Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Improving the Lot of the Farmer: Development Challenges in Timor-Leste during the Second Decade of Independence

Lundahl, Mats and Sjöholm, Fredrik LU (2013) In Asian Economic Papers 12(2). p.71-96
Abstract
Large segments of the rural Timorese population survive on subsistence farming characterized by simple production methods and low output. Broad-based improvements in Timorese living standards require increased agricultural output. This article discusses what determines agricultural development in Timor-Leste and how such development can be achieved. The main causes of low agricultural output is found to be scarcity of land and capital, poor technology and education, and lack of government support such as extension services and provision of infrastructure. We construct a model of an agricultural household to examine how increased market incentives will affect agricultural output and incomes. The effects of different price changes on... (More)
Large segments of the rural Timorese population survive on subsistence farming characterized by simple production methods and low output. Broad-based improvements in Timorese living standards require increased agricultural output. This article discusses what determines agricultural development in Timor-Leste and how such development can be achieved. The main causes of low agricultural output is found to be scarcity of land and capital, poor technology and education, and lack of government support such as extension services and provision of infrastructure. We construct a model of an agricultural household to examine how increased market incentives will affect agricultural output and incomes. The effects of different price changes on household production, consumption, sales, income and leisure are investigated. We find that the objective of increasing the living standard of Timorese farmers may in part be achieved via increased earning opportunities outside agriculture. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Timor-Leste, Agriculture, Poverty, Development, Rural
in
Asian Economic Papers
volume
12
issue
2
pages
71 - 96
publisher
MIT Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000319865800009
ISSN
1535-3516
DOI
10.1162/ASEP_a_00211
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
747a26b1-40e2-4314-bd7d-b4e8c0394b9c (old id 3469763)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:13:04
date last changed
2018-11-21 19:42:54
@article{747a26b1-40e2-4314-bd7d-b4e8c0394b9c,
  abstract     = {{Large segments of the rural Timorese population survive on subsistence farming characterized by simple production methods and low output. Broad-based improvements in Timorese living standards require increased agricultural output. This article discusses what determines agricultural development in Timor-Leste and how such development can be achieved. The main causes of low agricultural output is found to be scarcity of land and capital, poor technology and education, and lack of government support such as extension services and provision of infrastructure. We construct a model of an agricultural household to examine how increased market incentives will affect agricultural output and incomes. The effects of different price changes on household production, consumption, sales, income and leisure are investigated. We find that the objective of increasing the living standard of Timorese farmers may in part be achieved via increased earning opportunities outside agriculture.}},
  author       = {{Lundahl, Mats and Sjöholm, Fredrik}},
  issn         = {{1535-3516}},
  keywords     = {{Timor-Leste; Agriculture; Poverty; Development; Rural}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{71--96}},
  publisher    = {{MIT Press}},
  series       = {{Asian Economic Papers}},
  title        = {{Improving the Lot of the Farmer: Development Challenges in Timor-Leste during the Second Decade of Independence}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/ASEP_a_00211}},
  doi          = {{10.1162/ASEP_a_00211}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}