Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Food trade-offs in targeting environmental efficiency: Comparative analysis of different agricultural systems under natural constraints","authors":"Bazyli Czyżewski ,&nbsp;Anna Matuszczak ,&nbsp;Konrad Prandecki ,&nbsp;Wioletta Wrzaszcz","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>It is unclear whether the global targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved without negatively impacting food security. Some studies assume that increased agricultural productivity can improve environmental performance without reducing food availability. However, this scenario has not yet been tested at a farm level.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study examines whether increasing the environmental performance of farms reduces their potential calorie output, taking into account the interactions between different farming types (TFs) and natural constraints based on a dataset from Poland (16,263 observations from 2014 to 2022).</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>A Super-SBM DEA model with multiple desirable and undesirable outputs was employed to compute target values for caloric outputs in the technical efficiency models, both with and without taking the GHG criterion into account. Next, the causal effects of natural constraints on food trade-offs and efficiency were estimated matching similar agricultural systems by several treatment effect techniques.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Food trade-offs were confirmed to occur, accounting for 4–19% of potential calorie output (PCO), depending on the TF. These trade-offs can be mitigated by 13% or boosted by 6% of PCO due to the level of natural constraints. Interestingly, the correlation between food trade-offs and environmental efficiency varied depending on the TF: it was negative for animal specialisations and positive for field crops.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>There is a consensus that highly developed countries have a decisive influence on global food security through spot and futures markets. However, it is worth exploring whether GHG reduction can be achieved in these countries without compromising food availability?</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104680"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186835","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":"The other red meat: Environmental and nutritional advantages of horsemeat over beef and other meats","authors":"Brett R. Hankerson ,&nbsp;Daniel Müller","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Beef is the most environmentally unfriendly meat. We must explore pathways to reduce emissions from meat production.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Explore the potential for horsemeat to reduce or even replace beef as the red meat of choice.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Review and collation of relevant information and data in order to compare the production and consumption of beef with horsemeat. Important aspects to compare are emissions from production, feed and land requirements, and nutritional qualities of the meat.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Compared to beef, horsemeat contains higher protein and iron, less fat, a lower percentage of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, less cholesterol, and more essential amino acids. Regarding emissions, horses produce far less methane than cattle per kilogram of meat produced. Regarding land use, horses are less efficient digesters, which increases the total area required, though they require less cropland. Horses are also more mobile, require less protection from the elements and predators, and can graze year-round, making more marginal and distant pastures available for longer periods. Additionally, cropland currently used for feed production could be converted to high-quality hayfields, further reducing land demand.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Horsemeat is not only a viable option, but perhaps a preferable one in the face of the global need to reduce the environmental impacts of meat production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104665"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186877","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":"Impacts of sustainable cattle farming on the 2030 agenda: A global review","authors":"Stefan Burkart ,&nbsp;Manuel Francisco Díaz Baca ,&nbsp;Leonardo Moreno Lerma ,&nbsp;Natalia Triana Ángel","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The cattle sector plays a pivotal role in achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to poverty alleviation, food security, and economic growth. However, it also contributes to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, which threaten environmental sustainability and social equity.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to identify and analyze the synergies and trade-offs between cattle production and the SDGs, using a systems theory lens to assess how sustainable intensification (SI) practices can address these interlinkages and guide policy and practice toward more integrated sustainability outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic literature review was conducted, encompassing peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, and global datasets. The analysis mapped interactions between SDGs across different regions and production systems, highlighting key synergy and trade-off multipliers. It also evaluated three sustainable intensification practices (wastewater treatment, biogas production, and silvopastoral systems) based on their SDG contributions, implementation challenges, and regional applicability.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study finds that SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) act as synergy and trade-off multipliers, often achieved at the expense of SDGs 3, 6, 12, 13, and 15. Key trade-offs include biodiversity loss, water pollution, and climate change impacts. The proposed SI practices offer viable pathways to mitigate these trade-offs while enhancing income, productivity, and environmental outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The cattle sector's current development trajectory exhibits suboptimization, prioritizing economic and food outputs while externalizing environmental and social costs. SI, guided by systems thinking, can help realign sectoral practices with the integrated vision of the 2030 Agenda.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study contributes a novel SDG interaction framework for the cattle sector and provides practical, evidence-based recommendations for implementing SI practices. It supports policymakers, researchers, and development actors in designing both sectoral and cross-sectoral interventions that balance productivity, equity, and environmental stewardship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104649"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134423","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":"Growth and impending decline in groundwater dependent agriculture: exploration of sustainability policies through participatory modeling","authors":"İzel Uygur ,&nbsp;Ali Kerem Saysel ,&nbsp;İrem Daloğlu Çetinkaya","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104663","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Groundwater is a vital resource for agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions. Yet, groundwater sustainability is framed as a wicked problem due to the lack of a shared understanding of the problem and thus effective strategies, as well as conflicting goals and interests between different stakeholder groups. Çumra in Konya is one of the most prominent agricultural production hubs in Türkiye, also referred to as the breadbasket of the country. With its semi-arid climate and absence of sufficient surface water resources, Çumra is representative of similar water-stressed Mediterranean landscapes. The continuous decline in the groundwater table, along with a shift in crop patterns over the past two decades, signals overexploitation due to coordination failures and lack of collective action.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to (1) investigate the factors leading to unsustainable groundwater use in irrigation and (2) find leverage points within the system to design policies contributing to a more sustainable future, and thus securing agricultural production, the backbone of the regional economy.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Living labs are a structured approach to stakeholder participation using real-life settings as experimental spaces to co-design, test, and refine solutions with end users. Modeling and simulation are effective tools for addressing wicked problems. System dynamics models aim to capture the structural foundations that reveal the observed behavior patterns with an endogenous perspective. In this study, a formal system dynamics model is built and analyzed by the involvement of stakeholders in a living lab framework, employing the principles of community-based system dynamics and group model building. The model represents groundwater hydrology and farmers' decision-making, including crop choice, irrigation methods, and water consumption choices, and serves as a platform to evaluate various policy alternatives, such as surface water transfers from neighboring basins, crop rotation schemes, regulatory measures like well restrictions or amnesties, and interventions targeting electricity and crop prices – policies commonly suggested in similar contexts. The model is formally validated in two consecutive steps: first structurally then behaviorally. Additionally, the groundwater sub-model is partially validated against a UZF-MODFLOW model developed for the Konya Basin.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The model is run under business-as-usual conditions (without any policy interventions) and also under three different policy options that were co-designed with stakeholders in the living lab, reflecting stakeholders' preferences and attitudes and assessed against two key criteria: groundwater sustainability (indicated by groundwater table trends) and district profitability (reflecting agricultural value added). The behaviors of the key system variables are simulated over ","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104663"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186885","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":"Strengthening banana seed systems among smallholder farmers in Bugiri District, Uganda","authors":"Lucy Mulugo ,&nbsp;Florence Birungi Kyazze ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Ngolobe ,&nbsp;Aman Bonaventure Omondi","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Farmer-managed banana seed systems support biodiversity but risk spreading pests and diseases. As demand for high-quality disease-free seed grows, formal seed systems with strict standards offer a solution. However, guidance on how to effectively integrate these systems and key actors remains limited, hindering sustainable banana production.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The study investigates interactions between formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems, addressing: (i) What structures and pathways define the formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems? (ii) What are the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders facilitating interactions within the integrated seed systems?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A qualitative approach was used to analyze interactions between formal and farmer-managed seed systems through 12 key informant interviews and 12 focus group discussions. Content and thematic analysis were used to identify crucial structures, pathways, and stakeholder roles in facilitating these seed system interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The farmer-managed seed system dominated, relying on trusted informal exchange of suckers, while formal seed sources like research institutions and certified nurseries were rarely used. Stakeholder engagement focused on seed sourcing, mother garden establishment, and awareness creation. Harmonizing differing quality perceptions would foster system integration. A proposed strategy outlines stakeholder roles to integrate formal and farmer-managed systems, ensuring local adaptability and genetic diversity preservation.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Integrating formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems offers a scalable pathway for delivering clean, disease-free planting material of the desired varieties to smallholders. By clarifying stakeholder roles and linking certification with farmer-led multiplication, this approach informs seed policy and development investments that improve seed quality, strengthen biosecurity, and sustain access to locally adapted planting material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104654"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186845","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":"Self-cover cropping systems and the plusquam-annual: New tools for cropping system sustainability","authors":"Virginia Nichols ,&nbsp;Prabin Bajgain ,&nbsp;Laura Dixon ,&nbsp;Kim Henrik Hebelstrup ,&nbsp;Claus Krogh Madsen ,&nbsp;Robin Morgan ,&nbsp;Valentin Picasso","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Annual grains form the basis of human diets and thus agricultural systems, but the seasonal fallow phases inherent in their production pose environmental challenges. While cover cropping and perennial grains offer potential solutions, both currently carry significant practical hurdles to wide-scale implementation. Here we introduce self-cover cropping systems - achieved through post-harvest crop regrowth - to deliver cover crop-like ecosystem services with fewer challenges. As a corollary, we define <em>plusquam-</em>annuals (meaning “more-than annuals”) as a distinct, novel crop growth habit characterized by a single grain harvest followed by regrowth with no expectation of a second grain harvest. We suggest viable <em>plusquam</em>-annual cereals may already exist and offer a conceptual framework that invites empirical exploration with both applied and theoretical significance for supporting sustainable agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104657"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186884","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":"How does peanut yield fluctuate under irrigation practices and precipitation anomalies? Modelling insights from the North China plain","authors":"Shah Jahan Leghari ,&nbsp;Wenting Han ,&nbsp;Ghulam Raza Sargani ,&nbsp;Yaseen Laghari ,&nbsp;Yichang Wei ,&nbsp;Lihua Cui ,&nbsp;Abdul Hafeez Laghari ,&nbsp;Mukesh Kumar Soothar ,&nbsp;Uzair Ahmad ,&nbsp;Wajahat Waseem","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><strong>CONTEXT:</strong> Water scarcity and erratic precipitation driven by climate change adversely affected peanut yields, water and nitrogen use efficiencies in the North China Plain<strong>.</strong></div><div><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> This study aimed to analyze the impact of irrigation practices and long-term precipitation deviation on peanut production systems using a modelling approach.</div><div><strong>METHODS:</strong> Flood-irrigated, drip and rainfed peanut production systems were evaluated in a two-year field experiment and modelling analysis. The irrigation amounts in flood and drip were 160–180 mm and 90–110 mm, respectively. The rainfed system was completely maintained under natural precipitation conditions. The WHCNS (Water-heat‑carbon‑nitrogen-simulator) model was calibrated using measured plant growth, yields, soil and weather data of the first year and validated using a data set of the second year. Model simulation robustness was investigated using Root mean square error, Mean absolute error, Index of agreement, Kling-Gupta coefficient and R². The validated model was applied to assess the impact of long-term 29-year seasonal precipitation deviation on each cultivation system.</div><div><strong>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:</strong> The results showed that the flood-irrigated peanut production system consumed 70% (70 mm ha⁻¹) more average irrigation water and led to 46% (8 kg ha⁻¹) greater NO₃⁻ leaching, making it inefficient compared to the drip-irrigation method. The drip-irrigated peanut production system had significantly high yields, water and nitrogen use efficiencies at <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05. The water use efficiencies were 2.81 and 2.72 kg m⁻³ in drip and flood systems, respectively. The rainfed peanut declined an average yield by 51% (2891 kg ha⁻¹) compared to drip-irrigation (5905 kg ha⁻¹). Furthermore, the long-term precipitation scenario prediction reflected obvious water and nitrogen losses in flood-irrigated peanut at increasing precipitation rates. The rainfed peanut production had consistently low yields with 17–19% yield loss in dry seasons compared to normal and wet conditions. Thus, it is found to be most vulnerable to drought. Changing the flood and rainfed peanut cultivated area to the drip-irrigation method is recommended.</div><div><strong>SIGNIFICANCE:</strong> The WHCNS model was successfully applied to explore water and nitrogen dynamics and simulate peanut yields in flood, drip and rainfed conditions. Yield fluctuations were quantified in the normal, wet and dry seasons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104666"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134422","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":"Agronomic and systemic challenges in organic agriculture exhibit asymmetric economies of scale","authors":"Shriya ,&nbsp;Houston Wilson ,&nbsp;Mark Lubell","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104645","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104645","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Despite a policy emphasis on supporting the expansion of certified organic agriculture to address environmental degradation and climate change, the rate of growth of organic acreage in the United States has slowed in the last few years. There is a limited literature on how farm scale and type influence the challenges that growers face.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This paper explores how the scale of different farm operations as well as organic farm type – either fully organic, mixed organic and conventional, or transitioning to organic – influence the extent of agronomic and systemic challenges that growers face.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>This analysis uses a quantitative survey of 350 organic growers in California, complemented by semi-structured, qualitative interviews with actors across the industry.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Findings suggest an asymmetry between larger growers who face greater agronomic challenges such as managing weeds and pests or incorporating agroecological practices, versus smaller growers who face more systemic challenges such as finding adequate markets and regulation. We argue that economies of scale do not operate to the same extent in organic agriculture, which makes scaling up to larger operations (that are often mixed with conventional production) more challenging.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Targeted technical advisory and differential resource supports for each of these producer subgroups might help alleviate challenges associated with success in organic farming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104645"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134416","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":"Assessment of energy, environmental, and economic performance in okra cultivation systems in Khuzestan Province, Iran","authors":"Ashkan Jalilian ,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Jahansuz ,&nbsp;Hassan Ghasemi Mobtaker ,&nbsp;Mostafa Oveisi ,&nbsp;Hosain Moghadam ,&nbsp;Shiva Ghaznavi ,&nbsp;Ali Kaab","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The agricultural sector is responsible for approximately 10–12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Optimizing input use in cropping systems is essential for improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. Okra is an economically important crop in Khuzestan Province, Iran, where diverse production systems, including monoculture, intercropping (okra–cucumber), and agroforestry (okra–date palm), are practiced. However, a comprehensive assessment integrating energy, economic, and environmental indicators for these systems in this region has not been conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to provide the first integrated comparison of okra cultivation under three systems agroforestry (okra–date palm), monoculture, and intercropping (okra–cucumber) in Khuzestan Province, Iran, evaluating their energy, economic, and environmental performance to identify the most sustainable management approach.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A field-based analysis was conducted to quantify production costs, gross income, and energy flows (input and output) for each system. Environmental impacts were assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA) using the ReCiPe 2016 method.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>Production costs per hectare were highest in intercropping (US$3179.04) and lowest in agroforestry (US$2013.22). Gross income was greatest in agroforestry (US$9057.69) and lowest in monoculture (US$5336.54). Input energy peaked in intercropping (81,269 MJ ha⁻¹), whereas output energy was highest in agroforestry (113,715 MJ ha⁻¹). Energy ratios were 0.223 (monoculture), 0.460 (intercropping), and 2.166 (agroforestry). Environmental damage contributions were lowest in agroforestry (23%) and highest in intercropping (40%), with major impacts from chemical fertilizers, diesel, and plastics. Overall, agroforestry showed the most balanced performance across economic, energy, and environmental indicators.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>These findings identify agroforestry as the most sustainable okra production system in Khuzestan Province, Iran, and provide a practical reference for improving resource-efficient and environmentally sound crop management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104664"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146152838","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":"Farming systems in the Peruvian amazon: A fuzzy cognitive mapping study on the impact of interventions","authors":"Elisabeth G. Lagneaux ,&nbsp;Katrien Descheemaeker ,&nbsp;Erika N. Speelman ,&nbsp;Daniel Callo-Concha","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3><em>CONTEXT</em></h3><div>The agricultural frontier in the Peruvian Amazon is advancing rapidly, and smallholder farming is becoming a major driver of deforestation. Consequently, a growing number of institutions are attempting to influence smallholders' decisions through a variety of approaches. However, it remains unclear how these interventions affect the farming system and which interventions are perceived as more desirable or supportive by farmers.</div></div><div><h3><em>OBJECTIVE</em></h3><div>This study aims to explore how smallholder farmers' perception of the farming system is influenced by different levels of private and public interventions.</div></div><div><h3><em>METHODS</em></h3><div>We draw on a series of interviews with farmers (<em>n</em> = 57) and institutional representatives (<em>n</em> = 14) in Madre de Dios, Peru. We categorized the intervening institutions and used individual and aggregated Fuzzy-Cognitive Maps to characterize differences in perspectives across four groups of farmers, divided between those who reported receiving no support, material support, knowledge support, or market-based support.</div></div><div><h3><em>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</em></h3><div>We identified 21 institutions whose activities influenced farmers' land use, of which about half were public (governmental) and half private (mostly nongovernmental organizations). Governmental institutions, typically aiming at socio-economic improvement, provided technical and material support. NGOs, typically aiming at environmental protection, provided material, knowledge, and market-based support. NGOs reached fewer farmers than government programs. Interventions influenced various aspects of the farming system, especially crop choice, and were perceived by farmers as having a mostly positive impact. The more support farmers received, the more they seemed to favor perennial over annual crops.</div></div><div><h3><em>SIGNIFICANCE</em></h3><div>Given that external interventions play a prominent role in shaping the farming system, integral interventions – targeting environmental, economic, and social dimensions of support – are required to effectively address land use issues in the Peruvian Amazon.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 104682"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186886","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}