Academic literature on the topic 'Agricultural organisation society'

Abstract The paper describes and discusses the variant of societal differentiation that evolved under the Soviet regime. The argumentation starts with the conceptualisation of socialism as a program with a universal, function system-exceeding claim for validity. The implementation of the socialist program may be perceived as an effort to create structures which allow complete inclusion in the sense of an all-encompassing political addressability. In this regard, the political leadership tried to set up the society as a hierarchically structured organisation. The example of Soviet agriculture and the structures of Soviet villages, however, show that notwithstanding an all-encompassing degree of organisation, strictly ‘organised’ forms of economic communication coexisted with and were interrelated to ‘non-organisable’ and even ideologically deviant forms of agricultural production by personal smallholdings. Such niches of functional differentiation did not only provide compensation for the inability of the political leadership to cope with societal complexity, but also created connectivity in the world society and could hardly be oppressed without putting the stability of the regime at risk.

In this paper, we analyse the role that adult and continuing education (ACE) organisations play in the professionalisation of adult educators (AE) by providing and shaping opportunities for primary professional education and continuing professional development in two Central European countries: Germany and Slovenia. Theoretically, our discussion draws on classical profession theory, organisation theory, and the "new professionalism" discourse; empirically, we perform a comparative analysis between two countries and discuss similarities and differences in terms of state-society contexts, professional organisations, and professionalisation organisations. Our findings indicate that professional and professionalisation organisations represent main institutionalised contexts where the professionalisation of ACE is negotiated. In Slovenia, this is supported by strong state-society contexts, whereas in Germany, traditional regional and institutional diversity is achieved at the price of a unified AE occupational profile.

In 1868, when the Meiji emperor had his powers ‘restored’ by the political revolution that destroyed the old feudal system of the Tokugawa shoguns, Japan was a predominantly agricultural economy. By the time of the emperor's death in 1912 Japan had achieved significant industrialisation and in 1920, after a further boom during the First World War, she was well advanced along the road to a distinctive type of industrial development based on textile goods for export, heavy industry for domestic civilian and military capital investment, and considerable state intervention in economic and social organisation. In the mid 1880s, about 70% of the gainfully-employed population were engaged in agriculture, producing well over 40% of the gross national product. Farmers derived about three-quarters of their total income from agricultural activities, although agriculture probably absorbed only about 60% of total work hours for the labour force as a whole, with another 2% each for fishing and construction, and a further 16% or so for traditional mining and manufacturing. By 1920, the GDP of the Japanese economy had grown almost three-fold, but the share supplied by agriculture was under 30%, while just over 50% of workers were employed there.1.

The Society of Precision Agriculture Australia Inc. (SPAA) is recognised as a leading, grower driven farming group in Australia. As an organisation it provides programs and services to its members and wider industry to promote the development and adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA) technologies as a means of enhancing the profitability and sustainability of agricultural production systems. This is achieved through publishing Australia’s only PA-dedicated magazine, delivering field days, seminars and conducting on-farm PA demonstrations and experiments. SPAA provides farmers with an independent source of advice on new concepts and equipment. The grains industry was the springboard for initial adoption, with winegrapes, horticulture and the sugar industry the focus sectors for further expansion. The purpose of this paper is to share the SPAA experience with a view to assisting the development of similar organisations in other countries

Globalization describes the many processes by which society is becoming more interconnected and interdependent. It has many dimensions, trade, finance, information, culture, tourism, the spread of pests and diseases, migration, corruption, environmental change and the supply of food. It is here to stay and offers many opportunities for growth and change. The challenge must be, ‘can it be made to work for the reduction of poverty, instability and hunger?’The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) confidently predict that the demand for meat and animal products will increase by 50% between 2000 and 2020 and for eggs by 25% over the same period.

AbstractI present in this paper a framework of description for pottery and textile manufacturing in Roman Asia Minor. The research forms part of a wider debate on the speci fic, but generally underestimated contribution of the production of artisans to the ancient economy. The regulatory factors and production organisation of both crafts are remarkably similar and are placed against the agricultural background of a pre-industrial society.

<p>Organic agriculture is one of the best developed multifunctional production strategies in agriculture, and yet is not widely understood in terms of its full potential for contributing to food security, economic development, and environmental health. This special edition of the journal Sustainable Agriculture Research explores the knowledge, innovations, potentials, and research needs that will strengthen the links between organic food systems, sustainable production, and enhanced ecosystem services. The following articles are from an international conference titled “Innovations in Organic Food Systems for Sustainable Production and Ecosystem Services,” held on 1-2 November 2014 in Long Beach, California. The conference was co-sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Co-operative Research Programme on Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS), the United Stated Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), and the American Society of Agronomy (ASA).</p>

AbstractRecently, there has been growing interest in the emergence of rural movements in response to rapid changes in the post war countryside. However, little attention has been paid to the reaction of the old social movements to this transformation in rural society. In this paper, I concentrate on the reaction of the Boerenbond (Farmers’ Union) to the altering Flemish countryside in the 1960s and 1970s. The transformation of the Boerenbond in 1971 into a specialised agricultural organisation and a broader rural movement countered the rapid shrinking of the farm population and the strong specialising of modern farmers. Furthermore, by attracting non-farmers, the Boerenbond maintained its support in the countryside. A farmers’ union opening up to non-farming members in a society with emerging new social movements seems progressive at first glance. But the overall prevalence of agriculture in all stages of discussions and implementation is striking. Nevertheless, the emergence of a rural movement with new socio-cultural goals within an old, corporatist and Catholic farmers’ union suggests that this is a unique case in north-western Europe.

The Irish cooperative movement in the dairy industry was driven from above, first by the philanthropic Irish Agricultural Organisation Society and then by the Irish Free State. Although the early cooperative movement has been linked with constructive unionism, this article highlights important continuities in the approach taken to cooperative creameries by the Irish Free State government in the 1920s. Using the problem of creamery management as a focus, it argues that the movement was unable to deliver on its stated goal of democratic empowerment of farmers. Instead, it was the means through which power was renegotiated between farmers, landlords and the state in the context of two crucial transitional moments.

Modern agricultural practices have led to a decline in our farm animal genetic resources. Changes in the environment or society demands for more ecologically sustainable production systems may require breeds other than those in common use today. Although definitions of levels of concern differ, Canada has a number of endangered breeds which are of cultural and historical interest and which may be useful in future niche markets. Canada has formally ratified the international convention on biological diversity, but funding cuts have jeopardised national programs. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has the mandate to establish an international program for conserving domestic animal diversity and its sustainable use. A major initiative has been the establishment of a data base and training information available through the World Wide Web. New technologies such as microsatellite markers and mathematical modelling offer promise for integration with more traditional live animal conservation methods and are now being incorporated into conservation schemes in a number of countries. Canadian groups involved in livestock and poultry genetic resource conservation must continue to interact to ensure a coordinated approach. Key words: Biodiversity, breed conservation, animal genetic resources

Food is the foundation upon which societies are built. It is a means of survival, a source of wealth and prosperity and can be used as a means of social display. In Iron Age Atlantic Scotland, a wide range of food resources were open to exploitation. Among these, barley is likely to have been an important backbone to the system. Far from being at the mercy of the elements, the Iron Age population of Atlantic Scotland was able to extract surpluses of food from the landscape which could be manipulated for social, political and economic gain. One means through which this could be achieved is feasting, a practice considered significant elsewhere in the Iron Age. With such ideas at its core, this thesis examines the main arenas for consumption events in Iron Age Atlantic Scotland (dwellings) in detail, considering also the underpinnings of the system in terms of food production and accumulation, in particular the barley crop. The distribution of food processing and preparation between a dwelling and its associated ancillary buildings at Old Scatness provides insights into the organisation of life on the settlement.

On ne peut combattre sérieusement les difficultés économiques que connaît le Mali sans une prise en compte des paramètres socioculturels des bénéficiaires des différents projets de développement car ceux-ci ont en eux des acquis qui peuvent être des facteurs déclencheurs ou des freins à tout processus de développement local. L’humanitaire est à la croisée de la générosité de ses membres et de l’insuffisance de l’action politique dans un pays. Le Mali ne saurait être à la marge et se trouver dans une situation socioéconomique et politique qui requiert des appuis extérieurs pour résoudre ses différents problèmes existentiels et conjoncturels. Dans ce contexte, les ONG sont devenues les opérateurs du développement, quasiment à la place de l’Etat au Mali. Les résultats de cette situation paraissent mitigés ; d’où le sentiment d’une grande dépense d'énergie pour des maigres résultats ? Pourquoi, nous Maliens avons du mal à nous approprier la notion de développement (économique et social) ?Dans la situation actuelle, nous sommes face à des difficultés pour comprendre les questions de développement, pendant que les ONG et leurs partenaires étrangers agissent, et définissent leurs actions à partir de points de vue stéréotypés. Le Mali a subi des influences extérieures depuis la colonisation (colonialisme sous influence française, socialisme sous influence chinoise, libéralisme sous influence de la Banque mondiale et des institutions internationales comme le FMI) qui l’ont empêché de concevoir un modèle de développement propre à lui, adapté à son cadre de références culturelles. Ces facteurs évoqués ci-dessus ajoutés à ceux environnemental et climatique entretiennent les populations dans un état de pauvreté et classe le Mali selon l’indice de développement humain des nations unies 2012 au 175ème rang sur 182, au niveau mondial, malgré les ressources dont il dispose. Les données de la banque mondiale indiquent que le revenu brut national par habitant est de 649 us $ soit 616 euros. La pauvreté se mesure par deux dimensions : pauvreté matérielle et pauvreté en termes de relations sociales. Autrefois comme aujourd’hui (cf. rapport du PNUD du 3 au 4 juin 1999) tous les observateurs extérieurs sont frappés par la richesse des relations sociales entre personnes au Mali. Cette situation favorise l’intervention des ONG et leur permet de réaliser des actions concrètes (infrastructures, appui conseil) qui manquent cruellement aux populations. Cependant, dans leur intervention, elles ne prennent pas assez en compte la complexité des schémas socioculturels, leur incidence et surtout la question de l’appropriation des réalisations par les habitants et de leur cadre social ; elles finissent souvent par être rejetées car étant en contradiction avec ce cadre. Ainsi, le processus de développement au Mali peut être freiné par le poids important de la culture. Au Mali, la socialisation des enfants se déroule en 3 étapes de 0 à 16 ans. Son contenu réfère à une vision de l’homme dans la culture malienne qui diffère en partie selon les spécificités des différents groupes d’appartenance. Elle tend à produire in fine un individu en partie libre, en partie inscrit dans un corps social où il doit jouer le rôle qui lui a été assigné. Devenir adulte, c’est prendre sa place dans la famille rapprochée, dans sa famille élargie, dans son village, son peuple d’appartenance, selon des critères culturels complexes et précis. Ces paramètres constituent des cadres qui s’imposent à l’individu malien lorsqu’il participe à des initiatives de développement. S’il tente d’élever son niveau scolaire, d’améliorer sa situation économique, c’est pour mieux jouer son rôle dans un cadre « traditionnel », entre contrainte et liberté. Or souvent, quand les ONG interviennent dans le champ de l’éducation ou du développement local, elles n’ont pas en tête les subtilités de la socialisation des enfants et ses interactions possibles avec le parcours scolaire
The economic difficulties faced by Mali can't be seriously combatted without taking into account socio-cultural parameters of beneficiaries of development projects because they have achievements that can be triggering factors or obstacles to any process of local development.Humanitarian aid is at the crossroads of the generosity of its members and the lack of political action in a country. Mali can't be at the margin and find itself in a socio-economic and political situation that requires outside support to resolve its various existential and economic issues.In this context, NGOs have become the operators of development, almost instead of the State in Mali.The results of this situation seem mixed; hence the feeling of a great deal of energy for poor results? Why do Malians have difficulties in taking over the concept of development (economic and social)?In the current situation, we are facing difficulties to understand development issues, while NGOs and their foreign partners act and define their actions from stereotyped views.Mali has been influenced externally since colonialism (colonialism under French influence, socialism under Chinese influence, liberalism under the influence of the World Bank and international institutions such as the IMF), which prevented it from conceiving a specific development model according to its cultural references.These factors, combined with environmental and climatic factors, keep populations in a state of poverty and classify Mali according to the United Nations Human Development Index 2012 to 175th out of 182 world levels, despite the available resources. According to the same source, data from the World Bank indicate that the national gross income per capita is US $ 649 or 616 euros. Poverty is defined by two dimensions: material poverty and poverty in terms of social relations. Formerly as today (see UNDP report from 3 to 4 June 1999), all external observers are struck by the rich social relationships between people in Mali.This fertile ground encourages the intervention of NGOs and allows them to carry out concrete actions (infrastructures, advisory support) badly needed by the populations. However, in their intervention, they do not often take into account the complexity of socio-cultural models, their impact and, above all, the appropriation of achievements by the inhabitants which are often rejected because they don't stick with their social context.Thus, the development process in Mali may be hampered by the heavy weight of the culture.The socialization of children takes place in 3 steps from 0 to 16 years. Its content refers to the vision of a human in the Malian culture, but differs in part according to the specificities of the group of belonging. It ultimately produces an individual who is partly free, partly enrolled in a social body in which he must play the role assigned to him. Becoming an adult means taking his place in the close family, in his extended family, in his village, his people of belonging, according to complex and precise cultural criteria.These are the parameters that make up the models imposed on the Malian individual while participating in development initiatives. If he tries to improve his educational level, to improve his economic situation, the goal is to play a better role in a "traditional" setting, between determinism and freedom.But often, when NGOs intervene in education or local development, they do not have in mind the subtleties of socialization of children and the possible interactions with the school course.In other words, when they promote economic projects, they remain unrelated to the questions regarding who is locally in charge of these projects (depending on the place of each other in the social and family order).The Malian individual himself is not in a position to overcome this context, to stand back to analyze it and modify it

Food is the foundation upon which societies are built. It is a means of survival, a source of wealth and prosperity and can be used as a means of social display. In Iron Age Atlantic Scotland, a wide range of food resources were open to exploitation. Among these, barley is likely to have been an important backbone to the system. Far from being at the mercy of the elements, the Iron Age population of Atlantic Scotland was able to extract surpluses of food from the landscape which could be manipulated for social, political and economic gain. One means through which this could be achieved is feasting, a practice considered significant elsewhere in the Iron Age. With such ideas at its core, this thesis examines the main arenas for consumption events in Iron Age Atlantic Scotland (dwellings) in detail, considering also the underpinnings of the system in terms of food production and accumulation, in particular the barley crop. The distribution of food processing and preparation between a dwelling and its associated ancillary buildings at Old Scatness provides insights into the organisation of life on the settlement.

Les organisations non gouvernementales palestiniennes (ONG) ont été créées dans les années 80 afin de soutenir la population palestinienne. Les partis politiques étant interdits par les autorités israéliennes, ces associations ont été très tôt politisées. La création d'un centre politique national, sous la forme de l'Autorité Palestinienne, a rejeté les ONG, jusque là très puissantes et presque les seules en charge de l'aide aux Palestiniens, dans la périphérie. Depuis 1994, et surtout depuis le début de la deuxième Intifada, ces ONG ont adopté de nouvelles stratégies. PARC (Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees), créée en 1983 par la Parti communiste s'est développée sur l'aide aux agriculteurs et sur le maintien des terres sous contrôle palestinien. Cette ONG a acquis une telle envergure, via la création de comités de femmes, d'agriculteurs ou de jeunes, qu'elle concurrence le Ministère de l'agriculture dans la mise en place de politiques nationales et a un accès privilégié aux donateurs internationaux. De plus, elle a su, tout en ayant un répertoire discursif moderne, utiliser les ressources de pouvoir traditionnelles afin d'asseoir son pouvoir. Depuis récemment, elle utilise ses réseaux au sein de la population palestinienne afin de rentrer sur la scène politique palestinienne. Cette recherche vise à démontrer que la construction d'un centre politique n'est pas figée, mais est au contraire en perpétuelle évolution. Le rôle des ONG et des bailleurs de fonds, tout comme le rôle de la puissance occupante qu'est Israël sont de première importance dans la définition d'un national palestinien.

Dans tous les continents et en particulier dans les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne, les organisations paysannes ont toujours été au centre des politiques de développement de l'agriculture. Nombreuses et diversifiées, les organisations paysannes du Cameroun font l'objet d'une attention particulière de la part des pouvoirs publics qui depuis près de quatre décennies mettent en place des programmes de développement dont l'objectif principal est d'appuyer la professionnalisation de l'agriculture, à travers une structuration organisée du milieu rural. Le présent travail de recherche analyse le rôle des organisations paysannes dans la professionnalisation de l'agriculture. Il aborde et clarifie les notions de professionnalisation de l'agriculture et d'organisations paysannes à travers une approche sociologique et met en évidence la logique des programmes dits de professionnalisation, de même que les dynamiques d'organisation de producteurs agricoles qui évoluent au Cameroun. L'étude s'appuie sur des données d'observation des dynamiques d'organisations paysannes au Cameroun de 1994 à 2012 ainsi que du suivi des initiatives des projets d'appui aux organisations paysannes et aux filières agricoles. Les données collectées portent également sur une enquête réalisée auprès de 70 organisations paysannes dans les régions de l'Ouest, du Nord-ouest, du Sud-ouest, du Littoral et du Sud du Cameroun. Ces enquêtes ont permis de réaliser des entretiens de groupe avec environ 350 paysans issus d'organisations paysannes, et en particulier d'avoir des discussions plus approfondies avec 20 responsables d'organisations paysannes sur leur parcours et la nature de leur leadership. Sur la base des résultats obtenus, il a pu être établi que la professionnalisation de l'agriculture s'inscrit dans la logique des nouvelles offres " d'innovation " proposées par les partenaires du développement, avec pour objectif de contribuer au développement d'une agriculture plus performante dans les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne." [...] Suite et fin du résumé dans la thèse.

La FAO, institution spécialisée des Nations Unies dans les domaines de l'alimentation et l'agriculture, créée en 1945, a pour mission de «libérer l'humanité de la faim» (préambule de son acte constitutif). Pour atteindre l'objectif de sécurité alimentaire, la FAO n'hésite pas à s'entourer de partenaires. Parmi ceux-ci, on trouve diverses entités appartenant à la société civile internationale : ONG internationales, organisations d'agriculteurs locaux, entreprises du secteur privé, associations de consommateurs… Ainsi, l'intérêt de la présente thèse est double. Tout d'abord, au regard de la FAO elle-même : organisation internationale suscitant peu d'engouement auprès de la doctrine internationaliste, elle fait preuve d'un indéniable esprit d'ouverture à l'égard des entités non gouvernementales. L'étude des modalités (y compris juridiques), des nombreux avantages mais également des limites non négligeables de la coopération permet de mettre en évidence l'utilité d'intégrer ces entités aux activités normatives et opérationnelles de l'Organisation. Ensuite, cette étude est éclairante au regard du droit des organisations internationales : grâce à l'apport précieux de ces entités, on observe une réinterprétation voire un élargissement du mandat initial de la FAO. On peut tirer une telle conclusion en ce qui concerne le domaine normatif mais surtout pour ce qui est des activités réalisées sur le terrain par l'Organisation
The FAO is a specialized institution of the United Nations in the fields of food and agriculture, founded in 1945. Its purpose is to «ensure humanity's freedom from hunger» (preamble of its constitution). In order to reach the food security goal, FAO does not hesitate to cooperate with various partners. Among them, can be found entities belonging to the international civil society : international NGOs, local farmer's organizations, companies from the private sector, consumer associations... Thus, the concern of thus thesis is twofold. First, regarding FAO itself : as an international organization while inspiring little interest in international legal doctrine, it demonstrates an undeniable attitude of openness towards non-governmental entities. The study of the modalities (including the legal aspects), the numerous benefits but also the non-insignificant limits of the cooperation permits to highlight the usefulness to integrate these entities with FAO's nonnative and operational activities. Thus, this research is enlightening regarding the law of international organizations : thanks to these entities precious contribution, can be observed a reinterpretation and even an extension of FAO's initial mandate. Such a conclusion can be drawn in the normative area but mainly in the Organization's activities realized in the field

En milieu rural malgache, la terre constitue le principal moyen d'existence des paysans. Toute la vie des ménages est centrée sur l'exploitation agricole, qui mobilise hommes et femmes, membres de la famille et de la communauté comme main-d'œuvre. Mais depuis quelques décennies, particulièrement dans les régions des Hauts-Plateaux, les parcelles cultivables, héritées et partagées depuis plusieurs générations, deviennent de plus en plus exiguës. Les revenus agricoles ne permettent donc plus aux familles de subvenir à leurs besoins fondamentaux. Ainsi, face à la menace d'insécurité alimentaire, aux besoins croissants de ressources monétaires (éducation, santé, etc.), aux risques liés aux parcours de la vie et à l'exploitation agricole, les ménages sont contraints de diversifier leurs sources de revenu. Pour avoir davantage de revenus monétaires, ils vendent leur force de travail hors de l'exploitation familiale. Les modes d'organisation économique se trouvent alors modifiés et les ménages doivent opter pour de nouvelles stratégies à court, moyen ou long terme dans leurs activités productives. Ce travail de thèse analyse, pour deux communes rurales des Hauts-Plateaux, la mise en œuvre des différentes stratégies à travers les structures des ménages et les réseaux de solidarités intergénérationnelle et communautaire. La recherche montre que l'organisation actuelle des activités permet d'assurer à la fois la continuité de l'exploitation agricole, la survie de la famille et la cohésion sociale.

AbstractWithin the animal movement there is a tension between those who favor a ‘humane treatment’ of animals and those who think we need to abolish the (ab)use of animals all together and grant animals legal personhood. For an number of reasons philophers and other reseachers often try not to take a stance in this strategy debate. They however fail in doing so. As they make recommendations on how to treat animals they cannot avoid taking an implicit of explicit stance in the debate. This paper argues that we need a ‘directionists approach’ in this matter. We, as philosophers or reseachers, may for all sorts of reasons advice farmers, organisations or governments to take small steps towards more animal welfare, but only if we make clear on the outset that this will not be the end of the journey. We, as a society and as philosophers and researchers, are heading in a direction and one can either take the long and exhausting road of incremental change or take a shortcut.

A combined analysis of faunal remains and macrolithic tools, reflecting meat and plant food consumption, was conducted on six multi-phase settlements in the Aisne valley (Picardy, France), dating to the late Linearbandkeramik (LBK). A new socio-economic model is proposed. A study of the house plans, phase and position in the settlements leads to distinctions between houses according to subsistence, with links made between the economic and symbolic importance of agricultural and hunting activities. Although all households were autonomous in their daily consumption, some surplus was produced. Long houses carried out more animal husbandry and cereal processing, while small houses are more linked to hunting and secondary animal exploitation. These differences between households can be interpreted in terms of sociology, identity and economy, which allows the examination of different facets of the same society, based on comparisons of the respective value of ‘farming’ and ‘hunting’ in LBK society.

Increasing frequency and severity of droughts and floods, shift in onset and cessation of the rainfall and increasing intensity of mid-season dry spells in the last 50 years have been identified in Zimbabwe. This paper presents an assessment of risks from climate change to the horticulture sector of Zimbabwe with the aim to provide mitigatory actions that could alleviate climate change risks in the horticultural sector of Zimbabwe. Specifically the chapter seeks to outline the climate change risks facing the horticulture sector in Zimbabwe, propose actions to reduce risks and assess financing and policy options for climate change adaptation in Zimbabwe. The study followed the approach taken by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which analyses climate risks at each stage of the horticulture value chain. The stages used by Vermeulen are input supplies (seeds, fertilisers, pest management, etc.,); agricultural production (water use, soil management, skill base, etc.,) and postproduction processes (storage, processing, transport, retail, etc.,). Data was collected from multiple stakeholders in areas with notable horticultural production across Zimbabwe using semi-structured interview guides. The study population composed of horticulture farmers, produce processing firms, value chain support organisations and government arms related to horticulture.