Author : Manalili, Nerlita M.

Summary : The contents of these papers are consistent with the sustainable agricultural development thrust of SEARCA. The first takes a look at how economies respond to the challenge of agribusiness and, consequently, agro-industrial development. It likewise shows that a country's economic performance, is to a great extent, dependent on how well they have pursued its program thrust and provided policy support. The second paper looks at non-farm employment generation as it relates to agriculture and the non-farm sector, the growth dynamics in the region, and the rural-urban linkage development and approaches. The paper asserts the fact that agribusiness plays a crucial role in the agricultural and economic development as it provided the much needed link between agriculture and industries, between the rural and urban sectors where they are respectively based.