Overview

Providing a survey of tropical farming systems around the world and an in-depth analysis of Kandy, Sri Lanka, this book offers an economic and ecological description and evaluation of this ancient agroforestry system and its relationship to a wide range of global agro-development and environmental problems.

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9780754609582

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Reviews

'While at times controversial, this fascinating yet professionally-produced book should be of interest to anthropologists, agriculturalists, ecologists, economists, conservationists and others concerned with, or concerned about, the use of natural resources to produce food and fibre.' Dr R.G. Dumsday, La Trobe University, Australia 'This book reveals much on one of the most important, yet least understood, agricultural systems in existence around the world today; forest garden farms. As McConnell found, forest garden farms are a viable agro-economic system, still in use today. Once all agriculture must have been organized in a forest gardens system, where most of a households needs come from a small area of highly diverse trees and vines, along with some ground crops and intensive livestock production. Yet, knowing where modern agriculture came from and how it is still practiced is not the only use this interesting book can be put to. The real beauty of this book lies in an understanding of how the world might ecologically and holistically work. It is rare to find a more comprehensive story than this one. This book is not only useful for those interested in subsistence or alternative agricultural systems, it is also of interest that anyone wanting to know where modern agriculture came from, where problems now exist and what modern agricultural systems may evolve into. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a complete picture of the environment in which agriculture operates.' Brian Davidson, University of Melbourne, Australia. 'This book should be published and encouraged as compulsory reading for the hardy band of policy makers, businesses and citizens who operate on the razor's edge of reconciling economic development with environmental protection. By now the negative impacts of economic development on the natural world are voluminously documented. It is a pleasure to have a book that presents some positive solutions.' Tom Barton, Minist

'While at times controversial, this fascinating yet professionally-produced book should be of interest to anthropologists, agriculturalists, ecologists, economists, conservationists and others concerned with, or concerned about, the use of natural resources to produce food and fibre.' Dr R.G. Dumsday, La Trobe University, Australia 'This book reveals much on one of the most important, yet least understood, agricultural systems in existence around the world today; forest garden farms. As McConnell found, forest garden farms are a viable agro-economic system, still in use today. Once all agriculture must have been organized in a forest gardens system, where most of a households needs come from a small area of highly diverse trees and vines, along with some ground crops and intensive livestock production. Yet, knowing where modern agriculture came from and how it is still practiced is not the only use this interesting book can be put to. The real beauty of this book lies in an understanding of how the world might ecologically and holistically work. It is rare to find a more comprehensive story than this one. This book is not only useful for those interested in subsistence or alternative agricultural systems, it is also of interest that anyone wanting to know where modern agriculture came from, where problems now exist and what modern agricultural systems may evolve into. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a complete picture of the environment in which agriculture operates.' Brian Davidson, University of Melbourne, Australia. 'This book should be published and encouraged as compulsory reading for the hardy band of policy makers, businesses and citizens who operate on the razor's edge of reconciling economic development with environmental protection. By now the negative impacts of economic development on the natural world are voluminously documented. It is a pleasure to have a book that presents some positive solutions.' Tom Barton, Minister for State Development, Queensland, Australia '...an astonishing synthesis of learning...easy to read and a great pleasure for anyone familiar with the issue...an implacable indictment of ignorance and stupidity which are always the principal causes of the ecological ruin of our planet...and an indispensable defence on behalf of the extraordinary examples of peasant wisdom offered to us by indigenous agro forestry...' Swiss Forestry Journal 'This book seeks to enlighten policy-makers and those working in agro-development. McConnell has an engaging style that is humourously serious and incisive...he succeeds in making a complex subject accessible. This illuminating book should appeal to all those in the natural sciences.' Times Higher Education Supplement '...there is a great store of knowledge here, and plenty for stimulation and discussion.' Experimental Agriculture 'The book has certainly its merits as a scientific review of forest farms.' International Journal of Sustainable Development

Author Information

D.J. McConnell, K.A.E. Dharmapala, S.R. Attanayake

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