Converting to Ecologically Based Management - Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems - page 297

FOOD FOR THOUGHT RECOMMENDED READING

1. What are some of the forces that are undercut-

ting the long-term ecological sustainability of
many traditional farming systems, and how
might these forces be counteracted?

Edwards, C.A., R. Lal., P. Madden, R.H. Miller, and G. House.
1990. Sustainable Agricultural Systems . Soil and Water
Conservation Society: Ankeny, Iowa. A diverse review
of research from around the world on agroecosystems
in the context of sustainability.
Filson, G.C. ed. 2004. Intensive Agriculture and Sustainabil-
ity: A Farming Systems Analysis. University of British
Columbia Press: Vancouver, Canada. A farming sys-
tems analysis for the issues associated with
sustainable agriculture, including interactions
between social, economic, and ecological indicators
of sustainability.
Francis, C.A., C. Butler-Flora, and L.D. King. (eds.). 1990. Sus-
tainable Agriculture in Temperate Zones . Wiley & Sons:
New York. An in-depth examination of approaches to
sustainability in temperate agricultural systems.
Gliessman, S.R. (ed.). 1990. Agroecology: Researching
the Ecological Basis for Sustainable Agriculture.
Springer Verlag Series in Ecological Studies
#78: New York. An edited volume on the research
approaches in the field of agroecology and sustain-
ability.
Mason, J. 2003. Sustainable Agriculture. 2nd ed. Landlinks
Press: Collington, Australia. Addresses some of the crit-
ical issues facing sustainable agriculture today, from an
Australian perspective.
National Research Council. 1989. Alternative Agriculture .
National Academy Press: Washington, D.C. An excel-
lent review of the roots of the alternative agriculture
movement in the U.S., its motivations, and its future.
Röling, N.G. and M.A.E. Wagemakers. 2000. Facilitating
Sustainable Agriculture: Participatory Learning and
Adaptive Management in Times of Environmental
Uncertainty. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge,
UK. Analyzes the implications of adopting sustainable
agricultural practices, both at the farm and the landscape
scale, with a focus on social aspects.
Uphoff, N. (ed.) 2002. Agroecological Innovations: Increas-
ing Food Production With Participatory Development.
Earthscan: London. A presentation of 12 case studies
that demonstrate agroecology's potential to produce
food in a socially and environmentally viable way

2. If you were to take over managing a farm in your

community that has a long history of conventional
management, what are some of the changes you
would make first in order to begin the process of
moving the farm to sustainable management?

3. How much time do you think is necessary for

converting a farm from nonsustainable to sus-
tainable management? What variables might
influence the length of the conversion period?

4. What are some of the incentives that might

be provided for farmers who are considering
converting their farms to ecologically based
management?

5. From an ecological perspective, why is the sub-

stitution phase of conversion not enough?

INTERNET RESOURCES

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
www.nal.usda.gov/afsic
An excellent source of information on alternative
farming systems and practices, especially
designed for farmers.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
www.attra.org
A rich source of information especially de-
signed to help small-scale and rural farmers
and farm communities.

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
(SARE)
www.sare.org
A good place to find research results about the
transition to sustainable agriculture.