ABSTRACT
Experts from a panoply of disciplines have predicted global disaster: a future in which the basic amenities would not be available to most people; a world where the present disparities between rich and poor nations will continue. Substantial changes in global economic circumstances will significantly affect the prospects of developing countries. While donors and developing countries have little control over or ability to predict many of the unforeseeable events, it is important to recognize that they will influence the chances for success of most development efforts. The world is producing more food than most pundits ever imagined possible: numerous countries that were importing vast stocks of food staples just years ago are today self-sufficient. World population increased by about 80 million people in 1984; most of this increase was in Third World countries where two-thirds of the world's population live.
