The FAO-IFPRI study, focuses on the use of tractors because they are among the most versatile farm mechanization tools and are universal power sources for all other driven implements and equipment in agriculture, with significant potential to repl

The FAO-IFPRI study, of which this policy brief is a summary, focuses on the use of tractors because they are among the most versatile farm mechanization tools and are universal power sources for all other driven implements and equipment in agricu

Child labour in agriculture remains a global concern. Agriculture is the sector where most child labour is found. Employment of children mostly relates to farm household poverty in developing countries.

Gender differences in the engagement of work activities across sectors are important elements of gender inequality in rural livelihoods and welfare in developing countries.

Nepal has a long history of irrigation, including government and farmer-managed irrigation systems that are labor- and skill-intensive. Widespread male migration has important effects on Nepalese society.

Imbalanced application of fertilizers is a major fiscal and environmental problem in South Asia.

Analyzing the experiences of eight Asian and five African countries, the authors explore crucial government roles in boosting and supporting mechanization, from import policies to promotion policies to public good policies.

Agricultural mechanization in Africa south of the Sahara — especially for small farms and businesses — requires a new paradigm to meet the needs of the continent’s evolving farming systems.

Africa has experienced a paradigm shift in mechanization in the past three decades. The “new paradigm” has also given rise to new challenges and policy issues.

Mechanization levels in Nepal, a largely agricultural country, were relatively low until a few decades ago.

Recent agricultural transformation in Asia and Africa has witnessed the gradual spread of mechanization in agricultural areas that are still largely made up of smallholder farming.

Heterogeneity in factor endowments and the degree of specializations induced by comparative advantages are among the crucial factors that affect the overall productivity of the economy.

Much of my research has been on the need for collective action in managing natural resources, and the value of groups to facilitate collective agency for women’s empowerment.

Adoptions of improved technologies and production practices are important drivers of agricultural development in low-income countries like Nepal.

Quantitative evidence presented in this report demonstrates that total public agricultural research and development (R&D) spending in South Asia has risen considerably since 2000.

As part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Washington and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supported Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) and the USAID/Nepal Seeds and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, the Inte