The comparative approach has become an indispensable tool for the production of knowledge. This manual aims to facilitate access for students / researchers / teachers to methods, data and comparative studies in France, Europe and the United States. Read More
This book is a manual on basic comparative investigations and the sharing of international data. For this purpose pedagogy, and an approach free of statistical jargon, the authors present here a summary of the essential achievements of these investigations in the areas of electoral behavior, religion and values, lifestyles, cultural practices, social mobility, demographic behavior.
ANALYSIS of agriculture and the agro-food situation in the Mediterranean region
CHAPTER 1 The socio-demographic context
• The demographic dynamics in the Mediterranean
• The outlook for the Mediterranean
• Probable socio-demographic trends
CHAPTER 2 The geo-economic context
• Economic dynamics in the Mediterranean region
• The development and place of agriculture in the Mediterranean economy
CHAPTER 3 Natural resources
• Climate disruption in the Mediterranean region
• Soil, a much-coveted resource
• Blue gold?
• Forest land, a threatened heritage
• Energy: a new deal
• The limits have been reached
CHAPTER 4 Science, technology and innovation
• Innovation and changes in agro-food systems
• Education and research systems in the agricultural and agro-food sector
• ICTs: an aid to convergence or widening the gap?
• Biotechnologies in food and agriculture
• Pursuing the march of progress together
CHAPTER 5 Dietary patterns and trends in consumption
• Food consumption and eating habits in the Mediterranean
• Food security ensured but food quality a weaker point
• Food quality: a growing challenge
CHAPTER 6 Governance in the rural and agricultural world
• Actions by Mediterranean States for agriculture and the rural world
• The emergence of local actors in rural governance
• The environmental question at the heart of Mediterranean co-operation
• The contrasting reality and outlook for the Mediterranean rural world
FROM ANALYSIS to action priorities
• The socio-demographic context
• The geo-economic context
• Natural resources
• Science, technology and innovation
• Dietary patterns and trends in consumption
• Governance in the rural and agricultural world
• Launching action
ACTION PRIORITIES for Mediterranean agriculture and agro-food production in the world of 2020
CHAPTER 7 Reconciling production and management of scarce resources
• On the horns of climatic change and energy shortages
• Saving water: a vital challenge
• Observing, planning, legislating: three challenges for the protection of Mediterranean soils
• The crossroads
CHAPTER 8 Ensuring food security and food safety
• Including ecological and nutritional sustainability in development plans
• Reconciling modernisation and tradition in the interplay between actors
• Bearing the local market in mind while joining the international market
• Devising sectoral policies which include nutrition and health
• Several forward-looking scenarios
• The avenues to be explored
• Food security and food safety are crucial to harmonious development at the local level
CHAPTER 9 Supply and marketing of agricultural commodities
• Organisation of agro-food supply in the Mediterranean region: trends and dynamics
• Fundamental challenges and hypotheses: players, levers for action, resources and impediments
• Scenarios for quality agro-food supply in the Mediterranean region
CHAPTER 10 Development strategies for rural areas
• The rural population in the Mediterranean in 2020
• Four key factors in the evolution of today's societies
• A major challenge: the regional approach to rural development
• Some scenarios for the future of rural spaces
CHAPTER 11 Strengthening and consolidating education and research capacities
• New competencies and new expertise
• Improving the relationship between education and work
• Constructing a Euro-Mediterranean research area
• Infusing knowledge, promoting innovation
• Possible futures, a desirable future
GLOBAL SCENARIOS for Mediterranean agriculture
• The future: an open book
• An overview of future Mediterranean scenarios
• Action is needed now to build the future we want
PROPOSALS for action
• General approaches
• Technical proposals