Agricultural Systems: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development

Agricultural Systems, Second Edition, is a comprehensive text for developing sustainable farming systems. It presents a synthetic overview of the emerging area of agroecology applications to transforming farming systems and supporting rural innovation, with particular emphasis on how research can be harnessed for sustainable agriculture. The inclusion of research theory and examples using the principles of cropping system design allows students to gain a unique understanding of the technical, biological, ecological, economic and sociological aspects of farming systems science for rural livelihoods.

This book explores topics such as: re-inventing farming systems
principles and practice of agroecology
agricultural change and low-input technology
ecologically-based nutrient management
participatory breeding for developing improved and relevant crops
participatory livestock research for development
gender and agrarian inequality at the local scale
the nature of agricultural innovation
and outreach to support rural innovation. The extensive coverage of subjects is complemented with integrated references and a companion website, making this book essential reading for courses in international agricultural systems and management, sustainable agricultural management, and cropping systems.

This book will be a valuable resource for students of agricultural science, environmental engineering, and rural planning
researchers and scientists in agricultural development agencies
and practitioners of agricultural development in government extension programs, development agencies, and NGOs.