Commodity Market Reforms : Lessons of Two Decades

Akiyama, Takamasa ; Baffes, John ; Larson, Donald ; Varangis, Panos

Washington, DC:World Bank

关键词: AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES;    AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLDS;    AGRICULTURAL LABOR;    AGRICULTURAL MARKETS;    AGRICULTURE;   

DOI  :  10.1596/0-8213-4588-5
RP-ID  :  22024

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Structural reform of the economies ofdeveloping countries has been in the forefront ofdevelopment interest since the early 1980s. This intereststems from a recognition that the structures andinstitutions of these countries are critical to anyenhancement of economic and social development. One of thekey reforms has been that of primary commodity markets,especially agricultural commodity markets, because manydeveloping countries, including the poorest, depend heavilyon these for foreign exchange earnings and employment, andhence for poverty reduction. This report focuses on thepolitical economy and institutional aspects of agriculturalcommodity market reform. In order to explore in detailfactors that are critical to the processes, consequences,and substance of reform, the authors have focused theanalysis and evaluation on five commodities important inmany developing countries, specifically cocoa, coffee,sugar, cotton, and cereal. In doing so, they highlightimportant lessons on how agricultural sector reform can belaunched and implemented. Some of the factors identified inthe report as being key to successful reform include therecognition that commodity markets often affect communitiesand even politics, that the initial conditions of marketsare critical, and that government intervention can crowd outprivate sector initiatives, especially when it comes tobuilding the institutions needed to develop a healthyagricultural sector.