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The bio-economic modeling approach presented in this book is a result of two distinct developments: by one side, the improvement of bio-physical simulation models applied to agricultural systems and by the other, the evolution of agricultural policies demanding a kind of assessment that conventional economic models are not able to provide. Some economists began to realize that biophysical models could be considered as detailed engineering production functions, allowing to represent in a consistent manner the joint products of agricultural activities. The perspectives that this vision provides allow dealing with environmental and natural resources issues with an economic perspective in an efficient manner. Representing environmental impacts of agricultural activities measured in physical units allows performing cost-efficiency calculations of alternative policies, potentially able to attain specified policy targets. This capability permitted in recent years the development of applied research related with institutional demands from national and international public institutions. But this approach requires a multidisciplinary approach, with positive and negative effects. The positive one is, both for economists and biophysical scientists, to enlarge their vision of the world. The negative effects are the greater difficulty to get recognized in their specific discipline, the obstacles to obtain the necessary information for properly use these models, and the longer time to perform the research activity. The productivity  for producing papers is lower for economists applying this approach compared with economists applying econometric methods, using available published data. In spite of these negative effects, as the demands from the real world for the assessment these models are able to provide is increasing, it is quite possible that there is a future for bio-economic models applied to agricultural systems. The challenges of Climate Change, the increase care for the preservation of natural resources and the environment will require further developments of this kind of approach.

Economics --- Environmental protection. Environmental technology --- Agronomy --- economie --- landbouwbeleid --- milieuzorg

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Food and agricultural standards have recently risen to the top of both national and international agendas. Popular concerns about the power of the World Trade Organization focus on the intertwined relationships between environmental protection, labor and human rights, and the standards used to produce and supply our food and fiber globally. In the developing world, agricultural grades and standards are an important part of the reconfiguration of roles and responsibilities between various public and private actors in market reform. This original and informative collection of studies of agri-food standards in the modern economy addresses these and helps to define the scope of the emerging study of the politics of standards setting. Following an overview essay dealing with the multiple ways of thinking about, approaching and defining food and agricultural standards, eleven case studies offer a rich body of evidence that assesses the processes, dynamics and potential consequences of global agri-food standards. For all interested in the strategic use of food and agricultural standards - from those in national and international governmental agencies, researchers and others in the academic and private sector to those in the private business sector - this volume offers a broader perspective on and will serve as an important resource.

Multidisciplinary collective works --- Social sciences (general) --- Sociology --- Politics --- Agronomy --- interdisciplinair onderzoek --- politieke wetenschappen --- sociologie --- sociale wetenschappen

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This book examines the issue of price volatility in agricultural commodities markets and how this phenomenon has evolved in recent years. The factors underlying the price spike of 2007-08 appear to be global and macroeconomic in nature, including the rapid growth in demand by developing countries, the international financial crisis, and exchange rate movements. Some of these factors are new, appearing as influences on price volatility only in the last decade. Although volatility has always been a feature of agricultural commodity markets, the evidence suggests that volatility has increased in certain commodity markets. A growing problem is that agricultural price shocks and volatility disrupt agricultural markets, economic incentives and incomes. With increased globalization and integration of financial and energy markets with agricultural commodity markets, the relationships between markets are expanding and becoming more complex. When a crisis such as a regional drought, food safety scare or a financial crisis hits a particular market, policy-makers often do not know the extent to which it will impact on other markets and affect producer, consumer and trader decisions. Including contributions from experts at the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the USDA, and the European Commission, the research developed throughout the chapters of this book is based on current methodologies that can be used to analyze price volatility and provide directions for understanding this volatility and the development of new agricultural policies. The book highlights the challenges facing policy makers in dealing with the changing nature of agricultural commodities markets, and offers recommendations for anticipating price movements and managing their consequences. It will be a practical guide for both present and future policy-makers in deciding on potential price-stabilizing interventions, and will also serve as a useful resource for researchers and students in agricultural economics.

Economic policy and planning (general) --- Economic conditions. Economic development --- Developing countries: economic development problems --- Agronomy --- economische politiek --- landbouwbeleid --- ontwikkelingssamenwerking

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This book provides an overview of the state of animal agriculture and present methodologies and proposals to develop policies that result in sustainable and profitable animal production that will protect human and environmental health, enhance livelihood of smallholders and meet consumer needs. The book combines lessons of the past, factual foundation to understand the present, analytical tools to design and improve policies, case studies that provide both empirical grounding and applications of some of the strategies suggested in this book, and finally, a proposal for the way forward. The book is divided into five parts. The first section of the book will provide an analysis of the evolution of animal agriculture in the context of the development of farming systems over the years. The second part of the book will provide an overview of some of the major strands of literature on the economics and health of animal agriculture. The third and fourth sections of the book emphasize an important case study, avian influenza with applications in Southeast Asia and Africa. Finally, the book summarizes the state of knowledge and current trajectory of animal agriculture and provides policy recommendations to both control animal disease and support research that would lead to prosperous, sustainable animal agriculture in the future. This volume contains contributions from leading researchers in agricultural economics environmental economics, veterinary science, and natural resource management and will be of interest to academics and students in those fields as well as policy-makers in government or international organizations that focus on animal agriculture, health and the environment.

Economic conditions. Economic development --- Developing countries: economic development problems --- Economics --- Environmental protection. Environmental technology --- Agronomy --- economie --- landbouwbeleid --- ontwikkelingssamenwerking --- milieubeleid --- milieuzorg

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Multicriteria Analysis and LCA Techniques introduces the reader to the basic principles of multicriteria analysis (MCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques. The use of these tools is rapidly becoming essential in any feasibility study for comparing different solutions, selecting the most suitable ones, and for analyzing the interface of economy and environment. The main feature of Multicriteria Analysis and LCA Techniques is the application of a new approach to the analysis of energy balance and environmental impact of agro-industrial production chains. It gives detailed descriptions of a number of food and non-food agro-industrial applications of MCA and LCA, thereby providing the reader with practical examples of the implementation of these tools in the field of agro-industry. Multicriteria Analysis and LCA Techniques represents a subsidiary reference book for both undergraduate and graduate students, and can also be used for basic or applied academic research.

Industrial economics --- Relation between energy and economics --- Engineering sciences. Technology --- Agronomy --- Production management --- energie-economie --- landbouwbeleid --- duurzame ontwikkeling --- industriële marketing --- ingenieurswetenschappen