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What is family farming? How can it help meet the challenges confronting the world? How can it contribute to a sustainable and more equitable development? Not only is family farming the predominant form of agriculture around the world, especially so in developing countries, it is also the agriculture of the future. By declaring 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming,” the United Nations has placed this form of production at the center of debates on agricultural development. These debates are often reduced to two opposing positions. The first advocates the development of industrial or company agriculture, supposedly efficient because it follows industrial processes for market-orien...
How can cultivated plant biodiversity contribute to the transformation and the "ecologization" of agriculture in Southern countries? Based on extensive field work in the Southern countries, a great deal of scientific progress is presented in all areas affecting agriculture (agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, cultivation systems, etc.) in order to intensify the ecological processes in cultivated plots and at the scale of rural landscapes.
Important advances in tropical plant breeding achieved by French research teams of Cirad, Inra and Ird, in collaboration with counterpart staff in tropical countries, are reviewed in the present publication. All 24 chapters focus on different plants, and include: in-depth analysis of trait diversity in cultivated forms and links with related wild species; overviews of breeding techniques and biotechnological innovations utilized by breeders; assessment of genetic progress, based on examples from varietal improvement and extension programmes.
‘Homegardens’ are integrated tree–crop–animal production systems, often established on small parcels of land surrounding homesteads, and primarily found in tropical environments. This multi-authored volume contains peer-reviewed chapters from the world’s leading researchers and professionals in this topic. It summarizes the current state of knowledge on homegarden systems, with a view to using this knowledge as a basis for improving both homegardens and other similar multistrata agroforestry systems.
The main purpose of the overview presented in this book is to provide the international community with knowledge and tools that can be used to breed cocoa trees with greater resistance to Phytophthora. It covers pathogen diversity, epidemiological knowledge, the genetic parameters of resistance observed in the field, and practical breeding aspects. The relevance of different screening tests involving artificial inoculations and the use of molecular markers for the selection of resistant material are widely covered.
Like the first edition, this second edition is intended to be an all-inclusive publication for those interested in pineapple production or just wanting to better understand the plant. This second edition builds on the accumulated experience of the first edition authors by including new authors from a wider number of producing countries, including new chapters and new developments and by taking advantage of new publishing technology. It contains 13 chapters dealing with topics on pineapple history, distribution and world production; morphology, anatomy and taxonomy; origin and evolution; varieties and breeding; biotechnology; plant growth and physiology; cultural system; plant nutrition; organic production; other uses (e.g. ornamental, source of fibre and enzymes, animal feed); inflorescence and fruit development and yield; pests, diseases, weeds and their management; postharvest physiology, handling and storage.
This book will convince the reader to care about fruit and vegetables and to see that the small-scale production of these crops is fundamental to achieving sustainable development goals. In five chapters, the reader will learn about the challenges and rewards for producers, sellers, and consumers. Chapter 1: a working definition for fruit and vegetables, making the case for supporting small-scale farmers and value chains. Chapter 2: options for farm management to ensure that production is sustainable including genetic resources, seed systems, management of water, soil, nutrients, and control of pests and diseases. Chapter 3: options to integrate small-scale commercial fruit and vegetable far...
This second edition includes an updated bibliography.Astley's signature is a highly allusive, layered and self-conscious prose style, non-linear and open-ended (Gillian Whitlock, JASAL: Journal of Association for the Study of Australian Literature, 6, 2007, p. 154.)The essays offer insights into issues of language, art, gender and religion ... as well as Astley's evolving body of writing and the historical and literary context of her work (Lyn Jacobs, Australian Literary Studies v.23, n.3, 2008, p.358).
This book reviews the latest assessments of climate variability and climate change, and their impacts on agriculture and forestry, and recommends appropriate adaptation strategies for reducing the vulnerability of agriculture and forestry to climate variability and climate change. Among other solutions, the text offers management strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from different agroecosystems, and proposes the use of seasonal climate forecasts to reduce climate risk.
Mathematical models are being used more and more widely to study complex dynamic systems (global weather, ecological systems, hydrological systems, nuclear reactors etc. including the specific subject of this book, crop-soil systems). The models are important aids in understanding, predicting and managing these systems. Such models are complex and imperfect. One fundamental research direction is to seek a better understanding of how these systems function, and to propose mathematical expressions embodying that understanding. However, this is not sufficient. It is also essential to have tools (often mathematical and statistical methods) to aid in developing, improving and using the models bui...