Outlook on Agriculture

‘Look at it this way’ features contributions from distinguished scientists on contentious and current issues in areas such as development, population growth, agricultural production and policy.

In animal production systems, the value of a species increases in relation to its adaptation, capacity to make socioeconomic contributions, capacity to fill market opportunities, and potential for increasing productivity. In the case of goats, their role and potential contribution to increased productivity are impeded by controversy about their destructive habits, poor understanding of their attributes, functional values, and links to the poverty focus, which together have not helped their contribution to improving natural resource management. Research and development efforts that can significantly improve productivity from goats can simultaneously enhance the livelihoods of the poor. Resource allocation by national programmes and donor agencies to research and development projects on these animals is generally poor. In the search for efficiency in the improved use of the available animal genetic resources, more enlightened thinking is necessary about the role that goats could play. This must be backed by more resources and the use of interdisciplinary systems in priority agroecological zones to increase their productivity, and by so doing, this will enhance the livelihoods of the poor, and protect the environment.

Weeds are part of agrobiodiversity, but they have not usually been considered as plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Plant genetic resources primarily include crop plants and their wild relatives. But as both crops and weeds have been subjected to the influence of domestication and have co-evolved over a long period of time, they provide a largely untapped reservoir of genetic diversity. Some weed species are utilized plants and some are preadapted to become cultivated plants. They are indicators for biodiversity. They are useful for studying the parallel effects of domestication in cultivated plants, and weeds and their evolution. Several weed species are indicators of the autochthonous (original/native) landraces of crops they accompany. Collections of weeds are also basic material for weed control research. Several weeds with a great similarity to crop plants, so-called convergent weeds, are in danger of becoming extinct, due to the intensification of agriculture and improved methods of seed cleaning (eg Agrostemma githago, Bromus secalinus, Lolium temulentum). Examples of the utilization and conservation of weeds are discussed. Ex situ preservation must also be linked with the reintroduction of weed species into agroecosystems (ie maintenance in situ), so that genetic diversity forms part of actively functioning and continually evolving ecosystems. Thus, it is not right to consider weeds only as crop concurrences as is usually done in an agricultural context.

Concern about the environmental impacts of technological change in agriculture, and studies exploring farmers' perceptions of this issue are nascent. This paper provides an insight into the environmental impacts of modern agricultural technology, as perceived by Bangladeshi farmers. This is supported by material evidence such as soil fertility, and analyses of fertilizer and pesticide use, foodgrain production and fish catches. Farmers are well aware of the adverse environmental impacts of modern agricultural technology, although their awareness remains confined within the daily experience of their local environment, and is limited to matters such as soil fertility, fish catches and health effects. Farmers' perceptions of impacts such as toxicity in water and soils, are weak. Raising farmers' awareness of these tangible and intangible environmental impacts of modern agricultural technology is urgently needed for the development of sustainable agriculture.

It is argued that information on farmer knowledge about the characteristics, adaptability and management needs of different species and breeds of domestic animals, and farmer preferences concerning these traits, are useful inputs in designing breeding policy and conservation strategy. The argument is reinforced with several examples.

Vaccination still remains the most widely used method of controlling infectious diseases in both humans and animals. In view of this, considerable research effort is being devoted to the discovery of new vaccines, and to the refinement of existing ones, with the aim of making them safer, cheaper, and above all, more efficacious. Among the novel developments in vaccine technology is the use of naked DNA encoding the relevant immunogenic component of pathogens, which has been shown to confer protection on animals. Several advantages, such as stability, stimulation of both cellular and humoral immune responses, and antigen expression over prolonged periods, make DNA vaccines an attractive alternative to conventional ones. This paper highlights the progress made so far with the new technology in terms of its immunogenicity, concerns regarding its safety, and future research directions.

The universities have an essential role to play in the next century in fostering the development of agriculture. They will increasingly function in an international capacity, cooperating to produce the most efficient training and research forum for all aspects of agriculture, with greater emphasis on environmental impact and the development of production potential in developing countries. Such cooperation should allow specialization of individual establishments, and within establishments allow individuals to concentrate on developing their subject area at the forefront of knowledge. Distance learning programmes will offer new opportunities for students in remote regions to study agriculture, and will make more extensive use of interactive learning by new methods of communication.