Can developing countries meet the food requirements of their growing populations without jeopardizing a natural resource base that is already under great stress? Can increases in food production achieved in the past two decades be sustained in the next two decades? Can developing countries achieve freedom from hunger and malnutrition for their entire populations? How can food security be reconciled with environment quality in an industrializing society? Leading authorities, from soil scientists to economists, address these critical questions in Food Security and Environmental Quality in the Developing World. With a focus on India, this book reviews the state of natural resources, fertilizer and energy needs, and the potential importance of biotechnology as they affect all developing countries. It then addresses issues pertaining to water quality, agricultural chemicals, and pesticide residues on food. Part Three examines water harvesting, post-harvest food losses, storage and processing of animal products, and sustainability and inequality issues. The next sections deal with poverty alleviation, microfinance, gender equity, policy issues, and the role of the public sector. Finally, the book considers emerging issues and priorities. Developing countries have achieved an impressive increase in total food production over the past two decades, but at a high cost to environmental quality. As the populations of these countries continue to grow, soil degradation, pollution and contamination of natural waters, deteriorating air quality, and growing dependence on expensive and diminishing fossil fuels become increasing concerns. Food Security and Environmental Quality in the Developing World takes on the crucial challenge of enhancing agricultural production while reversing the alarming trends in soil and environmental degradation.

In order to feed their burgeoning populations, developing nations will need to double cereal production by the year 2050. This increase will have to come from existing land, as little potential exists for bringing new land under cultivation -- a daunting prospect when one realizes that increased use and significantly higher concentrations of carbon dioxide have led to a severe depletion of the carbon pool in the world's soils. This is especially telling in developing countries where tropical climates further compromise the soil's ability to recover. In Climate Change and Global Food Security, bestselling editor Rattan Lal heads up a team of the world's top soil scientists and ecologists to document the history of this impending agricultural crisis and explore possible solutions. Throughout this timely text, the authors address six complex themes: 1. The impact of projected climate change on soil quality, water resources, temperature regime, and growing season duration on net primary productivity of different biomes 2. Soil carbon dynamics under changing climate 3. The impact of changes in carbon dioxide and ecological environments on agronomic yields and food production in different regions of the world 4. World food demands and supply during the 21st century 5. Policy and economic issues related to carbon trading and enhancing agricultural production 6. Research and development priorities for enhancing soil carbon pool and food security This hard-hitting text is essential reading for anyone involved with soil and crop sciences as well as policy makers and change agents who need to come to the forefront of this issue armed with the latest information and viable solutions.

Can developing countries meet the food requirements of their growing populations without jeopardizing a natural resource base that is already under great stress?

Can increases in food production achieved in the past two decades be sustained in the next two decades?

Can developing countries achieve freedom from hunger and malnutrition for their entire populations?

How can food security be reconciled with environment quality in an industrializing society?

Leading authorities, from soil scientists to economists, address these critical questions in Food Security and Environmental Quality in the Developing World. With a focus on India, this book reviews the state of natural resources, fertilizer and energy needs, and the potential importance of biotechnology as they affect all developing countries. It then addresses issues pertaining to water quality, agricultural chemicals, and pesticide residues on food. Part Three examines water harvesting, post-harvest food losses, storage and processing of animal products, and sustainability and inequality issues. The next sections deal with poverty alleviation, microfinance, gender equity, policy issues, and the role of the public sector. Finally, the book considers emerging issues and priorities.

Developing countries have achieved an impressive increase in total food production over the past two decades, but at a high cost to environmental quality. As the populations of these countries continue to grow, soil degradation, pollution and contamination of natural waters, deteriorating air quality, and growing dependence on expensive and diminishing fossil fuels become increasing concerns. Food Security and Environmental Quality in the Developing World takes on the crucial challenge of enhancing agricultural production while reversing the alarming trends in soil and environmental degradation.

In order to feed their burgeoning populations, developing nations will need to double cereal production by the year 2050. This increase will have to come from existing land, as little potential exists for bringing new land under cultivation -- a daunting prospect when one realizes that increased use and significantly higher concentrations of carbon dioxide have led to a severe depletion of the carbon pool in the world's soils. This is especially telling in developing countries where tropical climates further compromise the soil's ability to recover. In Climate Change and Global Food Security, bestselling editor Rattan Lal heads up a team of the world's top soil scientists and ecologists to document the history of this impending agricultural crisis and explore possible solutions. Throughout this timely text, the authors address six complex themes: 1. The impact of projected climate change on soil quality, water resources, temperature regime, and growing season duration on net primary productivity of different biomes 2. Soil carbon dynamics under changing climate 3. The impact of changes in carbon dioxide and ecological environments on agronomic yields and food production in different regions of the world 4. World food demands and supply during the 21st century 5. Policy and economic issues related to carbon trading and enhancing agricultural production 6. Research and development priorities for enhancing soil carbon pool and food security This hard-hitting text is essential reading for anyone involved with soil and crop sciences as well as policy makers and change agents who need to come to the forefront of this issue armed with the latest information and viable solutions.

This 32-chapter volume represents the core of several oral and poster presentations made at the conference. In addition to Introduction and Conclusion sections, the book is thematically divided into 7 sections, namely, 1) Land Use and Farming Systems, 2) Effects of Climate Change on Crop Yield, 3) Soil Nutrient and Water Management for Carbon Sequestration, 4) Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands through Forestry and Agroforestry, 5) Management of Animal Production for Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 6) Smallholder Adaptation to Climate Change, and 7) Economic, Social and Policy Issues. It addresses these themes in the context of sustainable intensification (SI). It implies increasing agronomic production from the existing land while improving/restoring its quality and decreasing the C or environmental footprint. Simply put, SI means producing more from less.

This 35-chapter book is based on several oral and poster presentations including both invited and contributory chapters. The book is thematically based on four pillars of sustainability, with focus on sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Environment, Economic, Social and Institutional. The environmental sustainability, which determines economic and social/institutional sustainability, refers to the rate of use of natural resources (soil, water, landscape, vegetation) which can be continued indefinitely without degrading their quality, productivity and ecosystem services for different ecoregions of SSA. This book will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the U.N. in SSA. Therefore, the book is of interest to agriculturalists, economists, social scientists, policy makers, extension agents, and development/bilateral organizations. Basic principles explained in the book can be pertinent to all development organizations.