The last couple of years have seen an exponential rise in debates, events, media reports, research projects and networks focusing on the action of the so-called ‘emerging powers’ in international development.
The frenzy mirrors the growing stature of the likes of China, India or Brazil in the world economy and their mounting influence in global governance. The pace has been so hurried that systematic research on the subject is lagging behind, leaving ample space for rhetorical discourse and speculative interpretations on the motivations and impacts of the emerging powers in development.
This collection of essays edited by Fantu Cheru and Renu Modi is therefore a welcome contribution to research on the topic, adding to a body of literature that is gradually taking shape. By choosing to focus on the engagements of Brazil, China and India in Africa in one particular sector, agriculture, this book moves the enquiry towards a finer and more in-depth level of analysis, raising very tangible issues about development (Scoones et al. 2013 constitutes another example of this).
Editors
