Transforming Poor Economies: Effective Development Strategies for Agriculture and Industry by KeijiroOtsuka, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024, x + 234 pp.

Otsuka, a leading figure in development and agricultural economics.Otsuka has been honored with the Japanese decoration Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star and has delivered lectures before dignitaries, including the Emperor of Japan, the former prime minister of Ethiopia, and the former president of Tanzania.This book represents the culmination of over 40 years of field research conducted by the author in developing countries.According to Otsuka, the key to reducing poverty and hunger, as well as increasing employment in developing countries, lies in the development of agriculture and industry.This book offers a clear and comprehensive strategy for this.It is also argued that the government needs to intervene appropriately by identifying where and to what extent market failures exist.The book is structured into four parts.Following the introduction in Chapter 1, Part I (Chapters 2 and 3) discusses the characteristics of agriculture and industry, providing a theoretical background in subsequent chapters.Part II (Chapters 4-6) delves into agricultural development, reviewing the history of agricultural development in Asia, exploring what is necessary to achieve a Green Revolution in Africa, and discussing the potential of high-value agriculture.Part III (Chapters 7-9) examines industrial development and the potential of foreign direct investment (FDI) research in Asia and Africa.Part IV (Chapters 10 and 11) presents the conclusion.The following is a summary of each chapter.As an introduction, Chapter 1 highlights the significance of field-based research.The author asserts that a comprehensive understanding of agricultural and industrial development requires three key elements: economic theory, understanding of field realities, and knowledge of econometric analysis.This triad, in fact, underpins all of the author's research.The chapter then guides how to conduct survey-based studies.Chapter 2 identifies the primary characteristic of agriculture as its extensive geographical scope, which makes monitoring hired labor costly.Consequently, small-scale farming is considered efficient and should be promoted at the early stages of development, such as in Africa.However, as economies grow and wages rise, as seen in many Asian countries, mechanization should be encouraged, potentially leading to increased productivity in larger farms.At this stage, enhancing land rental markets and promoting mechanization are necessary to improve agricultural productivity.Chapter 3 examines how economies of agglomeration-through labor markets, information sharing, and inter-firm