Trade Liberalization and Spatial Inequality: A Methodological Innovation in Vietnamese Perspective

poverty, trade liberalization, general equilibrium models, Vietnam

General Equilibrium Measures of Agricultural Policy Bias in Fifteen Developing Countries

A comparative analysis of 15 developing countries shows that, during the 1990s, indirect taxes, tariffs, and exchange rates significantly discriminated against agriculture in only one country (Malawi), was largely neutral in five (Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Zimbabwe), provided a moderate subsidy to agriculture in four (Mexico, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Zambia), and strongly favored agriculture in five (Egypt, Korea, Morocco, Mozambique, and Tunisia). In contrast to earlier partial equilibrium results, our general equilibrium analysis indicates that exchange rate changes can lead to anything between strongly increasing and strongly decreasing relative agriculture/non-agriculture incentives, depending on relative trade shares and relative tradability of agricultural and non-agricultural commodities. Country-specific circumstances greatly affect the relative impact of trade policies on agriculture and the rest of the economy in a general equilibrium setting. Earlier partial equilibrium measures of policy bias could not adequately incorporate country heterogeneity and are therefore likely to have overstated the bias. In any case, from the empirical results with our sample of countries, we conclude that any incentive bias against agriculture in the 1980s had mostly disappeared by the 1990s.urban bias, food and agricultural policy; general equilibrium modelling

General equilibrium measures of agricultural policy bias in fifteen developing countries

In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of the extent to which indirect taxes, tariffs, and exchange rates affected relative price incentives for agricultural production in a representative sample of 15 developing countries in the 1990s. Empirical studies from the 1980s, using partial equilibrium methodologies, supported the view that policies in many developing countries imparted a major incentive bias against agriculture. Eliminating this bias was one of the goals of policy reform strategies, including structural adjustment programs, supported by the World Bank and others; and many countries undertook such reforms in the 1990s. In our sample, general equilibrium analysis indicates that, in the 1990s, the economywide system of indirect taxes, including tariffs and export taxes, significantly discriminated against agriculture in only one country, was largely neutral in five, provided a moderate subsidy to agriculture in four, and strongly favored agriculture in five. Earlier work assumed that overvaluation of the exchange rate would hurt agriculture, which was assumed to be largely tradable. In a general equilibrium setting, changes in the exchange rate can as demonstrated in this paper lead to anything between strongly increasing and decreasing relative agriculture/non-agriculture incentives, depending on relative trade shares. We conclude that, whatever incentive bias there was in the 1980s, it has mostly disappeared by the 1990s. We also find that it is difficult to generalize-country specific circumstances greatly affect the relative impact of trade policies on agriculture and the rural economy. Authors' Abstract.

Agrarian Transformation in Mozambique

This paper reviews and assesses the process of economic transformation in Mozambique with emphasis on the strategies and policies pursued by the Frelimo government in the first decade after dependence in 1974. Focus is on the agrarian sector and its various sub-sectors, and both main achievements and remaining challenges are identified. Particular focus is on summarising the decisions taken at the 4th Congress of Frelimo and assessing their relevance and implicationsAgrarina transformation, Mozambiouqe

Aid and Development

Foreign aid looms large in the public discourse; and international development assistance remains squarely on most policy agendas concerned with growth, poverty and inequality in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world. The present review takes a retrospective look at how foreign aid has evolved since World War II in response to a dramatically changing global political and economic context. I review the aid process and associated trends in the volume and distribution of aid and categorize some of the key goals, principles and institutions of the aid system. The evidence on whether aid has been effective in furthering economic growth and development is discussed in some detail. I add perspective and identify some critical unresolved issues. I finally turn to the current development debate and discuss some key concerns, I believe should be kept in mind in formulating any agenda for aid in the future.foreign aid; aid impact

Marketing margins and agricultural technology in Mozambique:

Improvements in agricultural productivity and reductions in marketing costs in Mozambique are analysed using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The model incorporates detailed marketing margins and separates household demand for marketed and home-produced goods. Simulations improving agricultural technology and lowering marketing margins yield gains across the economy, but with differential impacts on factor returns. A combined scenario reveals significant synergy effects, as welfare gains exceed the sum of gains from the individual scenarios. Factor returns increase in roughly equal proportions, an attractive feature when assessing the political feasibility of policy initiatives.Rice Prices Models., Agricultural development., Marketing., Technology., Mozambique., Computable general equilibrium (CGE).,

A Vietnam Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for the Year 2003

This paper documents a Vietnam Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for the year 2003. The 2003 Vietnam SAM contains 275 accounts including 112 production activity accounts, 112 retail commodity accounts, three transportation margins accounts, three trade margins accounts, 14 primary factor accounts, one enterprise sector account, 16 households group accounts, seven government current budget accounts, two inventory accounts (private and public inventory accounts), three capital accounts (private, public and aggregate capital accounts), one rest of the world account, and one totals accountVietnam, Social Accounting Matrix

On the Choice of Appropriate Development Strategy: Insights from CGE Modelling of the Mozambican Economy

CGE modelling, Development strategy, Mozambique

Rotation-limited growth of three dimensional body-centered cubic crystals

According to classical grain growth laws, grain growth is driven by the minimization of surface energy and will continue until a single grain prevails. These laws do not take into account the lattice anisotropy and the details of the microscopic rearrangement of mass between grains. Here we consider coarsening of body-centered cubic polycrystalline materials in three dimensions using the phase field crystal model. We observe as function of the quenching depth, a cross over between a state where grain rotation halts and the growth stagnates and a state where grains coarsen rapidly by coalescence through rotation and alignment of the lattices of neighboring grains. We show that the grain rotation per volume change of a grain follows a power law with an exponent of $-1.25$. The scaling exponent is consistent with theoretical considerations based on the conservation of dislocations

Globalization Crises, Trade,and Development in Vietnam

Vietnam has been among the most successful East Asian economies, especially in weathering the external shocks of recent globalization crises—the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the 2008-09 great recession, financial crisis and collapse of global trade. Its success contradicts its characterization as an example of export-led growth and highlights the role of the state, particularly in maintaining and influencing investment. Examination of economic performance and policy responses shows rising dependence on foreign finance around each crisis, and actions by the government to counteract that dependence and bolster the domestic economy while continuing to restructure the economy toward greater emphasis on the private sector. Growth, employment and poverty alleviation have been maintained at the expense of renewed inflation, larger budget deficits, and currency depreciation. The ‘stop-go’ nature of present …trade and development, trade liberalization, foreign direct investment, globalization, WTO accession, asian financial crisis, great recession, Vietnam