Agrarian Reform and Non Traditional Exports, Article Review Example

Since early 1990s, agrarian reforms have been gaining prominence as a viable alternative to other approaches of formalizing development objectives especially in developed countries. In Latin America, this approach is one of the reform measures that have taken the place of neoliberal policies.

The main goal is to formalize all private property rights in order to challenge the economic and political powers wielded by large landowners. The main challenge of agrarian reform is lack of peasant movements and progressive political reformers. This has made it difficult for rural poor to benefit from top-down reforms that discourage them from subsistence agriculture. The main role of statist models would be to redistribute land and bring about equitable distribution of natural resources. Lahiff et al (2007).

Gauster and Isakson carried out a study in order to ascertain whether the Guatemala Peace accords that were signed in 1996 relating to redistribution of land were relevant at all. The results of this research were that minimal benefits were reaped from these peace accords. The main reason for failure of these accords was the view of land as a trader’s article rather than an income generator that eases poverty.

In El Salvador, a study on reason why land reforms had failed to bring the much anticipated socioeconomic benefits. Results from this study revealed that the political favors from Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) leaders did not lead to any economic benefits although some landless poor people were given some land. This represents a classical example of how many developing nations are trying to grapple with politics of the market and the state.

Sanmiguel-Valderrama and Korovkin analyzed the agrarian reforms in the flower sectors of Ecuador and Colombia. In this study, it was found out that low labor standards and cheap labor were the main cause of relocation of flower production into Andean region.