"This is a story of resistance against all odds, of Cuba's remarkable recovery from a food crisis brought on by the collapse of trade relations with the former socialist bloc and the tightening of the U.S. embargo. Unable to import either food or the farm chemicals and machines needed to grow it via conventional agriculture, Cuba turned inward toward self-reliance. Sustainable agriculture, organic farming, urban gardens, smaller farms, animal traction and biological pest control are part of the successful paradigm shift underway in the Cuban countryside. In this book Cuban authors offer details-for the first time in English-of these remarkable achievements, which may serve as guideposts toward healthier, more environmentally friendly and self-reliant farming in countries both North and South."--Publisher's description
In the last 20 years, there has been a remarkable emergence of innovations and technological advances that are generating promising changes and opportunities for sustainable agriculture, yet at the same time the agricultural sector worldwide faces numerous daunting challenges. Not only is the agricultural sector expected to produce adequate food, fiber, and feed, and contribute to biofuels to meet the needs of a rising global population, it is expected to do so under increasingly scarce natural resources and climate change. Growing awareness of the unintended impacts associated with some agricultural production practices has led to heightened societal expectations for improved environmental, community, labor, and animal welfare standards in agriculture. Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century assesses the scientific evidence for the strengths and weaknesses of different production, marketing, and policy approaches for improving and reducing the costs and unintended consequences of agricultural production. It discusses the principles underlying farming systems and practices that could improve the sustainability. It also explores how those lessons learned could be applied to agriculture in different regional and international settings, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. By focusing on a systems approach to improving the sustainability of U.S. agriculture, this book can have a profound impact on the development and implementation of sustainable farming systems. Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century serves as a valuable resource for policy makers, farmers, experts in food production and agribusiness, and federal regulatory agencies.
Green Agriculture: Green agriculture is a sort of system which carries out agricultural production with "green technology". It's basic content is based on biological diversity; keeping harmony between nature and economy during the course of agricultural development, by producing agricultural products in a pollution-free and nuisance-free environment. Methods and technologies to cater with climate change, droughts, floods etc is also dealt in detail in the book. The book "Green Agriculture: Newer Technologies" carries 18 s and covers most of the on farm adopted technology developed by our distinguished scientist mainly focusing, how to save the planet earth during agricultural activities through modern technology. The attempt is to highlight the recent agro-based development through newer technologies to make agriculture productive and eco-friendly.
This book discusses a number of recent technological and methodological progressions in achieving sustainable agriculture. It covers innovative and economically viable techniques for growers, laborers, consumers, policymakers, and others working to develop food-secure and ecologically sound agricultural practices to benefit humans and the environment. The key topics addressed include the increasing role of biofertilizers in sustainable agriculture, green synthesized nanoparticles for higher crop production rates, eco-friendly plant-based pesticides as alternatives to synthetic/chemical pesticides, use of genomics for improved plant breeding practices, and the use of biochar to increase the water-holding capacity in soil. The book concludes with an overview of satellite-based soil erosion practices to monitor and control the harmful impacts of land degradation, and a discussion of long-term strategies to reduce crop losses due to pest and insecticide damage. The book will be of interest to students and researchers in the field of environmental science, agriculture science, agronomy, and sustainable development.
Microbial biotechnology is an emerging field with applications in a broad range of sectors involving food security, human nutrition, plant protection and overall basic research in the agricultural sciences. The environment has been sustaining the burden of mankind from time immemorial, and our indiscriminate use of its resources has led to the degradation of the climate, loss of soil fertility, and the need for sustainable strategies. The major focus in the coming decades will be on achieving a green and clean environment by utilizing soil and plant-associated beneficial microbial communities. Plant-microbe interactions include the association of microbes with plant systems: epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric. The microbes associated with plant ecosystems play an important role in plant growth, development, and soil health. Moreover, soil and plant microbiomes help to promote plant growth, either directly or indirectly by means of plant growth-promoting mechanisms, e.g. the release of plant growth regulators; solubilization of phosphorus, potassium and zinc; biological nitrogen fixation; or by producing siderophores, ammonia, HCN and other secondary metabolites. These beneficial microbial communities represent a novel and promising solution for agro-environmental sustainability by providing biofertilizers, bioprotectants, and biostimulants, in addition to mitigating various types of abiotic stress in plants. This book focuses on plant-microbe interactions; the biodiversity of soil and plant microbiomes; and their role in plant growth and soil health. Accordingly, it will be immensely useful to readers working in the biological sciences, especially microbiologists, biochemists and microbial biotechnologists.
Profiles of 723 organizations that can help farmers meet their farming stewardship and profitability goals. Includes 1,000 individuals and more than 200 organizations in all 50 states. Covers 169 farmers and ranchers, 247 ag. researchers, 161 Coop. Extension Service personnel, 72 agribus. people, and 63 farm consultants. Lists their special skills and knowledge in crop, forage and livestock production, soil and water mgmt., marketing, organics, pest control, cropping systems, erosion control, irrigation methods, and livestock feed and health mgmt. systems.
Provides an introduction to the literature & debate surrounding the use of biotechnology in sustainable farming systems. Includes 127 citations plus author & subject indexes.
Contains more than 500 entries on various informational products -- reports, newsletters,videos, World Wide Web sites, & conference proceedings -- & how to obtain them. Each entry in designed for ease of use, displaying all the information needed to research a topic. A set of ten icons tells at a glance the subject of each entry: agroforestry, animal production, cover crops, horticulture, grain production, marketing & farm profitability, nutrient management, soil quality & conservation, education & networking, & water quality & conservation. Indexed by subject, author, video, & organization. Comprehensive!
