Directions in development

"New forces are at work in the agricultural sector: the growth of markets and private entrepreneurship, the changing global demand for food and other agricultural products, the rise of multinationals, and the expansion of integrated food chains. To realize the potential benefits, the public sector has a crucial role to play through policy initiatives to support agriculture, reduce poverty, and ensure broad rural development alignment with these forces." "Building on the foundation of the Agriculture Investment Sourcebook (World Book 2005), Agricultural Growth for the Poor: An Agenda for Development explores ways in which the public sector can work with the private sector to facilitate growth and ensure equitable benefit distribution. It describes the key policy and institutional issues involved in promoting private sector investment in agriculture and accelerating growth to benefit the poor. It identifies priorities for public investment in specific agricultural settings at different stages of economic growth and offers practical approaches for enhancing the impact of such investment. Finally, it summarizes lessons learned about successful support of agricultural development and discusses areas in which additional progress is required." "Policymakers and international development organizations will find Agricultural Growth for the Poor an invaluable resource for analyzing the prospects for agriculture in the changing global environment and developing an agenda for pro-poor development."--Jacket.

"Summarizes argument that increased infrastructure expenditures are critically needed to accelerate regional growth. Discusses power, telecommunication, transportation, water and sewerage facilities, etc. Emphasizes means of financing these projects"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

"A roadmap for policymakers in developing countries to the key issues and challenges of education in a knowledge economy, this book explores the ways in which lifelong learning systems encourage growth. The authors discuss the changing nature of learning and the expanding role of the private sector in education and training worldwide. In a detailed and practical way, they consider the policy and financing options available to government seeking to meet the lifelong needs of their learners."--Jacket.

"Since the late 1980s, opportunities to harness new resources for agricultural water management (AWM) have grown fewer and more expensive. Lending for irrigation and drainage has focused on rehabilitation and improvement of the existing systems. Water productivity, however, has generally remained low, and returns on public investment have been disappointing, especially in large-scale irrigation. More recently, though, new solutions have begun to emerge, based on widely available technology and new management and governance options. The role of government is changing, responsibility is being decentralized, farmers are playing an increasingly important role in decisions and investment, and markets are driving growth." "Reengaging in Agricultural Water Management: Challenges and Options explores this emerging paradigm, which integrates AWM within a more comprehensive development framework. The ultimate aims of AWM are being redefined: to meet the ever-rising demand for food while at the same time increasing farmer incomes, reducing poverty, and protecting the environment - all from an increasingly constrained water resource base."--BOOK JACKET.

"As one of the World Bank's contributions to the Habitat II process in Istanbul, this publication first tells the story of nearly a quarter century of the Bank's program of urban assistance for developing countries. It then turns to the future to draw attention to priorities for action"--P. 1.