Agricultural Policy: A Driver for Structural and Technological Change

This book gives insights into the agricultural policies in several countries located in different continents. It is of interest to students, researchers, and policy and decision makers.

Given the particularities of agriculture, agricultural policies are indispensable for an adjusted development of farms according to the strategic objectives of each country, namely the socio-economic and environmental ones. The question that often arises is whether the practical effects of the various policy measures are in accordance with their design and what is the effect of these policy instruments among many other causes of structural and technological change.

The aim of this book is to describe the main agricultural policies that have been implemented in countries such as the United States of America, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Australia, as well as the European Union. It also aims to analyse the real impact of these policies on the structural and technological changes of farms in the European Union. As its methodology, the book considers bibliometric analysis, literature review and statistical approaches.

Vítor João Pereira Domingues Martinho is Coordinator Professor with Habilitation at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal, and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He was also Invited Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal) and is currently Invited Professor of Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (Portugal). He was President of the Scientific Council, President of the Directive Council and President of the Agricultural School belonging to the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal, from 2006 to 2012. He was also the President of the Direction of the Association of Forest Producers of Viseu, Portugal. He was an Erasmus student in the Faculty of Economics from the University of Verona, Italy, participated in various technical and scientific events nationally and internationally, has published several technical and scientific papers, is referee of various scientific and technical journals and participates in the evaluation of national and international projects.