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This book is a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the 1998 floods, the response of the government, and the coping strategies of households. It contains valuable lessons for developing countries on maintaining food security following major production shortfalls and serves as a guide for future research and decisionmaking on ways to address chronic food insecurity in Bangladesh. ; PR ; IFPRI2; GRP26; Theme 8; Disaster Prevention and Recovery ; FCND; MTID

At their peak, the 1998 floods covered two-thirds of Bangladesh, causing severe damage to the major rice crop and threatening the food security of tens of millions of households. In this paper, we first highlight the contribution of government policy interventions, including trade liberalization in the early 1990s, to stabilization of rice markets during and after the flood. Then, using a panel data set covering 750 households in three rounds over a 13-month period, we analyze impacts of the flood on household assets, consumption and nutritional outcomes. Finally, we present empirical estimates of the contribution of rice market stabilization and government transfers to household food consumption. ; ISI; IFPRI3; GRP26; Theme 8 ; FCND; MSSD ; PR

India's investments in agricultural research, extension, and irrigation have made it one of the largest publicly funded systems in the world. But some policymakers who perceive that the benefits to research may be declining are advocating a cut back on public spending on research. This research report, which examines the effects of research and development on productivity in India, finds that India is still benefiting from these investments. The main sources of agricultural productivity growth in India during 1956–87 were public agricultural research and extension; expansion of irrigated area and rural infrastructure and improvement in human capital were also important contributors. The report also shows that the public benefits from private research can be sub stantial, indicating that private firms capture only part of the real value of improved inputs through higher prices. Private agricultural research accounted for more than 10 per cent of growth of total facto productivity (TFP) during 1956–87, and in 1966–75, when India was more open to foreign technology, private research contributed 22 per cent of productivity gowth. Industrial policy and technology policy, including intellectual property rights policy, will require careful evaluation and reform in order to encourage private investment in agriculture. Even so, Pray and Rosegrant argue that barriers to technology transfer should be removed in order to stimulate technology transfer and growth. Nevertheless, public investment in agricultural research will likely retain its primary role. Contrary to concerns that growth in TFP has decreased over time, the report finds that during 1977–87, the period when the results in regions that adopted high-yielding varieties early on could be expected to taper off, TFP growth was 50 per cent higher than before the Green Revolution and 17 per cent higher than in the early years of the Green Revolution, indicating that gains are far from over. The rates of return to public agricultural research are high, and it appears that the government is under investing in agricultural research. Expanding public investment in research and extension would lead to even greater gains. (Forward by Per Pinstrup-Andersen) ; PR ; IFPRI1

Collaboration between government and non-government organizations has been a recurrent feature of many development interventions in India. This paper is based on case studies of 11 such programs. ; Non-PR ; IFPRI1 ; EPTD

Evidence from countries like Sri Lanka and Egypt has shown that the fiscal costs of food price subsidy programs may be high, and once introduced, their termination may be politically difficult (Gavan and Sri Chandrasekera, 1979; Alderman, von Braun, and Sakr, 1982). On the other hand, if they are carefully designed and properly targeted, their effect on food consumption and nutrition may be significant. Although a food price subsidy scheme may sometimes present the most cost-effective approach to calorie or protein deficiencies, the introduction of such a program should be based on solid evidence regarding its cost effectiveness both in absolute terms and relative to alternative programs. ; PR ; IFPRI1 ; DGO

[THE manuscript fragments dealt with in this section belong to two consignments, marked by me Nos. 142 and 148. Both were transmitted by Sir G. Macartney, K.C.I.E., British Consul-General in Kashgar, to the Government of India, who forwarded them to me in May, 1903, and January, 1906, respectively. The fragments are stated by Sir G. Macartney to have been purchased by him from Badruddin, Aksakal of Khotan, who had himself bought them from' treasure seekers', but could give no information regarding their precise find-place. On the whole it is probable that they belong to the proceeds from the diggings by treasure seekers in the ruins of Khadalik, which are referred to on pp. 2 and 85.-R. H.]

Examines relationships between economic liberalization and governance; 13 articles. With reference to the Asia-Pacific region, Eastern Asia, South Korea, China, South America, Chile, Central America, the Middle East, Turkey, India, sub-Saharan Africa, and Zambia.