Political Leadership and Agricultural Transformation: A New Research Agenda (2025)

This open access book examines the impact of political leadership on agricultural transformation to understand why cases of successful agricultural transformation are so rare in the developing world. It highlights the importance of leadership and its interaction with the socio-political system as a key factor impacting agricultural transformation. The book takes a first step in systematically exploring commonalities in the role played by the political leadership in successful and less successful agricultural transformations, drawing from an analysis of Taiwan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Malawi.

This book provides a deeper understanding of leadership dynamics, facilitating the work of unlocking new pathways to, and generating new policy options for, sustainable and impactful agricultural change. It will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in agricultural economics, the political economy, and development economics.