Publication: Gaining Momentum in Peruvian Agriculture: Opportunities to Increase Productivity and Enhance Competitiveness
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Date
2017-12
ISSN
Published
2017-12
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
What is the future for agriculture in
Peru? Once the principal source of employment and income for
much of the population, Peru’s agricultural sector has
declined in importance as the national economy has grown and
urbanized. Economic activity in the sector has continued to
grow, but economic activity in other sectors has grown more
rapidly, leaving agriculture to make up an ever smaller
share of the overall economy. The future of Peruvian
agriculture should concern policy makers, for at least five
reasons. First, agriculture makes up an important part of
the economy, so if agricultural growth decelerates, overall
growth will suffer. Second, an expanding agricultural sector
diversifies Peru’s economy and reduces dependence on
extractives, so if the agricultural sector contracts
relative to other sectors, economic growth could become more
volatile. Third, agriculture-led growth is good for the
poor, so if agricultural growth slows, an important means of
reducing poverty will be lost. Fourth, Peru relies on food
imports to make up production shortfalls, so if agricultural
production fails to keep pace with population growth,
national food security could be threatened. Fifth,
climate-smart agricultural practices can play a major role
in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering
carbon, so if future agricultural practices are not climate
smart, an important opportunity to help mitigate climate
change will be missed. This report synthesizes current
knowledge about the ongoing transformation of Peru’s
agriculture and food system, assesses the recent performance
of the agriculture sector with an emphasis on productivity
and competitiveness, and highlights opportunities for
enhancing the future contribution of the agriculture sector
toward meeting the country’s development challenges.
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Citation
“World Bank. 2017. Gaining Momentum in Peruvian Agriculture: Opportunities to Increase Productivity and Enhance Competitiveness. © World Bank, Lima. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27517 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”