The Agricultural Economics of the 21st Century

This publication provides insight into the agricultural sector. It illustrates new tendencies in agricultural economics and dynamics (interrelationship with other sectors in rural zones and multifunctionality) and the implications of the World Trade Organization negotiations in the international trade of agricultural products. Due to environmental problems, availability of budget, consumer preferences for food safety and pressure from the World Trade Organization, there are many changes in the agricultural sector. This book addresses those new developments and provides insights into possible future developments. The agricultural activity is an economic sector that is fundamental for a sustainable economic growth of every country. However, this sector has many particularities, namely those related with some structural problems (many farms with reduced dimension, sometimes lack of vocational training of the farmers, difficulties of put the farmers together in associations and cooperatives), variations of the productions and prices over the year and some environmental problems derived from the utilization of pesticides and fertilizers.

Vítor João Pereira Domingues Martinho is Coordinator Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal, and holds a Ph.D.  in Economics from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He was President of the Scientific Council, President of the Directive Council and President of the Agricultural Polytechnic School of Viseu, Portugal, from 2006 to 2012. Moreover, he had functions as Vice-President of the Scientific Council and the Assembly of Representatives in this school. He also had political functions at the local level and supra municipal level and is currently the President of the Direction of the Association of Forest Producers of Viseu, Portugal. He was an Erasmus student in the Faculty of Economics from the University of Verona, Italy, participated in various technical and scientific events nationally and internationally, has published several technical and scientific papers, is referee of some scientific and technical journals and participates in the evaluation of national and international projects.