Applications Of Principal Agent Theory To Agricultural Land Use Policy

This book is a collection of the author's published research which analyses and evaluates the EU's agricultural land use policy. This policy has evolved over the last two decades from voluntary set-aside to "compliance" set-aside to environmental stewardship, and this research is based on using the principal-agent methodology as a consistent framework of economic analysis. In addition, the book contains an introduction to the principal-agent methodology and to the historical development of agricultural land use policy in the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). There are also literature-based introductions to each major part of the book (Parts A and B), as well as some reflections and forward-looking comments on policy design lessons from this research, which will be of use to students, academics and policymakers.