|
Conclusion
The practice of the Rural Policy and the agriculture steered by
it, is leading to interventions that incur drastic changes to
the ecosystems and the agricultural land and causing problems,
even though the aims of this policy are very clear. The way EU
supported agriculture in the past (guaranteed prices, production
support etc) pursue the development of production factors with
the incorporation of technology, the secureness of a
satisfactory income for the farmers and management of the
agricultural land. However, it created reserves, which led the
EU into deadlock and revisions of the CAP.
The current goals of the mid term revision of the CAP have
caused a lot of objections and discussions especially from
countries with weak agricultural structure (small size of
utilized land and large number of farmers). How compatible are
these goals and what will the final outcome of their
implementation be? The answer to this will be given by the
implementation of the new measures of CAP and any other answer
is venturous and is only a scenario. Magical recipes for the
solution of the problems do not exist.
It is obvious that the principle of precaution is more critical
today than ever, however, is also certain that after every
action positive and negative outcomes follow, with the latter
leading us, every time, to revisions of goals and measures.
The main goal is for young farmers to realize the importance of
their social role (producer of goods and manager of the
agricultural land) through the quest for the right choices and
information regarding the aims and the programs of the EU.
Simple suggestions for solving problems lead the appliers to
inactivity and to the expectation of ready recipes, making them
passive decision receivers and not participators in the
implementation procedure of sustainable agriculture aiming at
quality and secure production.
The training procedure is successful when the trainees become
part of the knowledge and not simple appliers.
At the same time, people must be aware that the environment does
not have frontiers and the EU should not pretend that its
citizens would enjoy a natural environment and feed on healthy
food. The mankind as a total should manage these problems in the
best possible way, for the human health and environment
protection, within the framework of solidarity between people
and cooperation between rich and poor countries, aiming at
eliminating inequalities that consist the only guarantee for the
survival of the planet and the solidarity among the generations.
Selected Bibliography
and Websites
BOOKS
Title:
Planning for sustainable use of land resources
Subtitle:
Τowards
a new approach
ISBN:
92-5-103724-8
Author:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations
Land and Water Development Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations
Publisher:
Food and Agriculture
Organization
Place of
Publication:
Rome
Year of
publication:
1995
Language:
English
Key words:
sustainable
management, natural
resources, land resources
Summary:
The increasing of the population in the developing countries is
causing pressures in the land resources and the land
degradation. Till now, the approaches for the designing of the
tactics that could give solutions to these problems were not
effective, that’s why a more integrated approach is required,
which will include all the stakeholders, will be adjusted in the
particular characteristics of each region and will give
solutions for the sustainable land management. The current land
uses, related to the agricultural and rural region are analyzed.
The implementation of the decisions, as described in Agenda 21,
will depend on the policies supporting the planning of the use
and sustainable management of natural resources, and will
enhance the participation of the stakeholders in
decision-making. The proceedings of the International Workshop,
which took place in Wageningen, the Netherlands, on 20-22
February 1995, are included.
Title:
Towards sustainable agricultural production: Cleaner
technologies
Subtitle: -
ISBN:
92-64-14188-X
Author:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development
Publisher: -
Place of
Publication:
Paris
Year of
publication:
1994
Language:
English
Key words:
sustainable
agriculture, sustainable development
Summary:
Description of: a) The greatest
environmental pressures caused by the practices of sustainable,
b) the new technologies and practices which are environment
friendly and can deal with the problems caused by the practice
of sustainable agriculture. Proposals regarding political action
for the promotion of the agricultural sector towards sustainable
development practices are also included.
Title:
Agriculture and the Environment
Subtitle:
Minerals, Manure and Measures
ISBN:
0-7923-4794-3
Author:
Foppe B. de Walle J. Sevenster
Publisher:
Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Place of
Publication:
Dordrecht Hardbound
Year of
publication:
1998
Language:
English
Key words:
agriculture,
manure, water contamination
Summary:
The book describes the excess supply of nutrients and manure to
agricultural lands and the resulting problems of groundwater
contamination and surface water eutrophication. It reviews these
practices in the main EU countries and in North America and
proposes a new sustainable approach for dealing with this
environmental deterioration.
Title:
Integrating sustainable Agriculture, Ecology, and
Environmental Policy
Subtitle:
Food Products Press
ISBN:
1-56022-024-4
Author:
Olson R.K
Publisher:
Haworth Press
Place of
Publication:
New York
Year of
publication:
1992
Language:
English
Key words:
ecology,
environmental practices, sustainable agriculture
Summary:
The recent agricultural
practices have contributed in the environment degradation that
threaten the viability of agricultural production. Ecology has
the power to substantially contribute in the sustainable and
environment friendly agriculture. The ecological research can
assist agricultural management decision-making, which requires
multidisciplinary approach.
Title:
Περιβάλλον και φυσικοί
πόροι
(Environment and Natural
Resources)
Subtitle:
Οικονομική θεωρία και
πολιτική (Economic Theory
and Policy)
ISBN:
960-218-239-3
Author:
Vlachou A.
Publisher:
Kritiki
Place of
Publication:
Athens
Year of
publication:
2001
Language:
Greek
Key words:
environment,
ecological problems, pollution
Summary:
There is an effort to combine
the applications’ theory, with emphasis on the expansion of the
greek problems and measures and their solution. The critical
radical analyses of the ecological problems are also discussed.
They are presented basic analyses for the definition of the
level of pollution or alternatives for the achievement of a
desirable reduction level of the pollution with the minimum
possible cost.
Title:
Checklist for Sustainable Landscape Management
Subtitle:
-
ISBN: -
Author:
Van Mansvelt, J.D. and M.J. van
der Lubbe
Publisher:
Elsevier
Place of
Publication:
Amsterdam
Year of
publication:
1999
Language:
English
Key words:
sustainable
landscape management
Summary:
The result of a large multidisciplinary effort within the
European Union from 1993 to 1997, this book provides the first
comprehensive set of standards for a sustainable landscape. They
are presented under three realms: biotic, social and humanity.
Title:
The
Environmental Performance of Public Procurement: Issues of
Policy Coherence
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
9264101551
Author:
OECD
Publisher:
OECD on line
Place of
Publication: -
Year of
publication:
2003
Language:
English
Key words:
environment,
“greener public purchasing” (GPP), recycling
Summary:
In recent years, a significant number of OECD member countries
have introduced initiatives to reduce the environmentally
damaging effects of public procurement. Through various policies
and programmes, environmental criteria are being applied to
purchasing decisions. For example, many countries have
introduced "greener public purchasing" (GPP) policies in order
to increase the recycled content of products or achieve
specified levels of energy efficiency in capital equipment. Such
measures can have direct benefits on the environmental
characteristics of public procurement itself, as well as
indirect benefits through their influence on firms and
households. This book examines these issues in detail. It is the
outcome of a workshop on "Greener Public Purchasing", held at
the Austrian Ministry of the Environment in Vienna. It reviews
the potential economic efficiency and environmental
effectiveness of GPP programmes and policies, drawing upon
experience in selected OECD member countries. In addition, it
reviews the links between GPP programmes and related areas of
public policy, including the general environmental policy
framework, public expenditure management, and the legal
framework for public procurement.
Title:
Economic Studies on Food, Agriculture and the Environment
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
0-306-47242-2
Author:
Canavari M., Caggiati P., Easter
K. W
Publisher:
Kluwer Academic/Plenum
Publishers
Place of
Publication:
Hardbound
Year of
publication:
2002
Language:
English
Key words:
environment,
agriculture, food, agricultural development
Summary:
This book contains a selection
of the papers presented at the Joint Conference on Food,
Agriculture, and the Environment, organized by the University of
Minnesota and several universities in Italy, and held in
Bologna, Italy, on June 12-14, 2001. The papers are grouped into
four sections: a) food, nutrition, and quality, b) land and
resource assessment, c) agriculture and rural development, and
d) environment and markets. Readers will benefit from the
analysis provided in the papers and will gain new insights
concerning alternative approaches to dealing with important
policy issues.
Title:
Modern Agriculture and the Environment
Subtitle: -
ISBN:
0-7923-4295-X
Author:
Rosen D., Tel-Or E., Hadar Y.,
Chen Y.
Publisher:
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Place of
Publication:
Dordrecht, Hardbound
Year of
publication:
1997
Language:
English
Key words:
environment, modern
agriculture, chemical pesticides
Summary:
This volume comprises the proceedings of the First International
Rehovot Conference on Modern Agriculture and the Environment. It
is a unique book, covering the broad spectrum of environmental
problems related to agriculture, from chemical pesticides, means
to reduce their utilization and some of the main alternatives to
their overuse and misuse, through pollution caused by chemical
fertilizers, aquaculture and heavy metals, treatment of
wastewater, recycling of municipal and agricultural wastes, to
modeling and bioremediation of agricultural pollution, as well
as economic and policy aspects of natural resources. Illustrated
with numerous international case studies, it is intended for
agriculturists, researchers, students, policy-makers and
environmentalists.
Title:
Soil Quality, Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Security
in Central and Eastern Europe
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
0-7923-6377-9
Author:
Wilson M.J.,
Maliszewska-Kordybach B.
Publisher:
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Place of
Publication:
Dordrecht, Hardbound
Year of
publication:
2000
Language:
English
Key words:
environment,
sustainable agriculture, soil quality
Summary:
Agriculture is a crucial component of the economies of many of
the countries in transition from a centrally-planned to a market
economy and the sector is by no means immune to the
environmental and socioeconomic problems confronting the
countries as a whole. The concept of sustainable development
provides a convenient framework for the formulation of
government environmental policy for such countries, especially
those of them that aspire to join the EU and would thus be
expected to meet EU environmental standards. For agriculture,
this inevitably involves appropriate strategies for balancing
crop and animal production while protecting the quality of the
national soil and water resources. There is thus an urgent need
to compile, exchange and evaluate current information on the
quality of soils in these countries, and to assess the potential
impact of new management practices on the soil and on the wider
environment.
Title:
The
Agricultural Situation in the European Union - 2001 Report
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
9289452323
Author:
European Commission
Publisher:
Balogh Inernational Inc
Place of
Publication: -
Year of
publication:
2003
Language:
English
Key words:
agriculture,
agricultural development, common agricultural policy
Summary:
This 27th annual presents the
agricultural situation and year's activities. Policy
developments and trends are described and the different
agricultural sectors and policy areas are reviewed. The economic
situation, market trends, rural development issues, external
trade relations and the financing of the common agricultural
policy are all discussed. 2001 Agricultural Year developments:
The general downturn in the international economic situation
over the course of the year, which was further exacerbated by
the tragic events of 11 September. Relatively high oil prices
for most of the agricultural year. A sudden increase in food
prices in the first half of 2001, which gave a boost to
inflation and eroded private consumption. Continued turmoil in
the meat sector, following firstly the new BSE crisis which
erupted towards the end of 2000 and which led to a large drop in
beef consumption and prices, and secondly the outbreak of foot
and mouth disease (FMD) in early 2001. Generally unfavorable
weather conditions over the course of the agricultural year,
with bad weather affecting most EU Member States and leading to
a reduced cereals harvest.
Title:
Organic agriculture, environment and food security
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
92-5-104819-3
Author:
El-Hage Scialabba N. and Hattam
C.
Publisher:
Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations
Place of
Publication:
Rome
Year of
publication:
2002
Language:
English
Key words:
organic
agriculture, environment, food security
Summary:
Organic agriculture is defined
as an environmentally and socially sensitive food supply system.
This publication examines its many facets, looking at the
contribution of organic agriculture to ecological health,
international markets and local food security. It builds on
empirical experiences throughout the world and analyses the
prospects for a wider adoption of organic agriculture. Numerous
scenarios depicted in this publication represent the millions of
people from all social and economic backgrounds that have
adopted this new agrarian ethic on the integrity of food. An
introduction to the general concepts of organic agriculture
includes an overview of its agronomic, economic, social and
institutional performance. Further, the publication presents
scientific evidence of the impact of organic agriculture on
environmental goods and services and offers an evaluation of its
possible contribution to the implementation of international
environmental agreements. It also reviews the current status,
trends and prospective development of certified organic
agriculture production and trade. The important contribution of
resource-poor peasants and indigenous farmers to non-certified
organic agriculture is highlighted and reviewed. Specific
examples of how organic agriculture improves agricultural
productivity and rural livelihoods are presented, along with
lessons for scaling up positive experiences. The emerging sector
of organic aquaculture is described, and its potential is
discussed. Finally, case studies from Brazil, India, the Islamic
Republic of Iran, Thailand and Uganda show how traditional
knowledge, social mobilization and agro-ecological approaches
have been used to restore degraded natural resources while
producing food. The small farmers who seek fully integrated food
systems are given recognition throughout the publication. They,
along with the consumers who are creating market-based
incentives for ecological management of agricultural systems,
are at the centre of the “organic movement”. The publication
discusses the weakness of institutional support for nurturing
existing knowledge and exchange in organic agriculture, support
that could further enhance organic agriculture’s positive impact
on the natural and human environments.
Title:
Assessing the health of a agroecosystems
Subtitle:
A socioeconomic perspectives
ISBN:
-
Author:
Ikerd E. J.
Publisher: -
Place of
Publication: -
Year of
publication: -
Language:
English
Key words:
agroecosystems,
agriculture, ecosystems
Summary:
Agroecosystems are managed
ecosystems. Agriculture inherently involves self-conscious
attempt of humans to change or manage natural ecosystems. The
fundamental purpose of agriculture is to shift the ecological
balance so as to favor humans relative to other species in
production of food and physical protection. Humans are unique
among species in that we make purposeful, deliberate decisions
that can enhance or degrade the health of the ecosystems of
which we are a part. Thus, any assessment of the health of
agroecosystem must take into consideration the purposeful,
self-conscious nature of individual and collective human
actions.
Title:
Genetic Engineering in Agriculture: The Myths, Environmental
Risks, and Alternatives
Subtitle:
-
ISBN:
0-935028-85-4
Author:
Altieri A. M.
Publisher:
Food First
Place of
Publication:
-
Year of
publication:
2001
Language:
English
Key words:
genetically
engineered agriculture, biotechnology, agriculture, environment
Summary:
It examines the many aspects of genetically engineered crops:
biotechnology, world hunger, welfare of farmers; genetically
modified crops and human health; biotechnology, agriculture, and
the environment; environmental risks of insect resistant crops;
and more sustainable alternatives to biotechnology. Also
included are an extensive glossary, a list of Web-related
resources, and bibliography
PERIODICALS
Title:
Farm sustainability evaluation: methodology and practice
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
0167-8809/0091-2
Author:
Andreoli M., Tellarini V.
Magazine:
Agriculture Ecosystems and
environment
Publisher:
Elsevier
Volume:
77
Issue:
1-2,
Year of
publication:
1999
Language:
English
Key words:
agricultural policy,
agriculture, farm sustainability evaluation
Summary:
For a very long time, agricultural policy has been interested
only in productive or economic aspects. Nevertheless,
interventions aiming to support farmers' income or to promote
agricultural modernization have resulted in several `negative'
side effects, such as increasing pollution, landscape depletion
and deepening of regional disparities. Consequently, a need has
emerged for confronting problems with a more comprehensive
approach, taking into account the whole range of impacts caused
by agriculture. The European Concerted Action on `Landscape and
Nature Production Capacity of Sustainable/Organic Farms' has
proposed a checklist of criteria for sustainable landscape
management. This article discusses procedures for summarising
the above-mentioned criteria in an `overall judgment'. The aim
is to provide a tool capable to assess farm performance taking
into account all the relevant impacts of farm activities.
Title:
Assessing Sustainable Land Management (SLM)
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
0167-8809/00/001182-1
Author:
Hurni H.
Magazine:
Agriculture Ecosystems and
environment
Publisher:
Elsevier
Volume:
81
Issue:
2
Year of
publication:
2000
Language:
English
Key words:
sustainable development,
sustainable land management
Summary:
The term sustainable development' and its component sustainable
land management (SLM)' have been receiving increasing attention
in development co-operation and at the global level. However,
practical tools, which can help local users and
multi-disciplinary teams to work together and apply these
general concepts at the local to regional levels, have emerged
only very recently. Some of these tools, as well as programme
support services are presented in this paper. The author argues
that only a comprehensive, participatory approach involving
stakeholders at all levels will have the potential to develop
locally useful solutions within a favorable, i.e. `enabling'
institutional environment. Assessment tools will require
transdisciplinary methods that involve natural, social, and
political sciences as well as local knowledge systems. Support
services for SLM activities will have to include monitoring and
impact assessment, experimentation with innovative ideas,
resource assessment, information, and training. Examples from
different parts of the globe have shown that the proposed tools
are now receiving greater attention and may fulfill the
requirements set forth by the concept of SLM.
Title:
Sustainability in agriculture – an evaluation of principal
goal-oriented concepts to close the gap between theory and
practice
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
0167-8809/00/00197-3
Author:
Von Wiren-Lehr S.
Magazine:
Agriculture Ecosystems and
environment
Publisher:
Elsevier
Volume:
84
Issue:
2
Year of
publication:
2001
Language:
English
Key words:
sustainability in agriculture,
sustainability assessment, practices and methods
Summary:
The objective of concepts to assess and implement sustainability
in agriculture is to consolidate the complex and diverse
principles of the theoretical paradigm and to transform them
into recommendations for agricultural practice. Since only
goal-oriented concepts show a high adaptation to different
conditions and target groups, their fundamental strategy was
highlighted and their suitability for successful
operationalisation was worked out. Seven goal-oriented concepts,
representing the main current methods of sustainability
assessment, were evaluated regarding potential and drawbacks for
a successful transfer of the theoretical paradigm into practice.
A principal strategy of goal-oriented concepts has been
identified in all concepts: goal definition, indicator
selection, evaluation based on indicator sets and final
formulation of management advice. In most of the seven reviewed
concepts, the protection of the agricultural production system
itself is postulated as a major aim. Consequently, indicator
sets mainly consist of production-oriented indicators and
eco-balancing predominantly represents the methodological
framework. Six of the seven selected concepts base
sustainability assessment on an evaluation strategy with
estimated threshold values or margins of tolerance.
Title:
Environmental Awareness, Economic Orientation, and Farming
Practices
Subtitle:
A Comparison of Organic and
Conventional Farmers
ISSN:
0364-152X
Author:
Mccann E., Sullivan S., Erickson D., De Young R.
Magazine:
Environmental Management
Publisher:
Springer-Verlag New York
Volume:
21
Issue:
5
Year of
publication:
1997
Language:
English
Key words:
environment, organic
agriculture, farming practices
Summary:
This study examines similarities and differences between organic
and conventional farmers. We explore the factors that underlie
farmers' conservation attitudes and behaviors, including
demographic and farm characteristics, awareness of and concern
for environmental problems associated with agriculture, economic
orientation toward farming, and self-reported conservation
practices. A series of intensive personal interviews was
conducted with 25 farmers in Washtenaw County, Michigan, USA,
using both qualitative and quantitative survey methods. The
findings indicate that both groups of farmers share a concern
for the economic risks associated with farming, although the
organic farmers reported a significantly greater concern for
long-term sustainability and a greater willingness to incur
present risk to gain future benefits. Organic farmers expressed
a greater awareness of and concern for environmental problems
associated with agriculture. Organic farmers also scored
significantly higher on a multifaceted measure of conservation
practices, although both groups had a fairly high adoption rate.
Implications of these findings are discussed, relative to
economic risks of farming, implications for new farmers,
effectiveness of conservation education and government programs,
and impact of farm size and crop diversity.
Title:
Agriculture and Environment
(Γεωργία και
Περιβάλλον)
Subtitle:
Proceedings of a Conference meeting on 25 February 2000 (Πρακτικά
Συνεδρίου συνάντηση εργασίας
25 Φεβρουαρίου
2000)
ISSN: -
Author:
Gaea Center –
Goulandri National History Museum
Publisher:
Eptalofos
Place of
Publication:
Athens
Year of
publication:
2000
Language:
Greek
Key words:
environment, agriculture
Summary:
Conference proceedings regarding
the national policy of water, land, energy, genetic and human
resources of the rural areas.
Title:
Environmental policy, agri-environmental indicators
and land
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
10.1016/S0167-8809(03)00069-0
Author:
Piorr Hans-Peter
Magazine:
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Publisher:
Elsevier
Volume:
98
Issues: 1-3
Year of
publication:
2003
Language:
English
Key words:
landscape, sustainable
agriculture, environment
Summary:
Research for a concept of sustainable agriculture and for the
sustainable use of agricultural landscapes are closely related
to the development of an international acknowledged indicator
framework for the analysis and valuation of the environmental
situation by the OECD. Worldwide efforts are focusing on this
new topic in the environmental discussion: quantifying and
valuation of impacts of agricultural practice on the animated
and unanimated environment to draw conclusions for agricultural
policy. A key function holds the term sustainability, which is
assumed to dominate future policy approaches. The growing
insecurity about the environmental impacts of agricultural land
use systems led to the overall goal to avoid irreversible
damages by agriculture.
Title:
Nutrients in European Ecosystems
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
QH77 E85 C76
Author:
Thyssen, N
Magazine: -
Publisher:
European Environment Agency,
Environmental Assessment
Volume:
-
Issue:
-
Year of
publication:
1999
Language:
English
Key words:
environment, nutrients,
ecosystems
Summary:
This report presents a pan-European overview of the geographical
distribution, and severity of adverse effects, of excessive
anthropogenic inputs of nutrients in European ecosystems.
Title:
Fertilizers and environment
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
205244
Author:
Ayoud A.T.
Magazine:
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
Publisher:
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Volume:
55
Issue:
-
Year of
publication:
1999
Language:
English
Key words:
fertilizers, environment,
ecosystems
Summary:
Soil fertility decline is
occurring over large parts of the world, particularly the
developing world. It occurs mainly through intensive cultivation
and the inadequate application of replacement nutrients, and
through deforestation and clearance of vegetation on sandy
soils. Large amounts of soil nutrients are also lost to the
terrestrial ecosystems through wind and water erosion. Low soil
fertility is considered as one of the most important constraints
on improved agricultural production. To sustain the future world
population more fertilizers are required, which may become an
environmental hazard, unless adequate technical and
socio-economic measures are taken. It is estimated that, by the
year 2020 at a global level, 70% of plant nutrients will have to
come from fertilizers. Fertilizers are thus indispensable for
sustained food production, but excessive use of mineral
fertilizers has roused environmental concerns. Chief among these
concerns are eutrophication of fresh water bodies, global
warming and stratospheric ozone depletion, proliferation of
algal blooms in coastal waters and contribution towards acid
rain.
Title:
Integrating Research on Food and the Environment: an Exit
Strategy from the Rational Fool Syndrome in Agricultural Science
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
-
Author:
Ashby, J. A
Magazine:
Conservation Ecology
Publisher:
-
Volume:
5 (2)
Issue:
20
Year of
publication:
2001
Language:
English
Key words:
environment, food, agriculture
Summary:
The thesis of this paper is that
the "rational fool" syndrome can be applied to mainstream public
sector agricultural research that is conducted in a way that is
rational in the short term, but acts against its own long-term
viability. Historically, a main concern of such research has
been to maximize high levels of food production together with
low prices to consumers. As a result, mainstream agricultural
science has ignored negative impacts or externalities, which has
contributed to a crisis of credibility with the general public
and politically sensitive decision makers. A long-term strategic
research agenda for the public sector is being defined that is
new and relevant to present efforts to integrate natural
resource management and sustainable agricultural production.
Such an agenda must be understood as a way of managing natural
resources for the production of food and environmental services
essential to human well-being. If agricultural systems are
viewed and managed as parts of whole ecosystems, the key
properties of complex systems that need to be taken into account
will force researchers to consider long-term effects and
environmental externalities. Research products will then be
increasingly strategic in nature, and the research process will
be "democratized" as it involves and gains the support of a
broad set of stakeholders. Private sector research cannot be
expected to meet this need because strategic studies of resource
management are required that cannot be made exclusive or
proprietary and are, in other words, public goods. Several
innovative research initiatives are under way that signal
opportunities for change. This paper first elaborates on this
argument and then illustrates key elements of the integrated
natural resource management approach, with examples of
approaches that show promise as alternatives to mainstream
agricultural science. Although numerous and diverse, integrated
approaches manifest several properties that can be defined as
the keystones of a new paradigm.
Title:
Assessing viability and sustainability: a systems-based approach
for deriving comprehensive indicator sets
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
-
Author:
Bossel, H.
Magazine:
Conservation Ecology
Publisher:
-
Volume:
5(2)
Issue:
12
Year of
publication:
2001
Language:
English
Key words:
integrated natural resource
management, sustainability
Summary:
Performance assessment in
holistic approaches such as integrated natural resource
management has to deal with a complex set of interacting and
self-organizing natural and human systems and agents, all
pursuing their own "interests" while also contributing to the
development of the total system. Performance indicators must
therefore reflect the viability of essential component systems
as well as their contributions to the viability and performance
of other component systems and the total system under study. A
systems-based derivation of a comprehensive set of performance
indicators first requires the identification of essential
component systems, their mutual (often hierarchical or
reciprocal) relationships, and their contributions to the
performance of other component systems and the total system. The
second step consists of identifying the indicators that
represent the viability states of the component systems and the
contributions of these component systems to the performance of
the total system. The search for performance indicators is
guided by the realization that essential interests (orientations
or orientors) of systems and actors are shaped by both their
characteristic functions and the fundamental and general
properties of their system environments (e.g., normal
environmental state, scarcity of resources, variety,
variability, change, other coexisting systems). To be viable, a
system must devote an essential minimum amount of attention to
satisfying the "basic orientors" that respond to the properties
of its environment. This fact can be used to define
comprehensive and system-specific sets of performance indicators
that reflect all-important concerns. Often, qualitative
indicators and the study of qualitative systems are sufficient
for reliable performance assessments. However, this approach can
also be formalized for quantitative computer-assisted
assessment. Examples are presented of indicator sets for the
sustainable development of regions, including the
computer-based, time-dependent assessment of system performance
using time-series data. Because of its systems-theoretical
foundation, this approach avoids the problems of incompleteness
and double-counting common in ad hoc methods of indicator
selection.
Title:
Agriculture, rural poverty and natural resource management in
less favored environments: Revisiting challenges and conceptual
issues
Subtitle:
-
ISSN: -
Author:
Shiferaw, Bantilan
Magazine: -
Publisher:
-
Volume:
-
Issue:
-
Year of
publication: -
Language:
English
Key words:
agriculture, natural resource
management, poverty
Summary:
There is a continuing debate on
the relationship between poverty and the environment. Although
many agree on the impacts on poverty of degraded environments,
there is less agreement on how this occurs and whether poverty
could indeed worsen environmental degradation. Meanwhile,
despite continued efforts to enhance agricultural productivity
and the increased momentum towards globalization, along with
increasing scarcity of land and water resources, poverty and
resource degradation have increased in some marginalized areas,
especially in sub- Saharan Africa. A number of studies in recent
times have postulated a self-reinforcing downward spiral between
poverty, population pressure and natural resource degradation.
These interlinkages seem to be valid for certain less-favored
areas, especially arid and semi-arid regions, where biophysical
and socioeconomic constraints limit investment opportunities.
With emphasis on the semi-arid rainfed areas of the tropics,
this study clarifies the debate on the livelihood-environment
linkages in light of the existing theories and empirical
evidence; synthesizes major lessons and policy implications; and
advances a more holistic conceptual framework for understanding
farmer decision behavior, investment strategies and the
conditions that may lead to a more sustainable pathway or a
downward spiral.
Title:
Agriculture and conservation - ecological and social aspects
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
10.1016/0304-1131(78)90004-8
Author:
Hampicke U.
Magazine: -
Publisher:
Published by Elsevier Science B. V
Volume:
4
Issue:
1
Year of
publication:
1978
Language:
English
Key words:
agriculture, conservation,
ecology, landscape
Summary:
The technological features and the economic and political
repercussions are discussed of an agricultural system which
would meet strict conservation requirements in central Europe,
should they exist. First, the rate and number of species losses
are discussed with special reference to vascular plants. A
classification of endangered species according to the ecosystems
to which they belong shows clearly that, among other activities,
agriculture today contributes substantially to species
reduction, mainly by leveling environments towards moderately
moist and strongly eutrophic conditions, thereby destroying
environmental variety, and by causing permanent stress from
low-level toxicity. Traditional agriculture, on the contrary,
largely enhanced species variety. Since a return to
pre-industrial modes of agriculture seems impossible, it is
suggested that the countryside be divided systematically into
areas of high productivity, and others where traditional methods
of land use are continued. According to present knowledge, high
agricultural productivity does not itself seem to be
ecologically deleterious if proper methods are used, nor should
conserving the pre-industrial countryside pose any fundamental
technical problems. Difficulties arise, however, in effectively
separating the two areas from each other, as many factors
responsible for species reduction are difficult to localize.
Three possibilities for protecting ecologically valuable regions
against these factors are discussed: abolishing the use of
pesticides etc. altogether; improved methods of crop spraying to
prevent spray falling onto adjacent areas; and adaptation to
unavoidable spray scattering by spatial structuring, i.e.,
installing buffer areas between productive and protected zones.
None of the three measures could be used exclusively, but,
rather, a combination of them is required. With regard to the
political and economic consequences of such a system, three
indispensable prerequisites are identified: an adequate system
of value judgements in society; sufficient economic flexibility
to allow changes; and proper means of coordination, i.e.
economic planning.
Title:
A
glossary of agriculture, Environment, and sustainable
development
Subtitle:
-
ISSN:
0097–0484
Author:
Scott Frey R.
Magazine: -
Publisher:
Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University
Volume: -
Issue:
Bulletin 661
Year of
publication:
1996
Language:
English
Key words:
agriculture, environment,
sustainable development
Summary:
This glossary contains general definitions of over 500 terms
related to agricultural production, the environment, and
sustainable development. Terms were chosen to increase awareness
of major issues for the non specialist and were drawn from
various social and natural science disciplines, including
ecology, biology, epidemiology, chemistry, sociology, economics,
anthropology, philosophy, and public health.
WEBSITES
Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education Program
http://www.sare.org/
Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/
Kerr Center for Sustainable
Agricultur
http://www.kerrcenter.com/
Agroecology Sustainable
Agriculture Progaram
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~asap/
Center for Applied Rural
Innovation, University of Nebraska
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/ianr/csas/
World Resources Institute
http://wri.igc.org/sustag/
Sustainable Agriculture and
Rural Development...Concept
http://www.iisd.org/ic/info/ss9507.htm
SYNGENTA Foundation for
Sustainable Agriculture
http://www.syngentafoundation.com/
Youth in Agriculture, Chemicals
and Pesticides
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/youth/agriculture/chemicals.html
Europa, European
Commission, Agriculture and Environment
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/envir/report/en/inter_en/report.h
Soil, Agriculture, and
Environment, Effects of drainage
http://danpatch.ecn.purdue.edu/~epados/Indiana_soil/webpages/Chapt_3/3
Local Effects Of Agriculture On
The Environment
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/highway/english/env-imp/local.html
NATURAL RESOURCES CORNELL
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, Modern Agriculture:
Its Effects on the
Environment
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides-self/facts/mod-ag-grw85.html
Environmental links
http://bubl.ac.uk/link/e/environmentallinks.htm
Agriculture
and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC)
http://www.aebc.gov.uk/
Agriculture
and Environment Resources
http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/AgrEnv/
Agriculture and
environment lessons plans
http://www.khake.com/page81.html |
