Agricultural and rural economics Books

Book SynopsisExploring the emerging and vibrant field of critical agrarian studies, this comprehensive Handbook offers interdisciplinary insights from both leading scholars and activists to understand agrarian life, livelihoods, formations and processes of change. It highlights the development of the field, which is characterized by theoretical and methodological pluralism and innovation. The Handbook presents critical analyses of, and examines controversies about, historical and contemporary social structures and processes in agrarian and rural settings from a wide range of perspectives. Chapters explore the origins of critical agrarian studies, the concepts underpinning the diverse theoretical approaches to the field, and the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies used within the field. Finally, it illuminates debates around the topic and trajectories for future research and development. This will be a vital resource for graduate students, scholars and activists interested in critical agrarian studies. The analytical and empirical insights will also be helpful to students of environmental and development studies as well as agricultural and development economics, human geography and socio-cultural anthropology.Trade Review‘This impressive Handbook captures and reflects the vibrancy of, and will propel further, the rapidly expanding field of critical agrarian studies. It is an indispensable reference in the field for students, teachers, researchers, policy experts, and activists.’ -- Saturnino M. Borras Jr., International Institute of Social Studies, the Netherlands and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Peasant Studies‘The Handbook of Critical Agrarian Studies is a magnificent field-building achievement. Ambitious and comprehensive, it marks the coming of age of critical agrarian studies, with first-rate contributions from foundational thinkers and emerging stars on everything from agroecology and land, to financialization, territoriality, extractivism, migrant labour, and dozens of other topics.’ -- Marc Edelman, Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York‘Critical agrarian studies is not a sentimental journey into the past but ways of rethinking how the dynamics of agrarian change reflect and shape some of the most important issues of our time. In these creative and thoughtful short chapters, leading scholars provide new angles on familiar questions such as land ownership, the ways we eat, agrarian extractivism, ecological crisis and rural social movements and on many new issues as well. Authors also lead readers through current debates and introduce them to the particular methodological problems of agrarian studies.’ -- Bridget O’Laughlin, International Institute of Social Studies, the Netherlands and Co-Editor of the Journal of Agrarian Change'The Handbook of Critical Agrarian Studies is an excellent and solid work that takes us through the foundational and current debates of this research field, its main concepts and methodological approaches, the intersection of the agrarian question with environmental, territorial, techno-science and financialization issues, among other topics. An essential reference book.’ -- Carla Gras, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina‘This Handbook will surely become the point of departure for anyone planning research on agrarian issues from a critical perspective. The 72 contributions – most by well-regarded experts in the field—provide both succinct literature reviews and substantive insight on a broad range of relevant topics. Some of the chapters, such as on The Agrarian Question, Land Grabs, and Feasible Utopias are superb. Whether for clarification of key concepts or to grasp the contours of current debates, the Handbook will be useful to students, researchers, those teaching in the field, as well as policy advocates and activists.’ -- Carmen Diana Deere, University of Florida, USTable of ContentsContents: Foreword xxiii Tania Murray Li Acknowledgements xxv 1 An introduction to the Handbook of Critical Agrarian Studies 1 A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi, Kristina Dietz, Bettina Engels and Ben M. McKay PART I ORIGINS 2 Frontiers, regimes and learning from history 9 Ulbe Bosma and Eric Vanhaute 3 Origins of peasant studies 15 Harriet Friedmann 4 The diversity of classical agrarian Marxism 25 A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi and Cristóbal Kay 5 Debates on the historical origins of agrarian capitalism 34 Xavier Lafrance 6 An alternative perspective on the agrarian question in Europe and in the developing countries 45 Utsa Patnaik PART II CONCEPTS 7 The agrarian question 53 Michael Watts 8 Class 67 Sara Berry 9 Land 72 A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi 10 Frontiers: Commodification and territorialization 80 Mattias Borg Rasmussen and Christian Lund 11 Labour 91 Jonathan Pattenden 12 Labor and social reproduction 99 Smriti Rao 13 Peasants 109 Jan Douwe van der Ploeg 14 Gender 120 Avanti Mukherjee 15 Gender, nature, body 131 Andrea J. Nightingale and Wendy Harcourt 16 Kinship 139 Pauline E. Peters 17 Generation 150 Ben White 18 Intersectionality 157 Carol J. Pierce Colfer, Markus Ihalainen and Bimbika Sijapati Basnett 19 Merchant and usurer’s capital 165 John Harriss 20 Agricultural markets 171 Muhammad Ali Jan and Barbara Harriss-White 21 Financialization 178 Jennifer Clapp and S. Ryan Isakson 22 Agrarian law 187 Sergio Coronado 23 Territoriality 197 Annie Shattuck and Nancy Lee Peluso 24 Agrarian/land reform 205 Ben Cousins 25 Food regimes 218 Philip McMichael 26 Crisis 232 Robert Chernomas, Ian Hudson and A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi 27 Food sovereignty, food security and the right to food 238 Priscilla Claeys, Annette Aurélie Desmarais and Jasber Singh PART III METHODOLOGIES 28 Qualitative research 251 Elisa Greco 29 Quantitative analysis 258 J. Paul Dunne 30 Geographical research 266 Oliver Pye 31 Questions and answers 272 A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi PART IV REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES 32 The agrarian question in Africa: Past, present and future 279 Samir Amin 33 Social movements in times of extractivism: The ecoterritorial turn in Latin America 285 Maristella Svampa 34 Agrarian change in China: Historical origins and competing perspectives 296 Qian Forrest Zhang 35 Beyond confrontation: Silent growers, symbiosis and subtle peasantness in post-socialist Eurasia 305 Oane Visser, Brian Kuns and Petr Jehlička 36 BRICS and global agrarian transformations 316 Gustavo de L.T. Oliveira and Ben M. McKay 37 Neoliberalism and the crisis in India’s countryside 324 Prabhat Patnaik 38 Crises of capitalism in the countryside: Debates from the South 334 Praveen Jha and Paris Yeros PART V DEBATES 39 Land grabs 346 Ariane Goetz 40 Water for agriculture 357 Larry A. Swatuk 41 Biofuels 366 Carol Hunsberger 42 Industrial fisheries and oceanic accumulation 374 Elizabeth Havice and Liam Campling 43 Forests and current transitions 387 Markus Kröger 44 Artisanal and small-scale mining 401 Boris Verbrugge and Robin Thiers 45 Footloose labour 410 John Harriss 46 Contract farming 416 Helena Pérez Niño and Carlos Oya 47 Biotechnology 427 Matthew A. Schnurr and Lincoln Addison 48 Agroecology 438 Nils McCune and Peter Rosset 49 Identities and culture in the rural world 453 Nicholas Copeland 50 Everyday politics in agrarian societies 463 Benedict J. Tria Kerkvliet 51 The state and rural politics 469 Leandro Vergara-Camus 52 Experts, land regimes and the politics of mapping 480 Facundo Martín 53 Rural social movements/transnational agrarian movements 491 Giuliano Martiniello 54 Industrial agriculture and agrarian extractivism 503 Ben M. McKay and Henry Veltmeyer 55 Rural dispossession and capital accumulation 515 Derek Hall 56 Ecological crises in the rural world 525 Marcus Taylor 57 Microfinance and rural financial inclusion 536 Marcus Taylor 58 Rural indebtedness 547 Julien-François Gerber 59 The neoliberal diet 556 Gerardo Otero 60 Meatification 561 Tony Weis 61 Digital agriculture 568 Kristina Dietz and Franza Drechsel 62 COVID-19 581 A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi PART VI TRAJECTORIES 63 The interface of critical development studies and critical agrarian studies 594 Henry Veltmeyer 64 Political ecology 601 Kristina Dietz 65 Pluriloguing postcolonial studies and critical agrarian studies 610 Johanna Leinius 66 Agrarian justice: Land, human rights and democratization 620 Jennifer C. Franco and Sofía Monsalve Suárez 67 Strategic linkages between STS and critical agrarian studies 630 Ryan Nehring 68 The Capitalocene response to the Anthropocene 636 Kees Jansen and Joost Jongerden 69 Degrowth in agrarian and fisheries studies 647 Arnim Scheidel, Irmak Ertör and Federico Demaria 70 Reconfiguring the intersection between urban food movements and agrarian struggles: Building an urban political agroecology praxis 656 Chiara Tornaghi and Severin Halder 71 Radical transformation: Creating alternatives to capitalism in the countryside 666 Kristina Dietz and Bettina Engels 72 Feasible utopias 676 Ray Bush Index 689

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Book SynopsisThe development of transgenic crops is revolutionary, but what does it mean for food production, prices and the environment? This is the first book to examine the economic evidence in a methodical way. It initially describes the historical evolution of biotechnology and defines key terms, before moving on to explore transgenic technology and food regime concepts. The book analyzes genetically modified organism (GMO) policy as part of overall agrarian policy, considering neoregulation in the USA, the EU, Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and Serbia; as well as discussing agricultural performance, support and trade relations. The effect of transgenic food production on world food prices is also examined, along with food security at global and regional levels, and the links between GMOs and world hunger. The environmental implications of transgenic technology are considered through analysis of pesticide and fertilizer usage and efficiency, and pesticide consumption in GMO and non-GMO producing countries. Finally, the book considers the entry of transgenic ingredients into the food chain and lists the products affected. Key features: - Detailed analysis of economic data. - Comparison of international trends, including BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Serbia. - Evaluation of environmental and food security implications. - Glossary of important terms. This book will be valuable for agricultural economists, including students at Masters and PhD level. It will also be of interest to agricultural engineers, food technologists, nutritionists, industry representatives, policy makers, policy advisers and analysts and NGOs.Table of Contents1: Ancient, Classical and Modern Biotechnology 2: Genetically Modified Foods in the Light of Food Regimes 3: Does Transgenic Food Production Affect World Food Prices? 4: Food Security and GMOs 5: Is GMO Farming an Eco-Friendly Choice? 6: GMOs: What are We Eating?

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Book SynopsisThe current evolution of the European economy suggests that in the near future, research in agri-food economy and agri-food production, and agricultural production systems and structures must be redesigned, adapted and developed to respond to the lack of sustainability of agri-food production systems and the current global food crisis. This book analyses the agricultural paradigm transformations that occur as countries converge on the European agricultural model and what their impact is for sectoral development, while emphasizing their contribution to the redefinition of rural agricultural communities and economy. This book helps develop a theoretical framework by analysing the specialized empirical literature and techniques used in the field of agricultural economy research, with a focus on the transformation of Romanian agriculture in order to become integrated and respond to the globalization of markets. presents, analyses and discusses the main theories in field of agricultural economics and paradigms; creates a working paradigm for this concept within agricultural economics; provides a theoretical framework for the agricultural model. The book is aimed at students and researchers in agricultural economics, and government and policy makers internationally.Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: The Common Agricultural Policy – Long-standing and New Paradigms 3: Analysis of the European Agricultural Context 4: Correlations, Trends and Realities in the European Agri-food Model 5: Conclusions

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Book SynopsisThis Modern Guide provides detailed theoretical and empirical insights into key areas of research in food economics. It takes a forward-looking perspective on how different actors in the food system shape the sustainability of food production, distribution, and consumption, as well as on major challenges to efficient and inclusive food systems.Analysing the main characteristics of modern food markets, chapters introduce readers to the economics of food systems, product differentiation, the mediating role of food retailers, and the increasing significance and complexity of international trade in food. Encapsulating new methods in the study of food economics and policy, this Modern Guide explores changes in food value chains and consumption. It further pushes the boundaries of food economics to include economic perspectives on the role of social media and technology such as genomics in shaping food systems.Offering key insights into the state-of-the-art debates in the field, this Modern Guide will be critical reading for graduate students and researchers of food economics. It will also be a timely book for practitioners in the field wishing to take a fresh look at issues shaping food systems.Trade Review‘Food systems today reflect new technologies in food production and distribution, and consumers’ demand for a broad range of attributes in food. Conditions that promote innovation and enhance information are key to the markets that have emerged. A Modern Guide to Food Economics provides new insights into economic models, data, and analytics for understanding the increasingly complex food environment today.’ -- Helen H. Jensen, Iowa State University, US‘A Modern Guide to Food Economics edited by Jutta Roosen and Jill E. Hobbs will be a must-read for all of us who are working on the topic. The carefully edited book, with contributions from leading scholars, covers the new developments in food economics including food systems, regulatory issues, and more.’ -- Justus Wesseler, Wageningen University, the Netherlands‘The Modern Guide is an excellent collection of essays on the modern state of the art in food economics that is an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and individuals interested in understanding and changing the modern food system.’ -- Jayson Lusk, Purdue University, USTable of ContentsContents: Introduction to A Modern Guide to Food Economics 1 Jutta Roosen and Jill E. Hobbs PART I CHANGES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM 1 The economics of food systems 7 David Zilberman 2 The supplier–retailer relationship in contemporary food markets 23 Alessandro Bonanno and Metin .akır 3 Product differentiation in food 47 Jill J. McCluskey and Jason A. Winfree 4 Technical regulation of agri-food trade 62 David Orden, Caesar B. Cororaton and Khadija Rouchdi PART II CHALLENGES WITH REGARD TO SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH 5 The economics of the nutrition and sustainable diet transition 89 Xavier Irz and Mario Mazzocchi 6 Health-oriented nutrition policies 113 Jill E. Hobbs and Jutta Roosen 7 The economics of food loss and waste 144 Brenna Ellison and Mary K. Muth 8 Food safety and traceability 170 James Mitchell, Lee Schulz and Glynn Tonsor PART III DEVELOPMENTS IN METHODS AND DATA 9 Behavioural economics, policy interventions and food 193 David R. Just 10 Discrete choice models and continuous demand systems in the scanner data age 215 Beatrice Biondi, Sara Capacci and Mario Mazzocchi 11 Recent developments in inference: practicalities for applied economics 235 Jeffrey D. Michler and Anna Josephson PART IV NEW ISSUES 12 Who reacts to food taxes? How a multiple-selves model can help to explain the effects of food taxes 270 Sinne Smed, Chiara Lombardini and Leena Lankoski 13 Food, beverages, and social media: trends and tools for economic research 297 Sean B. Cash, Saleem Alhabash, Gabriela Fretes and Mengyan Ma 14 How the use of genomics may continue to influence consumer behaviour 327 Ellen Goddard Index 352

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Book SynopsisUpdated and revised, this fifth edition incorporates recent developments in the environment in which agriculture operates. Issues that have gained prominence since the previous edition (2014) include climate change and agriculture's mitigating role, concern with animal welfare, the social contributions that agriculture makes, risks associated with globalization, and rising concern over sustainability. Important for UK and EU readers are the adjustments needed now that the UK is no longer a member of the European Union and the nature of the national policies developed to replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Containing all the major economic principles with agriculture-specific examples, An Introduction to Economics, 5th Edition provides a rounded and up-to-date introduction to the subject. The inclusion of updated chapter-focused exercises, essay questions and suggestions for further reading make this textbook an invaluable learning tool. This book: Is updated to include new developments, such as Brexit, importance of climate change and animal welfare. Includes exercises and essay questions. Suggests further reading to supplement the text. This book is recommended for students of agriculture, economics and related sectors.Table of Contents1 : What is Economics? 2 : Explaining the Behaviour of Individuals: Theory of Consumer Choice 3 : Demand and Supply: the Price Mechanism in a Market Economy 4 : Markets and Competition 5 : Production Economics: Theory of the Firm 6 : Factors of Production and their Rewards: Theory of Distribution 7 : Market Failure: Some Problems of Using the Market to Allocate Resources 8 : Macroeconomics: the Workings of the Whole Economy 9 : International Trade 10: Government Policy for Agriculture and Rural Areas

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Book SynopsisThe price of food commodities - such as wheat, corn and rice - is unstable. It can suddenly shoot up, making food unaffordable for millions of people around the world, bringing hunger and famine. A shortage may be due to bad weather or to a human pandemic which disrupts the food system. The other side of the volatility coin is a grain surplus - too much grain on the market. A grain surplus can cause food prices to rapidly fall, wiping out the profits of farming families and jeopardising their livelihoods. The whole world would be better off if commodity prices were more stable. The challenge is for governments to manage food and farming so that there are neither food shortages nor food surpluses. This book explores how governments can do this and uses theory and evidence to address major ideologies and global problems anew by: - Exploring the causes, consequence and potential for moderation of food price volatility. - Evaluating the various policy tools that have been proposed to eliminate hunger and reduce volatility. - Concluding with a practical strategy to moderate volatility - grain buffer stocks. In so doing the book addresses a core question: how can prices be managed for the benefit of consumers and farmers without impairing the efficiency of the market? Authored by an agricultural economist with thirty years of practical experience in farm policy, this book will assist governments in the design of their food and agricultural policies. Requiring no prior knowledge of economics, it is essential reading for students, researchers and policy makers in the areas of economics, international and sustainable development, agriculture, and food security.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Grain in the world Chapter 3: The pattern of grain prices Chapter 4: The root cause of unstable grain prices Chapter 5: Unstable grain prices – who wins? who loses? Chapter 6: Stabilising grain prices in a closed economy Chapter 7: A model of the international grain market Chapter 8: Stabilising grain prices in an open economy Chapter 9: Buffer stocks – technical and legal aspects Chapter 10: Attitudes towards price stabilisation and buffer stocks Chapter 11: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis visionary book takes stock of the urgent challenges facing food chains globally and provides a critical evaluation of radical new thinking and perspectives on agricultural and food policy. Wyn Grant investigates the principal drivers of change in food and agriculture, including globalization, climate change, the structure of the industry, changing patterns of consumer demand and new technologies.Rethinking Agricultural and Food Policy provides a comprehensive account of the contemporary challenges impacting the food chain. Chapters explore the various barriers towards positive progress, exposing the deficiency of institutional architecture at a domestic and international level and examining how attempts to reform and revitalize it encounter inertia, embedded production structures, defenders of the status quo and vested interests. Proposing that a holistic, interdisciplinary approach is essential in making progress towards revitalizing policy and encouraging innovation in international governance, Wyn Grant calls for a new agenda to deliver real and necessary change and offer hope for the planet and its people. Using critical insights from natural and social science to uphold its calls for a holistic, integrated approach to agricultural and food policy, this timely book will be an essential read for policy makers, as well as students taking undergraduate or postgraduate courses in agriculture, food and the environment.Trade Review‘Food – what we eat and how it is produced – has become a hot button issue. In this book, Wyn Grant draws on his deep knowledge and experience of agricultural and food policies to provide an up-to-date and accessible introduction to the policies and politics of food. This book enriches the contemporary debate on transforming our food system by systematically outlining the challenges it faces and exploring the changes that are required.’ -- Alan Matthews, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Introduction: what needs to be rethought? 2. How food reaches the plate: the structure of the food chain 3. Consumer demand and producer responses 4. Globalization 5. The role of the state 6. Plant and animal health and welfare 7. Climate change 8. Conclusions: selecting priorities References Index

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Book SynopsisThis incisive Handbook provides a global update on the state of knowledge in cooperatives and mutuals, expertly describing future directions for research and education. Showcasing extensive discussions of cooperative theory, Matthew S. Elliott and Michael A. Boland, and the contributors, assess cooperatives' social, economic and environmental effects and analyse the impact of regional and cultural features that make cooperatives unique. The insightful chapters are organised into key sections, including theory, organisation, governance and cross-sector applications, and introduce a relevant theory, framework, special topic or mini case on cooperatives and mutuals. The Handbook also examines the role of leaders, members and producers in supply chain governance and looks at different forms of cooperatives and mutuals and their prominence in the economy. Offering an excellent in-depth read, this Handbook will be a vital additional resource for economics scholars and researchers, and those teaching and working on cooperatives and mutualism. It will also prove helpful for conducting leader and member education programs.Trade Review‘This Handbook is remarkable for the breadth and quality of its contributors. Kudos to the Editors for assembling such a comprehensive collection of chapters on cooperatives and mutuals theory, governance, and practice.’ -- Brent Hueth, U.S Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, US‘Cooperatives define a multidimensional, complex set of organizational arrangements. This Handbook mobilizes an impressive group of experts to review the nature, role, governance, and diffusion of cooperatives worldwide, whilst exploring the numerous problems they face. It is a must-read for researchers and students as well as practitioners.’ -- Claude Menard, University of Paris, France‘Cooperatives and mutuals are a significant part of the economic landscape in most countries, but we have lacked a comprehensive source for knowledge and understanding of them and their potential to improve economic outcomes for members. This book, comprised of contributions from a distinguished group of international scholars and practitioners, fills this need and is an indispensable reference for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.’ -- Richard Sexton, University of California, Davis, USTable of ContentsContents: Introduction to the Handbook of Research on Cooperatives and Mutuals 1 Matthew S. Elliott and Michael A. Boland PART I THEORY 1 The economic theory of agricultural and consumer cooperatives 9 Jeffrey S. Royer 2 The new institutional economic theory of cooperatives: taking stock, looking ahead 22 Matthew S. Elliott and Frayne Olson PART II ORGANIZATION 3 Organizational costs in agricultural cooperatives: comparison of European and US approaches 52 Constantine Iliopoulos and Michael L. Cook 4 New generation cooperatives: what we know and need to learn 83 Jason Franken 5 Cooperative business structures: access to capital via equity and credit 100 Christopher J. Kopka PART III GOVERNANCE 6 Social capital and governance of agricultural cooperatives 116 Jerker Nilsson 7 Leadership in agricultural cooperatives 135 John L. Park, Diane B. Friend, Matthew T. Manley and Barry L. Boyd 8 Measuring cooperative performance using organizational effectiveness and member participation 148 Sanjib Bhuyan and Kostas Karantininis 9 A framework for understanding the role of producers in governance of supply chains 166 Michael A. Boland, Noreen Byrne, Bridget Carroll, Olive McCarthy, Stephen Pitts, and Will Secor 10 The role of the farmer and their cooperative in supply chain governance: a Latin American small producer perspective 172 Stephen Pitts 11 The role of the farmer and their cooperative in supply chain governance: a US perspective 185 Michael A. Boland and William Secor 12 The role of the farmer and their cooperative in supply chain governance: an Irish perspective 193 Bridget Carroll, Olive McCarthy, Noreen Byrne, Michael A. Boland and Michael Ward PART IV CROSS-SECTOR APPLICATIONS 13 Risk and uncertainty in cooperative business 208 Frayne Olson and Matthew S. Elliott 14 The role of the marketing year and its implications for business strategy and finance 229 Michael A. Boland 15 Towards a framework for formulating cooperative strategy 235 Matthew S. Elliott, Frayne Olson, and Jasper Grashuis 16 Profit distribution and financial performance in cooperative firms 252 Phil Kenkel, Brian Briggeman, and Keri Jacobs 17 The implications of taxation and tax policies for cooperatives and members 265 Phil Kenkel, Keri Jacobs, and Brian Briggeman 18 Capitalization, equity, and growth in cooperative firms 277 Keri Jacobs, Phil Kenkel, and Brian Briggeman PART V SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS 19 Differential economic impacts for cooperative business structures: an application to farmer-owned cooperatives in New York State 292 Todd M. Schmit, Frederick C. Tamarkin, and Roberta M. Severson 20 Agricultural cooperatives and the transition to environmentally sustainable food systems 313 Jos Bijman and Julia Höhler 21 The development of cooperative-designed indicators for the SDGs 333 Fiona Duguid and Daphne Rixon PART VI REGIONAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES 22 African American cooperatives: from economic survival to economic justice 355 Jessica Gordon Nembhard 23 Recent developments among dairy cooperatives in the European Union 371 Julia Höhler and Jos Bijman 24 Social relations and cooperative development in rural China 389 Qian Wan, Eric Micheels, and Murray Fulton 25 Farmer cooperatives in China: frontiers in development and research 408 Qiao Liang and Ziming Han 26 Agricultural cooperatives in Latin America: the case of dairy 424 Alejandro Galetto and Gustavo Rossini 27 Unique features of agricultural cooperatives in sub-Saharan Africa 442 Nicola Francesconi, Fleur Wouterse, Michael L. Cook and Gashaw Abate Tadesse PART VII SPECIAL SECTORS AND TOPICS 28 Consumer cooperatives: purpose and possibilities 456 Zoë T. Plakias and Jason S. Entsminger 29 Product innovation and promotion of value-added products via marketing cooperatives 476 Kristin Kiesel, Sean Kiely, and Rachael E. Goodhue 30 Mutuals 496 James M. White 31 Worker cooperatives: solidarity at work 519 Sonja Novkovic and Jessica Gordon Nembhard 32 Multi-stakeholder cooperatives 533 Sonja Novkovic and Margaret Lund Epilogue: future directions on research and education on cooperatives and mutualism 551 Matthew S. Elliott and Michael A. Boland Index

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Book SynopsisA billion aspirational people, connected by technology, confident of their cultural and consumption power. If there is any group that has the potential to radically redefine a nation, it is rural Indians. By 2036, India is projected to be home to 1.52 billion people - having overtaken China around 2031 - with 931 million people still living in villages. Rural India is simply too large and too fast growing an agglomeration to ignore. This book maps their transformation, and shows how to realize their social and economic promise. It is a timely and important new work, ideal for students, scholars, marketing practitioners, and policy makers.Trade ReviewSpurred by technology, enabled by growing investment in infrastructure and accompanied by recognition of the need for social justice, a wave of aspiration is sweeping through families in the countryside. It is this sense of optimism and dynamism that The Future of India’s Rural Markets captures so well. The book is structured to answer the three fundamental questions: why do rural markets matter, what is the change that is sweeping through them, and how to engage meaningfully with rural consumers. -- From the foreword by Professor Vijay Mahajan, University of Texas, Austin.Table of ContentsForeword; Vijay Mahajan Introduction. The Changemakers PART A: Why does Rural India Matter, more than ever Chapter 1. The Intersection of Agriculture and Technology Chapter 2. The Impact and Challenge of Migration Chapter 3. Faster Economic Growth Chapter 4. Rural Women – A Catalytic Force Chapter 5. A Matter of Identity Chapter 6. Improvement in Health and Education Chapter 7. Financial Inclusion Chapter 8. Rural Road Connectivity and Electrification Chapter 9. Entrepreneurship with a Difference PART B: Manifestations of Change in Rural India Chapter 10. The Price of Onions Chapter 11. From Subsistence to Competitive Markets – The Modernization of India’s Agriculture Sector Chapter 12. From Farming to Services and Entrepreneurship Chapter 13. From Isolated, Male-Dominated Fiefdoms to Connected and Empowered Hubs – The New Gram Panchayat Chapter 14. From Media Dark to Connected Lives Chapter 15. From Handouts to Financial Growth Chapter 16. From Fatalism to Fearless Futures Chapter 17. From Empty Classrooms to Engaging Learning Chapter 18. From Medical Staff Shortages to Digital Healthcare Chapter 19. From Nautanki to Takatak Chapter 20. From Mud Paths to Rural Roads Chapter 21. From Cowdung as Fuel to Renewable Energy Chapter 22. From Haats and Melas to Technology-Enabled Marketplaces Chapter 23. From the Plough to Technology-Enabled Farming Chapter 24. From Rainfall Dependence to Participative Water Management Chapter 25. From Gram Pradhans to New Age Influencers PART C: How to be Meaningful Chapter 26. Build Trust across the Rural Customer Journey Chapter 27. Forge Partnerships for Rural Transformation Chapter 28. Leverage the Opportunity in Agricultural Exports Chapter 29. Understand the Role of Religion Chapter 30. Practice New Approaches in Participatory Research Chapter 31. Unlock Grassroots Innovation Conclusion. Changing the Game

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Book SynopsisThis timely Handbook synthesizes and analyzes key issues and concerns relating to the impact of agriculture on both farmers and non-farmers. With a unique focus on humans rather than animals or the environment, the book is interdisciplinary and international in scope, with contributions from sociologists, economists, anthropologists and geographers providing case studies and examples from all six populated continents.Looking at the pervasive impact of agriculture, the Handbook explores all aspects of the production of food and fiber within the agrifood value chain, including: farmers and laborers growing crops and raising livestock, businesses supplying inputs for these operations, and processors transforming plants and animals into intermediate and finished food, beverage and clothing products. Separated into four parts, it analyzes how the agrifood industry affects farmer well-being; the application of science and technology within an agricultural context; the ways in which agriculture affects the well-being of smallholder farmers, especially in developing countries; and agriculture’s impact more broadly on society.This will be a beneficial read for economics and sociology students, particularly those looking at the impacts of agriculture. Accessible and clear, the Handbook will also be helpful for policymakers and agricultural NGOs wanting a more in-depth understanding of the impact of agriculture on human life.Trade Review‘This Handbook provides wide-ranging insights into the impact of agriculture on humans. Bringing together authors from multiple disciplines and perspectives, the collection provides fresh understandings of long-standing and up-to-the-minute impacts of agriculture and the broader agrifood system on farmers, farmworkers, and consumers. Readers will encounter new ways of understanding agrarianism, biotechnology, consumer choice, and ethical dilemmas in agriculture.‘Table of ContentsContents: 1 Introduction to the Handbook on the Human Impact of Agriculture 1 Harvey S. James, Jr. PART I IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS 2 How farm consolidation affects farmers and farmworkers 13 James M. MacDonald 3 The real game of chicken: the tournament, broiler contracts and integrator power 31 Douglas H. Constance and Anthony Rainey 4 Input industry influence on farmer decision-making: an example of negative impacts to the environment and farmers 51 Diana Stuart 5 Identities on the family farm: agrarianism, materiality and the ‘good farmer’ 65 Jérémie Forney and Lee-Ann Sutherland PART II IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6 Impacts of GE crop technologies on farmers 86 Leland L. Glenna and Elizabeth Ransom 7 Agricultural mechanization and farm labor development 102 Amer Ait Sidhoum, Maria Vrachioli and Johannes Sauer 8 The human impact of data bias and the digital agricultural revolution 119 Kelly Bronson, Sarah Rotz and Adrian D’Alessandro 9 Modernizing agriculture through digital technologies: prospects and challenges 138 Emily Duncan, Abdul-Rahim Abdulai and Evan D.G. Fraser PART III IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS AND FARM LABORERS 10 ‘Modern’ agriculture and its impact on smallholder farmer livelihoods 163 Katherine A. Snyder 11 The impacts of private standards on smallholder well-being 179 Agni Kalfagianni 12 Fair trade’s impact on smallholders 194 Sarah Lyon 13 The human impact from Indian farmers’ productive but damaging use of pesticides 218 Geoff Kuehne 14 The social protection function of agriculture 233 Damilola Giwa Daramola and Harvey S. James, Jr. 15 Entrenched exploitation: temporary foreign agricultural worker programs in North America 256 Leigh Binford and Janet McLaughlin 16 The impacts of agroecology training within and beyond farmer training 275 Julia M.L. Laforge and Charles Z. Levkoe PART IV BROADER IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON SOCIETY 17 The effects of agrochemicals on humans 297 Ryan E. Galt and Lauren Asprooth 18 How agrarian values affect society 333 Chad L. Christensen 19 How biodiversity loss affects society 352 Roland Ebel, Fabian Menalled, Selena Ahmed, Simone Gingrich, Giulia Maria Baldinelli and Georges F. Félix 20 Ethical issues arising from modern agriculture 377 Harvey S. James, Jr. 21 Finding alternatives in our broken food system: the illusion of choice 399 Lydia Zepeda Index 416

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Book SynopsisThe Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been supporting the incomes of the European Union's agricultural community for half a century. Despite this, there is still no official system in place to track the economic wellbeing of farmers and their families. This book examines the evidence on the overall wealth of farming households, and concludes that in nearly all member states, they are not generally a poor sector of society, with disposable incomes that are similar to, or exceed, the national average. In this updated edition, the author discusses the latest evidence, makes recommendations for gathering better information, and considers the implications for the CAP as we enter the second decade of the 21st century.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Incomes and Agricultural Policy Chapter 3: Conceptual Issues Chapter 4: Indicators of Income from Agricultural Production Chapter 5: Incomes of Agricultural Households Chapter 6: Wealth Chapter 7: Information and Policy

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth analysis of the politics and practice of food production and supply in Ethiopia, and their impact on the largely agricultural economy and farming populations, who represent nearly 80 per cent of the country's population. Winner of the Bethwell A. Ogot Book Prize to the author of the best book on East African Studies, 2018. In October 2016, the Ethiopian administration declared a State of Emergency in response to anti-Government demonstrations and mass riots. While the Government claimed the riots stemmed from subversive activities among large diasporic populations in the West, the evidence suggests that they were provoked by widespread internal dissatisfaction.Land deals by the Government with foreign investors, the building of vast hydroelectric dams, sugar estates and industry parks, and urban sprawl have put pressure on agricultural, rural areas. Today, dispossessions, drought and social unrest surround fears of the worst food shortages in decades. Examining these developments in Ethiopia's lake region, the author shows how transformations in state-society relations and the organization of production and exchange have impacted on a population of smallholder farmers for whom agriculture is not only the mainstay of the economy but a way of life. Getnet Bekele is Associate Professor of History at Oakland University, MI, wherehe teaches African History and the Environmental and Economic History of Africa and the Global South.Trade ReviewWinner of the Bethwell A. Ogot Book Prize to the author of the best book on East African Studies, 2018. * . *Richly documented and beautifully written, Getnet Bekele's book merits reading by anyone interested in comparative understanding of agrarian and environmental change, rural development, and food security in Africa and elsewhere. * AFRICAN STUDIES REVIEW *Ploughing New Ground is a well-written and fascinating study. It is a local history which deepens our understanding of Ethiopian agriculture. Getnet should be congratulated for presenting new and exciting work on the history of agricultural and environmental change in Ethiopia, a subject on which literature is scant. * ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW *Table of ContentsIntroduction Landscape Pastoral: The making and remaking of a grassland environment, 1886-1916 Negotiating a Landscape: Continuity and change in a grassland environment, 1917-1941 Blurring the Boundaries: The ascendancy of crop production in a flexible environment, 1942-1955 Fresh Encounters and Morphing Strategies: The changing organization of production in an era of agricultural intervention, 1956-1965 Inputs, Outputs and the Farm: Transformations in the science, politics and praxis of agricultural development, 1966-1974 Competition and Co-existence: Creating space for small- to large-scale farming, 1966-1974 Of Production and Production Relations: Farming in an era of revolutionary change and socialist development, 1975-1991 Vicious Circle: Agricultural development at the time of "revolutionary democracy", 1991-2016 Conclusion

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Book SynopsisWine and the wine trade are steeped in culture and history; few products have consistently enjoyed both cultural importance and such wide distribution over time even seen by some as 'an elixir of life'. While wine has been produced and consumed for centuries, what is distinctive about the economics of wine? Professor Marks's book is an accessible exploration of the economics of wine, using both basic principles and specialized topics and emphasizing microeconomics and related research.Drawing upon economic themes such as International Trade and Public Choice, Wine and Economics also relates economic reasoning to management issues in wine markets. The discussion ranges from economic fundamentals and wine and government, to the challenge of knowing what is in the bottle and the importance of wine as a cultural good.This novel and comprehensive introduction to the subject is an invaluable resource for students, scholars and anyone interested in wine and the wine industry.Trade Review’Denton Marks's book fills a void in both the economic and the wine-related literature. It offers the economic student insights into the wine world and the wine professionals into economic thinking. Certainly, this is the first 'wine economics' textbook.’ -- Karl Storchmann, New York University, US and Managing Editor, Journal of Wine Economics’What is welcome with Denton's book is its exploration beyond the narrow focus of wine pricing. The outline of how wine fits into key economic processes is illuminating, and the understanding of the political economy of wine is especially helpful. Crucially, the examination of how wine functions as a cultural good is a real expansion of our understanding of its social and economic context, underlining that value is not merely a financial construct but includes intangible, symbolic meaning as well.’ -- Steve Charters, School of Wine and Spirits Business, Burgundy School of Business, France’Most professions show a professional interest in wine, and economics is no exception: it can help us understand how wine markets work. But since economics is considered by many as a rather 'dry' subject, wine can boost student enthusiasm for economics. This book exploits those two interests by helping non-economists understand wine producer and consumer behaviour and helping college students understand economics.’ -- Kym Anderson, University of Adelaide and Australian National University, AustraliaTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. The Relevance of Economics 3. Comparative Advantage and Why We Transact 4. Some Basic Tools of Economics: Consumer Behavior and Demand 5. Some Basic Tools of Economics: Firm Behavior, Supply And Equilibrium in a Market 6. Wine and Government 7. A Closer Look at the Transaction: How Do We Know What Is In the Bottle? 8. Wine as a Cultural Good 9. Conclusion Endnotes References Index

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Book SynopsisMaximum sustainable output offers increased economic and environmental resilience at both the individual farm and wider industry levels.

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Book SynopsisA shocking and unputdownable exposé of the United States meat industry, the devastating failures of the country’s food system, and the growing disappointment of alternative meat producers claiming to revolutionize the future of food. Perfect for fans of Kochland, The Meat Racket, and The Secret Life of Groceries.Well before COVID-19 swept across the United States and the chairman of Tyson Foods infamously declared that the food supply chain was dangerously vulnerable, America’s meat industry was reaching a breaking point. Years of consolidation, price-fixing, and power grabs by elite industry insiders have harmed consumers and caused environmental destruction. Americans have no idea where their meat comes from. And while that’s hurting us, it’s also making others rich. Now, financial journalist Chloe Sorvino presents an expansive view of the meat industry and its future as its fundamental weaknesses are laid bare for all to see. With unprecedented access and in-depth research, Raw Deal investigates corporate greed, how climate change will upend our food production, and the limitations of local movements challenging the status quo. A journalistic tour de force that dives deep into one of America’s biggest and most vital industries, Raw Deal is a crucial and groundbreaking read that is sure to be a modern investigative journalism classic.Trade Review"If you think you understand the meat industry, please think again. Chloe Sorvino provides a fascinating, gripping, and ultimately indispensable portrait of the powerful companies at the heart of our food system. This story is as shocking as it is revelatory, showing how the meat industry manipulates our political system, drives climate change, and hikes prices for American meals. This book is required reading for anyone who eats." -- Christopher Leonard, New York Times bestselling author of The Meat Racket and Kochland"Raw Deal is Chloe Sorvino’s deeply reported, firsthand account of how business imperatives drive the meat industry to mistreat workers, pollute the environment, fix prices, bribe, and manipulate the political process, all in the name of shareholder profits. She argues convincingly for holding this industry accountable and requiring it and other corporations to engage in social as well as fiduciary responsibility. Raw Deal is a must-read for anyone who cares about where our food comes from." -- Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat and professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health, New York University "Raw Deal is poised to become the next definitive authority on the current state of the broken food system in America and our desperate fight to curb climate change. Insightful as it is harrowing, what can often seem like an impossible hornet's nest to untangle is illuminated. Raw Deal will shake you into sharp presence while shining light on a road toward a decentralized, community-centered food system." -- Camilla Marcus, chef of Westbourne and cofounder of the Independent Restaurant Coalition"Some meat-packers will hate this book, but it will force everybody to think. The big-is-fragile problem also applies to other industries such as electronic chips and baby formula." -- Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation“Readers will gnash their teeth at Sorvino’s vivid accounts of rapacious billionaires and the half-dozen mega-corporations that dominate the industry, pollute waterways, and exhaust farmland under the very gentle hand of government regulators… Convincing, often enraging, and no more optimistic than the facts call for.” -- Kirkus Reviews“This is a deeply informed and eye-opening call for change.” -- Publisher’s Weekly“A journalist who has spent nearly a decade covering food and agriculture for Forbes, Sorvino lays bare the inner workings of the meat industry with clear-eyed practicality—from the scale of the environmental cost of meat to the depths of corporate greed and consolidation of power.” -- Modern Farmer“Packed with a wide range of expert input, Raw Deal provides a firsthand look into a typically opaque industry and makes the case that changing our meat industry is both possible and necessary.” -- Civil Eats“Raw Deal is a meticulously researched account of what’s wrong with today’s meat industry and how we might overhaul it… What sets the book apart from many others in this genre is Sorvino’s excellent deep dive into how the world’s largest meat companies and retailers have been deploying illegal and irresponsible practices — including bribery, corruption and collusion — to grab, hold on to and expand power and profits at the expense of people and the planet.” -- Green Biz“Sorvino’s captivating discoveries convey the vulnerabilities of a powerful part of the food system and the effects of this broken industry.” -- Food Tank

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Book SynopsisInequality reduction is a key policy goal for sustainable development, requiring collaborative efforts and innovative strategies. The book "A Planet for Life" presents empirical case studies emphasizing the complexity of addressing inequalities within diverse economic, political, and cultural contexts.

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Book SynopsisThe book entitles "Basic Concepts in Statistics" is useful to all the P.G. and Ph.D. students and faculty members of statistics, agricultural statistics and engineering, social sciences and biological sciences. It is also useful to all those students who have to appear in competitive examinations with statistics as a subject in state P.S.C's, U.P.S.C., A.S.R.B. and I.S.S. etc. This book is the outcome of 25 years of teaching experiences to U.G., P.G. and Ph.D. students. The book contains 15 s covering different topics of statistics e.g. Analysis of variance, Designs of experiments, Theories of points and interval estimations, Theories of tests of significance based on small samples n<=30 and large samples n>30 and non parametric methods and tests.Table of ContentsSection A: Design of Experiments: 01. Preliminaries 02. ANOVA & Three Basic Design of Experiments 03. Incomplete Block Design IBD 04. Factorial Experiment 05. Split Plot Experiment 06. Strip Plot Design/Split Block Design 07. Progeny Row Trial and Compact Family Block Design 08. Analysis of Covariance Section B: Sampling Distribution and Associated Test of Significance: 09. Tests Based on Large Sample 10. x2 Distribution and Its Applications 11. F and 't' Distributions and Their Applications Section C: Statistics Inference: 12. Estimation Theory 13. Methods of Estimation 14. Theory of Testing of Hypothesis 15. Non Parametric Method of Estimation

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Book SynopsisAgricultural extension is in a great transition worldwide. The demand for public extension reform is greater than ever before. The agriculture knowledge infrastructure is evolving in a big way with the emergence of pluralistic extension actors and innovations to cater the needs of the farmeThis book is an attempt to document the past experiences and recent developments in the agriculture knowledge information systems. The compilation of 14 country s such as; Afghanistan, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Iran, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe is intended to document the experience of extension systems. The fourteen country s highlight the worldwide agricultural extension reform measures Decentralization, Privatization, Demand driven and Cost-recovery approaches, Institutional Pluralism Public, Private, and NGOs and Innovations Farmer to Farmer extension, Participatory and Self-Help Group SHG approaches and ICT initiatives. The agricultural extension students, academicians, scientist, practitioners, administrators, and policy makers will find this compilation of extension experiences from the fourteen countries relevant for designing future reforms, advancing pluralistic extension system and also to integrating innovations in their extension approaches.Table of Contents1. Afghanistan 2. Benin 3. Cote d'Ivoire Coste D'Ivoire 4. Ghana 5. India 6. Iran 7. Japan 8. Jordan 9. Mozambique 10. Nepal 11. Peru 12. Philippines 13. Trinidad and Tobago 14. Zimbabwe

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Book SynopsisSoil Science is an extensive and intricate subject that encompasses a diverse range of natural and practical systems. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws upon the knowledge and expertise of various other disciplines, including geology, which is an applied science that has become an essential component of agriculture, soil, and environmental science. The knowledge of geology is crucial for agriculturists and soil/environmental scientists to effectively apply it in their work. This book, designed as an easy-to-read reference guide, provides undergraduate students in Agriculture, Horticulture, and Forestry with an introduction to the fundamentals of geology and soils. The author, drawing on their extensive academic and professional experience, presents their insights on all aspects of geology and soils in a clear and concise manner. This book is aimed at students and scientists in agriculture and related fields, as a foundational resource for deepening their understanding of the practical applications of soil science in crop growth.

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Book SynopsisThe Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2022 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added, housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials, sawnwood, wood-based panels, paper, paperboard and woodpulp. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets, discusses policies concerning forests and forest products, assesses the main trends and drivers, and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets

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Book SynopsisThis study looks at the nature of the presumed relationships between conflict, food security and peace. First it charts out how the landscape of conflict and violence has changed in recent decades and shows how food security and nutrition outcomes vary across different types of conflict, identifying the conditions that seem to influence those outcomes the most.Subsequently, the book reviews evidence on the channels through which conflict and violence affect food security and nutrition across conflict areas, and how food insecurity and other development deficiencies - including undernourishment - may trigger or compound other drivers of conflict.Finally, the paper discusses which responses and response mechanisms seem to have been most effective in minimizing the impacts of conflict on food security and to what extent efforts at enhancing resilience and improving food security can contribute to avoiding conflict and help build sustainable peace.

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Book SynopsisCette publication cherche à encourager les entrepreneurs en herbe en Afrique a? saisir les opportunite?s d’affaires dans le secteur agricole et l’agro-industrie. Elle se veut un outil de promotion, en particulier pour les femmes et les jeunes. La publication, qui analyse les quatre domaines thématiques suivants: la phase d’expansion, l’entrepreneuriat des femmes, l’entrepreneuriat des jeunes et l’entrepreneuriat dans des environnements difficiles, offre aux agripreneurs et aux décideurs politiques des conseils pour les guider dans leur parcours. L’importance strate?gique de l’agriculture, du secteur agroalimentaire et de l’agro- industrie pour la cre?ation d’emplois, la se?curite? alimentaire et nutritionnelle et le de?veloppement e?conomique du continent africain en ge?ne?ral, est de plus en plus reconnue. Les entrepreneurs implique?s dans le secteur agroalimentaire et l’agro- industrie jouent un ro?le déterminant dans le de?veloppement des pays, en introduisant des innovations importantes qui améliorent la productivite? agricole et la vie de nombreuses personnes. À travers les expe?riences de 12 agripreneurs - comme celle de Vimal Shah au Kenya, dont l’activité consiste à fabriquer huiles, graisses comestibles, savons et de?tergents, ou celle de Monica Musonda en Zambie, qui s’occupe de produire des nouilles et des ce?re?ales enrichies -, la publication offre aux agripreneurs des conseils sur la manie?re de surmonter ou de contourner les obstacles potentiels, et aux de?cideurs politiques des conseils sur la manière d’instaurer un environnement propice a? l’agripreneuriat.

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Book SynopsisThis review monitors the latest changes in trade policies in post-Soviet countries, and how they affect the dynamics and structure of trade. The publication includes an overview of the prospects for expanding the agricultural trade of some Central Asian countries with China and the Russian Federation, and a chapter on the implications of climate change for agricultural trade in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.The publication also features 12 country-specific chapters. These cover the trade measures implemented by national governments that influence agricultural product exports and imports, the participation of the countries in multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements, and recent changes in domestic support for agricultural manufacturers.

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