34 ref.

This paper is based on the final chapter of a book based on several consultations and a conference involving leading agricultural, environmental, health and social scientists held during 1989-91. Two perspectives emerged from the consultation and the conference. One is that the battle to achieve sustainable growth in agricultural production must be fought out aong a broad multidisciplinary front. Poverty undermines health and degrades the environment. Environmental problems such as soil erosion, water logging and salinity, and fertilizer and pesticide residues link the agricultural agenda with issues such as malaria and schistosomiasis control, sanitation and water and food quality on the health agenda: Environmental changes under way at the global level, such as acid rain, ozone depletion and climate change will require changes in food production and health practices at the practices at the producer and community level. Effective bridges must be built between the island empires of the agricultural, environmental and health sciences. (MV)