How to develop an effective and sustainable agricultural and rural finance system in a climate of accumulated debts, insolvency of the majority of agricultural enterprises, low profitability of agricultural production, and an unstable macro-economic situation - How to create a banking system that services agriculture and is adapted to diverse farm structures - How to introduce alternative financial and credit institutions and mechanisms - How to establish contractual arrangements between primary agriculture and the up- and downstream sectors - What should be the role of governments in establishing such systems?

These are some of the issues addressed in the proceedings of the OECD expert meeting: "Agricultural Finance and Credit Infrastructure in Transition Economies", held in Moscow in February 1999. The meeting brought together over 200 policy-makers, government officials, independent