Agriculture and the rural economy in Pakistan: Issues, outlooks, and policy priorities: Synopsis

Agriculture and the rural economy in Pakistan: Issues, outlooks, and policy priorities: Synopsis
Author: Spielman, David J.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 4
Release: 2017-01-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

While policy makers, media, and the international community focus their attention on Pakistan’s ongoing security challenges, the potential of the rural economy, and particularly the agricultural sector, to improve Pakistanis’ well-being is being neglected. Agriculture is crucial to Pakistan’s economy. Almost half of the country’s labor force works in the agricultural sector, which produces food and inputs for industry (such as cotton for textiles) and accounts for over a third of Pakistan’s total export earnings. Equally important are nonfarm economic activities in rural areas, such as retail sales in small village shops, transportation services, and education and health services in local schools and clinics. Rural nonfarm activities account for between 40 and 57 percent of total rural household income. Their large share of income means that the agricultural sector and the rural nonfarm economy have vital roles to play in promoting growth and reducing poverty in Pakistan.

Strategic Reforms for Agricultural Growth in Pakistan

Strategic Reforms for Agricultural Growth in Pakistan
Author: Rashid Faruqee
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 168
Release: 1999
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780821343364

"Future prospects for the agricultural sector in Pakistan depend on its ability to increase output and income of producers." Agriculture remains the backbone of the Pakistani economy, employing more than half the labor force and accounting for 70 per cent of export revenues. However, agriculture faces two sets of constraints in Pakistan: resource constraints and policy distortions. This volume deals with the major resource and policy constraints currently facing Pakistani agriculture. Government involvement in Pakistan's agricultural sector has been excessive and often inappropriate, and agricultural reforms are a key part of the adjustment program underway in Pakistan. Some of the principal goals of the program are to ensure a sound and sustainable macroeconomic framework with sustainable internal and external balances, to liberalize trade, privatize government-owned enterprises, deregulate and eliminate public sector monopolies, and to reform the financial sector. The agricultural sector can contribute to the Pakistani economy and to the adjustment program. Agriculture has the potential to make a larger contribution to total revenue and plays an important role in external balances. A favorable climate gives Pakistan a strong comparative advantage in horticulture, as indicated by the rapid growth of the subsector in the absence of policy interventions.

Agricultural Policies for Poverty Reduction

Agricultural Policies for Poverty Reduction
Author: OECD
Publisher: OECD Publishing
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2012-03-02
Genre:
ISBN: 9264112901

This volume sets out a strategy for raising rural incomes which emphasises the creation of diversified rural economies with opportunities within and outside agriculture.

Economic Survey 2017-18 (Volume I and Volume II)

Economic Survey 2017-18 (Volume I and Volume II)
Author: Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 845
Release: 2018-03-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0199094136

The Economic Survey is the budget document of the Government of India. It presents the state of affairs of the Indian economy. Economic Survey 2017-18 consists of two volumes. Volume I provides an analytical overview of the performance of the Indian economy during the financial year 2017-18. It highlights the long-term challenges facing the economy. Volume II is a descriptive review of the major sectors of the economy. It emphasizes economic reforms of contemporary relevance like GST, the investment-saving slowdown, fiscal federalism and accountability, gender inequality, climate change and agriculture, science and technology, among others.

Agriculture and Development

Agriculture and Development
Author: Gudrun Kochendörfer-Lucius
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2008-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0821371282

The book highlights proceedings from the Berlin 2008: Agriculture and Development conference held in preparation for the World Development Report 2008.

Agricultural Input Subsidies

Agricultural Input Subsidies
Author: Ephraim Chirwa
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 315
Release: 2013-09-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0199683522

This book takes forward our understanding of agricultural input subsidies in low income countries.

Economic Growth and Government Spending in Saudi Arabia

Economic Growth and Government Spending in Saudi Arabia
Author: Mr.Saad A. Alshahrani
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 26
Release: 2014-01-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484349598

This paper empirically examines the effects of different types of government expenditures, on economic growth in Saudi Arabia. We use different econometric techniques to estimate the short- and long-run effects of these expenditures on growth and employ annual data over the period 1969-2010. Our findings indicate that while private domestic and public investments, as well as healthcare expenditure, stimulate growth in the long-run, openness to trade and spending in the housing sector can also boost short-run production. These findings draw some policy implications for Saudi policymakers on maximizing the returns of the government spending on economic growth.