In the first section dedicated to theoretical thoughts on comparative agriculture, Hubert Cochet introduces the notion of “agricultural development”, the very subject of comparative agriculture, with a restored endogenous dimension. He then describes how this approach was slowly consolidated, around the concept of agrarian system in particular. The comparison of agricultural transformations in time and space highlights the importance of the comparatist approach to production processes, the...

Essential reading for all studying horticulture and keen gardeners. This clear introduction to the principles underlying the practical applications of horticulture opens up the excitement of growing plants and garden development without readers wading through complex information. Written by a team of highly motivated and experienced horticultural tutors, the text supports the newly restructured RHS Level 2 qualifications with related Level 3 topics in boxes and signposting to Level 4 topic...

This book contains a vintage handbook on farm economics, with information on different farming systems, machinery, marketing produce, buying equipment, keeping records, and much more. Although old, much of the information contained within this book is timeless and will be of considerable utility to modern prospective farmers. Contents include: “The Nature and Scope of Agricultural Economics”, “Systems of Farming”, “The Farming Considered as a Business Empire”, “Some Units of Economic Measu...

Financial Management for Agribusiness presents a practical approach to financial decision making for all those involved in agribusiness, including farmers, horticulturists and supporting businesses, to manage invested funds, physical resources and labour. It covers all the stages leading to a completed business plan and provides straightforward worked examples for each step. The authors emphasise the need to collect and record the detailed financial and physical records necessary for sound...

One of the early set of reforms that South Africa embarked on after emerging from apartheid was in the water sector, following a remarkable, consultative process. The policy and legal reforms were comprehensive and covered almost all aspects of water management including revolutionary changes in defining and allocating rights to water, radical reforms in water management and supply institutions, the introduction of the protection of environmental flows, and major shifts in charging for wat...

Small cattle breeds are manageable to control and care for and perfect for lifestyle blocks and small farms. They can be bred commercially for beef but their docile temperaments and small size also make them especially suitable for hobby farms. As more people have turned to the country for a 'tree change', interest in these breeds has grown tremendously. In this new edition of her popular book Small Cattle for Small Farms, award-winning cattle breeder Margo Hayes provides practical and easy-t...

Today's wine industry is characterized by regional differences not only in the wines themselves but also in the business models by which these wines are produced, marketed, and distributed. In Old World countries such as France, Spain, and Italy, small family vineyards and cooperative wineries abound. In New World regions like the United States and Australia, the industry is dominated by a handful of very large producers. This is the first book to trace the economic and historical forces t...

As the oldest and largest human intervention in nature, the science of agriculture is one of the most intensely studied practices. From manipulation of plant gene structure to the use of plants for bioenergy, biotechnology interventions in plant and agricultural science have been rapidly developing over the past ten years with immense forward leaps on an annual basis. This book begins by laying the foundations for plant biotechnology by outlining the biological aspects including gene struc...

Food security has always been a major global concern and is getting more attention in recent years. In fact, the global economy and stability has been severely challenged by the precarious state of food security, which was exacerbated by a combination of sharp price volatility and disastrous weather conditions related to climate change. The book aims to improve the analysis and projection of agricultural production and marketing, facilitates information exchange to better food supply and d...

This book is a study of New Zealand shaking off its quasi-colonial dependence on Britain. Has New Zealand moved beyond its colonial heritage? Is it now time to remove the Union Jack from the national flag and change to a Republic? Hall analyses the three decades after World War II when changes in Britain, mainly as a consequence of that war, forced New Zealand to seek new markets for its exports, which were predominantly primary produce; notably meat, wool and dairy products. A key symbol ...

This book comprehensively reviews, as well as analyzes, various aspects related to the Indian textile and apparel industries. While the focus is on economic and environmental issues, the discussion covers a lot of policy elements. The approach is inter-disciplinary, with concepts drawn from economics, environmental science, history, chemistry, textile technology and quantitative methods/optimization literature. This book will appeal to several stakeholders such as, policy researchers, poli...

This volume discusses a broad range of vital issues encompassing the production and consumption of food in the current period of climate change. All of these add up to looming, momentous challenges to food security, especially for people in regions where malnutrition and famine have been the norm during numerous decades. Furthermore, threats to food security do not stop at the borders of more affluent countries – governance of food systems and changes in eating patterns will have worldwide...