Elsevier Updates Comprehensive Text on Sustainable Farming Systems

CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwired - April 27, 2017) - Elsevier, the information analytics company specializing in science and health, today announced the publication of Agricultural Systems: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development, Second Edition, edited by Sieglinde Snapp and Barry Pound. It presents an overview of the emerging area of agroecology applications transforming farming systems and supporting rural innovation, with particular emphasis on how research can be harnessed for sustainable agriculture. Elsevier also announced the publication of nine additional agriculture and agronomy books.

Agricultural Systems: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development, Second Edition offers a unique understanding of the technical, biological, ecological, economic and sociological aspects of farming systems science for rural livelihoods. It explores topics such as: re-inventing farming systems; principles and practice of agroecology; agricultural change and low-input technology; ecologically-based nutrient management; participatory breeding for developing improved and relevant crops; participatory livestock research for development; gender and agrarian inequality at the local scale; the nature of agricultural innovation; and outreach to support rural innovation.

Learn more about the innovation systems approach to agricultural research and development in this sample chapter.

Dr. Sieglinde Snapp is a professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Science and W.K. Kellogg Biological Station at Michigan State University, His research interests center around agroecology, particularly integrated approaches to soil and crop management for sustainable production. Dr. Snapp is committed to linking on-station research experimentation to participatory approaches, working with interdisciplinary teams in the Great Lakes Region of the United States, and beyond. Scholarship, extension and farmer engagement that involves participation of multiple stakeholders is central to her extension approach.

Dr. Barry Pound is a visiting fellow in Livelihoods and Rural Innovation, Livelihoods and Institutions Department of the Natural Resource Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, UK. He began his career as an agronomist and has steadily widened his experience through farming-systems approaches to sustainable-livelihood development and agricultural innovation systems. Dr. Pound's interests include bridging the interfaces between social and natural sciences, and between research and extension.

The ten new agriculture and agronomy titles are:

• Agricultural Systems: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development, Second Edition, edited by Sieglinde Snapp and Barry Pound
• Olive Mill Waste: Recent Advances for Sustainable Management, edited by Charis M. Galanakis
• The Coconut: Phylogeny, Origins, and Spread by N. M. Nayar
• Planning and Evaluation of Irrigation Projects: Methods and Implementation by Raveendra Rai, Vijay Singh and Alka Upadhyay
• Multifunctional Agriculture: Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa by Roger R. B. Leakey
• Quantifying and Managing Soil Functions in Earth's Critical Zone: Combining Experimentation and Mathematical Modelling, edited by Donald L. Sparks and Steven A. Banwart
• New Pesticides and Soil Sensors, edited by Alexandru Grumezescu
• A Guide to the Manufacture, Performance, and Potential of Plastics in Agriculture, edited by Michael Orzolek
• Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries, edited by David Chikoye, Therese Gondwe and Nhamo Nhamo
• Advances in Agronomy, Volume 143, edited by Donald L. Sparks

In order to meet content needs in agriculture and agronomy, Elsevier uses proprietary tools to identify the gaps in coverage of the topics. Editorial teams strategically fill those gaps with content written by key influencers in the field, giving students, faculty and researchers the content they need to answer challenging questions and improve outcomes. These new books, which will educate the next generation of agriculturists and agronomists, and provide critical foundational content for information professionals, are key examples of how Elsevier is enabling science to drive innovation.

Note for Editors
Only credentialed media can request eBook review copies by email, sciencereviewcopies@elsevier.com

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a global information analytics company that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 35,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. www.elsevier.com

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