The development of agricultural and rural institutions and policies in Mexico in the first years of implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement
Keywords:
development, North American Free Trade Agreement, TLCAN, PROCAMPOAbstract
The objective of this work is to explain and analyze the conditions, implications and impacts that rural policies and institutions have had in Mexico on rural growth and well-being under the neoliberal economic development model during the last 16 years. In achieving this purpose we can also identify various dysfunctionalities between the existing agricultural economic structure and the process of implementing recent changes in agricultural policy reforms. Our working hypothesis indicates that most of the existing dysfunctionalities in the rural and agricultural sector in Mexico have, until now, had a direct influence on the low levels of efficiency and productivity of the agricultural economy. Therefore, affecting the equity of social development and the stability of the political system. We summarize the analysis in the economic agricultural structure of Mexico, the main factors that block growth and productivity. We categorize those factors into two types. A first type of factor is grouped in the physical and geographical environment, considered as limiting factors and obstacles that are difficult to change because they are part of nature's endowment. The second set of factors refers to agricultural and institutional policies that are more dependent on political will. We show that in the case of Mexico they have been erratic.
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