Employing nearly half the world's workforce, agriculture is the single most important global industry. David
Grigg provides a comprehensive introduction to agriculture in both the First and Third Worlds, describing both
human and environmental issues. Covering the physical environment, economic behavior and demands, institutional,
social and cultural influences, and the impact of farming upon the environment, the book explores the wide range
of factors which influence how agriculture and agricultural practice differ from place to place.
For this edition, the text, statistics, artwork and bibliography have been entirely updated and revised. In addition,
two chapters on modernization and on the environment have been added.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Biology of Agriculture
3. Climate and Crops
4. Soils and the Farmer
5. Slopes, Altitude and Agriculture
6. The Demand for Agricultural Products
7. The Economic Behaviour of Farmers
8. The Modernisation of Agriculture
9. The State and the Farmer
10. Markets and Transport
11. Agriculture and Peri-urban Regions
12. Population, Labour Supply and Agriculture
13. Farm Size and Land Ownership
14. The Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations
15. The Cultural Framework of Farming
16. Agriculture and the Environment
17. Conclusions
