The overall theme of this study is agricultural market performance with a particular focus on food markets, especially in the face of acute market volatility. The study consists of four subthemes as follows:

1. “Assessing instability in food prices and production over time: this part provides context to the subsequent discussion on market performance, and includes analysis of production and price instability and seasonality (over 1973-2008)”.

2. “Market Analysis: Revisiting market performance – market structure, costs and margins across value-chains; market integration across domestic markets and with the crossborder economy”.

3. “Market Institutions – exploring the mechanisms of exchange, especially over longer distances, and the informal institutions and trading networks that underpin complex forms of trade”.