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Since 1998, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality (LNV) promotes development-orientated agricultural and environmental research and strengthening of North-South partnerships through its International Cooperation (DLO-IC) research programme. By 2005, some 70 collaborative North-South projects had been carried out. All science groups in Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR) were involved in the implementation of the programme and at least half the projects and activities undertaken were directly related to Rural Development and Sustainable Agriculture (RDSA). Facing new challenges with respect to sustainable development strategies for low-income countries, related to global environmental change and globalization of markets, an interdisciplinary Wageningen research group set out to draw lessons from the DLO-IC projects of the last eight years, stimulate discussion and support identification of a future research agenda for RDSA. In that process, special emphasis was given to lessons for future thinking about the contribution of agriculture to: 1) poverty alleviation and rural livelihoods; 2)food security, human nutrition and health; 3) environmental sustainability and natural resource management. In discussing the way ahead, a number of major research challenges, as well as policy questions are outlined. These include the interrelations between climate change and food security and environmental degradation, increased demand for biofuels and animal feed, and competing claims on natural resources, and rural development and livelihood strategies in low-income countries.
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SCIENCE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES
SCIENCE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES
Edited by R.P. ROETTER Soil Science Centre, Alterra Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands H. VAN KEULEN Plant Production Systems Group Agrosystems Research, Plant Research International Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands M. KUIPER International Trade and Development, Agricultural Economics Research Institute Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands J. VERHAGEN Agrosystems Research, Plant Research International Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands and H.H. VAN LAAR Crop and Weed Ecology Group Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands
A C.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4020-6616-0 (HB) ISBN 978-1-4020-6617-7 (e-book)
Published by Springer, P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands. www.springer.com
Printed on acid-free paper
All Rights Reserved © 2007 Springer No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.
CONTENTS
Preface
vii
Executive Summary
ix
List of Abbreviations
xxv
1
Agriculture in a Dynamic World R.P. Roetter, H. Van Keulen, J. Verhagen and M. Kuiper
1
2
Historical Context of Agricultural Development H. Van Keulen
7
3
Food Security R.P. Roetter and H. Van Keulen
27
4
Agriculture and Environment J. Verhagen, H. Wösten and A. De Jager
57
5
Rural Livelihoods: Interplay Between Farm Activities, Non-Farm Activities and the Resource Base M. Kuiper, G. Meijerink and D. Eaton
77
6
Lesso