This book, "Farming Systems in the Tropics" by Hans Ruthenberg, is an introductory text for undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture, focusing on tropical farming systems. It aims to provide a framework for agricultural development workers to understand various farming types and their management challenges, emphasizing the interactions between technical and economic aspects of farming. The book covers shifting cultivation, semi-permanent cultivation, regulated ley farming, permanent cultivation on rain-fed land, arable irrigation farming, and systems with perennial crops. Each chapter includes case studies from Africa and Asia, highlighting the dynamics, characteristics, and weaknesses of different farming systems. The author also discusses the general tendencies in the development of farm systems and the importance of soil fertility, risk management, and labor productivity in tropical agriculture. The book is intended to promote understanding and informed planning for agricultural production in tropical countries.This book, "Farming Systems in the Tropics" by Hans Ruthenberg, is an introductory text for undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture, focusing on tropical farming systems. It aims to provide a framework for agricultural development workers to understand various farming types and their management challenges, emphasizing the interactions between technical and economic aspects of farming. The book covers shifting cultivation, semi-permanent cultivation, regulated ley farming, permanent cultivation on rain-fed land, arable irrigation farming, and systems with perennial crops. Each chapter includes case studies from Africa and Asia, highlighting the dynamics, characteristics, and weaknesses of different farming systems. The author also discusses the general tendencies in the development of farm systems and the importance of soil fertility, risk management, and labor productivity in tropical agriculture. The book is intended to promote understanding and informed planning for agricultural production in tropical countries.