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Abstract
This paper investigates empirically the economy-wide effects of agricultural
productivity increases in the Philippines, reporting the results of a quantitative
analysis based on a general equilibrium framework. A multisectoral, price endogenous
model of the Philippine economy is employed, emphasizing not only agriculture
but also other production sectors with which it closely interacts, as well
as the distinction between rural and urban households in their income generation
and consumption patterns. Among other findings, the differential effects on
the real income of rural households vis-a-vis urban households arising from
increased productivity in the various components of the agricultural production
sector are striking. The resulting improvements in the trade balance and national
income, among other macroeconomic variables, are also relatively significant.
Moreover, there are significant differences in the economy-wide effects among
the four sectors of food and agriculture distinguished in the study. Particularly
interesting is the highly favorable impact of rising productivity in the food processing
sector on agricultural crop production and rural income, a linkage effect
that has not received much attention in the development literature.