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Farmers' extension practice and technology adaptation: Agricultural revolution in 17–19th century Britain

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  • Jules Pretty

Abstract

The challenge of producing sufficient food to feed a growing world population cannot now be met by industrialized and green revolution agriculture as production is currently at or above a sustainable level. Future growth has to occur on resource-poor and marginal lands, where farmers have little or no access to external resources or research and extension support. A precedent for such growth occurred during the agricultural revolution in Britain. Over a period of two centuries crop and livestock production increased 3–4 fold as innovative technologies and techniques developed by farmers were extended to other farmers through tours, farmer groups, open days, and publications, and then adapted to local conditions by rigorous experimentation. These technologies maximized the use of on-farm resources at a time when there was no government ministry of agriculture, no research stations, and no extension institutions. But at the same time as this revolution in on-farm resource use, agriculture also expanded into uncultivated lands, increasing aggregate production but destroying common property resources and so threatening the livelihoods of the poor. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1991

Suggested Citation

  • Jules Pretty, 1991. "Farmers' extension practice and technology adaptation: Agricultural revolution in 17–19th century Britain," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 8(1), pages 132-148, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:8:y:1991:i:1:p:132-148
    DOI: 10.1007/BF01579666
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Turner, Michael, 1986. "English Open Fields and Enclosures: Retardation or Productivity Improvements," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(3), pages 669-692, September.
    2. Humphries, Jane, 1990. "Enclosures, Common Rights, and Women: The Proletarianization of Families in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1), pages 17-42, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pretty, Jules & Ward, Hugh, 2001. "Social Capital and the Environment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 209-227, February.
    2. Fergus Lyon, 1996. "How farmers research and learn: The case of arable farmers of East Anglia, UK," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 13(4), pages 39-47, September.
    3. Dianne Rocheleau, 1994. "Participatory research and the race to save the planet: Questions, critique, and lessons from the field," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 11(2), pages 4-25, March.
    4. Cock, James & Oberthür, Thomas & Isaacs, Camilo & Läderach, Peter Roman & Palma, Alberto & Carbonell, Javier & Victoria, Jorge & Watts, Geoff & Amaya, Alvaro & Collet, Laure & Lema, Germán & Anderson,, 2011. "Crop management based on field observations: Case studies in sugarcane and coffee," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 104(9), pages 755-769.

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