Agriculture and employment in development countries: strategies for effective rural development

High rates of growth in agricultural production need not be incompatible with increased employment, income, and the satisfaction of basic needs in the lower-income developing countries. Emphasizing this theme, the author presents three alternative agricultural development strategies and suggests guidelines for identifying appropriate policies and programs. These policies are designed to maximize agricultural production and provide additional opportunities for employment, thereby increasing the purchasing power of rural families.

The three models of agricultural development (the Dual-Size Structure model, the Uniformly Small Farm model, and the Mixed Characteristics model) differ in terms of ownership and access to land and other resources, macroeconomic policies affecting relative prices, and sectoral policies that determine the type of technologies available to farmers. The author assesses the potential of each strategy for generating employment and increasing income, drawing on case studies of Latin American, Asian, and African economies.