The agricultural productivity gap- Comparative advantage concerning agriculture in developing countries

Africa is backward in economic growth food security child nutrition andhealth and is combating environmental degradation is beset by conflictsand has the highest population growth rate in the world. One of the corecontributing factors is the weak performance of the agricultural sector. Liberalisationof agricultural markets became a core issue in development policybut this does not address the problem.This study discusses the question of whether developing countries have losttheir comparative advantage in agricultural products due to a change in productivitygrowth rates. Firstly agricultural productivity in developed countriesincreases immensely in comparison with developing countries; this leads to agrowing international productivity gap.Secondly productivity growth rates in the agricultural sector exceed those inthe industrial sector. The first observation results in a loss of competitivenessand the first and second together cause a diminishing comparative advantagein agriculture in developing countries.The book offers interesting perspectives about the growing global divergencewith strong theoretical foundations and empirical evidence.It is aimed at policy makers professionals academics and students of economicsand political sciences and anyone with an interest in developmentstudy.