|
By Sukhpal Singh
Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Agribusiness is the single largest sector of the economy of many developing countries, and is growing fast. Agriculture currently accounts for only about 26% of India’s GDP, but if one takes an agribusiness perspective of the economy we see that more than 50% of the country’s GDP comes from the agribusiness sector. Likewise, a large majority of Sri Lanka’s population (75%) still lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture or related agribusiness activities, directly or indirectly, for their livelihoods. Sri Lanka’s agribusiness sector is diversified and has a long history of serving international markets with products like rubber, tea and spices. In Bangladesh, the agricultural sector accounts for 31.6% of GDP and provides employment to 63.2% of its population.
Increasing expansion and control of big business in agriculture and food systems have given rise to increasing concern, even alarm, regarding the adverse impacts on farmers’ livelihoods, labour markets in general (and women workers in particular), sustainable food production, quality of food, health and nutrition, environment and the wellbeing of other forms of life.
It is therefore important that agribusiness activities are carefully analysed and monitored for their impact on sustainable rural livelihoods.
This Make Trade Fair paper reviews and analyses the nature, profile and functioning of the agribusiness sector in South Asia. It examines the impact of agribusiness corporations, supermarket chains and other such agencies on primary producers in South Asia from the perspective of rural poverty reduction. It also raises some pertinent issues related to policy design and action.
Click here to read the full paper in PDF format.
|
