Nowadays, rural households are facing difficult transformations in the agricultural market environment. Three of the main challenges in the pro-poor agricultural growth initiatives are (Hazell, 2004): • Liberalization and globalization: they are affecting the marketing chain, which means that small farmers compete in more demanding markets. • Protectionist agricultural policies of industrialized countries: these make difficult for small farmers to access rich countries' agricultural markets, and also subsidized imports create unfair competition in local markets. • Structural adjustment programs: these programs have outcomes such as the inadequate access to key inputs and services, including farm credit; the removal of subsidies, making the inputs more expensive for small farmers; the elimination of price stabilization, exposing them to volatile prices; and, the state agencies removal, making a void in the agricultural marketing chain.

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Helmsing, A.H.J.
hdl.handle.net/2105/9209
Local and Regional Development (LRD)
International Institute of Social Studies

Diaz Ramirez, Amanda Patricia. (2007, December). The Impact of Local Economic Development Services of Pueblos en Acci6n Comunitaria (PAC) on rural livelihood in Nicaragua. Local and Regional Development (LRD). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/9209