Outlook on Agriculture 

About: Outlook on Agriculture is an academic journal published by SAGE Publishing. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Agriculture & Food security. It has an ISSN identifier of 0030-7270. Over the lifetime, 1816 publications have been published receiving 24305 citations.

Livestock to 2020 : the next food revolution

Abstract: A revolution is taking place in global agriculture that has profound implications for human health, livelihoods and the environment. Population growth, urbanization and income growth in developing countries are fuelling a massive increase in demand for food of animal origin. These changes in the diets of billions of people could significantly improve the well-being of many rural poor. Governments and industry must prepare for this continuing revolution with long-term policies and investments that will satisfy consumer demand, improve nutrition, direct income growth opportunities to those who need them most, and alleviate environmental and public health stress.

Integrated soil fertility management: Operational definition and consequences for implementation and dissemination

Abstract: Traditional farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa depend primarily on mining soil nutrients. The African Green Revolution aims at intensifying agriculture through dissemination of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM). In this paper we develop a robust and operational definition of ISFM, based on detailed knowledge of African farming systems, their inherent variability, and optimal use of nutrients. We define ISFM as: A set of soil fertility management practices that necessarily include the use of fertilizer, organic inputs, and improved germplasm, combined with the knowledge on how to adapt these practices to local conditions, aiming at maximizing agronomic use efficiency of the applied nutrients and improving crop productivity. All inputs need to be managed following sound agronomic principles. The integration of ISFM practices into farming systems is illustrated by dual-purpose grain-legume‐maize rotations in the savannahs and fertilizer micro-dosing in the Sahel. Finally, the dissemination of ISFM practices is discussed.

The Role of Family Poultry in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and the Promotion of Gender Equality in Rural Africa

Abstract: Throughout the African continent poultry keeping has been practised by village communities for many generations. These birds currently make up more than 80% of the continent's poultry flock. Rural family poultry (RFP) are a valuable asset to local populations as they contribute significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and the promotion of gender equality, especially in disadvantaged groups and less favoured areas of rural Africa. The paper stresses the need to design, implement, monitor and evaluate RFP development programmes by taking sociocultural issues into account.

Extension: Object of Reform, Engine for Innovation

Abstract: Extension activities are being pulled in many directions, and are being called on to respond more effectively to the needs of farmers to produce and to forge links with markets. In the USA, for example, State Cooperative Extension Services have a variety of purposes in urban areas and operate in cooperation with other government agencies. Thus extension services, while concentrating on production agriculture, especially via privatized and private extension-type service companies, are simultaneously broadening out to include new purposes and a new clientele. While extension's role is straightforward in contract farming and other commercial ventures, such is not necessarily the case with public sector extension. Its structure, organization and operating system may differ from country to country, even from region to region. Nonetheless, whether in the private or public sector, a major concern for extension is to operate in the context of agricultural innovation systems (AIS) so that new knowledge is applied ...