Banerjee: Moving Beyond Agriculture
IMF Podcasts, November 10, 2011
Source details
- Canonical URL
- Banerjee: Moving Beyond Agriculture
Other formats
Bibliographic details
- Published: November 10, 2011
Episode overview
- Publication date: November 10, 2011.
- Central question: What can poor countries do to protect their people from surging food prices?
- Core claim: Abhijit Banerjee (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) argues that poor countries should diversify their economy away from agriculture to achieve higher growth.
- Context: In recent months, the cost of basic staples has increased sharply, leaving many low-income countries struggling to buy food for their populations.
Key findings and analysis
- Diversification recommendation:
- Poor countries should diversify their economy away from agriculture to achieve higher growth (Abhijit Banerjee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
- Food-price pressure:
- The cost of basic staples has increased sharply, leaving many low-income countries struggling to buy food for their populations.
- Policy focus implied by guest commentary:
- Protect populations from surging food prices through non-agricultural growth paths and economic diversification.
Guest and perspectives
- Guest: Abhijit Banerjee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Perspective: Emphasis on moving beyond agriculture as a route to higher growth in low-income countries.
Production and presenters
- Producer/host: Bruce Edwards, International Monetary Fund.
- Bruce Edwards produces the IMF podcast program; award-winning audio producer and journalist; has covered armed conflicts, social unrest, and natural disasters from all corners of the world.
- Contributor: Rhoda Metcalfe, independent journalist and audio producer.