IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v36y2008i8p1342-1364.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Agriculture, Development, and Urban Bias

Author

Listed:
  • Bezemer, Dirk
  • Headey, Derek

Abstract

Summary Throughout history, agriculture-led development strategies with state support programs have been essential to achieving rapid economy-wide growth, poverty reduction, and structural transformation. Yet over the last three decades, the domestic and international policy environments have continued to discriminate against agricultural development in the poorest countries. This paper studies the causes and manifestations of this "urban bias," including discrimination in domestic pricing policies and in the international trade regime, decreasing financial support from LDC governments and aid donors, and increasing neglect of agriculture in development theory and economic research. The authors conclude that urban bias remains a persistent and paramount obstacle to sustained growth and poverty reduction in the least developed countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Bezemer, Dirk & Headey, Derek, 2008. "Agriculture, Development, and Urban Bias," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 1342-1364, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:36:y:2008:i:8:p:1342-1364
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305-750X(08)00066-1
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fan, Shenggen & Chan-Kang, Connie & Mukherjee, Anit, 2005. "Rural and urban dynamics and poverty: Evidence from China and India," FCND discussion papers 196, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Anne O. Krueger, 1983. "Trade and Employment in Developing Countries, Volume 3: Synthesis and Conclusions," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number krue83-1, March.
    3. Lipton, Michael, 1988. "The place of agricultural research in the development of sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 16(10), pages 1231-1257, October.
    4. Shenggen Fan & Peter Hazell & Sukhadeo Thorat, 2000. "Government Spending, Growth and Poverty in Rural India," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(4), pages 1038-1051.
    5. Rana Hasan & M. G. Quibria, 2004. "Industry Matters for Poverty: A Critique of Agricultural Fundamentalism," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 253-264, May.
    6. Dani Rodrik, 2006. "Institutions for High-Quality Growth: What They Are and How to Acquire Them," Chapters, in: Kartik Roy & Jörn Sideras (ed.), Institutions, Globalisation and Empowerment, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Maxwell, Simon, 2003. "Six Characters (and a few more) in Search of an Author: How to Resuce Rural Development before it's too Late," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa: Plenary Sessions 245923, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Ravallion, Martin & Datt, Gaurav, 1996. "How Important to India's Poor Is the Sectoral Composition of Economic Growth?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 10(1), pages 1-25, January.
    9. Foster, Andrew D & Rosenzweig, Mark R, 2004. "Agricultural Productivity Growth, Rural Economic Diversity, and Economic Reforms: India, 1970-2000," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(3), pages 509-542, April.
    10. Simon Maxwell, 2005. "Six characters (and a few more) in search of an author: how to rescue rural development before it's too late," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(s1), pages 61-73, January.
    11. Peter Warr, 2002. "Poverty Incidence and Sectoral Growth: Evidence from Southeast Asia," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2002-20, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    12. Adelman, Irma, 1984. "Beyond export-led growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 12(9), pages 937-949, September.
    13. Rola-Rubzen, Maria Fay & Hardaker, J. Brian & Dillon, John L., 2001. "Agricultural economists and world poverty: progress and prospects," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 45(1), pages 1-28.
    14. Gary S. Fields, 2004. "Dualism In The Labor Market: A Perspective On The Lewis Model After Half A Century," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 72(6), pages 724-735, December.
    15. Haggblade, Steven & Hazell, P. B. R. & Reardon, Thomas, 2002. "Strategies for stimulating poverty-alleviating growth in the rural nonfarm economy in developing countries," EPTD discussion papers 92, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Kang, Kenneth & Ramachandran, Vijaya, 1999. "Economic Transformation in Korea: Rapid Growth without an Agricultural Revolution?," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 47(4), pages 783-801, July.
    17. Adelman, Irma, 1984. "Beyond export-led growth," CUDARE Working Paper Series 309, University of California at Berkeley, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Policy.
    18. Rodrik, Dani, 2005. "Growth Strategies," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 14, pages 967-1014, Elsevier.
    19. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    20. B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), 2002. "Handbook of Agricultural Economics," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 2, number 4.
    21. Thirtle, Colin & Lin, Lin & Piesse, Jenifer, 2003. "The Impact of Research-Led Agricultural Productivity Growth on Poverty Reduction in Africa, Asia and Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(12), pages 1959-1975, December.
    22. Paul Dorosh & Steven Haggblade, 2003. "Growth Linkages, Price Effects and Income Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 12(2), pages 207-235, June.
    23. Krueger, Anne O, 1978. "Alternative Trade Strategies and Employment in LDCs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 68(2), pages 270-274, May.
    24. Easterly, William, 2005. "National Policies and Economic Growth: A Reappraisal," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 15, pages 1015-1059, Elsevier.
    25. Murgai, Rinku, 2001. "The Green Revolution and the productivity paradox: evidence from the Indian Punjab," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(2-3), pages 199-209, September.
    26. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea (ed.), 2004. "Inequality, Growth, and Poverty in an Era of Liberalization and Globalization," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199271412, Decembrie.
    27. Delgado, Christopher L. & Hopkins, Jane & Kelly , Valerie & Hazell, P. B. R. & McKenna, Anna A. & Gruhn, Peter & Hojjati, Behjat & Sil, Jayashree & Courbois, Claude, 1998. "Agricultural growth linkages in Sub-Saharan Africa:," Research reports 107, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    28. Richard Tiffin & Xavier Irz, 2006. "Is agriculture the engine of growth?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 35(1), pages 79-89, July.
    29. Barrett, Christopher B. & Bezuneh, Mesfin & Aboud, Abdillahi, 2001. "Income diversification, poverty traps and policy shocks in Cote d'Ivoire and Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 367-384, August.
    30. Krueger, Anne O, 1974. "The Political Economy of the Rent-Seeking Society," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 64(3), pages 291-303, June.
    31. Francisco Rodríguez & Dani Rodrik, 2001. "Trade Policy and Economic Growth: A Skeptic's Guide to the Cross-National Evidence," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2000, Volume 15, pages 261-338, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    32. Derek Headey & Mohammad Alauddin & D.S. Prasada Rao, 2010. "Explaining agricultural productivity growth: an international perspective," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(1), pages 1-14, January.
    33. Douglas Gollin & Stephen Parente & Richard Rogerson, 2002. "The Role of Agriculture in Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 160-164, May.
    34. Michael R. Carter, 2000. "Land Ownership Inequality and the Income Distribution Consequences of Economic Growth," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2000-201, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    35. Ferreira, Francisco H. G. & Lanjouw, Peter, 2001. "Rural Nonfarm Activities and Poverty in the Brazilian Northeast," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 509-528, March.
    36. Ravallion, Martin & Chen, Shaohua, 2007. "China's (uneven) progress against poverty," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 1-42, January.
    37. Anonymous, 1961. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(4), pages 710-712, October.
    38. Carter, Michael R., 2000. "Land Ownership Inequality and the Income Distribution Consequences of Economic Growth," WIDER Working Papers 295533, United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    39. Kenneth L. Sokoloff & Stanley L. Engerman, 2000. "Institutions, Factor Endowments, and Paths of Development in the New World," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 217-232, Summer.
    40. Dollar, David, 1992. "Outward-Oriented Developing Economies Really Do Grow More Rapidly: Evidence from 95 LDCs, 1976-1985," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(3), pages 523-544, April.
    41. Kym Anderson & Will Martin & Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, 2006. "Distortions to World Trade: Impacts on Agricultural Markets and Farm Incomes," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 28(2), pages 168-194.
    42. Unknown, 1961. "The Role of Agriculture in Economic Development," International Journal of Agrarian Affairs, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 3(2), pages 1-1, April.
    43. Hans P. Binswanger & Klaus Deininger, 1997. "Explaining Agricultural and Agrarian Policies in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(4), pages 1958-2005, December.
    44. Hans P. Binswanger, 2000. "The Growth Performance of Agriculture in Subsaharan Africa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(5), pages 1075-1086.
    45. Ravallion, Martin & Datt, Gaurav, 2002. "Why has economic growth been more pro-poor in some states of India than others?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 381-400, August.
    46. Diao, Xinshen & Hazell, Peter & Resnick, Danielle & Thurlow, James, 2006. "The role of agriculture in development: implications for Sub-Saharan Africa," DSGD discussion papers 29, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    47. Anonymous, 1961. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 194-195, January.
    48. Kherallah, Mylène & Delgado, Christopher L. & Gabre-Madhin, Eleni Z. & Minot, Nicholas & Johnson, Michael, 2002. "Reforming agricultural markets in Africa," Food policy statements 38, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    49. Dorward, Andrew & Kydd, Jonathan & Morrison, Jamie & Urey, Ian, 2004. "A Policy Agenda for Pro-Poor Agricultural Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 73-89, January.
    50. Steven A. Block, 1999. "Agriculture and economic growth in Ethiopia: growth multipliers from a four‐sector simulation model," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 20(3), pages 241-252, May.
    51. Bryceson, Deborah Fahy, 2002. "The Scramble in Africa: Reorienting Rural Livelihoods," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 725-739, May.
    52. Ravallion, Martin & Huppi, Monika, 1991. "Measuring Changes in Poverty: A Methodological Case Study of Indonesia during an Adjustment Period," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 5(1), pages 57-82, January.
    53. Bourguignon, Francois & Morrisson, Christian, 1998. "Inequality and development: the role of dualism," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 233-257.
    54. Paul Mosley, 2002. "The African green revolution as a pro-poor policy instrument," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(6), pages 695-724.
    55. Kym Anderson & Will Martin, 2009. "Distortions to Agricultural Incentives in Asia," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2611, December.
    56. Daniel Start, 2001. "The Rise and Fall of the Rural Non‐farm Economy: Poverty Impacts and Policy Options," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 19(4), pages 491-505, December.
    57. Allcott, Hunt & Lederman, Daniel & Lopez, Ramon, 2006. "Political institutions, inequality, and agricultural growth : the public expenditure connection," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3902, The World Bank.
    58. Timmer, C. Peter, 2002. "Agriculture and economic development," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 29, pages 1487-1546, Elsevier.
    59. Deininger, Klaus & Olinto, Pedro, 2001. "Rural Nonfarm Employment and Income Diversification in Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 455-465, March.
    60. Maxwell, Simon, 1996. "Food security: a post-modern perspective," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 155-170, May.
    61. B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), 2002. "Handbook of Agricultural Economics," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 2, number 3.
    62. Anonymous, 1961. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 520-522, July.
    63. Annelies Zoomers, 2006. "Three Decades of Rural Development Projects in Asia, Latin America, and Africa: Learning From Successes and Failures," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-33, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    64. Wiggins, Steve, 2000. "Interpreting Changes from the 1970s to the 1990s in African Agriculture Through Village Studies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 631-662, April.
    65. Anonymous, 1961. "International Monetary Fund," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(2), pages 299-305, July.
    66. Lanjouw, Jean O. & Lanjouw, Peter, 2001. "The rural non-farm sector: issues and evidence from developing countries," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 1-23, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christiaensen, Luc & Demery, Lionel & Kuhl, Jesper, 2006. "The role of agriculture in poverty reduction an empirical perspective," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4013, The World Bank.
    2. Timmer, Peter & Weisbrod, Julian & McCulloch, Neil, 2006. "The Pathways out of Poverty in Rural Indonesia: an empirical assessment," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Berlin 2006 29, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.
    3. Dethier, Jean-Jacques & Effenberger, Alexandra, 2012. "Agriculture and development: A brief review of the literature," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 175-205.
    4. Briones, Roehlano M., 2013. "Agriculture, Rural Employment, and Inclusive Growth," Discussion Papers DP 2013-39, Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
    5. Ozgur Kaya & Ilker Kaya, 2019. "Aid To Agriculture And Aggregate Welfare," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 64(02), pages 281-300, March.
    6. Andersson, Martin & Rohne Till, Emelie, 2017. "Between the Engine and the Fifth Wheel: An Analytical Survey of the Shifting Roles of Agriculture in Development Theory," Lund Papers in Economic History 163, Lund University, Department of Economic History.
    7. Diao, Xinshen & Hazell, Peter & Resnick, Danielle & Thurlow, James, 2006. "The role of agriculture in development: implications for Sub-Saharan Africa," DSGD discussion papers 29, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Neil McCulloch & C. Peter Timmer & Julian Weisbrod, 2007. "Pathways Out of Poverty During an Economic Crisis: An Empirical Assessment of Rural Indonesia," Working Papers 115, Center for Global Development.
    9. Christiaensen, Luc & Demery, Lionel & Kuhl, Jesper, 2011. "The (evolving) role of agriculture in poverty reduction--An empirical perspective," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 239-254, November.
    10. Kaya, Ozgur & Kaya, Ilker & Gunter, Lewell F., 2008. "The Impact of Agricultural Aid on Agricultural Sector Growth," 2008 Annual Meeting, February 2-6, 2008, Dallas, Texas 6743, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    11. Headey, Derek & Bezemer, Dirk & Hazell, Peter B., 2008. "Agricultural exit problems: Causes and consequences," IFPRI discussion papers 802, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    12. Paul A. Dorosh & John W. Mellor, 2013. "Why Agriculture Remains a Viable Means of Poverty Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Ethiopia," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 31(4), pages 419-441, July.
    13. Ozgur Kaya & Ilker Kaya & Lewell Gunter, 2013. "Foreign Aid and the Quest for Poverty Reduction: Is Aid to Agriculture Effective?," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 583-596, September.
    14. Peter Warr & Waleerat Suphannachart, 2021. "Agricultural Productivity Growth and Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Thailand," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 525-546, June.
    15. Emelie Rohne Till, 2021. "A green revolution in sub‐Saharan Africa? The transformation of Ethiopia's agricultural sector," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 277-315, March.
    16. Ronald Ravinesh Kumar & Radika Kumar, 2012. "Exploring sectoral elasticity vis-à-vis per worker income with a focus to agriculture: a study of Sub-Saharan Africa," African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 27-48.
    17. Fertö, Imre, 2014. "The Structural Transformation in Central and Eastern European Agriculture," CEI Working Paper Series 2014-9, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    18. Shifa, Abdulaziz B., 2011. "Does agricultural growth have a causal effect on manufacturing growth?," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 116003, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    19. Abdul Waheed Bhutto & Aqeel Ahmed Bazmi, 2007. "Sustainable agriculture and eradication of rural poverty in Pakistan," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 31(4), pages 253-262, November.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:36:y:2008:i:8:p:1342-1364. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.