Fostering global well-being: A new paradigm to revitalize agricultural and rural development

The author describes the almost revolutionary changes that have taken place in the economic arena in recent years. This is a story of paradigm shift, where government-led economic growth through the 1970s gave way to the increasingly market-led growth we see now. The emergence of the market in the context of globalization has meant the reduction of biases against agriculture; an emphasis on flexible responses in the production of goods and services; strengthened links between local, national, and international economies; greater integration of different sectors of the economy; and increased importance of the private sector.