Energy and Agriculture

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIII

   PDF

2. Introduction to the Role of Energy in Agriculture

   1. Introduction to the Role of Energy in Agriculture

      • G. Stanhill

      Pages 1-7

3. Principles and Processes

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9

      PDF

   2. Economic Impacts of Energy Prices on Agriculture

      • E. O. Heady

      Pages 10-23

   3. Energy Analysis of the Environmental Role in Agriculture

      • H. T. Odum

      Pages 24-51

   4. Genetic Engineering to Modify Energy Flow in Agriculture

      • H. W. Woolhouse

      Pages 52-81

4. Energy Sources for Agriculture

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 83-83

      PDF

   2. Energy in Different Agricultural Systems: Renewable and Nonrenewable Sources

      • R. M. Gifford

      Pages 84-112

   3. Agricultural Labour: From Energy Source to Sink

      • G. Stanhill

      Pages 113-130

5. Case Studies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 131-131

      PDF

   2. Energy Use in the Food-Producing Sector of the European Economic Community

      • M. Slesser

      Pages 132-153

   3. Energy in Australian Agriculture: Inputs, Outputs, and Policies

      • R. M. Gifford

      Pages 154-168

   4. Energy Use and Management in US Agriculture

      • B. A. Stout, J. L. Butler, E. E. Gavett

      Pages 169-189

6. Back Matter

   Pages 191-194

   PDF

Energy and agriculture are both extremely broad subjects and their interactions - the subject of this book - cover almost the full spectrum of the agricultural sciences. Yet the subject is a relatively new one whose importance first received widespread recognition barely a decade ago, following the dramatic increase in oil prices during 1973. The impact of this increase was such as to promote a world-wide debate on the future direction that agriculture should take. This debate was, and is, of particular concern in countries where agriculture plays a leading role in economic and social development. During the last half century many national agricultural systems have been transformed from almost closed, self-sufficient systems with few locally produced inputs geared to satisfy local requirements, to intensive, open systems, utilizing large quantities of energy-rich inputs such as fossil fuel for manufactured agro-chemicals, water distribution and imported animal feedstuffs to produce a range of sophisticated products, often for export, which in tum require many energy-rich inputs for their marketing. This industrialization of agriculture has proved to be very successful in many respects and indeed was accepted as a general model for agricultural development allowing increased productivity and efficiency per unit land, labor and water, even in areas with limited natural resources.

• Agricultural Sciences
• Energieversorgung
• Energy
• Landwirtschaft
• development
• marketing

• Institute of Soils and Water Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

  Gerald Stanhill

Policies and ethics