The term ‘ecoagriculture’ is defined by the editors as referring to landscapes that achieve the joint objectives of sustainable agricultural production, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, and rural livelihoods. The aim of this book is to describe the current science and practice of ecoagriculture, while acknowledging that the concept will inevitably evolve in response to economic, political and other changes.

The text consists of three parts: Agricultural Production in Ecoagriculture Landscapes; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management; and Institutional Foundations for Ecoagriculture. The authors of the 22 chapters are established experts from a range of countries and organizations worldwide. Chapter titles include: Livestock Systems, Designing Agricultural Landscapes, Watershed Management, Tropical Agroforestry and Multistakeholder Partnerships. One chapter describes the interesting idea that conversion to perennial crops might serve to ameliorate the problems of erosion, nitrogen loss and pesticide contamination caused by annual grain production. Another chapter describes examples of the role of agricultural biodiversity in ensuring stability and productivity of agriculture while benefiting the environment and wild biodiversity.

The book is clearly written, definitions are given where required and the inclusion of case studies add interest and illumination to the text. The book comes across as authoritative, informative and practical. Many examples of best practice from a range of environments are cited. Overall, the book gives the reader sufficient information to understand the policies and practices required to promote the development of ‘ecoagriculture’.