frontal attack on poverty... by a deliberate policy of integrated rural development". The aims and implications of the concept of integrated rural...

The emphasis of development policies has for many years been placed on primarily growth-oriented development strategies. Although the latter have indeed induced an astounding increase in real GNP levels in Third World countries, they have not been able to decisively reduce existing social...

China's rural development policy has divided the Chinese leadership since the mid-fifties. Since about mid-1977 Deng Xiaoping has been in the ascendancy. In the rural areas he has striven to rapidly introduce a number of far-reaching policles. These policies are discussed in the following...

The "World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development" (WCARRD), which was held from July 12–20 at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, tried to set up new targets for urgent national and international efforts to overcome the...

Bangladesh is handicapped by very unfavourable natural conditions, inter alia extreme floods and droughts, an unfavourable pattern of farm sizes and the consequences of rising oil prices. For these reasons agricultural production lagged behind the planned targets in the first two years of the...