This text aims to provide a simple but effective introduction to general economics for students of agriculture, the rural sector and related topics in universities and colleges. This fifth edition continues the process of adaptation and adjustment to meet changing times, the most significant of...

This chapter introduces the essence of economics and explains the concepts of opportunity cost, scarcity, and choice, as well as the mechanism of allocating scarce resources. Also discussed are the scientific approach to economics and the problems faced by scientific economists.

This chapter presents examples that demonstrate how economic analysis involving human and animal health sectors has become a central element for providing evidence of the added value of a One Health approach, then reflects on the new developments in One Health, in particular, approaches based on...

Few can deny that a nation's health is inextricably linked with its economic condition. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that those who live with less than two dollars a day is ravaged by illness and can hope to make a living. This book chapter focuses on the six countries selected to...

This chapter defines communicable disease and discusses its agents, transmission patterns, host factors (susceptibility, inherent defence mechanisms, immunity and resistance), and impact of social environment (education, resources, economics, communities and movements) and physical environment...

Animal welfare is often claimed to be a 'public good', i.e. requiring government intervention and legislation to ensure that animal welfare is respected. In other words, markets, on their own, cannot be relied on to deliver socially acceptable animal welfare. In fact, the issues surrounding animal...

Science can help us understand what animals want and economics can provide the understanding of human motivation needed to deliver such wants. In our view, what needs further development in future is for economics and information/communication science and technology to channel awareness into...

This chapter discusses the One Earth approach in planetary health. The related challenges of modernization and sustainability, and the association of health with societal, economic, spiritual and ethical aspects are described.

This chapter reviews the relationship between sanitation and human and environmental health, and the role of human waste as a source of natural fertilizer, and biogas and clean energy. At present, sanitation is widely considered to be part of public health and increasingly as an important part of...

This introductory chapter describes the features of bamboo plants, including their strong renewability, their fast-growing and high biomass production characteristics, and their important ecological functions, including water and soil conservation, role as a carbon sink and in carbon storage, and...