Author : Balisacan, Arsenio M.; Fuwa, Nobuhiko

Summary : This book attempts to take stock of the evolution of theoretical and empirical knowledge about economic development, mainly focusing on agricultural and rural development, and drawing mainly (if not exclusively) on experiences in Asia. There have been other such stock-taking exercises in development economics, but this book is somewhat unique in its exclusive focus on agricultural and rural development in Asia.

The agricultural sector's perceived importance in the international development circle waned dramatically after the 1980s, and investments in rural development and agricultural research and development declined sharply. This volume reasserts the role of agricultural and rural development in the economic development debate. By revisiting the evolution of ideas, paradigms, and empirical evidence, and by drawing on Asian experiences, the book intends to set a reinvigorated agenda on agricultural and rural development both for research and policy discussions in the coming decades. Written by internationally acknowledged research scholars, this book is helpful to a wide range of audience, including researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students in rural development in Asia and its future evolutions.