Contested Agronomy: Agricultural Research in a Changing World

Many of the changes impacting on agronomic research over the last four decades relate directly to the hegemonic position of neo-liberalism, including the re-definition of the role of the state, globalisation and new regimes for intellectual property rights. Other important changes include the rise of the biotechnology and information and communication technology (ICT) revolutions, and recognition of the potential dangers associated with global environmental change. Lastly, agronomic research has been affected by the emergence of the participation agenda, the recognition of the role of women in African agriculture and the growth of rural social movements. These changes have re-shaped the organisation, funding and practice of agronomic research, including the changing roles of the public and private sectors in research and advice provision; the global consolidation of seed, pesticide and biotechnology companies; and an increased interest in models of '¬Üclient-driven'¬" and '¬Üfarmer participatory'¬" research. Clearly this re-shaping has not been consistent or uniform across regions, countries or commodities; and at the same time there is much continuity in orientation and methodology, particularly in applied research. Nevertheless, agronomic research has been at the centre of what must be read as a deeply political transformation that is framed by ideology, fuelled by the search for advantage, pursued through the exercise of power and resulting in new winners and losers. This important new book addresses the highly political nature of these apparently objective, technical choices in agronomic science.