The Green Revolution in a macroeconomic perspective

This paper analyzes the income and equity effects of the dramatic growth in rice yield in the Philippines during the green revolution period 1965-1980 using a modified Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) framework. Proportionately larger income benefits are found to accrue to the large-farm than the small-farm households, indicating a negative equity effect under the historical policy regime and economic structure. The results of counterfactual simulation involving a more active promotion of small-farm production point to a complementarity, rather than a tradeoff, between the twin objectives of growth and equity.