Nonfarm income has a greater impact on poverty and inequality in Egypt than in Jordan. In rural Egypt the poor receive almost 60 percent of their income from nonfarm sources, while in rural Jordan they receive less than 20 percent. The reason for this difference is land: in rural Egypt,...

Various social groups may oppose economic reforms such as currency devaluation, privatization of state firms, and the elimination of consumer (food) subsidies because of doubts about the benefitse of these reforms or because they believe that these reforms will harm their economic interests....

Policymakers interested in reducing poverty and improving income distribution in rural Egypt should focus on nonfarm income, which not only accounts for almost 60 percent of total income for the rural poor but also favorably affects income distribution. Nonfarm income is an inequality-reducing...

The rural economy of developing countries has long been regarded as synonymous with agriculture but in recent years this view has begun to change. Such diverse activities as government, commerce, and services are now seen as providing most income in rural households. Applying decomposition...