Agriculture and economic transformation in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

The study examines the drivers, constraints, and social implications of agricultural development in the MENA region in order to contribute to a better understanding of the performance of the region’s agricultural sector. It also explores possible cornerstones for new and sustainable development strategies for countries in the region. Conceptually, the report uses elements of the agricultural development and economic structural change literature to examine MENA’s path to agricultural development and economic transformation. To do so the study describes the main characteristics of the MENA economies and their agricultural sectors, presents the policy context of the regional economies, and analyzes the performance of the agricultural sector over the past three decades. The study also looks at some of the stylized facts of MENA’s economic transformation and their implications for agricultural growth. Two country case studies take a more in-depth look at the implications of economic changes for rural households.