As Thailand rose with the world order since WWII, its reputation in the international agricultural sciences owed much to one person. Charan Chantalakhana was the man for the times. As the Vietnam conflict stimulated massive US influence in Thailand, more benign stars aligned to build on Charan’s remote Siamese origins and guide him through a leading US university. This biography includes his pioneering Kasetsart University work in animal science research and his leadersh...

Both a sound description and a manual, now dated, for operating in the sector

Patron’s Foreword As Patron of ILRI, I am pleased to introduce this examination of governance in the international livestock research centres. Governance is a neglected subject and those of us who know the research field from our particular specialties tend to assume that the right people for the task will somehow arise from within our ranks. Fortunately this has often occurred, and when it works well it is most easily overlooked. In the international arena that is rel...

Successful businesses rely on competent staff, management and governance. The last factor is often overlooked or even confused with management. This applies to commercial enterprises, non- profit organisations and government enterprises, which are usually required to be legally constituted entities (persons) in most advanced nations. Overseas development assistance from wealthy to poor nations, a significant proportion of which has been invested in agricultural developme...

Updating some publications not otherwise recorded in local histories

In academic terms, these recollections amplify a modern history of DDES that concentrated on its later iteration as the Douglas Daly Research Farm (DDRF). That report aimed to present “a comprehensive record and overview of the large range of research projects that were carried out in response to the demand and development of the agricultural industry in the Douglas Daly region of the NT”. The period of the late 1960s through the 1970s was underrepresented in that histo...

Family histories make boring reading, by any standard, for all but those associated with the lines discussed in them. An earlier version of the Falvey and related histories achieved that standard, and as explained more fully in the Introduction to the current compilation, the anecdotes and secrets that could make a history at least memorable are usually omitted from family histories. That error has been corrected in this approach. In doing so, I am cognisant of the poten...

Family histories make boring reading, by any standard, for all but those associated with the lines discussed in them. An earlier version of the Falvey and related histories achieved that standard, and as explained more fully in the Introduction to the current compilation, the anecdotes and secrets that could make a history at least memorable are usually omitted from family histories. That error has been corrected in this approach. In doing so, I am cognisant of the poten...

This miscellany of thoughts stimulated by books I have read was for my own purposes. As is normal, my thoughts today have moved on with time, yet they are useful for me to see where some ideas may have arisen. Whether seen as essays, a diary or a like a blog is of little concern to me, for it is just a convergence of my understanding and questioning and as such can seen repetitive.

A treatment of agriculture, food and related sciences as integral components of philosophy

Prologue This book deals with the transition from knowledge to wisdom. Wisdom justifies the use of the word philosophy throughout the text from its etymology of ‘the love of wisdom’, which across millennia has been interpreted as understanding of life. Such understanding is more than knowledge and in order to avoid more esoteric approaches to wisdom philosophy is discussed as integrating all knowledge including the sciences and experiential learning. I acknowledge at th...

The venture contributed substantially to Australian agriculture and it legacy provides some key avenues for further studies about foreign investment, animal welfare, sheep genetics and other subjects.

Overall, the Hassad investment provided a useful case study of the benefits of foreign investment in a rule-of-law agricultural-exporting country that is in need of agricultural capital investment, such as Australia. Outlined in the introduction, and in a paper by CEO Tom McKeon during the acquisition and production phases, the history of Hassad Australia might well have demonstrated further benefits had policy not changed in Qatar. However, the different policy phases ...

This document began as a collation of reminiscences of the continuing students from the first agricultural science intake at La Trobe University in 1968. From that modest objective, it expanded to include entries from and about the early staff appointed to the School of Agriculture in recognition of the inseparability of students and staff in forming a pioneering academic environment. The document then grew further to include reference to the University’s planning before...

Fifty years may seem a short time in the 700-year history of the modern university, yet much has been accomplished in young universities willing to build on the experience of their international collegium. The creation of the Agricultural Science course at La Trobe University was designed to usher in a new era in agricultural science education. It ably met this challenge under the leadership of its Foundation Professor, Bob Reid.

The work is a project of the Society of Old Agricultural Fellows (OAFS), retired senior members of the Faculty. Primarily the work of Lindsay Falvey, it is based on inputs from each of the other OAFs – Snow Barlow, Janet Beard, Malcolm Hickey, Frank Larkins, Kwong Lee Dow, Jeff Topp, Robert White and Nigel Wood – as well as extensive historical records.

An introductory text for all interested persons, especially from a Western background.

The paper addresses questions I have been asked about international integrated development and creation of the World Prize. It does this by taking multiple approaches, namely: describing integrated development and integrated thinking; presenting some relevant aspects of history from international development and the great traditions; postulating an evolution from technological to integrated approaches in development; summarizing a personal realization of the essentialnes...

Includes an opening summary page in all major regional languages (English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Burmese, Filipino, Khmer, Lao, Thai Vietnamese and Chinese. Beginning with the common origins of Southeast Asia’s peoples and languages, their shared heritage is emphasized through agricultural, archeological, cultural, geographical, historical, linguistic, religious and technological fields. Perennially defined by rice, stability and commerce, Southeast Asia ...

การเกษตรคือปากท้อ้องและชีวิตชาวไทย ประเทศไทยมีประชากรประมาณ 65-70 ล้านคน ไม่ตํ่ากว่าร้อยละ 50 เป็นเกษตรกร หรืออาจ กล่าวได้ว่ามีคนไทยอย่างน้อยจำนวน 30 ล้านคน มีอาชีพเป็นเกษตรกร คนเหล่านี้ส่วนใหญ่เป็นคนจน เป็นคนจนที่สุดในหมู่คนจน เป็นกลุ่มคนที่สมัยหนึ่งได้ชื่อว่าเป็นกระดูกสันหลังของชาติ เพราะมีอาชีพ ทำนาเลี้ยงประเทศและเลี้ยงโลก จนประเทศไทยได้มีชื่อเสียงว่าเป็นครัวโลก และนานาชาติรู้จักชื่อเสียง ของข้าวหอมมะลิ ทำให้พ่อค้าส่งข้าวเป็นสินค้าออกจนรํ่ารวย มีฐานะเป็นเศรษฐี แต...

Introductory Comment The title of this volume speaks of wisdom, a term defined with difficulty and that links formal learning and knowledge to insight, sometimes of a spiritual nature. This is appropriate. Wisdom is seldom imparted, although paths to it are offered in various sacred and profane writings. In the Judeo-Christian culture in the English language, this is traditionally associated with the Wisdom Literature of the Talmud and the Bible, namely Proverbs, Eccles...

The answers cover such topics as: - why livestock are critical to food security - why free trade and markets can't solve food shortages - why aid shouldn't insist poor countries follow our model - how to reconcile science and commerce with popular ideals - how grass domestic happiness can be a serious topic - how more food can be produced with less land and fertilizer - why labels like Buddhist and vegetarian confuse life - what traditional wisdom is critical to...

Question and Answer How to reprise lost paradise, where clansmen were always content? On this we ever ask advice, not noting our command’s contempt. Replies arise if we ask right, as sages’ sayings still console, except when wished as black or white, thus missing their integral whole. Each answer’s angst makes us ask more – thus are our suspect lives sustained, supremely sure if we spark war, for our ideals are deep ingrained. We’re punished by our primal rite...

The Song of Songs [of Solomon] (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים Šîr haŠîrîm, ᾎσμα ᾎσμάτων Aisma Aismatōn, Cantĭcum Canticōrum) is a poetic courtship that moves from enchantment to consummation. Devoid of religiosity, it has traditionally been understood as metaphor for the relationship of the soul with the Divine – of God with Israel – of Christ with the Church – of Christ with the human soul – or humanistically, as a metaphor for psychological integrity. In his 12th century sermo...

A wise man once set down in song, beauty that in nature rests, for which all hearts forever long like dreams deep in maidens’ breasts : The young woman: “My man, your kiss is my mantle your musk clothes me with alarm, allows my guard be more gentle. Oh, who could resist such charm! Oh, let’s elope to foreign parts, and reveal to me your realm; there let us practice lovers’ arts for we’ll both be overwhelmed. Yes, no one could resist such charm! ...

The Song of Songs [of Solomon] (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים Šîr haŠîrîm, ᾎσμα ᾎσμάτων Aisma Aismatōn, Cantĭcum Canticōrum) is a poetic courtship that moves from enchantment to consummation. Devoid of religiosity, it has traditionally been understood as metaphor for the relationship of the soul with the Divine – of God with Israel – of Christ with the Church – of Christ with the human soul – or humanistically, as a metaphor for psychological integrity.

The young man: He replied: “Where I go you know, our love will lead my queen’s feet, to where paradise overflows – in plenty we’ll be replete. For you my mistress are to men as mare to noble stallion, hair bejewels your neck as a mane, bridled by golden garland.” The young woman: And thus sparked, the lady replied: “From scent you sense my presence and at the couch where you recline it moulds your manly essence. Nesting all night my breasts be...

Collation of social, economic, technological and cultural research conducted in the Thailand highlands in the 1970s.