Agricultural Technology

Major complex problems confront agricultural policy analysts and development specialists regarding the broad issue of 'agricultural technology.' These topics are reviewed in this volume which consists of 37 chapters, developed from papers presented at a conference held at Airlie House, Virginia, near Washington DC. The authors include leading international authorities from the academic sector, World Bank and agricultural research centers. The chapters are grouped into six parts. The first introductory part is followed by investment as the focus of Part II. In Part III a variety of conceptual and practical issues involved in the transfer of agricultural technology is considered. Part IV includes discussions of concrete technical matters ranging for example from the general to the specific, from plant to animal, and from soil management to irrigation engineering. Emphasis moves from the specifically technological to wider policy issues in Part V and this latter thrust is carried through into the final summarizing section.