Suchergebnisse

Volume 3 of this series of the Handbooks in Economics follows on from the previous two volumes by focusing on the fundamental concepts of agricultural economics. The first part of the volume examines the developments in human resources and technology mastery. The second part follows on by considering the processes and impact of invention and innovation in this field. The effects of market forces are examined in the third part, and the volume concludes by analysing the economics of our changing natural resources, including the past effects of climate change. Overall this volume forms a comprehensive and accessible survey of the field of agricultural economics and is recommended reading for anyone with an interest, either academic or professional, in this area. *Part of the renown Handbooks in Economics series *Contributors are leaders of their areas *International in scope and comprehensive in coverage

Long-Run Structural and Productivity Change in U.S. Agriculture: Effects of Prices and Policies by Wallace E. Huffman and Robert E. Evenson The paper presents (1) a conceptual framework for structural change when farms may be multiproduct or specialized and (2) an econometrics examination of causes of structural and total factor productivity (TFP) change for U.S. agriculture. Farm size, farm specialization, and part-time farming are the structural dimension emphasized, and they become potential channels to TFP change. Using state aggregate data starting in 1950, we conclude that input prices, public and private research, public extension, and government commodity programs have directly and indirectly caused change in U.S. farm structure and TFP. Our results suggest that changes in farm size, however, have been dominated by input price changes rather than by technology or government programs.

Estimates of partial factor productivity growth for rice and
wheat in India and Pakistan have shown relatively rapid growth in yields
per hectare since adoption of modem rice and wheat varieties began in
the mid-to-Iate 1960s [Byerlee (1990); Rosegrant (1991)]. Yields per
hectare for rice and wheat grew slowly prior to the green revolution,
then increased dramatically (Table 1). In Pakistan, yield growth from
1965 to 1975 was particularly rapid, but declined sharply after that.
Indian yields grew more slowly than in Pakistan in the early green
revolution period, but higher yield growth was sustained in India after
1975.

This book is based on papers presented at the 4th meeting of the International Consortium on Agricultural Biotechnology Research on the 'Economics of Agricultural Biotechnology'. A subset of those papers is included in this volume, which addresses market development issues in developed countries, primarily in Europe and North America. Organized in 4 parts, this volume focuses on consumer reactions to GM foods, farmer acceptance of biotechnology products, the role of information systems and associated regulatory developments; and changes in industrial organization in life science and food sectors. It is aimed at those working in agricultural biotechnology and agricultural economics. The book has 26 chapters and a subject index.

This paper documents research and development (R7amp;D) spillovers between nations and between industries, discussing some theoretical and measurement issues. A new technique makes patent data more practical for economic uses, allowing analysis of the industries of manufacture and sectors of use for inventions. New technology introduced for use in the agricultural and food processing sectors in 14 less developed and newly industrialized nations is traced, comparing the regional and industrial sources of these inventions across time. An application shows that both international and interindustrial spillovers add to agricultural total factor productivity, and distinguishes between the direct and indirect effects of spillovers from public and private, domestic and foreign sources. (JEL C67, 031, 047, Q16)

This paper assesses total factor productivity (TFP) growth in India, examines the sources of productivity growth, including public and private investment, and estimates the rates of return to public investments in agriculture. The results show that significant TFP growth in the Indian crops sector was produced by investments -- primarily in research -- but also in extension, markets, and irrigation. The high rates of return, particularly to public agricultural research and extension, indicate that the Government of India is not overinvesting in agricultural research and investment, but rather that current levels of public investment could be profitably expanded. ; Non-PR ; IFPRI1 ; EPTD