This book addresses one of the key features of contemporary government policy: how to integrate the economic role of agriculture with the societal role of the rural environment. Historical agricultural policy has focussed on encouraging production while protecting farmers from market risk. However production surpluses combined with growing concern over the environmental impacts of intensive agriculture has led to policy changes, which have exposed farmers to more market risk and required them to take account of their impact on the environment. For the first time this book brings these developing policy issues together with a comprehensive consideration of both theoretical and empirical aspects.

The first part of the book contains a set of six theoretical contributions to the economics of the agri-environment, including consideration of the associated policy implications. Building on this theoretical base, the second part contains four international case studies of agri-environmental policy.

All the authors are well-known experts in their field, and the original material contained in this book should be of interest to academic agricultural and environmental economists, postgraduate students, and policymakers.

Risk Management and the Environment: Agriculture in Perspective is a modern academic work that seeks to bring out both to the private and the policy sectors the importance of risk management in relation to the envi ronment in agriculture, as the world moves towards freer markets. Many efforts were pooled together in making this book. Three years ago, an attempt was made by one of the editors to get a project on 'Agri cultural Risk Management and Sustainabilty' (ARMAS) funded by the European Commission. Probably deeming the proposal as prematurely novel for Europe, the Commission's screening experts abandoned its evaluation. Following that experience it became apparent that the literature on the theme ought to be strengthened and emphasized through a book by a well known publishing house. The editorial team was formed relatively quickly and an invitation to known experts in the field for contributions was issued. Subsequently, Kluwer Academic Publishers, evaluated an edited volume proposal package, and final revisions were made prior to submitting the entire manuscript for publication. We are gratefully acknowledging the moral support of several individu als as well as the patience of our publishers."