Part I: Introduction; Part II: Valuation of ecosystem services and biophysical indicators of NRM impacts; Part III: Methodological advances for a comprehensive impact assessment; Part IV: NRM impact assessment in practice.

This book assesses recent developments in the analysis of agricultural policy and water resource management, and highlights the utility and theoretical rigor of quantitative methods for modeling agricultural production, market dynamics, and natural resource management. In diverse case studies of the intersection between agriculture, environmental quality and natural resource sustainability, the authors analyze economic behavior - both at aggregate as well as at individual agent-level - in order to highlight the practical implications for decision-markers dealing with environmental and agricultural policy. The volume also addresses the challenges of doing robust analysis with limited data, and discusses the appropriate empirical approaches that can be employed. The studies in this book were inspired by the work of Richard E. Howitt, Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of California at Davis, USA, whose career has focused on the application of robust empirical methods to address concrete policy problems.

This book aims to address emerging challenges in the field of agriculture and natural resource management using the principles and applications of data science (DS). The book is organized in three sections, and it has fourteen chapters dealing with specialized areas. The chapters are written by experts sharing their experiences very lucidly through case studies, suitable illustrations and tables. The contents have been designed to fulfil the needs of geospatial, data science, agricultural, natural resources and environmental sciences of traditional universities, agricultural universities, technological universities, research institutes and academic colleges worldwide. It will help the planners, policymakers and extension scientists in planning and sustainable management of agriculture and natural resources. The authors believe that with its uniqueness the book is one of the important efforts in the contemporary cyber-physical systems.

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) reviews cutting-edge research and links theory with practice to further our understanding of this important approach's contribution to natural resource management. It addresses IK's potential in solving issues such as coping with change, ensuring global food supply for a growing population, reversing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices. It is increasingly recognised that IK, which has featured centrally in resource management for millennia, should play a significant part in today's programmes that seek to increase land productivity and food security while ensuring environmental conservation. An invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in environmental science and natural resources management, this book is also an informative read for development practitioners and undergraduates in agriculture, forestry, geography, anthropology and environmental studies.

In response to increasing concerns about the degradation of natural resources and the sustainability of agriculture, many research programmes have been established in natural resource management (NRM). However, although methods for evaluating the impacts of crop improvement technologies are well developed, there is a dearth of methods for evaluating the impacts of NRM interventions. This is partly due to the complexity of interactions among natural resources, spatial and temporal dimensions of impact, and the valuation of direct and indirect environmental costs and benefits. This book discusses the unique features and methodological difficulties of NRM impact assessment. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of various impact assessment approaches, including econometric, bio-economic, and more direct methods. It also assesses and identifies data requirements for developing impact indicators and recommends suitable methodologies for assessing the impacts of NRM technologies on issues such as soil and water conservation and watershed and biodiversity management.

In its early days, agroforestry may have been viewed as the domain of the 'landcare enthusiast'. Today, integrating trees and shrubs into productive farming systems is seen as a core principle of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management provides the foundation for an understanding of agroforestry practice in both high and low rainfall zones across Australia. Three major areas are discussed: environmental functions of trees in the landscape (ecosystem mimicry, hydrology, protection of crops, animals and soil, biodiversity, aesthetics); productive functions of trees (timber, firewood, pulp, fodder, integrated multi-products); and the implementation of agroforestry (design, evaluation, establishment, adoption, policy support). The book also includes a DVD that features videos on forest measurement and harvesting, a Farm Forestry Toolbox and many regionally specific agroforestry resources. Written by leading researchers and practitioners from around Australia, Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management will be an essential resource for students in agroforestry courses, as well as a valuable introduction to the field for professionals in related areas.

This book includes contributions from scientists and representatives from government and non-governmental organisations working in the field of land management and use and on management of fires. The book is truly interdisciplinary and has both a research and application-oriented dimension. The list of topics includes sustainability and water management; sustainability and biodiversity conservation; the future sustainability of nature-based industries such as agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry; sustainability, people and livelihoods; sustainability and landscapes planning; sustainability and land use planning; handling and managing forest fires. The papers are innovative and cross-cutting, and many have practice-based experiences. Also, this book, prepared by the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) and the World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre (WSD-RTC), reiterates the need to promote a sustainable use of land resources today.