John Williams Mellor

John Williams Mellor is a French-born American economist, known for his work in the field of economic and agricultural development in third world countries. In 1985 he was awarded the Wihuri International Prize, for his “constructive work that has remarkably promoted and developed the security of nutrient supply for mankind.”[1] A Fulbright Scholar, he spent most of his academic career at his alma mater, Cornell University. In the early 1970s he became an economist for USAID, eventually becoming their chief economist in 1976. After leaving USAID, he became the second director-general of the International Food Policy Research Institute in 1977, where he remained until 1990. He has authored numerous articles, and several books, chiefly regarding economic and agricultural development in third world countries.[2] Currently he runs John Mellor Associates as well as being a professor emeritus at Cornell.

John Williams Mellor
Born(1928-12-28)December 28, 1928
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
NationalityUnited States
Alma materCornell University
Oxford University
Known forEconomic and agricultural development
AwardsWihuri International Prize (1985)
Scientific career
FieldsEconomics
InstitutionsCornell University (1952–77)
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (1972–77)
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)] (1977–91)
John Mellor Associates (JMA) (1991–98, 2007–current)
Abt Associates, Inc. (1998–2006)

Biography

Mellor was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris, France on December 28, 1928. His parents were Desmond W. and Katherine (Beardsley) Mellor, and the family immigrated to the United States in 1929. He graduated from Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, before attending Cornell University. He received a bachelor of science degree (with distinction) from Cornell in 1950, followed by a M.Sc. in 1951, both in economics. As undergraduate, he was a member of Telluride House and Quill and Dagger.[3] He attended Oxford University on a Fulbright Scholarship, where he obtained a diploma in agriculture economics, before returning to Cornell where he was awarded a Ph.D. (with distinction) in agricultural economics.[4] While working towards his doctorate, he was selected as a fellow of the Social Science Research Council.[1]

Career

After graduation, Mellor became a lecturer at his alma mater. He worked in the following departments during his tenure at the university:Agricultural Economics, Economics, and Asian Studies. He eventually attained the rank of professor, and eventual professor emeritus. From 1961–64, he was the associate director for the university's Center for International Studies, followed by becoming director in 1964–65. He was also the director of the University's Program on Comparative Economic Development between 1973–77.[1] In the early 70s, he joined USAID as economist, eventually rising to become their chief economist in 1976, a post he held through 1977. While at USAID, during the world food crisis of 1973–74, Mellor's expertise and advice was crucial to the U.S. response to that crisis and the humanitarian efforts which were put forward. His influence was also fundamental in the creation of the International Food Policy Research Institute in 1975, of which he became their second director-general in 1977. A post he held through 1991.[5] He has also served as a professor at the American University of Beirut, as well as at Balwant Rajput College in India.[1] Mellor served as a member of the Agricultural Credit Commission for the Reserve Bank India between 1986–88, and then served on the board on agriculture at the National Academy of Sciences from 1989–1992.

...the faster agriculture grows, the faster its relative share declines.[6]

Accomplishments

Significant publications

Books
  • Agricultural Development and Economic Transformation (2017)[8] - Named one of the best economy books of 2017 by The Financial Times[9]
  • Agricultural Price Policy for Developing Countries (1988)[10]
  • Accelerating Food Production in Sub-Saharan Africa (1987)[11]
  • The New Economics of Growth (1976)[12]
  • The Economics of Agricultural Development (1967)[13] - won the American Agricultural Economics Association award

Articles

While he has written (or co-written) hundreds of articles, these are some of his most cited:

  • "Agriculture on the Road to Industrialization" (1996)[14]
  • "The World Food Equation: Interrelations Among Development, Employment, and Food Consumption" (1984 - co-authored with Bruce F. Johnston)[15]
  • "Food Price Policy and Income Distribution in Low-Income Countries" (1978)[16]
  • "The role of agriculture in economic development" - The American Economic Review (1961)[17]

References
  1. "John Williams Mellor (12/28/28 – present)". Okemos High School Alumni. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  2. "John Mellor". Wilson Center. 2013-05-08. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  3. The Cornellian Yearbook. Ithaca, NY. 1950. p. 38.
  4. "Bio: John W. Mellor". John Mellor Associates. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  5. Barrett, Christopher B. (2017). Agricultural Development and Economic Transformation - Forward (PDF). New York: Springer. p. vi. ISBN 978-3319652597.
  6. Eleni Z. Gabre-Madhin. "A New Agriculture for the New Africa" (PDF). USAID Frontiers in Development: 101.
  7. "John Williams Mellor: Wihuri International Prize 1985". Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  8. Mellor, James (2017). Agricultural Development and Economic Transformation. New York: Springer. p. 259. ISBN 978-3319652597.
  9. Martin Wolf (December 1, 2017). "Best books of 2017: Economics". Financial Times. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  10. Mellor, James; Ahmed, Raisuddin (1977). Agricultural Price Policy for Developing Countries. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-0801835865.
  11. Mellor, James (1977). Accelerating Food Production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. p. 417. ISBN 978-0801833908.
  12. Mellor, James (1976). The New Economics of Growth. Cornell, New York: Cornell University Press. p. 335. ISBN 978-0801409998.
  13. Mellor, James (1967). The Economics of Agricultural Development. Cornell, New York: Cornell University Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0801402975.
  14. Kellogg, Earl D.; Mellor, John W. (November 1996). "Agriculture on the Road to Industrialization". American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 78 (4): 1138–1141. doi:10.2307/1243878. JSTOR 1243878.
  15. Mellor, John W.; Johnston, Bruce F. (June 1984). "The World Food Equation: Interrelations Among Development, Employment, and Food Consumption". Journal of Economic Literature. 22 (2): 531–574. JSTOR 2725066.
  16. Mellor, John W. (October 1978). "Food Price Policy and Income Distribution in Low-Income Countries". Economic Development and Cultural Change. 27 (1): 1–26. doi:10.1086/451071.
  17. Johnston, Bruce F.; Mellor, John W. (September 1961). "The role of agriculture in economic development". The American Economic Review. 51 (4): 566–593. JSTOR 1812786.
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