An Introduction to Agricultural Geography

by Grigg, David B.

• ISBN13: 9780203419274
• ISBN10: 0203419278
• Edition: 2nd
• Copyright: 2003-08-16
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

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

List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgements
Introduction	p. 1
The biology of agriculture	p. 9
Climate and crops	p. 19
Soils and the farmer	p. 40
Slopes, altitude and agriculture	p. 51
The demand for agricultural products	p. 59
The economic behaviour of farmers	p. 69
The modernization of agriculture	p. 84
The state and the farmer	p. 101
Markets and transport	p. 113
Agriculture in peri-urban regions	p. 128
Population, labour supply and agriculture	p. 137
Farm size and landownership	p. 160
The diffusion of agricultural innovations	p. 173
The cultural framework of farming	p. 186
Agriculture and the environment	p. 197
Conclusions	p. 212
Index	p. 213
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