AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY

The document defines agricultural transformation as the process of an agri-food system moving from being "subsistence-oriented and farm-centred" to one that is "more commercialized, productive and off-farm-centred." It outlines a comprehensive taxonomy of terms across several categories, including agricultural credit, knowledge systems, markets, and subsidies. It also defines broader macroeconomic and governance terms such as monetary policy, inflation, exchange rates, and human capital, as well as specific rural infrastructure needs like irrigation and electrification. The glossary emphasizes that inclusive transformation is characterized by "poverty reduction, increased food security, and improvements in gender equality and women’s empowerment."

• Agricultural transformation is the shift of an agri-food system from a subsistence-oriented, farm-centred model to one that is more productive, commercialized, and off-farm-centred. This process is considered inclusive if it results in gender equality, women's empowerment, increased food security, and poverty reduction.
• Agricultural markets encompass both inputs—such as seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, gasoline, and farm machinery—and outputs, including livestock auctions, grain exchanges, and contract buyers. These markets often involve complex value chains that may span multiple countries.
• Rural economies are composed of both farm and non-farm productive activities in non-urban areas. These economies frequently suffer from a lack of essential capital, including financial services, telecommunications, energy and transportation infrastructure, seed banks, and health and education services.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2019). AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/agricultural-transformation-glossary.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY. 2019. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/agricultural-transformation-glossary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY |date=September 2019 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/agricultural-transformation-glossary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2019agricultural, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION GLOSSARY}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2019}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/agricultural-transformation-glossary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }