Can Agriculture Provide a Sustainable Basis for The Economic Advanceement of Poor Countries?
Introduction
The agricultural sector is crucial for stimulating growth in all parts of an economy. About two-third of the population in most poor countries depend on agriculture either directly or indirectly. As such, agriculture is the main occupation in most of these countries. It is not merely a source of livelihood but a way of life, producing food, fodder, and fuel; hence, being the basic foundation of economic development. For this reason, the agricultural sector cannot be ignored in the economic advancement of the less developed countries. The economic advancement of poor countries through the agricultural sector would be a replication of the significant contribution that the sector has made to the economic prosperity of advanced countries. For instance, agriculture has played a strategic role in the process of economic development of many regions including Europe, North America and Australia (Southgate, et al., 2011).
If such agricultural efforts applied in these developed countries are used in poorer countries such as Pakistan and India, agriculture would of greater importance to their economies. The significance of this sector to an economy is derived from the fact that it feeds people, employs many citizens, provides raw material for industries, and used as a base for foreign trade. Due to its enormous importance to the national economy, agriculture can provide a sustainable base for economic advancement of the developing countries.
Content analysis
This paper discusses the role and significance of the agricultural sector in the economic development of the less developed countries. In context, it uses the cases of India and Pakistan in evaluating the ways in which agriculture is of economic importance to the countries, why it can stimulate the overall economic growth of the countries, and the economic policies that can enhance agricultural growth in those countries.
There has always been a good relation between agriculture and the economic development of a nation. Agriculture is considered one of the basic pillars of both a developing and a developed economy.The Indian economy is basically agrarian. Despite the rapid industrialization and economic development in the country, agriculture still remains the backbone of the Indian economy. As put in Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “India lives in villages and agriculture is the soul of the Indian economy”. About two- thirds of the country’s population directly depends on agriculture for its livelihood, making the sector the mainstay of India’s economy. As such, agriculture contributes approximately 25% of the country’s GDP, meets food requirements of the citizens, and produces raw materials for industries (Southgate, et al., 2011). For this reason, agricultural activities are crucial to the economic advancement of India.Just like India and other poor countries, Pakistan also depends on agriculture for its economic sustainability. About 48% of the labor force in Pakistan is directly engaged with agricultural activities, making the sector the main source of income for a great part of the population …
