Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Achieving the once-unthinkable: Successful Rabi cropping via technology integration in coastal saline Bengal","authors":"Donald S. Gaydon , Sukamal Sarkar , Mohammed Mainuddin , Edward G. Barrett-Lennard , Richard W. Bell , Koushik Brahmachari , Md. Maniruzzaman , Buddheswar Maji , Md. Alimur Rahman , Md. Enamul Kabir , Md.Harunor. Rashid , Md. Shahidul Islam Khan , Mustafa Kamal Shahadat , Khokan Kumer Sarker , Mark R. Glover , Sukanta Kumar Sarangi , Apurbo Kumar Chaki , Dhiman Burman , Md. Belal Hossain , Uttam Kumar Mandal , Manoj Kumar Nanda","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104539","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104539","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Agricultural productivity in the coastal saline zones of the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India faces significant constraints due to high soil salinity, seasonal waterlogging, freshwater scarcity, and increasing climatic variability. These challenges collectively limit the sustainability and intensification of dry season (<em>Rabi</em>) cropping systems, thereby impeding regional food security and livelihoods.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the key biophysical constraints affecting <em>Rabi</em> season cropping systems and to evaluate the integration of key agronomic and water management technologies using a combination of field experimentation and cropping systems modelling, with the goal of supporting climate-resilient intensification in coastal saline environments.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Two years of field experimentation were conducted across multiple locations, generating a comprehensive validation dataset comprising 139 crop instances, including transplanted Aman (T. Aman) rice, wheat, maize, sunflower, grass pea, and lentil. These datasets represented a diverse range of potentially integratable technologies and agroecological conditions. The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM), employing the APSIM-SWIM3 module, was used to simulate crop production outcomes for a range of different integrated technologies. To achieve this, a novel modelling approach was developed to dynamically simulate surface soil salinity and moisture, and then its subsequent effects on crop production, using daily inputs of water table depth, salinity, irrigation, and climatic data.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>APSIM simulations closely matched observed field data, with performance metrics (RMSE, R<sup>2</sup>) falling within acceptable ranges of experimental uncertainty. Long-term (25-years) scenario analyses demonstrated that advancing sowing dates by 15–30 days could substantially increase yield potential by reducing salinity exposure during critical crop stages. However, early sowing increased the risk of waterlogging, especially in low-lying fields. In some cases, the incorporation of in-field drainage structures was shown to mitigate waterlogging risks effectively. In situations where this is not possible due to landscape constraints, model-based identification of optimal sowing periods provided a viable alternative to reduce risk of waterlogging. Additionally, the retention of crop residues was shown to reduce surface soil evaporation and salinity accumulation, increasing yield, particularly in late-sown <em>Rabi</em> crops.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Focusing on the integration of four key technologies— short-season improved Kharif rice varieties, early Rabi crop sowing, field drainage, and crop residue retention—this study delivers a validated, model-supported decision framework for enhancing <em>Rabi</em> cropping in coa","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104539"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digitalising agriculture with the internet of things: Insights from Canadian collaborators","authors":"Melanie McCaig ,&nbsp;Davar Rezania ,&nbsp;Rozita Dara","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104520","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104520","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The digitalisation of agriculture through Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is promoted as a driver of efficiency and sustainability, yet adoption remains uneven, particularly where farmers face barriers of skills, trust, and infrastructure.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study explores how Canadian farmers, industry representatives, and government officials construct discourses around IoT adoption, and how these shape opportunities, constraints, and legitimacy.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We conducted 47 semi-structured interviews with farmers, industry actors, and government officials. Thematic analysis identified 12 themes, organised along two continua: individual versus structural opportunities and rational versus cultural elements. The analysis was guided by a dual lens framework of opportunity structures and loose coupling.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Adoption depended on both individual capacities (training, simplicity, digital literacy) and structural conditions (labour, routines, connectivity). Legitimacy was negotiated through rational evaluations of utility and risk and cultural considerations such as values, ethics, and identity. Adoption unfolded through loosely coupled discourses, producing incremental and uneven rather than uniform diffusion.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>The study advances debates on agricultural digitalisation by showing how adoption is experienced through everyday practices, negotiated legitimacy, and loosely coupled diffusion. Beyond Canada, the framework offers a transferable lens for analysing contested adoption in agriculture and other socio-technical systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104520"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Performances of conventional and organic livestock development scenarios in France through nitrogen flow analysis","authors":"Fanny Vergely,&nbsp;Aurélie Wilfart,&nbsp;Joël Aubin,&nbsp;Souhil Harchaoui","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Organic agriculture (OA) is promoted in the European Union (EU) as a sustainable form of agriculture. However, its expansion may be limited by its dependence on external nitrogen (N) resources, such as conventional manure and imported feed, as it prohibits the use of industrial fertilisers. There is currently no consensus on the role of livestock in scenarios of OA expansion, despite their critical contribution to increasing soil fertility through grazing and nutrient cycling via manure and urine.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Here, we explored the expansion of OA with a view to having 25 % of total agricultural land under OA by 2030, as defined by the EU Green Deal policy, using two development pathways for organic and conventional livestock: business as usual (BAU) and halving the number of livestock (HL).</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We modelled N flows for organic, conventional and the entire agricultural system using an existing N budget model applied at the national scale for France.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The results indicated that changing the numbers of livestock species when expanding OA influences N availability. Transitioning to 25 % of agricultural land under OA along with increasing the number of organic livestock in the BAU and HL scenarios decreased total N input, especially industrial fertiliser and feed imports, by 9 % and 28 %, respectively, while decreasing N surpluses by 9 % and 26 %, respectively. In parallel, in the BAU and HL scenarios, biological N fixation increased by 32 % and 61 %, respectively, N output in animal and crop products decreased by 9 % and 30 %, respectively, due to the lower productivity of organic livestock and crops. Notably, this transition implied decreasing human consumption of animal products in the BAU and HL scenarios by 5 % and 30 %, respectively. The scenarios demonstrated the key contribution of livestock and biological N fixation of legumes to the expansion of OA, but further analysis is required, such as considering changes in human diets, farming practices or land use.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study highlights simultaneous trade-offs of two agricultural systems at the national scale.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104527"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the persistence of rice residue burning in northwestern India: A mixed methods approach","authors":"Divya Solomon ,&nbsp;Andrew McDonald ,&nbsp;Christopher B Barrett ,&nbsp;Prakashan Chellattan Veettil ,&nbsp;Buta Singh Dhillon","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104530","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Air pollution from rice residue burning in Northwest India remains an acute environmental and public health threat despite significant and sustained public investments in new technologies.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study investigates how farmers make decisions on rice residue management in Punjab State in Northwest India and why rice residue burning persists despite increase in &lt;em&gt;in situ&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ex situ&lt;/em&gt; rice residue management options.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The study uses a mixed methods approach that combines qualitative analysis of 90 semi-structured farmer interviews that account for sub-regional differences in burning, followed by a quantitative analysis using secondary and spatial data from the years 2018–22 to identify key seasonal factors that determine residue burning patterns. Using this multi-scalar mixed methods approach we identify key social, economic, technological, and environmental factors that form the basis of crop residue management decisions and residue-burning practices in the study region.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The qualitative analysis indicates that a complete shift away from burning is associated with a combination of evolving community norms discouraging the practice, machinery access along with appropriate agronomic practices, and provision of technological support services. In regions where burning persists, agronomic practices including cultivation of long duration rice and environmental factors such as temperature and rainfall around rice harvest contribute to year-to-year variation in the choice of rice residue management methods. An increase in ‘partial’ burning practices, where farmers burn loose straw was also documented and associated with the field use of &lt;em&gt;in situ&lt;/em&gt; residue management machinery without complementary technologies. Results from the quantitative analysis confirm that the introduction of these technologies are not significantly associated with reductions in residue burning, while the growing length of rice, particularly beyond 115 days is significantly associated with increase in residue burning. The results also indicate that seasonal weather factors including temperature and rainfall as well as soil water index are significantly associated with residue burning intensity.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Based on our results, we suggest short term interventions focused on tactical solutions including, residue monitoring along with deployment of residue collection to curb burning, medium term interventions focused on improving residue management options including developing value chains for residue and improving the technology landscape and long term shifts toward more environmentally sustainable and resilient agricultural practices including foundational changes in farm management practices and crop diversification to permanently curb residue burning practices in the region.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/d","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104530"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Farmers' preferences for adoption of service plants in biological control and implications for agricultural system design","authors":"Margot Gumbau,&nbsp;Johanna Kupka,&nbsp;Laurent Penet,&nbsp;François Causeret,&nbsp;Jean-Marc Blazy","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Decreasing recourse to chemicals in agriculture is a major challenge in the development of more sustainable agrosystems. Conservation biological control could be key to addressing this challenge by promoting pest regulation using natural enemies.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>We investigated ex ante perceptions and preferences of farmers about conservation biological control via the use of service plants to attract parasitoids. The aim of this study is to allow for designing systems matching with farmers vision, with higher chances of adoption.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We interviewed 30 farmers involved in cucumber production in Guadeloupe, and used survey results to build a typology of farms. Farm Types were then assessed for characteristics with a focus on innovation variables. We further assessed how preferences, constraints and opportunities about service plants aiming for biological control differed among farm types. Variable significance was assessed with ANOVA and Chi-square testing, and we processed with post-hoc tests for significantly impacting variables. Finally, we translated these results into recommendations for agricultural systems and policy design.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>We documented a general interest in innovation but heterogeneity across farm types in terms of farmers' willingness to test and to adopt specific innovation. Knowledge about natural regulation was key for adoption. Workload and cash flow constraints significantly limited adoption of service plants. Despite differences in adoption levels, all farmers shared the same perception of constraints and opportunities for adoption and demonstrated similar preferences regarding service plant traits. Integrating service plants relevant to biological control in the fields should also consider other benefits and services to farmers, and should be supported by broad minded policies and training accessibility.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Our results highlight that integrating service plants in innovative cropping schemes should consider farmers preferences and constraints and envision multiple criteria for success, as well as supporting policies for adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104535"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing agroforestry system resilience: Harnessing environmental vulnerability data to map restoration and pave the way for karst desertification control","authors":"Jie Xiao ,&nbsp;Yiling Yang ,&nbsp;Kangning Xiong ,&nbsp;Shilian Jiang ,&nbsp;Yunting Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104538","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Environmental vulnerability, distinct from climatic vulnerability, is significantly shaped by human–environment interactions. Agroforestry systems in karst desertification areas are key components in sustaining crop production, livelihoods, and ecological restoration. However, the feedback mechanisms that influence their vulnerability and resilience remain understudied.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aimed to assess the environmental vulnerability of agroforestry systems in karst desertification areas and explore the dynamic relationship between vulnerability and resilience. By identifying the key drivers of vulnerability, we provide actionable insights for enhancing sustainable agricultural management.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This manuscript has established a comprehensive index calculation system employing subjective-objective combined weighting, which integrates regional meteorological data, field sampling data of plant and soil characteristics, government reports, and farmer interview data. The research employs multiple statistical methods including analysis of variance, sensitivity analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, stepwise regression, random forest regression, redundancy analysis, and hierarchical partitioning to test relevant hypotheses and quantitatively assess environmental vulnerability and resilience in karst desertification area versus non-desertification area.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our research demonstrates that environmental vulnerability indices of agroforestry systems in karst desertification areas fluctuate within a range of 0.35 (low vulnerability) to 0.67 (high vulnerability), which are generally lower than those in karst non-desertification regions. This difference is primarily attributed to the varying priorities and resource investments that agroforestry systems have received in participating in karst desertification ecological control. Further integration of these differences reveals that key factors affecting environmental vulnerability of agroforestry systems include agronomic management disturbance measures, rock exposure rates, slope gradients, soil thickness, soil quality, and net primary productivity. Based on these factors, our analysis reveals close correlations between vulnerability drivers and both adaptive capacity and recovery capacity within the resilience indicator framework. Notably, whilst karst desertification areas have prioritised protection and restoration measures, agroforestry systems in karst non-desertification areas exhibit higher vulnerability due to excessive agronomic management interference and insufficient ecological control resource investment. The inverse relationship between vulnerability and resilience highlights the importance of developing contextualised strategies tailored to the unique conditions of karst agroforestry systems.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study establishes a","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104538"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal differentiation and evolution of associated networks of China's agricultural innovation ecosystem","authors":"Fei Liu ,&nbsp;Di Zheng ,&nbsp;Dongyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Bo Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Exploring the spatiotemporal patterns and evolution of spatial association networks of agricultural innovation ecosystems is crucial for coordinated regional agricultural development. Currently, its development exhibits regional imbalance, and the overall level needs further improvement.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Based on China's provincial data from 2012 to 2023, an evaluation index system is constructed to explore the spatiotemporal pattern evolution, centroid migration, dispersion trends, and characteristics of spatial association networks of agricultural innovation ecosystems.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Methods including game theory-based combined weighting, kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse, modified gravity model, and social network analysis are adopted.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Temporally, indices at national and four regional levels show fluctuating upward trends; inter-provincial growth gaps expand, with the eastern region at the highest level, while the western and northeastern regions have similar levels with balanced intra-regional development.</div><div>Spatially, overall levels improve with narrowing regional differences, showing a gradient decrease from southeast to northwest; the centroid shifts from northwest to southeast, tending toward spatial convergence.</div><div>Association networks present complex multi-line structures with good connectivity, with increasing network density but declining hierarchy and efficiency.</div><div>In spatial clustering, eastern and southern regions are mostly net beneficiary areas, western regions are mainly net spillover areas, the central region plays an intermediary role, and inter-block effects have significantly improved.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Theoretically, it enriches quantitative research paradigms, fills gaps in spatiotemporal evolution and association network mechanisms, and deepens theoretical cognition from a complex system perspective.</div><div>Practically, it provides a basis for improving overall levels, formulating differentiated strategies, and optimizing resource allocation, helping address regional imbalance and offering references for global agricultural development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104537"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Context-sensitive agricultural sustainability assessment: A systematic review of frameworks and local adaptation criteria","authors":"Ting Deng ,&nbsp;Zeeda F. Mohamad","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Global agriculture is facing mounting pressures from climate change, resource degradation, and socio-economic inequalities. These challenges emphasize the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices that foster long-term resilience. Agricultural Sustainability Assessment (ASA) tools, which integrate environmental, economic, and social dimensions, are essential in guiding policy development and assessing the sustainability of agricultural practices. However, the ASA tools show various limitations in terms of local adaptability.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study systematically reviews ASA frameworks, with a particular focus on how well these tools incorporate local adaptation criteria. The aim is to evaluate existing frameworks' strengths, limitations, and their ability to adapt to diverse agricultural contexts.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>This review applies the PRISMA 2020 methodology for systematic reviews and integrated with PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) to propose three research questions. A total of 33 peer-reviewed articles were analyzed, focusing on ASA tools across different agricultural systems. The study identifies key criteria for local adaptation, assessing the performance of various tools against these standards.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The review found significant variability across ASA tools in terms of their local adaptation capabilities. Indicator-Based Frameworks (IBFs) tend to perform well in providing standardized comparisons but fall short in addressing dynamic, local needs. In contrast, Decision Support Tools (DSTs) excel in integrating real-time data and scenario modeling, but often lack effective stakeholder participation and feedback mechanisms. Tools like MOTIFS, SAFA, and FSA showed strength in multi-stakeholder collaboration and user-driven flexibility, while SENSE Tool and APEX demonstrated robustness in real-time data integration and scenario simulation. The findings underscore the need for hybrid models that combine the strengths of both structured and non-structured optimizations to create ASA tools that are both scientifically rigorous and adaptable to local conditions. Enhancing stakeholder collaboration and feedback mechanisms will further improve the local relevance and practical usability of ASA tools.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study provides pathways for improving local adaptation in ASA tools, ensuring that they can better address the heterogeneity of agricultural systems across different regions. By incorporating dynamic, local data, and fostering participatory design, future ASA tools can offer more accurate and context-sensitive sustainability assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104532"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Balancing livestock production and rangeland conservation: An inverse data envelopment analysis approach","authors":"Masoumeh Arabollah Firozjah ,&nbsp;Azar Sheikhzeinoddin ,&nbsp;Mohammad Bakhshoodeh ,&nbsp;Gholam R. Amin","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104528","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Pasture-based livestock systems are essential to the agricultural economy of countries, where they play a crucial role in food production and the well-being of rural communities. However, unsustainable grazing practices have led to widespread pasture degradation, threatening long-term productivity and environmental health. This study addresses the critical challenge of balancing the economic benefits of livestock production with the need to protect pastures and minimize environmental harm.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to address key objectives in sustainable livestock management: (1) evaluating the environmental efficiency of pastoralists, assessing the impact of grazing intensity and herd size on pasture degradation; (2) developing a DEA optimization model to explore economic-environmental strategies for reducing pasture degradation and grazing control to promote sustainability while maintaining environmental efficiency; (3) assessing the potential for reducing pasture degradation and its economic implications; and (4) providing policy recommendations for herd size regulation, feed subsidies, and grazing control to promote sustainability.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Data for this study were collected from pastoralists in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Environmental efficiency was assessed using data envelopment analysis (DEA), focusing on grazing intensity, herd size, and pasture degradation. An inverse DEA model was developed to evaluate an integrated economic-environmental strategy, including reducing herd size, increasing government feed distribution, and limiting total digestible nutrients (TDN) harvested.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The findings in this study indicate that implementing an integrated economic-environmental strategy significantly reduces pasture degradation while maintaining or improving environmental efficiency. The analysis shows that environmental efficiency decreases with increasing herd size and grazing intensity, and the strategy's key benefit lies in reducing pasture degradation, particularly in inefficient units and high-grazing-intensity pastures. The study suggests that improvements in pasture management, including herd size reduction and better feed distribution, can enhance sustainability. Policymakers should consider compensating pastoralists for short-term losses while promoting long-term benefits such as ecosystem preservation and increased livestock productivity. The results underscore the need for a balanced approach that incorporates economic and environmental goals for sustainable pasture-based livestock systems.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study introduces an innovative application of inverse DEA for evaluating sustainability strategies in pasture-based livestock systems. The findings offer methodological contributions to the environmental efficiency literature and provide actionable insights for policymake","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104528"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable digitalisation - a system thinking approach for determining costs and benefits in the agri-sector","authors":"K. Soma ,&nbsp;G. Brunori ,&nbsp;C. Giagnocavo ,&nbsp;F. Meulman ,&nbsp;M. Ryan ,&nbsp;R.M. Heredia Hortigüela ,&nbsp;C. Iliopoulos ,&nbsp;M. Paulus ,&nbsp;A. Ferrari ,&nbsp;E. Kilis ,&nbsp;S. Grando ,&nbsp;V. Bellon-Maurel ,&nbsp;A. Knierim ,&nbsp;A. Gobrecht ,&nbsp;T. Selnes ,&nbsp;L. Ortolani ,&nbsp;M. Bacco ,&nbsp;C. Mannari","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The digital transformation of agriculture is widely promoted as a pathway to sustainability, yet the actual outcomes of digitalisation remain uncertain and context-dependent. As such, technology uptake among businesses can have positive impacts on individual farms, while the aggregated outcomes of digitalisation involving multiple farms and multi-actors in associated networks are fully uncertain. The novelty of this research is the introduction of an approach to investigate costs and benefits in different contexts at different levels of digitalisation.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The main objective is to introduce a systems-based approach for assessing sustainable digitalisation by differentiating outcomes across multiple levels of analysis. This approach is designed to address the common pitfall of generalising impacts such as assuming large-scale effects based on evidence limited to the farm level.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This research is based on a scoping literature review in the European Union Horizon Europe project called CODECS, which is highly suited for interdisciplinary research with multiple topics.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusion</h3><div>A framework has been designed to clarify the needs for distinguishing costs and benefits of digitalisation across three interconnected system levels: digitised socio-physical systems, socio-cyber-physical systems, and governance-cyber-ecological systems. To deal with complexities at each level, the framework integrates internal and external drivers, contextual conditions, and value-based perspectives, which all will influence outcomes of sustainability assessments.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The framework offers a practical tool for researchers, policymakers, and innovation actors, to deal with the complexities of digital transitions in agriculture, to reach at sustainable digitalisation outcomes in a long term regionally, as well as in a short-term locally, by enhanced understanding of the needs for distinguished sustainability assessment applications to reach at more accurate costs and benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 104529"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}