Contemporary agriculture is often criticized for its industrial scale, adverse effects on nutrition, rural employment and the environment, and its disconnectedness from nature and culture. Yet there are many examples of traditional smaller scale systems that have survived the test of time and provide more sustainable solutions while still maintaining food security in an era of climate change. This book provides a unique compilation of this forgotten agricultural heritage and is based on objective scientific evaluation and evidence of the value of these systems for present and future generations. The authors refer to many of these systems as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and show how they are related to the concepts of heritage and the World Heritage Convention. They demonstrate how GIAHS based on family farms, traditional indigenous knowledge and agroecological principles can contribute to food and nutrition security and the maintenance of agro-biodiversity and environmental resilience, as well as sustain local cultures, economies and societies. Two substantial chapters are devoted to descriptions and assessments of some 50 examples of designated and potential GIAHS from around the world, including rice-fish culture in China, mountain terrace systems in Asia, coffee agroforestry in Latin America, irrigation systems and land and water management in Iran and India, pastoralism in East Africa, and the dehesa agrosilvopastoral system of Spain and Portugal. The book concludes by providing policy and technical solutions for sustainable agriculture and rural development through the enhancement of these systems.

A readable account of how, where and when humans learned to domesticate plants and animals.

Urban gardening and agriculture have become important elements of sustainable urban planning in the context of persistent urbanization amid limited resources. However, a consideration of the cultural-historical dimension has been lacking up to now. The editors present the first comprehensive outline of traditional forms of food production in cities to help preserve this valuable knowledge. On the basis of current research findings, they develop new perspectives and guidelines for recognizing traditional food production systems as an aspect of cultural heritage and for dealing with urban agriculture worldwide.

The book entitled “Agricultural Heritage” is written as a textbook for the students in agriculture in the all agricultural universities, agricultural colleges at the undergraduate level as per syllabuses of 5th Dean Committee’s recommendation taking account of lesson-wise 18 lecture plans derived from the content of the prescribed syllabus. In the past decade, the agricultural productivity increased substantially due to intensive management and introduction of fertilizer and irrigation responsive high yielding varieties of cereal crops to the fore. But it is essential to know that was where the agriculture started from the ancient past and that it reached to modern agriculture now as of today over a thousand of years in the process of civilization, social changes, and evolution. Though a few books are available on the title those did not have an arrangement of class lectures in accordance with the prescribed syllabus to give a ready-made and easy guidelines to the teachers for imparting lesson to the students. The course is being offered within the 1-3rd semester in undergraduate level within the curriculum. Hence, the attempt has been taken in arranging the prescribed syllabus systemically. This might be considered as the remedial measures removing the technical difficulties in bringing out a complete series of lesson plans to meet the demand.

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are agroecosystems inhabited by communities that live in an intricate relationship with their territory. These evolving sites are resilient systems characterized by remarkable agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, invaluable cultures and landscapes, sustainably managed by farmers, herders, fisherfolk, and forest people in ways that contribute to their livelihoods and food security. The following publication is a collection of success stories from different Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and aims so showcase the achievements made over the past 20 years since the establishment of the GIAHS programme of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The publication will feature success stories from 1) Tanzania 2.) China 3.) Japan 4.) Italy 5.) Spain 5.) Peru and 6. Algeria to give an insight into the what has changed since the designation of these systems as a GIAHS.

Contemporary agriculture is often criticized for its industrial scale, adverse effects on nutrition, rural employment and the environment, and its disconnectedness from nature and culture. Yet there are many examples of traditional smaller scale systems that have survived the test of time and provide more sustainable solutions while still maintaining food security in an era of climate change. This book provides a unique compilation of this forgotten agricultural heritage and is based on objective scientific evaluation and evidence of the value of these systems for present and future generations. The authors refer to many of these systems as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and show how they are related to the concepts of heritage and the World Heritage Convention. They demonstrate how GIAHS based on family farms, traditional indigenous knowledge and agroecological principles can contribute to food and nutrition security and the maintenance of agro-biodiversity and environmental resilience, as well as sustain local cultures, economies and societies. Two substantial chapters are devoted to descriptions and assessments of some 50 examples of designated and potential GIAHS from around the world, including rice-fish culture in China, mountain terrace systems in Asia, coffee agroforestry in Latin America, irrigation systems and land and water management in Iran and India, pastoralism in East Africa, and the dehesa agrosilvopastoral system of Spain and Portugal. The book concludes by providing policy and technical solutions for sustainable agriculture and rural development through the enhancement of these systems.