What is Agriculture: Need for a New Paradigm?

With a different emphasis in developing and industrialized countries, the main target of agricultural policy is the small farmer. Although he has hardly been exactly defined, he is supposed to be poor - he is, in­variably - and, with the help of a great variety of instruments extend­ing from strengthening supporting services to price subsidies, govern­ments have been trying to improve the lot of the smallholder in agricul­ture. For some countries, this may be lip service, but in many others, it really is the goal of governments to improve the situation of this target group.