Showing papers by "International Food Policy Research Institute published in 1984"
TL;DR: This article applied variance decomposition procedures to state data on crop production to analyze the sources of increased instability and found that production has become significantly more covariate between states and crops, largely because of increased yield variability and a loss in offsetting patterns of variation between crop yields in different states.
Abstract: Recent growth in Indian and U.S. cereal production has been accompanied by a more than proportional increase in the standard deviation of production. This study applies variance decomposition procedures to state data on crop production to analyze the sources of this increased instability. It is found that production has become significantly more covariate between states and crops, largely because of increased yield variability and a loss in offsetting patterns of variation between crop yields in different states. These changes may be associated with more variable prices, with higher-yielding technologies, and with a narrowing of the genetic base.
92 citations
TL;DR: This article pointed out that foreign assistance was equal to nearly two-thirds of gross domestic investment in the low-income economies of Sub-Saharan Africa in 1984 and 13% of the gross domestic investments for the region as a whole (World Bank 1984, 1986); the opinions of donors matter in Africa.
Abstract: We respond to the comment by Schiff on our 1984 invited paper along three lines. First, we clarify points that appear to have been misunderstood. Second, we emphasize our disagreement with several aspects of Schiff's position that find particular currency within a small, but not negligible, portion of the donor community. Foreign assistance was equal to nearly two-thirds of gross domestic investment in the low income economies of Sub-Saharan Africa in 1984 and 13% of gross domestic investment for the region as a whole (World Bank 1984, 1986); the opinions of donors matter in Africa. Third, we use the opportunity to refocus the debate on the real issue of steps to improve agricultural investment in Africa. We feel that a critical mass of national and donor agency policy makers have made this transition but that we as an academic community have done relatively little in recent years to assist them.
61 citations
TL;DR: Teenage, Black, and Hispanic women show similar, if not stronger, benefits of WIC supplemental feeding, and participation in WIC appears to have a positive effect on pregnancy outcome.
41 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of the general changes in the food situation in developing countries over the past two decades, and especially since the 1974 World Food Conference, following an examination of trends in production, consumption and trade in basic food staples of Third World countries.
12 citations
7 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors look at the impact of these proposals on developing countries and conclude that the effect will be to increase non-tariff barriers to trade and increase the cost of food production both in and outside the EC.
6 citations
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a modification of one use of the translog production function reported by Binswanger (1973) was reported, and the method employed in this study recognizes that changes in factor shares over time are affected by a variety of decision variables including research and extension.
3 citations
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: A common feature of economic development in industrialized countries is the shrinking of the agricultural sector, highlighted by diminishing shares of agriculture in national income generation and, in later stages, absolute reduction of the labor force in the sector.
Abstract: A common feature of economic development in industrialized countries is the shrinking of the agricultural sector. This is highlighted by diminishing shares of agriculture in national income generation and, in later stages, absolute reduction of the labor force in the sector.