Microcredit programs in Bangladesh have experienced spectacular growth in recent years, with a growing number of borrowers availing credit from multiple microcredit agencies. There is a growing concern that if there are not sufficient returns to borrowing from microfinance institutions (MFIS),...

Economic policies that ensure efficient allocation of resources is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for creating appropriate environmental incentives. Environment-specific policies are also needed to correct market failures leading to environment problems. Two types of policies can be...

As populations expand and make various uses of water, its growing scarcity becomes a serious issue in developing countries such as Bangladesh. Water can no longer be considered a totally free resource and plans must be developed for its efficient use through better management and rules that...

Pakistan's rural sector accounts for more than 70 percent of employment, and roughly two-thirds of rural employment is in agriculture. Less than a third of rural households get loans, only 10 percent of which are from institutional sources. Pakistan's credit institutions are not helping the...

Policy framework papers (PFPs) have become important documents because they provide a framework for the economic policies that a country will pursue and for donor assistance. The projections included in these documents reflect the policy targets and the expected outcomes of policy reforms. The...

The government intervenes in the wheat market in Pakistan to ensure food security for consumers and to provide adequate and stable incomes for producers. The cost of this intervention is high, and its impact on the performance of agriculture has been significantly negative. The World Bank is...

In Pakistan, agriculture, which accounts for more than 20 percent of GDP and provides more than 50 percent of jobs, has a special role to play in growth, poverty reduction, and environmental protection. Agricultural growth in the past thirty years has been impressive, at more than 3 percent a...

This paper assesses the role of the government in Pakistan's agriculture sector and concludes that major reforms are needed. The government's role is grouped into two main areas: price and trade policy, and public institutions, services, and expenditures. First, the paper assesses the impact of...

Agricultural growth rates in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s show that strong growth during the 1960s was driven by several factors, including greater certainty in the use of irrigation water (as a result of an agreement with India), the introduction of productivityenhancing fertiliser-seed...

The authors review the literature on land markets in South Asia to clarify what's known and to highlight unresolved issues. They report that: (1) We have a good understanding of why sharecropping persists and why it can be superior to other standard agricultural contracts. We have less...