PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF THE WORLD FOOD SITUATION

Although world food and agricultural production, based on current trends, will be sufficient to meet demand in the decades ahead, the world still faces a serious food crisis, at least as perilous and life-threatening for millions of poor people as those of the past. To this end, the main objective of this paper is to illuminate the world food situation and to provide a critical analysis of the core causes of world food insecurity by identifying the various misconceptions surrounding our understanding of hunger, starvation, and poverty. A clear and deeper awareness of the real causes of hunger and malnutrition in poor countries is imperative to enable and challenge policy makers and planners to lay the groundwork at the grass-roots level for appropriate policy measures and development programs designed to alleviate poverty and ensure food security.food distribution, food security, food supply, hunger, malnutrition, poverty, Food Security and Poverty,

STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN U.S. AGRICULTURE: IMPLICATIONS FOR SMALL FARMS

A descriptive analysis and a survey of literature were used in this assessment of the transformation of the structure of production agriculture. The changes in production agriculture have important implications for resource use, population distribution in rural communities, and the survival of small farms. The shifting structural change in production agriculture as a response to economic and technological adjustments is not a temporary phenomenon. The economic and natural base of agriculture will change toward greater capital intensity and concentration of ownership, and will raise public policy questions in relation to the survival of a large farm population.Small farms, Structural changes, Production agriculture, Farm Management,

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF POVERTY AND INCOME INEQUALITY IN WEST VIRGINIA

OLS and 2SLS regressions and cross-sectional county data are used to examine the major determinants of poverty and income inequality in rural counties of West Virginia. The empirical findings confirm the possibility of simultaneity between poverty and income inequality. Poverty is the main determinant of increased levels of income inequality.Food Security and Poverty,

County-Level Determinants of Local Public Services in Appalachia: A Multivariate Spatial Autoregressive Model Approach

In this paper, multivariate spatial autoregressive model of local public expenditure determination is developed. The empirical model is developed based on maximization of community utility function. The model is estimate by efficient GMM using Appalachian counties and the results indicate significant spatial spillover effects with respect to local public expenditures.Public Economics,

Assessing Demographic Changes and Income Inequalities: A Case Study of West Virginia

This study investigates demographic change and income inequalities, and relationship between economic growth and income inequality in West Virginia. Income growth was positively related with population and employment growth, but is significantly and negatively related with income inequality. This indicates that higher income inequality is associated with slower economic growth.Labor and Human Capital,

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LINK BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WEST VIRGINIA

Community/Rural/Urban Development,

ANALYSIS OF RURAL QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH: A SPATIAL APPROACH

This paper examines the relationship between quality of life, health and several socioeconomic variables. The analysis utilizes empirical data obtained from a survey questionnaire administered on a random sample of over 2000 residents in twenty-one counties in West Virginia, and spatial data obtained by geocoding the survey respondents' addressees. Quality of life is measured by a three-point categorical measure of overall satisfaction and an ordered probit model is used to examine the relationships. The empirical results are consistent with the theoretical predictions and indicate, for instance, that quality of life satisfaction increases with income and education while it decreases with unemployment.Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics,

THE ROLE OF SMALL BUSINESS IN ECONOMIC GROWTH AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN WEST VIRGINIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

In OLS and 2SLS regression analysis a positive relationship exists between small business and economic growth. A strong inverse relationship also exists between the incidence of poverty and small business and economic growth. Thus, the empirical result establishes the linkage between small business, economic growth and the incidence of povertyResearch Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Is Income Inequality Endogenous in Regional Growth?

This study focuses on testing the relationship between income inequality and growth within U.S. counties, and the channels through which such effects are observed. The study tests three hypotheses: (1) income inequality has an inverse relationship with growth; (2) regional growth adjustments are the channels through which the inequality and growth are equilibrated; and (3) income inequality is endogenous to regional growth and its adjustment. Results, based on a system of equations estimation, confirm the hypotheses that income inequality has a growth dampening effect; income inequality is endogenous to regional growth and growth adjustment; and the channels through which income inequality determines growth are regional growth adjustments, such as migration and regional adjustment in job and income growth. Results have numerous policy implications: (1) to the extent that income inequality is endogenous, its equilibrium level can be internally determined within a regional growth process; (2) to the extent that traditional income inequality mitigating policies have indirect effect on overall regional growth, they may have unintended indirect effects on income inequality; and (3) to the extent that regional growth adjustment also equilibrates income inequality, such forces can be utilized as policy instruments to mitigate income inequality, and its growth dampening effects hence forth.Income inequality, economic growth, Gini coefficient, growth modeling, population change, per capita income, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Public Economics, I32, J15, O18, P25, R11, R23, R25, R51, R53, R58,