Modern new biotechnology has the potential to provide major economic and other benefits, but at the same time it poses potential hazards for human health, the environment, the ‘natural’ biological order and can have adverse socio-economic consequences. The application of such technology...

Secondary data are used to discuss and compare the consequences for agriculture of economic growth and transition in Vietnam and China. It is found that China and Vietnam have experienced similar adjustments in their agricultural sectors and face at this time, similar agricultural policy...

Introducing a stocking rate restriction is one possible course of action for regulators to improve water quality where it is affected by nitrate pollution. To determine the impact of a stocking rate restriction on a range of New Zealand dairy farms, a whole-farm model was optimised with and...

Extends the simple model of the economics of controlling livestock disease as first presented by McInerney (1991) to take account of start-up costs which give use to thresholds effects. A further extension is given to allow for economics of such in disease control which can also have a threshold...

After providing some background on the domestication and use of elephants in ancient India, this article concentrates on the role of the elephant in Indian statescraft as outlined in Kautilya’s Arthasastra, reputed to have been written in the fourth century BC (over 2300 years ago). The body...

Asia’s livestock populations and production of edible livestock have risen substantially in recent years. Asia has increased its global share of livestock and livestock products. Furthermore, it has greatly increased its involvement in world trade in edible livestock products, e.g., exports of...

The number of breeds of domesticated animals, especially livestock, have declined rapidly. The proximate causes and processes involved in loss of breeds are outlined. Also the path-dependent effect and Swanson’s dominance-effect are discussed in relation to lock-in of breed selection. While...

This paper explores the feasibility of adopting an integrated economic approach to raise farmers’ tolerance of the presence of elephants on their farming lands. Responses to this approach were sought from a sample of farmers in the areas affected by human elephant conflict in the northwestern...

There has been mounting environmental criticism of the livestock industry. Ruminants such as cattle have been implicated as significant contributors to greenhouse gases and it is argued that it is less food efficient to feed plant matter to livestock rather than have humans consume it directly....

Economic use of wildlife can be consumptive or non-consumptive, commercial or non-commercial. Given the economic preoccupation of virtually all modern societies, wildlife of economic value or use is favoured for conservation. However, does its commercial use favour conservation? This depends...