Product Description

Something is wrong with our agriculture and food systems. Despite great progress in increasing productivity in the last century, hundreds of millions of people remain hungry and malnourished. Can nothing be done or is it time for the expansion of another sort of agriculture, founded on more ecological principles, and in harmony with people, their societies and cultures? This work draws on many stories of successful transformation. A sustainable agriculture making the best of nature and people's knowledge and collective capacities has been showing increasingly good promise. Everyone is in favour of sustainability, yet few go seriously beyond the fine words. The text shows that there is no alternative to radical reform of national agricultural, rural and food policies and institutions - the time has come for the next agricultural revolution.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #200126 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 264 pages

Review
'I have read Agri-Culture from cover to cover. It is fabulous' Tim Lang, Thames Valley University; 'It is wonderful to see all the examples throughout the book through the eyes of the people who did the work on the ground, through their voices or frustration or experiences' Brian Halweil, Worldwatch Institute

VO-TONG XUAN, Angiang University, Vietnam
‘A superb volume. This is a valuable monograph that all policy makers, scholars and farmers must read to understand their roles and responsibilities’

MARK RITCHIE, Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, USA
‘A wonderful manuscript, put together with such vision and passion’

Customer Reviews

Plus...
I really didn't do this book any justice with my review above. I didn't mention clearly enough that this book is one of facts as well as reasonable ideas. An immense amount of research and knowledge has gone into this work. It is highly informative, covering many subjects including chapters on food, organic farming, genetic modification, externalities (both money and environment/health-wise) of modern agricultural systems, loss of crucial biodiversity and habitat, many examples of sustainable farming systems in the real world working to increase farmer's yeilds (and explaining how) - you get the picture!

There is also a large notes and references section so you can look things up.

Listen up!
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I wish i was less excited about this book so i could write a coherent and informative review, but it is that good!

If you are interested in sustainable practices, modern agriculture, our culture, the environment or our planets future i strongly recommend you give this book a go. You will find it amazingly easy and enjoyable to read from cover to cover as well as useful as a reference book with clear subtitles. There are so many interesting facts and ideas and brilliant ways of looking at things in here it is mindblowing, Jules has done tons of research. I have read literally hundreds of books (i still can't spell) and Agri-Culture is my new firm favourite (after any Martin Amis novel... i'm not sponsored).

I give this book a million kazillion stars.
Thankyou for your time.

NEW BIT ADDED BELOW!!!!!
somebody didn't find this review helpful, im not a book reviewer but i will do my best to improve this review: this book is passionately written by a professor at the university of essex about the effects of industrial agriculture (monoscapes, chemicals, gm etc) on the environment first and foremost, but also the deep implications that our careless and polluting behavior and belief that we are above nature has on us as beings (on many levels, physically, psychologically, spiritually). if we try to disconnect ourselves our entire culture and lifestyle falls apart. we are and always will be linked no matter how advanced our technology gets and anything we throw out comes back to us in more ways than just killing the birds in our garden. does that help any?? this book really is a lovely, exciting read and not only is it quite gentle and poetic Jules must have done hours of research for practically every line, but then that is his job...

Really impressive
This book is impressively discerning ! Urge everyone to read it... it gives us a very different perspective of environmental, cultural, social and economic facts of what we're used to see. Very well written with clear presentation of facts and stories.