Farming systems in the tropics

THIS book arose from an introductory course of lectures on the characteristics of tropical farming systems for undergraduates at Stuttgart-Hohenheim and Gbttingen Universities and for graduates in general agriculture who were preparing for applied work in the tropics. Beyond its use in lecturing, the book is intended to provide the agricultural development worker with a framework into which he can fit the various types of farming that he will encounter, and at the same time to introduce him to the management prob lems that arise in particular farming systems. The subject is considered in the agro-economic setting. Emphasis is!aid on the interactions between technical and economic aspects of farming. Information about soils, climate, and socio institutional factors is deliberately kept short. Recently, much literature has become available about tropical agriculture, dealing with such crucial topics as soil fertility, irrigation, and practices in plant and animal husbandry. Land-tenure problems, farmers ' behaviour, and agricultural-policy measures are increasingly dealt with in a growing