Agri-Culture

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

Jules Pretty is Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex