Socio-economic factors in stimulating agriculture in a crisis

Abstract

Agriculture faces a series of challenges, i.e. guaranteeing national food security, increasing farmer’s income and reducing the adverse effects on environment and human health associated with the use of fertilizers and biocides. At the same time, the availability of resources (e.g. agricultural land) decreases. The objective of this study in this article is to operationalize a methodology to assess the effectiveness of new crop and livestock technologies in attaining rural development goals. Cropping systems, quantified in terms of inputs and outputs, are used as the smallest unit of analysis in this study. A land use model, based on linear programming techniques, is used to assess the contribution of alternative cropping systems to rural development goals. Results of this study contribute to the formulation of agricultural policies and a research agenda aiming at stimulating rural development.