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This thesis examines what it means to be a gendered subject in the context of organic agriculture. Specifically, it considers the extent to which the ideological standpoint of the organic agriculture movement facilitates the representation and construction of distinctive gender roles, relations and identities within organic fanning. Three particular features of organic agriculture have been identified that could potentially impact upon gender roles, relations and identities: firstly, the organic movement has non-agrarian roots and has therefore attracted individuals who are not part of the traditional gendered heritage of agriculture; secondly, the basis of the organic ideology suggests a fundamentally different approach to society-nature relations to that which dominates the agro-industrial model; and thirdly, the ideology of the organic agriculture movement makes explicit reference to the social relations inherent to agriculture and the role that organic fanning should take in working towards a production process that is 'socially just'. These three reasons suggest that the construction and representation of gender roles, relations and identities within organic farming may be distinct from agriculture more widely, in which highly 'traditional' hierarchical constructions of masculinity and femininity have been shown to persist. Informed by perspectives within feminist geography, two phases of empirical research were undertaken in order to address the research aim. The first phase involved a content analysis of three publications drawn from the UK organic agriculture movement (and one from conventional agriculture) and explored how gender roles, relations and identities have been represented throughout its history. In the second phase the themes that emerged from the textual analysis were explored in more detail through a series of in-depth, semistructured interviews with forty-one men and women working on organic farms in the county of Gloucestershire, UK, in order to critically assess the ongoing construction and maintenance of gender roles, relations and identities within contemporary organic fanning. The findings of the research show that organic agriculture is largely dominated by 'traditional' representations and constructions of gender roles, relations and identities. However, they also show that organic agriculture does provide a space for alternative configurations of gender roles, relations and identities. Nevertheless, these pose a challenge to feminist understandings of what constitutes 'progressive' gender roles, relations and identities since, paradoxically, they draw upon highly traditional notions which associate women and nature whilst at the same time enabling women and men to assume gender roles and relations that transcend conventional boundaries.

M.Sc. / Different agricultural practices of field melon cropping in the Vhembe Distrinct, north of the Soutpansberg mountain range in the Limpopo Province, South Africa are investigated in this study. To achieve sustainable agriculture, farm management practices must be optimised and it is essential to understand the microbiological aspects and how they interact. An initial fungal survey was undertaken in melon fields, of the fungal species present in these soils and how the different management practices affect the filamentous fungal population. Soil samples were also analysed for bacterial pathogens. Physical and chemical soil properties were analysed. Farm management practices are discussed in terms of conservation tillage, controlled traffic, permanent beds, versus conventional tillage. Aspects that may assist in optimising processes towards becoming a biological farmer are discussed, with the goal of encouraging farming to be more biological, by working with nature, to promote sustainable agriculture for present and future generations.

Thesis (M.S. - Soil, Water, and Environmental Science)--University of Arizona. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-62).

Thesis (M.App.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Science, Discipline of Soil and Land Systems, 2004. / "March, 2004" Bibliography: p. 112-136.

Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Anthropology. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2007/08/30). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Australian National University, 2004.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [228]-244). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [228]-244). Also available on the Internet.

Nos dias atuais é crescente o desejo da sociedade por práticas que não agridam de forma tão intensa o ambiente. A busca por uma alimentação saudável, por preços justos nos produtos, pelo desenvolvimento social, econômico e ambiental, permeiam as discussões referentes ao desenvolvimento sustentável. Nesta perspectiva, a presente dissertação tem como tema de pesquisa a avaliação da sustentabilidade em agroecossistemas hortícolas com base de produção na Agroecologia e na agricultura familiar. Esta foi desenvolvida em seis agroecossistemas localizados na microrregião de Pato Branco-PR. O método para a concretização da pesquisa foi baseado na proposta Marco para a Avaliação de Sistemas de Manejo de Recursos Naturais Incorporando Indicadores de Sustentabilidade - MESMIS, o qual foi realizado de forma participativa e interdisciplinar. No desenvolvimento do trabalho foram construídos seis Indicadores de Sustentabilidade Compostos: recursos hídricos, qualidade do solo, qualidade de vida, situação econômica, diversidade vegetal e animal, e trabalho. Esses indicadores foram mensurados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, questionários, análises laboratoriais e observações de campo, ou seja, com técnicas qualitativas e quantitativas. Com base nas concepções sobre sustentabilidade desenvolvidas a partir dos referenciais teóricos e na percepção dos agricultores familiares, bem como a construção de gráficos radiais, foi possível avaliar os níveis de sustentabilidade dos agroecossistemas em uma forma integrada, o que evidenciou que os seis agroecossistemas mantêm os índices de sustentabilidade geral entre regular e desejável. / Nowadays there is a growing desire from society in relation to some practices that do not damage the environment so intensely. The search for a healthy diet, products with fair prices, social, economic and environmental development permeate the discussions concerning to sustainable development. In this perspective, the theme of this research is the evaluation of the sustainability in horticultural agro systems based its production on Agro ecology and on family farming. It was developed in six agro ecosystems located in the city of Pato Branco – PR. The method to achieve the success of this research was based on the proposal called in Portuguese as which meaning in English is Evaluation of the Management System of Natural Resources Incorporating Sustainability Indicators - MESMIS was accomplished in an active and interdisciplinary way. It was necessary to develop this work build six Sustainability Compounds Indicators: water resources, ground quality, quality of life, economic situation, vegetable and animal diversity and work. These indicators were determined through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, laboratorial analysis and field observation, in other words, with qualitative and quantitative observation. Based on the conceptions about sustainability developed from the theoretical references and on the familiar farmers perception, as well as the construction of radial graphs, it was possible evaluate the sustainability levels of the agro ecosystems in an integrated way which revealed that the six agro ecosystems maintain the general sustainability indexes between regular and desirable.