Development, the environment and food

A Planet for Life 2012 focuses on agriculture and its relation to development, foodand the environment. At the end of the 2000s, a consensus hasemerged and points to the urgent need for massive investment in theagricultural sector, which is (once again) viewed as one of theprime engines for development and food security, as well as forpoverty reduction. But what exactly does this consensus cover? While the idea of investing in agriculture is gaining groundand although several countries or regions appear to be offeringopportunities for investment in agricultural land, debates aregoing on as to which agricultural models to choose and howagricultural policies should be implemented. A Planet for Life called on many highly specialized authors from differentcountries and perspectives, and invites the reader to discover thesector in all its complexity, upstream and downstream ofagricultural production. At the crossroads of the challenges posed by development,food security and the environment, the transformation of theagricultural sector is at the heart of the global stakes ofsustainable development. To help steer these changes towardsgreater sustainability, this book makes us aware of how crucial itis to also change our representations of agriculture, change thevisions that guide projects for change and the policies regulatingthis sector.