The World Bank Agricultural and Rural Development

Development Department of the World Bank. These papers raise concepts and issues for discussion in the broader development community and describe ongoing research and/or implementation experiences from the Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions are the author’s own and should not be attributed to the World Bank, its management, its Board of Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. Some of the numbers quoted are estimates or approximations, and may be revised at a later stage. Ulrich Hess is an economist in the Agricultural and Rural Development department of the World Bank. Cover photo by Ulrich Hess. 2002. Storefront of service provider in India. ii