Formulating agricultural policy in a complex institutional environment : the case of Sri Lanka

and other donors, was engaged in the formulation of an agricultural development strategy in collaboration with the ministries concerned with development in the country. This exercise afforded the government the opportunity to explore new avenues for accelerating the pace of Sri Lanka"s agricultural development. Carried out on each subsector of the agricultural economy, the review critically examined the existing situation, identified the constraints to achieving identified development goals, and offered proposals for overcoming these limitations. The planning strategy was developed with the participation of large, complex ministries engaged in such diverse activities as research; extension; farm management; processing; marketing; and the provision of fertilizer, credit, water and other inputs. The organizational structure, which required the active participation of the implementing ministries, was a key ingredient of its success. (Author abstract)