Book Chapter, Annual Trends and Outlook Report 2020
By Gashaw T. Abate, Kibrom A. Abay, and David Spielman
Agricultural productivity growth has long been recognized as an important instrument to reduce poverty, generate nonfarm employment, and hence trigger structural transformation processes (see, for example, Timmer 1997; Fan, Hazell, Thorat 1999; Johnson 2000; and Mellor 2000). A central element in increasing agricultural productivity is the adoption of improved inputs, especially improved cultivars and inorganic fertilizer (Rosegrant and Evenson 1992; Ruttan 2002; Evenson and Gollin 2003). When combined with irrigation and improved management practices, these inputs can dramatically enhance yields and the overall returns to farming […]
