Agriculture & International Development
Textbooks, research and professional titles in Agriculture and International Development
View Rights PortalYour Search Results
-
Promoted Content
October 2021The Sudden Moment of Life
by Han Shaogong, male writer, was born in Changsha, Hunan in January 1953. In 1968, he was sent to work and farm in Miluo County, Hunan.
The Sudden Moment of Life is the latest collection of essays by the renowned writer Han Shaogong. It responds to the questions of the times and stands as a unique presence in contemporary Chinese literature, representing a benchmark work in the literature of the new era.
-
Promoted Content
April 2022Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
A Handbook for Practitioners in East and Southern Africa
by Mateete Bekunda, Jonathan Odhong, Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon
This book provides an insight into the background, lessons learned, and the methodology of facilitating the application of best-bet/best-fit agricultural technologies to smallholder farms in East and Southern Africa (ESA). All technologies highlighted within this book, except those on livestock feeding, were trialed and demonstrated in farmers' fields over an eight-year period [2012 - 2020] as part of the Feed the Future/USAID funded research-for-development Africa RISING ESA Project and supported by the CGIAR. The livestock feed technologies were compiled from Eastern Africa literature and included to offer a full set of technologies relevant for farmers in mixed farming systems. Topics covered include the introduction of resilient and nutrient-dense crops, better arrangement of crops in the field to amplify intercrop benefits, and the management of soils to improve soil fertility and minimize physical soil and nutrient loss. The publication also features technologies for postharvest loss reduction, livestock feeding, food processing, and in the later chapters, important expositions on how multiple technologies can be creatively integrated in a farming system and how key products of research can be taken to scale. In the first chapter and throughout the handbook, the importance of taking gender dynamics into account to ensure technologies produce equitable outcomes is emphasized. This book: provides evidence-based descriptions of sustainable agricultural intensification technologies that have been validated iteratively with smallholder farmers. a convenient, easy-to-read, and science-based 'how-to' guide for successful deployment of improved agricultural technologies that will ensure readers from development/scaling agencies save time and resources for research trials and instead focus on technology deployment. gives evidence of how building research and development partnerships can be a critical element for successful delivery and scaling up of agricultural technologies. The book is aimed primarily at development practitioners who seek new competences in taking new technologies to scale. However, the breadth of topics covered makes this book an essential resource for agricultural scientists as well as university and college students aspiring to apply systems thinking in future agricultural research and development work.
-
Trusted Partner
December 2023Sustainable Agricultural Marketing and Agribusiness Development
An African Perspective
by Brighton Nyagadza, Tanyaradzwa Rukasha
The future of Africa and the whole globe is dependent on sustainable agribusiness management. This book offers insights to a wide range of agricultural marketing and agribusiness management practices with a focus on sustainability. It is designed to provide academics and graduate students in business studies with a comprehensive treatment of the nature of agricultural marketing and agribusiness management, as well as sustainability transitions and related practices in certain regions of the world (particularly in Africa). The text also serves as an invaluable resource for agricultural marketing practitioners requiring more than anecdotal evidence on the structure and operation of agricultural marketing and agribusiness management, as well as sustainability in different organisations and geographical areas. It allows the reader to compare and contrast agricultural marketing and agribusiness management, as well as sustainability practices across different research methodologies and settings. The book provides a unique mix of theory, reviews, primary research findings and case studies.
-
Trusted Partner
September 2023Managing Risk in Agriculture
A Development Perspective
by Ashok K. Mishra, Subal C. Kumbhakar, Gudbrand Lien
The book addresses and documents farmers' risks in developing and emerging economies. It draws lessons from experimental economics on measuring risk preferences, attitudes, gender differences in managing risks, and risk management strategies in countries across Africa and Asia. It argues policy makers, especially in emerging economies, need a better understanding of farmers' attitudes toward risk and choices of risk management strategies when designing policies to support production agriculture. The book includes chapters on three themes: understanding risk attitudes and preferences; using experimental economics to measure risk, preferences, and risk management strategies; and understanding climate change, risk, and risk management. The book critically examines the currently held beliefs about risk preference, attitudes, and empirical estimation of risk management strategies, emphasizing developing and emerging economies (DEE). "The agricultural development space is an inherently risky one and this welcome collection belatedly helps to plug an important hole." Jock R. Anderson, Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of New England, Armidale, Australia "Over time, agricultural production practices have evolved, as have the markets and value chains for food and agricultural products. A constant consideration, however, and one that continues to define agriculture worldwide, is risk. The risks that impinge on agriculture come in all shapes and sizes. Of course, production risks are ubiquitous. But so are market risks. And the same is true for macroeconomic and financial risks and the risks associated with an evolving climate. This book will be a valuable, comprehensive resource for any applied economist desiring to understand the risk management principles relevant to modern food and agricultural systems." Matthew Holt, Prof. and head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
-
Trusted Partner
October 2024Agricultural Innovation for Societal Change
Towards Sustainability
by Bo Malte Ingvar Bengtsson
Over the centuries, agriculture has developed through technological steps illustrated by various agricultural revolutions. This book describes and analyses significant agricultural changes since the mid-1960s in the context of development, innovation and adoption by revisiting resource-poor farmers in Ethiopia, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago, and considering overall development changes up to the early 2020s. It is a platform for discussing current issues for future global food security in the context of globalization and free global trade which have influenced economic growth in many countries but also created environmental concerns and a rapid increase in the number of transnational corporations (TNCs). Sustainable food production is now a global priority and therefore ecological footprints must be reduced - this book provides examples of possible technical changes required to achieve this. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone is insufficient: political attention must be paid to declining biodiversity, the increasing global exploration of natural resources, demography, increased consumption, waste mountains, expanding migration and antibiotic resistance. Agribusiness TNCs will challenge national governments and international donors in both research and development, increasing competition for leadership. A gradual societal change, incorporating an understanding of biological fundamentals, is necessary for achieving sustainability and for leading us towards the next agricultural revolution.
-
Trusted Partner
July 2024The Untold Stories of African Agriculture
Lessons from Ethiopia
by Tsedeke Abate
This landmark volume presents the results of a comprehensive and coherent in-depth assessment of Ethiopian agriculture and draws lessons from it to generate actionable recommendations that will inform policy decisions and priority setting for agricultural transformation across Africa. Policy makers in Africa are faced with the challenges of ensuring food and nutrition security and the economic wellbeing of their rapidly growing populations while at the same time maintaining the integrity of their natural resource base. Between 2000 and 2021, 74% of the growth in overall crop production on the continent was derived from increases in land area expansion, while increases in yield contributed only 26% of the growth. This unchecked expansion of land use puts the sustainability of the natural resource base under severe pressure. Even though some countries have made substantial increases in their farm productivity over the last two decades, the overall performance for Africa is far behind other regions. For the most part, in Africa, agriculture is not fulfilling its expected functions of food and nutrition security, increased export earnings, import substitution, and raw material supply for local industries. Attempts have been made to transform African agriculture over the years, but few countries have succeeded in achieving sustainable change. Using examples from Ethiopia this book identifies the major factors for success and the root causes of underperformance, and offers evidence-based recommendations for future decision making, policy change and the creation of growth. This book: · Draws on a unique set of case studies from Ethiopia described and told from a truly African perspective. · Emphasises to policy makers in Africa that development cannot be outsourced and there are no shortcuts; it is only through consistent effort and sustained support for their agricultural research and development that positive change can be brought about. · States that past agricultural development efforts by the international community have not properly included a strong African voice, and that therefore, all future academic research, policies and strategies dealing with the continent's agriculture and food security should be formulated by Africa's own leading thinkers and experts. · Is not a polemic; its arguments are knowledge and evidence based, building a compelling picture of how agricultural development can be sustained for the future.
-
Trusted Partner
Business, Economics & LawApril 2022Youth and the Rural Economy in Africa
Hard Work and Hazard
by James Sumberg, Jordan Chamberlin, Barbara Crossouard, Máiréad Dunne, Justin Flynn, Marjoke Oosterom, Carolina Szyp, Dorte Thorsen, Felix Kwame Yeboah, Thomas Yeboah
This book brings together recent findings from quantitative and qualitative research from across Africa to illuminate how young men and women engage with the rural economy, imagine their futures and how development policies and interventions find traction (or not) with these realities. Through framing, overview and evidence-based chapters, it provides a critical perspective on current discourse, research and development interventions around youth and rural development. It is organised around commonly-made foundational claims: that large numbers of young people are leaving rural areas; have no interest in agriculture; cannot access land; are stuck in permanent waithood; that the rural economy provides (or can provide) a wealth of opportunity; and that they can be the engine of rural transformation. It draws from existing literature and new analysis arising from several multi-country and multi-disciplinary studies, focusing on gender and other aspects of social difference. It is a major contribution to current debates and development policy about youth, agriculture and employment in rural Africa.
-
Trusted Partner
Geography & the EnvironmentJune 2020New Land, New Life
A success story of new land resettlement in Bangladesh
by Andrew Jenkins, Natasha Haider, Bazlul Karim, Mihir Kumar Chakraborty, Kiran Sankar Sarker, Rezaul Karim, Robiul Islam, Nujulee Begum, Edward Mallorie, Koen de Wilde
The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta has newly emerged 'char' islands, resulting from the deposition of sediment, which are very vulnerable, socially, institutionally and environmentally. This book explains how the governments of Bangladesh and the Netherlands and the International Fund for Agricultural Development cooperated on a land-based rural development project to give settlers security and purpose. It details how they engaged communities and civil societies, and implemented an infrastructure aimed at reducing flooding, improving drainage, and providing adequate drinking water and sanitation. The book describes the project's application to crop and animal agriculture, and the development of value chains and encouragement of female participation. It considers the financial underpinning and infrastructure, as well as how to ensure the impacts of the scheme are enduring. The scheme serves as a model for support projects to vulnerable groups faced with climate change and other environmental challenges. This book is suitable for students, researchers, specialists and practitioners in rural development, water resources, land management and soil science.
-
Trusted Partner
MedicineFebruary 2019Agriculture for Improved Nutrition
Seizing the Momentum
by Shenggen Fan, Sivan Yosef, Rajul Pandya-Lorch
Approximately 800 million people suffer from hunger, 2 billion from lack of micronutrients and more than 2 billion from excessive weight and obesity. There is renewed interest in reshaping agricultural and food systems at global, regional and national levels, so that poor and vulnerable people have access to nutritious sustenance. This book reviews research findings, results from on-the-ground programmes and interventions, and policy experiences from the past 5-10 years. It examines the direct and indirect effects of agriculture on nutrition, following the agricultural value chain to explore this complex relationship, from biodiversity and crop fortification, to programme evaluation, to the impact of agricultural policies on consumers' choices and actions. It explores the roles of various stakeholders along the chain including women and the private sector, and cross-cutting themes such as data and capacity building. Developing country experiences and the knowledge and action gaps that remain in truly integrating agriculture and nutrition aims and related practices are considered. Key features: -Considers the evidence base on the relationship between agriculture and nutrition. -Includes insights from internationally renowned researchers. -Presents data from real-world settings that is highly relevant to the challenges currently faced by developing countries. This book is ideal for policy-makers and students studying agriculture, international development and nutrition.
-
Trusted Partner
Agriculture & related industriesDecember 2012Developing Successful Agriculture
An Australian Case Study
by Zhang-Yue Zhou
Agriculture remains an important industry to both developed and developing economies. Unfortunately, many developing countries are still suffering from a lack of agricultural growth, especially those in Africa and South Asia. Australia's agricultural system has developed from almost non-existence 220 years ago to one of the most advanced and efficient in today's world. It is also one of the least distorted, receiving little government assistance. This book provides an updated and comprehensive account of a successful agricultural story, which can stimulate policy makers, researchers, agribusiness consultants and students to relate the Australian experience to their own agricultural development.
-
Trusted Partner
-
Trusted Partner
November 2024Agrarian Systems and Climate Change
by Hubert Cochet, Olivier Ducourtieux, Nadège Garambois, Elsa Champeaux, Hubert Cochet, Olivier Ducourtieux, Samir El Ouaamari, Mathilde Fert, Nadège Garambois, Thérèse Hartog, Jean-Luc Paul, Philippe Le Clerc, Niel Verhoog, Esther Laske, Thibault Labetoulle, Ulysse Le Goff, Léa Radzik, Céline Tewa, Lucie Thibaudeau, Louis Thomazo, Charlotte Verger-Lécuyer, Florie-Anne Wiel
This book examines the link between global change and impacts and adaptation at the local level, combining a systemic approach and connecting different scales of analysis. It unravels the complex ties between the scenarios developed at global, continental, regional scales of analysis and farmers' concrete experiences, lived at the territorial level. In addition to this great discrepancy in terms of scales of analysis and understanding of processes, there is a need to relate the multi-generational scale of possible climatic changes to that of agricultural practices carried out on the agricultural season level. Based on the detailed study and comparison of a dozen contrasting local situations in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, the authors highlight the processes and trajectories which explain the high exposure to the hazards of different groups of farmers, as well as their unequal capacity to adapt. They explain the causes of this vulnerability and illustrate the weight of past and current choices in terms of agricultural, environmental and trade policies. Finally, they present the adjustment modalities and the past and current transformations of peasant practices moving towards a reduction in exposure to hazards, a reduction in vulnerability, and better adaptation to global changes: climate change, demographic growth, increased competition for access to resources, changes in relative prices and market fluctuations, deregulation and decline in public support, etc. In conclusion, they outline possible paths in terms of adaptation and proposals for political measures to support producers.
-
Trusted Partner
Business, Economics & LawFebruary 2018Sustainable Bamboo Development
by Zhu Zhaohua, Jin Wei
This book presents over 40 cases of bamboo development across 22 major bamboo-industry countries and explores the knowledge gained from their successes and failures. It synthesises experiences and exchanges with country experts from international training courses and consultations, study tours, and seminars. Each case includes observations and summaries of discussions related to the development of bamboo-based industries in a healthy, sustainable way, and the facilitation of strategic and balanced development of bamboo in different global regions. Industrial and artisanal bamboo growing and processing is expanding worldwide and this book brings together key experiences to help inform future developments. This book provides an analysis of bamboo plant features, including strong renewability, fast-growing, and high biomass production. It also reviews important ecological functions of bamboos, such as water and soil conservation, carbon sink and storage, and adaptation to climate change, as well as addressing the diversified culture of bamboo and key issues affecting the sector. Sustainable Bamboo Development: - Is authored by an internationally recognised leading expert in the growth and use of bamboo - Takes a holistic view, covering technical, socio-economic, policy, cultural and business development - Provides practical knowledge to guide the development of bamboo sectors - Gives a clear idea and rich examples of what has been attempted in many countries - Acts as a roadmap for using bamboo as a poverty reduction and environmental security tool Highly illustrated and in full colour throughout, this book is an essential resource for all those interested in bamboo, from private sector investors to governmental and development agencies, academic researchers and students.
-
Trusted Partner
January 2025
Glossary of Agricultural Biotechnology
by Gurbachan Singh Miglani, Parveen Chhuneja, Satbir Singh Gosal
The rapid progress in molecular genetic techniques and molecular biology has led to a great expansion in the range of biotechnology applications in agriculture. The field is supported by a large number of basic and applied sciences, and agricultural biotechnology has become a multidisciplinary field. A vast amount of technical terms is required to be grasped by students, teachers and research workers and this new Glossary of Agricultural Biotechnology covers all the scientific areas in this important field, including agricultural biotechnology, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, biostatistics, cell biology, computer science, CRISPR/Cas, cytogenetics, DNA nanotechnology, epigenetics, epigenomics, genetics, genome editing, genomics, intellectual property rights, molecular biology, molecular genetics, nanobiotechnology, plant breeding, plant pathology, plant physiology, remote sensing, therapeutics, and tissue culture. The book includes: · Common abbreviations in agricultural biotechnology · Brief descriptions and definitions of each term written in a user-friendly style · A comprehensive bibliography. This book is designed to be an easy-to-use reference for students, teachers, research workers, workers in biotechnology-related government agencies, and the biotechnology industry.
-
Trusted Partner
Technology, Engineering & AgricultureDecember 2021Conservation Agriculture in Africa
Climate Smart Agricultural Development
by Saidi Mkomwa, Amir H Kassam
Tillage agriculture has led to wide-spread soil and ecosystem degradation globally, and more particularly in the developing regions. This is especially so in Africa where traditional agricultural practices have become unsustainable due to severe exploitation of natural resources with negative impacts on the environment. In addition, agriculture in Africa today faces major challenges including increased costs, climate change effects and a need for more sustainable production intensification methods. Conservation (no-tillage) agriculture has emerged as a major alternative sustainable agriculture practice in Africa and has spread to many African countries in the past decade as more development and research has enabled its extension and uptake. This landmark volume is based on the material presented at the Second Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 9-12 October 2018. The main theme of the Congress was: Making Climate Smart Agriculture Real in Africa with Conservation Agriculture: Supporting the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063. The Congress was aligned to mobilize stakeholders in all agriculture sectors to provide development support, impetus and direction to the vision and agenda for transforming African agriculture as set out by the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063. This book is aimed at all agricultural stakeholders in the public, private and civil sectors in Africa engaged in supporting the transformation of conventional tillage agriculture to Conservation Agriculture. This includes: researchers, academics, students, development stakeholders and policy makers as well as institutional libraries across the world.
-
Trusted Partner
Business, Economics & LawAugust 2020Tourism Planning and Development in Latin America
by Carlos Monterrubio, Konstantinos Andriotis, Dimitrios Stylidis
Despite the significance of tourism to the economic, social and environmental structures of Central and South America, little has been documented in the English literature about tourism in this sub-region, which in terms of population size, ranks fourth in the world with 652 million inhabitants. The first of its kind, this book focuses exclusively on tourism development, planning and their impacts in a wide number of Central and South American countries. It covers experiences, challenges, successful and unsuccessful stories, specific cases, and other tourism related issues of twelve countries in total. Each chapter is authored by scholars who have done extensive research on tourism in the countries covered. This book:Examines the impact of tourism development and planning within Latin American countries.Takes a multidisciplinary approach including Anthropology, Development, Economics, Ecology, Policy, Sociology and Tourism Planning and Management.Is the first book in English to offer an insight into extensive research undertaken within the region.This book will provide a valuable insight for tourism researchers, practitioners and decision-makers in private and public organisations, not only from the regions of Central, South and North America, but also individuals from other parts of the world who want a more encompassing view of global tourism. Table of contents Chapter 1: Strategies for regional tourism development in Argentina. A path with new initiatives for tourism dispersal policies Chapter 2: The commitment to sustainable tourism and the development of indigenous tourism in Chile Chapter 3: Tourism development in Colombia: between conflict and peace Chapter 4: Ecotourism development in Costa Rica Chapter 5: The challenges of natural and cultural heritages of Galapagos and Quito, Ecuador Chapter 6: Tourism development in Mexico Chapter 7: Panama, the "affordable exotic destination": planned tourism success and its unplanned consequences Chapter 8: The impacts of tourism in economic growth and development in Uruguay Chapter 9: Peru and Nicaragua: tourism development in postconflict eras Chapter 10: Ecuador and Panama: Lifestyle mobilities, the golden years and the quest for paradise
-
Trusted Partner
Sustainable agricultureSeptember 2012Productivity Growth in Agriculture
An International Perspective
by Edited by Keith O Fuglie, Sun Ling Wang, Eldon Ball
Increasing food prices have renewed concerns about long-run agricultural demand and supply in the global economy. This book looks at results, methods, and data on international agricultural productivity for a better understanding of long-run trends and the policies that determine them. By presenting an international assessment of total factor productivity growth in agriculture, including up-to-date empirical analysis for developed and developing countries and regions, it provides a response to the rising global scarcity of agricultural production. Essential reading for researchers, policy makers and students.
-
Trusted Partner
Business, Economics & LawNovember 2020Tourism in Development: Reflective Essays
by Peter U C Dieke, Brian E M King, Richard Sharpley, Ali Thompson
This book: - comprises reflective essays written by internationally-ranked scholars and tourism consultants with extensive experience, particularly in the developing world countries - considers extant themes, issues and challenges related to tourism and development - offers a critical and contemporary perspective on tourism's significance and role in development.
-
Trusted Partner
BiotechnologySeptember 1998Agricultural Biotechnology in International Development
by Edited by Catherine Ives, Bruce Bedford
Obtaining world food security and food self-reliance for the developing nations is a complex and difficult task, but with increased research and education, agricultural production in developing countries can be improved. Biotechnology applications, integrated into traditional systems, hold much promise in this respect. Realizing the positive impact of biotechnology will depend upon the ability of developing countries to access and generate technology which is suitable to their needs. However, government policies may not encourage investment in public sector agricultural research and the private sector is often underdeveloped. This book is the product of a conference, held in California in April 1997, under the auspices of the Agricultural Biotechnology for Sustainable Productivity (ABSP) project. It provides a broad overview of the latest research and applications and policy requirements for biotechnology in developing countries. The issues of food security, capacity building, intellectual property rights, technology transfer, biosafety and the need for private sector enterprise are addressed. This book is essential reading for policy makers, researchers in agricultural biotechnology, economists, and extension workers.
-
Trusted Partner
MedicineMay 2020The Economics of Farm Animal Welfare
Theory, Evidence and Policy
by Bouda Vosough Ahmadi, Dominic Moran, Rick D'Eath
This landmark new text charts the latest developments in economic research relevant to farm animal welfare. A range of global experts and key opinion leaders outline the challenges of achieving sustainable intensification whilst improving both climate change and animal welfare, and make policy-relevant recommendations for the future. Theoretical yet practical, the book examines: - Origins, cross-disciplinary interactions and the future of farm animal welfare; - Consumer demand and changing preferences as animal welfare rises up the social agenda; - The impact on animal welfare of political organisations such as the EU and WTO. An important resource for policy makers and animal welfare scientists and clinicians, this book provides a thought-provoking yet evidence-based review for all those interested in quantifying farm animal welfare.
