ECON 6280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Human Capital, Staple Food, Cash Crop
Document Summary
In the 60s-70s, development = industrialization, but now, agricultural development is seen as an important part of any development strategy. Food security: food available per capita > subsistence threshold can increase food production by expanding cultivated area (land expansion), increasing yields, or importing food. Ir8 miracle rice yielding 10xs the traditional yield. The green revolution focused on latin american and asia: as yields grow in developed countries, crop yield increases in latin american and asian countries. Africa (generalization) land abundance one century ago (low population, virgin forests, etc. ) labor abundance now (population of africa x7 since 1900, not enough land which leads to violent/mass killings. Growth accommodated by land expansion (x1. 5 since 1960), increasing yields (x1. 8), food imports, and food aids. Geographical factors: desertification, availability of water, high diversity in slope and soil types. Historical factors: different and diverse main crops in africa, green revolution was led by the us, so.
