ABSTRACT

Originally published in 1984. Without technical Jargon or a mass of confusing statistics, this book describes a wide range of factors influencing agricultural productivity including weather, soil biology and ecology, and human, social, economic and political factors. The ways in which these factors operate and interact with each other to produce the changing circumstances in which farmers take their decisions are discussed. These decisions are the crucial factors in every productivity problem and the authors suggest policy changes which could improve the chances of farmers making the best choices, not only for themselves but for the consumer and the community at large.

part I|1 pages

The meteorological factor

chapter 1|26 pages

Climate and the effects of weather

chapter 2|14 pages

Cumulative effects and consequent problems

part II|1 pages

The land factor

chapter 3|13 pages

The Geld and the soil

chapter 4|6 pages

Soil and weather interactions

part III|1 pages

The biological factor

chapter 5|4 pages

The allies

chapter 6|4 pages

The opponents

chapter 7|10 pages

The Defences

part IV|1 pages

The human factor

chapter 8|3 pages

The interested parties

chapter 9|8 pages

Technological progress

chapter 10|15 pages

The farmer and the farm

chapter 11|6 pages

Knowledge

chapter 12|13 pages

Information and advice

chapter 13|16 pages

Social, political and economic factors

part V|1 pages

The resultant problem and possible solutions

chapter 14|20 pages

Interactions between factors

chapter 15|11 pages

The important decisions

chapter 16|26 pages

The way ahead