Managing Agricultural Systems

A large proportion of the world's population is directly involved in agriculture, many of them as small businessmen. Each of these businessmen applies his skill and resources day in, day out, to produce food and raw materials. All of them to a greater or lesser extent operate in a changing environment to which they must adjust. Many aspects of the environments of agricultural institutions by the decisions of other people; in the marketplace, are influenced in ancillary industries, in research institutes and places of learning and in Government organisations that create and implement agricultural policy. Improvements in the quality of decisions made by those who manage all the various parts of the agricultural system can have a major impact on the quality of everyone's life. How can such improvements be achieved? This book is based on the belief that a grasp of concepts or principles can add a great deal to the understanding and management of agricultural systems of all kinds. It therefore attempts to transmit some ideas and observations about management in agriculture. It is not about techniques nor about the particular problems of a specific type of agriculture. Its aim is to promote reflection, thought and discussion by professional people whose decisions influence the performance of agricultural VII V11l PREFACE systems. As such, the book attempts to convey only the -central concepts of management in as simple a language as possible.