"‘A subject of considerable contemporary importance . . . a genuine contribution to knowledge" -- Jules Pretty, author of Agri-Culture. First ever in-depth analysis of low external input farming. How traditional farming methods are being used to combat the diminishing returns of "green revolution" era farming.
Low external input technology (or LEIT) is an increasingly prominent subject in discussions of sustainable agriculture. There are many reasons to support strategies for low external input farming, including a concern for environmental sustainability, increased attention to resource-poor farmers and marginal environments, and the conviction that a better use of local resources in small-scale agriculture can improve farm productivity and innovation. But despite the increased attention to self-sufficient agriculture, there is little evidence available on the performance and impact of LEIT.
This book examines the contributions and limitations of LEIT for addressing the needs of resource-poor farmers. For the first time, a balanced analysis of LEIT is provided, making sense of the debates, giving an extensive review of the literature, and offering practical suggestions about the management and integration of low external input agriculture in rural development programs.
Robert Tripp is a research fellow in the Rural Policy and Governance Group at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London.
Contents: LEIT and Agricultural Development Examples of LEIT and Farmer-Focused Development Strategies Labour, Information, and Agricultural Technology Evidence from the Literature Revisiting Experiences of LEIT Adoption by Hillside Farmers in Central Honduras The Catchment Approach to Soil and Water Conservation in Nyanza Province, Western Kenya The Outcome of Farmer Field Schools in Southern Sri Lanka The Trajectory of Low External Input Agriculture Bibliography, Index
Published by Earthscan Publications Ltd. Robert Tripp March 2006 224 pp., 6" x 9 1/4", figures, tables, index.
Self-Sufficient Agriculture 
Labor and Knowledge in Small-Scale Farming: