@article{Johnson:116192,
      recid = {116192},
      author = {Johnson, Robin and Rossmiller, George Edward and  Sandiford-Rossmiller, Frances},
      title = {Ag econ angst crisis revisited},
      journal = {Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics},
      address = {2003-06},
      number = {428-2016-27712},
      pages = {14},
      year = {2003},
      abstract = {The present paper was inspired by and is a response to the  Rola-Rubzen,
Hardaker and Dillon paper ‘Agricultural  economists and world poverty: progress
and prospects’  (Rola-Rubzen
et al.
2001). It is agreed that the  position
of agricultural economists in foreign aid and  poverty programs has declined
over recent decades. Such a  feeling of guilt and remorse expressed by the
above authors  does indeed create considerable ‘angst’. A major reason for  this
state of affairs lies in ‘the flavour of the month’  approach of the development
agencies. These include women  in development, gender-based farming systems
research,  household nutrition and food security, people  participation, and targeting
the poorest of the poor. These  fads have driven disciplinary considerations to the
wall  and the more widely-defined objectives have reduced the  drive for economic
efficiency. We argue there is still a  place for better designed and delivered assistance
programs  within the wider framework of assistance that has become  fashionable.
Greater application of institutional  principles in both the political processes associated
with  assistance and the implementation agencies would improve  the outcomes
of many projects. Particular attention would  need to be given to the
interface between the development  agencies and recipient governments. The
present paper picks  up on the market failure aspects of agriculture’s rather  poor
contribution to development, and develops a wider  perspective in terms of the new
institutional economics and  a continuing role for the agricultural economist.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/116192},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.116192},
}