Lynam, J.K. and Herdt, R.W., 1989. Sense and sustainability: Sustainability as an objective in international agricultural research. Agric. Econ., 3: 381-398.This paper first discusses how to use sustainability as a criterion by which to evaluate agricultural research, then illustrates the difficulties inherent in applying the criterion and finally draws implications for international agricultural research. Seven propositions relating to sustainability are stated. Agricultural researchers are urged to (a) recognize the importance of the sustainability of agricultural systems. (b) devise appropriate ways to measure sustainability, (c) empirically examine the sustainability of some well-defined cropping or farming systems, (d) define the externalities that exist in such systems, and (e) develop methods to measure those externalities.

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Lynam, J.K. and Herdt, R.W., 1989. Sense and sustainability: Sustainability as an objective in international agricultural research. Agric. Econ., 3: 381-398.This paper first discusses how to use sustainability as a criterion by which to evaluate agricultural research, then illustrates the difficulties inherent in applying the criterion and finally draws implications for international agricultural research. Seven propositions relating to sustainability are stated. Agricultural researchers are urged to (a) recognize the importance of the sustainability of agricultural systems. (b) devise appropriate ways to measure sustainability, (c) empirically examine the sustainability of some well-defined cropping or farming systems, (d) define the externalities that exist in such systems, and (e) develop methods to measure those externalities.

The impact of a technologically induced rightward shift in the supply function of a commodity grown and partly consumed by semisubsistence farmers is examined. In closed-economy, free market situations, the distribution of economic gains between consumers and producers depends on the proportional shift of the supply function, proportion of the commodity marketed, and elasticities of demand and supply for the commodity. Differences in adoption and marketable surplus between large and small farmers result in differential benefits, but over a range of parameter values, small farmers gain as much or more than large farmers when supply shifts faster than demand.

The consequences of the invention of DNA-based molecular techniques and their application to agriculture have been pervasive. This review examines the key consequences for farmers and the public. These include widespread commercial applications of agricultural biotechnology in a limited number of countries, a large private-sector investment in biotechnology research, significant economic contributions to farmers, continuing controversy over its environmental impacts, a proliferation of regulations (both national and international as a consequence of the technology and property rights), a wide range of changing public reaction, and relatively little contribution of the technology to increasing food production, nutrition, or farm incomes in less-developed countries.