The conquerors wanted Indian labour, the crown Indian subjects, the friars Indian souls.' Thus the importance of the natives of Mexico to their Spanish conquerors has been described. In this book Andre Gunder Frank examines the dramatic impact of Spanish rule on Mexican society and agriculture, in terms of the demands of world capitalist development. Mr Frank traces the rapid transformation of the dominant institutions of Mexican labour organization which occurred after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire in 1521: from a form of slavery, which lasted until 1533, through various forms of forced labour (the encomienda and the catequil or mica), to the establishment, after 1575, of the hacienda, with large-scale latifundia lands worked by serf-like ganan labour.

Emphasizes Centrality of the Ecosystem Perspective Sustainable management of agroecosystems in the 21st century faces unprecedented challenges. Protecting the environment while feeding a burgeoning population that could reach nine billion by mid-century, preserving the world's biodiversity, and sustaining agriculture in an increasingly urban world is a massive undertaking. Avoiding simple prescriptions for the application of ecological principles to agriculture, Sustainable Agroecosystem Management: Integrating Ecology, Economics, and Society emphasizes the continued centrality of the ecosystem perspective, and the need to integrate ecological, economic, and social considerations in agroecosystem science and management. Truly Interdisciplinary in Scope With contributions from distinguished leaders in the field of sustainable agriculture, this authoritative book first delineates the present and future challenges agroecosystems face. It then reviews the important contributions made by Dr. Ben Stinner, a pioneer in the field of agroecosystem ecology. Providing historical background of attempts to connect the ecological and agricultural sciences, this standard-setting resource highlights recent efforts to integrate natural and social science perspectives. It also examines the challenges for developing integrated approaches to agroecosystem management. Through a variety of case studies with global applications, the text makes it abundantly clear that purely technological approaches are insufficient for solving the food systems problems of the future. It explores practical innovative strategies, policies, and research needs necessary to develop management approaches that emphasize whole system productivity, diversify agricultural operations, and sustain multiple functions, including ecological integrity.

Contrasting the prevailing theories of the evolution of agriculture, the author argues that the practice of smallholding is more efficient and less environmentally degrading than that of industrial agriculture which depends heavily on fossil fuel, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
He presents a convincing case for his argument with examples taken from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and demonstrates that there are fundamental commonalities among smallholder cultures.
"Smallholders, Householders" is a detailed and innovative analysis of the agricultural efficiency and conservation of resources practiced around the world by smallholders.

Agricultural research was probably the first and is the most widespread form of organised research in the world, and one in which both the most developed and underdeveloped countries are engaged. Whilst most forms of research activity, such as in the field of medicine, have world wide application, agricultural research, by its very nature, has to be regional; practically no research finding can be adopted without studying the results of its application under the infinite number of ecological situations with which the farmers of the world are faced. The improvement of agricultural production is the essential first step whereby developing countries can hope to raise their standard of living. Research is therefore an activity in which no underdeveloped country can afford not to engage; nor can countries in which agriculture has reached a high level of development and sophistication afford to neglect agricultural research. It is not because of inertia or vested interests that highly industrialised countries maintain, mostly at public expense, a costly and complex infrastructure for agricultural research. Even when problems of overproduction weigh heavily on the economy, agricultural research is considered the essential key to further progress: the objectives and goals are simply changed and adapted to the needs of the economy."

Climate changes will affect food production in a number of ways. Crop yields, aquatic populations and forest productivity will decline, invasive insect and plant species will proliferate and desertification, soil salinization and water stress will increase. Each of these impacts will decrease food and nutrition security, primarily by reducing access to and availability of food, and also by increasing the risk of infectious disease.

Although increased biofuel demand has the potential to increase incomes among producers, it can also negatively affect food and nutrition security. Land used for cultivating food crops may be diverted to biofuel production, creating food shortages and raising prices. Accelerations in unregulated or poorly regulated foreign direct investment, deforestation and unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers may also result." "Biofuel production may reduce women s control of resources, which may in turn reduce the quality of household diets. Each of these effects increases risk of poor food and nutrition security, either through decreased physical availability of food, decreased purchasing power, or increased risk of disease.

"The Impact of Climate Change and Bioenergy on Nutrition" articulates the links between current environmental issues and food and nutrition security. It provides a unique collection of nutrition statistics, climate change projections, biofuel scenarios and food security information under one cover which will be of interest to policymakers, academia, agronomists, food and nutrition security planners, programme implementers, health workers and all those concerned about the current challenges of climate change, energy production, hunger and malnutrition.

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'Darwin cleared: official' This 1982 Times (7 January) head line of a first leader, reporting the astonishing case brought in Arkansas against compulsory teaching of a biblical account of creation, hopefully set at rest doubts about Darwin in the minds of a public confused by media presentations of such unfamiliar concepts as punctuated equilibria, cladism and phenetics. Mud sticks, but Darwin's perturbed ghost may have found some consolation in the concurrent celebrations at Grange-over-Sands, a modest township in Cumbria, UK, of the centenary of the publication of his less controversial book The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms. In the form of a symposium on earthworm ecology, this attracted some 150 participants, predominantly adrenalin-charged research workers in the full heat of peer-group interaction. This book comprises a selection of the more ecologically oriented papers contributed to the symposium, brutally edited in the interests of brevity and thematic continuity. The book opens with an appraisal of Darwin's earthworm work in its historical and philosophical context and relates his views on 'vegetable mould' to current concepts of humus formation. Thereafter, quotations from Darwin made out of piety have been rigorously excluded. Subsequent sections each comprise a review chapter and two or three 'case studies' presenting new data on a related topic."

This review of recent developments in our understanding of the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology covers a research area with enormous untapped potential. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural inputs derived from fossil fuels have increased agricultural production, yet growing awareness and concern over their adverse effects on soil productivity and environmental quality cannot be ignored. The high cost of these products, the difficulties of meeting demand for them, and their harmful environmental legacy have encouraged scientists to develop alternative strategies to raise productivity, with microbes playing a central role in these efforts. One application is the use of soil microbes as bioinoculants for supplying nutrients and/or stimulating plant growth. Some rhizospheric microbes are known to synthesize plant growth-promoters, siderophores and antibiotics, as well as aiding phosphorous uptake.

The last 40 years have seen rapid strides made in our appreciation of the diversity of environmental microbes and their possible benefits to sustainable agriculture and production. The advent of powerful new methodologies in microbial genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology has only quickened the pace of developments. The vital part played by microbes in sustaining our planet's ecosystems only adds urgency to this enquiry. Culture-dependent microbes already contribute much to human life, yet the latent potential of vast numbers of uncultured-and thus untouched-microbes, is enormous. Culture-independent metagenomic approaches employed in a variety of natural habitats have alerted us to the sheer diversity of these microbes, and resulted in the characterization of novel genes and gene products. Several new antibiotics and biocatalysts have been discovered among environmental genomes and some products have already been commercialized. Meanwhile, dozens of industrial products currently formulated in large quantities from petrochemicals, such as ethanol, butanol, organic acids, and amino acids, are equally obtainable through microbial fermentation. Edited by a trio of recognized authorities on the subject, this survey of a fast-moving field-with so many benefits within reach-will be required reading for all those investigating ways to harness the power of microorganisms in making both agriculture and biotechnology more sustainable."

The impending threats of catastrophic climate change and peak oil are driving our society towards increased use of biomass for energy, chemical compounds and other materials - the beginnings of a biobased economy. As alternative development models for the biobased economy emerge, we need to determine potential applications, their perspectives and possible impacts as well as policies that can steer technological and market development in such a way that our objectives are met. Currently, it is still far from clear what will be the most sustainable routes to follow, which technologies should be included, and how their development will affect, and be affected by, research, public opinion and policy and market forces. This groundbreaking work, edited by a group of leading researchers originally from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, sets out to unpick the complex systems in play. It provides an illuminating framework for how policy and market players could and should drive the development of a biobased economy that is effective, sustainable, fair and cost efficient. Starting with a state-of-the-art overview of major biobased technologies, including biorefinery and technologies for the production of biofuels, biogas, biomass feedstocks for chemistry and bioplastics, it discusses how different actor groups interact through policy and markets. Information from case studies is used to demonstrate how the potential of the biobased economy in different parts of the world, such as North America, Europe, and emerging economies like China and Brazil can be realised using research, debate, policy and commercial development. The result is an essential resource for all those working in or concerned with biobased industries, their policy or research.

This comprehensive 2007 survey of modern plant breeding traces its history from the earliest experiments at the dawn of the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day and the existence of high tech agribusiness. Murphy tells the story from the perspective of a scientist working in this field, offering a rationale and evidence-based insight into its development. Crop improvement is examined from both a scientific and socio-economic perspective and the ways in which these factors interact and impact on agricultural development are discussed, including debates on genetically-modified food. Murphy highlights concerns over the future of plant breeding, as well as potential options to enable us to meet the challenges of feeding the world in the 21st century. This thoroughly interdisciplinary and balanced account serves as an essential resource for everyone involved with plant breeding research, policy and funding, as well as those wishing to engage with current debates.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is an association of agricultural research centers that together represent an important force in genetic conservation of crops and their wild relatives. Under the CGIAR umbrella, the centers are collectively custodians of international genetic resource collections for crops that provide seventy-five percent of the world's food energy. This volume considers the status of the key collections, in each case providing details of the botany, distribution and agronomy of the species concerned, in addition to extensive information on germplasm conservation and use. The book presents a unique synthesis of knowledge drawn from the CGIAR centers, providing an invaluable source of reference for all those concerned with monitoring, maintaining and utilizing the biodiversity of our staple crop species.

"Soil Health and Climate Change" presents a comprehensive overview of the concept of soil health, including the significance of key soil attributes and management of soil health in conventional and emerging land use systems in the context of climate change. Starting with a review of the physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil health and their significance for monitoring the impacts of climate change, this book then focuses on describing the role of soil structure, pH, organic matter, nitrogen, respiration and biota in sustaining the basic functions of soil ecosystems, and their anticipated responses to climate change. Further topics include the management of cropping, pastoral, and forestry systems, and rehabilitated mine sites, with a focus on mitigation of and adaptation to climate change impacts. Finally, the opportunities and potential risks of organic farming, biochar and bioenergy systems, and their ability to sustain and even enhance soil health, are discussed.

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance.

" Bacteria in Agrobiology: Plant Growth Responses " describes the application of various bacteria in plant growth promotion and protection, including symbiotic, free living, rhizospheric, endophytic, methylotrophic, diazotrophic and filamentous species.

The Mekong Delta of Vietnam is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. The Mekong River fans out over an area of about 40,000 sq kilometers and over the course of many millennia has produced a region of fertile alluvial soils and constant flows of energy. Today about a fourth of the Delta is under rice cultivation, making this area one of the premier rice granaries in the world. The Delta has always proven a difficult environment to manipulate, however, and because of population pressures, increasing acidification of soils, and changes in the Mekong's flow, environmental problems have intensified. The changing way in which the region has been linked to larger flows of commodities and capital over time has also had an impact on the region: For example, its re-emergence in recent decades as a major rice-exporting area has linked it inextricably to global markets and their vicissitudes. And most recently, the potential for sea level increases because of global warming has added a new threat. Because most of the region is on average only a few meters above sea level and because any increase of sea level will change the complex relationship between tides and down-river water flow, the Mekong Delta is one of the areas in the world most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. How governmental policy and resident populations have in the past and will in coming decades adapt to climate change as well as several other emerging or ongoing environmental and economic problems is the focus of this collection.

This book reviews developments in the molecular biology of plant-nematode interactions that have been driven by the application of genomics tools. The book will be of interest to postgraduate students and to researchers with an interest in plant nematology and/or plant pathology more generally. A series of introductory chapters provide a biological context for the detailed reviews of all areas of plant-nematode interactions that follow and ensure that the bulk of the book is accessible to the non-specialist. A final section aims to show how these fundamental studies have provided outputs of practical relevance.

Advances in Soil and Water Conservation provides an in-depth, scholarly treatment of the most important developments and influences shaping soil and water conservation in the last 50 years. The book addresses the technological developments of erosion processes, methods for their control, policy and social forces shaping the research agenda, and future directions. Topics covered include: key governmental agencies and programs research on processes of soil and water degradation control practices and soil quality enhancement conservation tillage the connection between soil and water conservation and sustainable agriculture effects of technology and social influences on soil and water conservation in this country The historical foundation, the focus on key developments, the depth of treatment and thorough documentation, and the orientation to the future make Advances in Soil and Water Conservation a superlative resource for all persons in the field.

Soil-The Basis of All Terrestrial Life Ancient civilizations and cultures-Mayan, Aztec, Mesopotamian, Indus, and Yangtze-were built on good soils, surviving only as long as soils had the capacity to support them. In the twenty-first century, productive soil is still the engine of economic development and essential to human well-being. The quality of our soil resources, however, is threatened by human-induced and natural perturbations. World Soil Resources and Food Security takes an in-depth look at the availability and status of soil resources in the context of the growing demands of an increasing world population and rising expectations of living standards. This timely reference presents current information on the soil resources available for food production. Presenting innovative strategies for soil and water management, it discusses how to maintain or improve the world's soil resources in order to increase food production. With the majority of the world's 1.02 billion food-insecure people concentrated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, several chapters focus on soil resources in these regions. Contributions from renowned scientists deal with topics including: Global food situations World soil resources Soil resources of humid Asia and their acidification Soil resources of South Asia Properties and management of Vertisols Use of radioisotopic techniques in soil management The potential of rain-fed agriculture in the semiarid tropics The status of land degradation Nutrient balance in sub-Saharan Africa The book concludes by outlining the need for further research to generate credible data on soil resources and degradation. This volume is a useful resource for those interested in the state of the soils of the world in relation to food security and environmental quality.

This book constitutes Part III of the refereed four-volume post-conference proceedings of the 4th IFIP TC 12 International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture, CCTA 2010, held in Nanchang, China, in October 2010. The 352 revised papers presented were carefully selected from numerous submissions. They cover a wide range of interesting theories and applications of information technology in agriculture, including simulation models and decision-support systems for agricultural production, agricultural product quality testing, traceability and e-commerce technology, the application of information and communication technology in agriculture, and universal information service technology and service systems development in rural areas.

This book constitutes Part IV of the refereed four-volume post-conference proceedings of the 4th IFIP TC 12 International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture, CCTA 2010, held in Nanchang, China, in October 2010. The 352 revised papers presented were carefully selected from numerous submissions. They cover a wide range of interesting theories and applications of information technology in agriculture, including simulation models and decision-support systems for agricultural production, agricultural product quality testing, traceability and e-commerce technology, the application of information and communication technology in agriculture, and universal information service technology and service systems development in rural areas.

Swidden agriculture has long been considered the primary cause of deforestation throughout Southeast Asia, and the Philippine government has used this belief to exclude the indigenous people of Palawan Island from their ancestral lands and to force them to abandon traditional modes of land use. After adopting ostensibly modern and ecologically sustainable livelihoods, the Pala'wan people have experienced drought and uncertain weather patterns, which they have blamed on their own failure to observe traditional social norms that are believed to regulate climate-norms that, like swidden agriculture, have been outlawed by the state. In this ethnographic case study, Will Smith asks how those who have contributed least to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation have come to position themselves as culpable for the devastating impacts of climate change, examining their statements about changing weather, processes of dispossession, and experiences of climate-driven hunger. By engaging both forest policy and local realities, he suggests that reckoning with these complexities requires reevaluating and questioning key wisdoms in global climate-change policy: What is indigenous knowledge, and who should it serve? Who is to blame for the vulnerability of the rural poor? What, and who, belongs in tropical forests?

Due to many challenges (i.e. climate change, energy, water and land shortage, high demands on food, land grabbing, etc.), agriculture production potential is expected to be seriously affected; thus, increasing food insecurity and hunger in many already affected regions (especially in Africa). In this context, sustainable agriculture is highly recommended as an eco-system approach where soil, water, plants, environment and living organisms live in harmony. Innovative technologies and research should be developed to ensure sustainable agriculture and productivity using modern irrigation systems, improved varieties, improved soil quality, etc. In the meantime, the preservation of natural environment should be based on resource conservation technologies and best management practices.

"Sustainable Agricultural Development," not only raises the serious ethical and social issues underlying these huge environmental problems, but also aims at presenting successful experiences from all over the world in relation with sustainable farming, sustainable management of water and land resources, and innovative processes in livestock production. It also aims at providing inputs to decision making processes and encouraging the transfer of relevant know-how, technologies and expertise to different countries where similar agro-climatic conditions may exist; thus saving precious resources and promoting sustainable agricultural development as a relevant approach to tackle the food security challenge.

Finally, this book focuses on the paradigmatic and policy dimensions and call for an innovative approach by analyzing the key themes in a complex and interrelated manner.

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This important book is the re-titled third edition of the extremely well received and widely used "Agricultural Extension" (van den Ban & Hawkins, 1988, 1996). Building on the previous editions, "Communication for Rural Innovation" maintains and adapts the insights and conceptual models of value today, while reflecting many new ideas, angles and modes of thinking concerning how agricultural extension is taught and carried through today.

Since the previous edition of the book, the number and type of organisations that apply communicative strategies to foster change and development in agriculture and resource management has become much more varied and this book is aimed at those who use communication to facilitate change in agriculture and resource management. "Communication for Rural Innovation "is essential reading for process facilitators, communication division personnel, knowledge managers, training officers, consultants, policy makers, extension specialists and managers of agricultural extension or research organisations. The book can also be used as an advanced introduction into issues of communicative intervention at BSc or MSc level.

Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for our children. This discipline addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, starvation, obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control and biodiversity depletion. Novel solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, philosophy and social sciences. As actual society issues are now intertwined, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series analyzes current agricultural issues, and proposes alternative solutions, consequently helping all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians wishing to build safe agriculture, energy and food systems for future generations.

This book provides comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge relating to the morphological, structural, and functional characteristics of tuber starches, particularly in relation to their applications in food and industry. In recent years there has been significant progress and extensive research conducted on tropical root starches and especially on some of the lesser known tuber crop starches. There has also been a shift towards using biomaterials in place of synthetic materials in various applications. As researchers investigate the availability of natural products with similar properties, starch has been identified as a reliable alternative to these synthetic materials. Reflecting the growing body of research, Tropical Tuber Starches: - Explores the structure, properties and applications of tropical root and tuber starches (cassava, sweet potato, aroids, yams and other minor tuber crops) - Includes a chapter on the methodology for starch characterisation - Covers patents on starch-based products and the commercial potential of tropical root starches A valuable resource for researchers and students, plant breeders, and commercial producers working with, or considering working with, tropical tuber starches.

Earthworms, which belong to the order Oligochaeta, comprise roughly 3,000 species grouped into five families. Earthworms have been called 'ecosystem engineers'; much like human engineers, they change the structure of their environments. Earthworms are very versatile and are found in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. They play an important role in forest and agricultural ecosystems. This Soil Biology volume describes the various facets of earthworms, such as their role in soil improvement, soil structure, and the biocontrol of soil-borne plant fungal diseases. Reviews discuss earthworms' innate immune system, molecular markers to address various issues of earthworm ecology, earthworm population dynamics, and the influences of organic farming systems and tillage. Further topics include the characteristics of vermicompost, relationships between soil earthworms and enzymes, the role of spermathecae, copulatory behavior, and adjustment of the donated sperm volume.