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The Role of Agriculture and Human Capital in Economic Growth: Farmers, Schooling, and Health

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  • Huffman, Wallace
  • Orazem, Peter

Abstract

This paper examines the important role played by agriculture and human capital of farmers and farm people in economic growth and development. In particular, we place great emphasis on the importance of positive technology shocks to agriculture for igniting what may become long-term economic growth with increased food production per capita, an improved standard of living, migration of labor from the farm to the nonfarm sector and the rise of cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Huffman, Wallace & Orazem, Peter, 2004. "The Role of Agriculture and Human Capital in Economic Growth: Farmers, Schooling, and Health," ISU General Staff Papers 200408190700001239, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:isu:genstf:200408190700001239
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    1. Abdulla, Majd, 2004. "The impact of improved nutrition on labor productivity and GDP growth rate in low- and middle-income countries," ISU General Staff Papers 2004010108000017649, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Sabasi, Darlington & Shumway, C. Richard, 2014. "Technical Change, Efficiency, and Total Factor Productivity in U.S. Agriculture," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170225, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Magdalena Kozera-Kowalska, 2020. "Intellectual Capital: ISVA, the Alternative Way of Calculating Creating Value in Agricultural Entities—Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Jing Ren & Fuduo Li & Changbin Yin & Jiudong Zhang, 2022. "Uncovering the Deviation of Farmers’ Green Manure Planting Willingness and Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Bazyli Czyżewski & Agnieszka Poczta-Wajda & Piotr Kułyk & Jolanta Drozdz, 2023. "Small farm as sustainable nexus of contracts: understanding the role of human capital and policy based on evidence from Poland," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 10239-10260, September.
    6. Ashfield, Austen & Mullan, Conall & Jack, Claire, 2020. "Encouraging farmer participation in agricultural education and training: A Northern Ireland perspective," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 9, November.
    7. Wallace, Michael T. & Jack, Claire G., 2011. "On‐Farm and Off‐Farm Returns to Education among Farm Operators in Northern Ireland," 85th Annual Conference, April 18-20, 2011, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 108786, Agricultural Economics Society.
    8. Artz, Georgeanne M. & Hoque, Maniul & Orazem, Peter F. & Shah, Urja, 2016. "Urban-Rural Wage Gaps, Inefficient Labor Allocations, and GDP per Capita," ISU General Staff Papers 201609140700001006, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.

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