Selected Online Reading on Agriculture

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to  basic ecological and biological principles underlying modern agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and explains how these principles are used to increase the production of food and other raw materials (wood, biofuels, fibers and other materials). The book is translated into English, originally published in Czech by Karolinum Press, Charles University, and provides new updated information to discuss how the intensification of the production of these goods changes the structure of ecosystems concerning energy and nutrient flows, and how these changes affect the functioning of ecosystems and the subsequent provisions of other non-productive ecosystem services. Additionally, the authors describe the methods by which contemporary science and society strives to increase the sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to maintain not only the production of food and other goods, but also other ecosystem services.  Although not a textbook on agriculture, forestry and fisheries, the book familiarizes readers with the principles of their technologies, because the impact on ecosystems is largely based on the technological processes used. The book is primarily focused on temperate ecosystems, but it contains a number of examples about marine and tropical ecosystems impacted by globalization and our consumer behavior. The book will be of interest to students and researchers with backgrounds in ecology and environmental science, as well as non-experts interested in ecology and environmental protection. 

Given the central role of the food and agriculture system in driving so many of the connected ecological, social and economic threats and challenges we currently face, 'Rethinking Food and Agriculture' reviews, reassesses and reimagines the current food and agriculture system and the narrow paradigm in which it operates. 'Rethinking Food and Agriculture' explores and uncovers some of the key historical, ethical, economic, social, cultural, political, and structural drivers and root causes of unsustainability, degradation of the agricultural environment, destruction of nature, short-comings in science and knowledge systems, inequality, hunger and food insecurity, and disharmony. It reviews efforts towards 'sustainable development', and reassesses whether these efforts have been implemented with adequate responsibility, acceptable societal and environmental costs and optimal engagement to secure sustainability, equity and justice. The book highlights the many ways that farmers and their communities, civil society groups, social movements, development experts, scientists and others have been raising awareness of these issues, implementing solutions and forging 'new ways forward', for example towards paradigms of agriculture, natural resource management and human nutrition which are more sustainable and just. 'Rethinking Food and Agriculture' proposes ways to move beyond the current limited view of agro-ecological sustainability towards overall sustainability of the food and agriculture system based on the principle of 'inclusive responsibility'. Inclusive responsibility encourages ecosystem sustainability based on agro-ecological and planetary limits to sustainable resource use for production and livelihoods. Inclusive responsibility also places importance on quality of life, pluralism, equity and justice for all and emphasises the health, well-being, sovereignty, dignity and rights of producers, consumers and other stakeholders, as well as of nonhuman animals and the natural world. Explores some of the key drivers and root causes of unsustainability , degradation of the agricultural environment and destruction of nature Highlights the many ways that different stakeholders have been forging 'new ways forward' towards alternative paradigms of agriculture, human nutrition and political economy, which are more sustainable and just Proposes ways to move beyong the current unsustainable exploitation of natural resources towards agroecological sustainability and overall sustainability of the food and agriculture system based on 'inclusive responsibility'.

This timely Handbooksynthesizes and analyzes key issues and concerns relating to the impact of agriculture on both farmers and non-farmers. With a unique focus on humans rather than animals or the environment, the book is interdisciplinary and international in scope, with contributions from sociologists, economists, anthropologists and geographers providing case studies and examples from all six populated continents. Looking at the pervasive impact of agriculture, the Handbookexplores all aspects of the production of food and fiber within the agrifood value chain, including: farmers and laborers growing crops and raising livestock, businesses supplying inputs for these operations, and processors transforming plants and animals into intermediate and finished food, beverage and clothing products. Separated into four parts, it analyzes how the agrifood industry affects farmer well-being; the application of science and technology within an agricultural context; the ways in which agriculture affects the well-being of smallholder farmers, especially in developing countries; and agriculture's impact more broadly on society. This will be a beneficial read for economics and sociology students, particularly those looking at the impacts of agriculture. Accessible and clear, the Handbook will also be helpful for policymakers and agricultural NGOs wanting a more in-depth understanding of the impact of agriculture on human life.

La pandémie de Covid-19 a produit un choc d’une ampleur sans précédent. Dans un tel contexte d’incertitudes, les champs de priorités se resserrent sur l’essentiel. L’alimentation, comme la santé, fait partie de ces enjeux universels et atemporels, au cœur des sécurités collective et individuelle et reste le fondement de notre quotidien. Cette nécessité vitale est conditionnée par une activité agricole, elle-même bouleversée, partout sur la planète, par l’accélération des changements géopolitiques, économiques, environnementaux, sociétaux et technologiques. À partir de l’analyse d’une série de grandes ruptures et d’enjeux stratégiques, cette 27e édition du Déméter questionne les trajectoires du développement agricole et les conditions de la sécurité alimentaire dans un monde où la résilience, l’adaptation, l’innovation et la coopération demeurent plus que jamais déterminantes pour relever des défis inédits.

Developed by leading authors in the field, this book provides a cohesive and definitive theorisation of the concept of the 'good farmer', integrating historical analysis, critique of contemporary applications of good farming concepts and new case studies, providing a springboard for future research. The concept of the good farmer has emerged in recent years as part of a move away from attitude and economic-based understandings of farm decision-making towards a deeper understanding of culture and symbolism in agriculture. The Good Farmershows why agricultural production is socially and culturally, as well as economically, important. It explores the history of the concept and its position in contemporary theory, as well as its use and meaning in a variety of different contexts, including landscape, environment, gender, society, and as a tool for resistance. By exploring the idea of the good farmer, it reveals the often-unforeseen assumptions implicit in food and agricultural policy that draw on culture, identity, and presumed notions of what is 'good'. The book concludes by considering the potential of the good farmer concept for addressing future, emerging issues in agriculture. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of food and agriculture and rural development, as well and professionals and policymakers involved in the food and agricultural industry.

This volume represents the result of almost two decades of trans-Atlantic collaborative development of a policy research paradigm, the International Comparative Rural Policy Studies program. Over this period dozens of scientists from different disciplines but with a common interest in rural issues and policy have collaboratively studied the policies in North America, Europe, and other parts of the world. A core element of the book is the idea and practice of comparative research and analysis - what can be learned from comparisons, how and why policies vary in different contexts, and what lessons might or might not be "transferable" across borders. It provides skills for the use of comparative methods as important tools to analyze the functioning of strategies and specific policy interventions in different contexts and a holistic approach for the management of resources in rural regions. It promotes innovation as a tool to valorize endogenous resources and empower local communities and offers case studies of rural policy in specific contexts. The book largely adopts a territorial approach to rural policy. This means the book is more interested in rural regions, their people and economies, and in the policies that affect them, than in rural sectors, and sectoral policies per se. The audience of the book is by definition international and includes students attending courses in agricultural and rural policy, rural and regional studies, and natural resource management; lecturers seeking course material and case studies to present to their students in any of the courses listed above; professionals working in the field of rural policy; policy-makers and civil servants at different levels seeking tools to better understand rural policy both at the local and global scale and to better recognize and comprehend how to transfer best practices.

This book documents frontier knowledge on the drivers of agriculture productivity to derive pragmatic policy advice for governments and development partners on reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity. The analysis describes global trends and long-term sources of total factor productivity growth, along with broad trends in partial factor productivity for land and labor, revisiting the question of scale economies in farming. Technology is central to growth in agricultural productivity, yet across many parts of the developing world, readily available technology is never taken up. We investigate demand-side constraints of the technology equation to analyze factors that might influence producers, particularly poor producers, to adopt modern technology. Agriculture and food systems are rapidly transforming, characterized by shifting food preferences, the rise and growing sophistication of value chains, the increasing globalization of agriculture, and the expanding role of the public and private sectors in bringing about efficient and more rapid productivity growth. In light of this transformation, the analysis focuses on the supply side of the technology equation, exploring how the enabling environment and regulations related to trade and intellectual property rights stimulate Research and Development to raise productivity. The book also discusses emerging developments in modern value chains that contribute to rising productivity. This book is the fourth volume of the World Bank Productivity Project, which seeks to bring frontier thinking on the measurement and determinants of productivity to global policy makers.

An understanding of the basics, logic, and theory of statistics is essential for agricultural researchers for dealing with the interpretation of data. This volume presents some of the basic and necessary concepts of statistical tools, specifically as applied to the statistics of agriculture and allied fields. It covers basic statistics, design of experiments, sampling techniques, time series, inference outlines, forecasting models, data handling, and statistical software in an easy-to-understand manner that is aimed at students and researchers with little or no mathematical background. In the agriculture scenario, students and researchers face problems that can be addressed with statistical tools, planning of field experiments, collection of data, analysis, interpretation of the data, etc. In this book, statistical theories are discussed with the help of examples from real-life situations in agriculture and allied fields, followed by worked-out examples. Each chapter is followed by a number of problems and questions that will help readers gain confidence in solving those problems. The volume also provides an analysis of how data is important and introduces the reader to using statistical software such as MS Excel, SAS (Statistical Analysis System), JMP, Minitab, and R (from the R Foundation for Statistical Computing).

This comprehensive yet accessible book offers an in-depth overview of the law relating to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It explores both the initial objectives set out in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, and also those policies that have emerged as a result of the growth of competencies within the EU.Examining the four regulations that currently govern the CAP in the areas of direct payments, rural development, finance, and the common organisation of the markets, the author considers their interpretation in the case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU and the General Court. Throughout this insightful book, the European Commission's proposals for CAP reform are discussed and an astute assessment of their National Strategic Plans concludes that Member States would benefit from greater discretion in fine-tuning the principles of the policy established at European level to the particular characteristics of their national agricultural sector.Students and scholars of European law and agricultural law more specifically will find this book a structured and nuanced guide to existing and future policy at both EU and WTO levels. Policy makers and practitioners will also find its up to date treatment of the law a valuable reference.

Sustainable intensification (SI) has emerged in recent years as a powerful new conceptualisation of agricultural sustainability and has been widely adopted in policy circles and debates. It is defined as a process or system where yields are increased without adverse environmental impact and without the cultivation of more land. Co-written by Jules Pretty, one of the pioneers of the concept and internationally known and respected authority on sustainable agriculture, this book sets out current thinking and debates around sustainable agriculture and intensification. It recognises that world population is increasing rapidly, so that yields must increase on finite land and other resources to maintain food security. It provides the first widely accessible overview of the concept of SI as an innovative approach to agriculture and as a key element in the transition to a green economy. It presents evidence from around the world to show how various innovations are improving yields, resilience and farm incomes, particularly for resource constrained smallholders in developing countries, but also in the developed world. It shows how SI is a fundamental departure from previous models of agricultural intensification. It also highlights the particular role and potential of small-scale farmers and the fundamental importance of social and human capital in designing and spreading effective innovations.

L’agriculture, l’alimentation et les mondes ruraux sont au cœur des grandes questions géostratégiques et sociétales. Produire et se nourrir déterminent, en effet, les dynamiques de sécurité collective et de développement humain. La complexité de ces enjeux nécessite alors des analyses et des solutions forcément plurielles et résolument audacieuses. Le Déméter 2020 vise à éclairer ces débats à travers des grilles de lecture innovantes qui mêlent politique, économie, environnement et sciences. Des conséquences agricoles du Brexit aux bactéries du microbiote jusqu’aux champs des agriculteurs cubains et au marché mondialisé du cannabis, l'ouvrage ne s’impose pas de limite temporelle, géographique ou thématique. Cette 26e édition interroge également le rôle de l’agriculture dans les ambitions de puissance, en Europe et dans le monde, à l’heure où la compétition des acteurs s’intensifie et où les attentes des consommateurs se diversifient. Le Déméter replace ainsi les problématiques agricoles et alimentaires au cœur des questions géopolitiques et des grandes innovations qui bousculent déjà la planète.

Every year, the EU promotes European agriculture with almost 60 billion euros per year. The agricultural atlas of the Heinrich Böll Foundation shows that hardly any of this money is used for healthy food, the protection of the environment, climate and biodiversity or the preservation of small and medium-sized businesses. On the contrary, only 20 percent of the companies benefit from 80 percent of the funds – and this largely without conditions. But the atlas also proves that it would be wrong to simply abolish the promotion of agricultural policy. Because the conversion to a sustainable and globally just agriculture is not in vain. The European edition of this atlas combines elements from various already published national editions, giving both an overview of Europe as a whole as well as insights into the agricultural structures in various EU member states. This atlas aims to strengthen civil society and social movements throughout the continent, thereby advancing the ecological and social transformation in our agricultural and food systems.

Agribusiness offers a unique introduction to the business of agriculture: what agribusiness is, why it matters, what the role of technology is, how trade fits into the picture, what its key risks are, who is lending and investing and why, and what returns they are getting. It is both practical in orientation - focusing on the role of managers in the industry as well as that of lenders and investors - and international in scope - drawing on case studies and interviews with key figures all over the world. The text ranges across various agricultural commodities to stress that there is no 'one size fits all' solution and successful management, lending or investment in agribusiness requires understanding specifics. Readers are introduced to the economics of the supply and demand of food, the role of agricultural trade, agricultural marketing and farm management along with key business aspects including: Main drivers of agribusiness value; Principal risks of agribusinesses; Agribusiness as an investment class; and Agribusiness lending: why, who and how. This engaging textbook offers a complete guide to the international business of agriculture which is ideal for all students, scholars and practitioners. A selection of eResources is also available to supplement this text, and instructors will find PowerPoint slides, discussion questions, case studies and further teaching materials available to them.