asian ldcs overtook the productmty level first of the african and then of the island ldcs chart a to the extent that rural population growth outpaces the rate of expansion of the agricultural area area per worker al declines adding to the challenge of raising average labour productivity yl by means of increasing average yield ya in order to reduce poverty and improve the wellbeing of the rural population still since the s agricultural yields in ldcs have lagged behind the strong growth in odcs but they have gained some ground with respect to developed countries especially since