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Farmers have the Earth in Their Hands – Second edition
Paul Luu, with Marie-Christine Bidault
Foreword by Erik Orsenna and Stéphane Le Foll
23,00€
On pre-order for release on 10 September 2025 - Also available in French and Spanish
This book provides an overview of the major agro-ecological practices that offer solutions for food security and the climate. It is based on a summary of the history and scientific foundations of agriculture.
Description
The aim of the second edition of this book, launched to mark the 10th anniversary of the international “4 per 1000” Initiative, is to provide a simple, objective overview of agriculture, its scientific foundations, which are as immutable as they are little-known, the long history of its (r)evolutions, and its current situation.
Its aim is to give everyone the means to better understand the issues, which are often presented in a very simplistic way, whereas the reality of life is by nature complex.
The most important challenge we face is to pass on to our children living soils capable of combating climate change, and farmland capable of producing tomorrow’s crops.
This new edition provides a clear presentation of the major families of practices that make up this approach, their benefits and their specific characteristics, all of which are necessary for a successful and essential agroecological transition. It also includes an unprecedented review of the latest data available on the state of progress of these practices around the world.
Excerpt
The author
The international “4 per 1000” Initiative, launched in December 2015 at COP21, aims to show that soils can play a crucial role in food security and climate change. It brings together all the voluntary players in the public and private sectors and has more than 850 Partners and Members, inviting them to take concrete action to sequester and store organic carbon in soils.
Paul Luu is an agricultural engineer specializing in tropical agronomy, a graduate of AgroParis Tech, with a PhD from the University of Montpellier. He has worked in the field all over the world, in the international relations department of the French Ministry of Agriculture, and in the agricultural development of overseas departments and territories. He was Director of Agropolis International before joining the CGIAR. Since 2016, he has been the Executive Secretary of the “4 for 1000” Initiative.
Marie-Christine Bidault is an agricultural engineer, columnist and writer
Table of contents
Foreword
Chapter One – Why do we need a change in agriculture?
Conventional agriculture, an assisted agriculture
Impacts of conventional agriculture
Agriculture and climate change
What about climate-smart agriculture?
Chapter Two – From living principles to their substitution
Photosynthesis
The major cycles
The essential roles of soil
Biodiversity
Man and artificialisation
Chapter Three – Man and soil − A brief history of agriculture
The birth of agriculture
Early agrarian systems
First agricultural revolution of modern times
The second agricultural revolution in modern times
Can our history feed our future?
Chapter Four – What place for agriculture in the 21st century?
Soil, carbon and biodiversity
The main principles of agroecology
Chapter Five – Limiting disturbance: conservation agriculture
Chapter Six – The refusal of synthesis : organic and biodynamic agriculture
Chapter Seven – For the greening of grazing: dynamic rotational grazing (Holistic GrazingSystem)
Chapter Eight – Soil health at the centre of everything: regenerative agriculture
Chapter Nine – Mimicking natural forest ecosystems : agroforestry
Chapter Ten – No single agriculture, but a single role: one of male and female farmers
It’s up to you
Critics
Additional information
| Weight | 251 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15,6 × 2 × 23,4 cm |
| ISBN French print | 978-2-493291-79-0 |
| Number of pages French | 134 |
| ISBN English print | 978-2-493291-82-0 |
| Number of pages English | 110 |
| ISBN Spanish print | 978-2-493291-85-1 |
| Number of pages Spanish | 132 |
| Language | English, French, Spanish |
| Format | Paper |
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