Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Quantifying spatial distributions and temporal trends of livestock populations across pastoral agroecosystems at high resolution","authors":"Mitchell Donovan , Peter Pletnyakov , Tony Van der Weerden , Cecile de Klein","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104128","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104128","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Global agroecosystems, predominantly pastoral and rangelands, are crucial for food, fibre, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity, covering about 40-50 % of Earth's land. Yet, they are also sources of greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, and land degradation. In New Zealand, nearly half the land supports grazing ruminants, significantly impacting the environment and contributing to methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Accurate livestock population data are essential to understand and mitigate these impacts.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVES</h3><div>This study aims to create a high-resolution, farm-scale dataset of livestock densities in New Zealand, using a novel methodological framework that integrates agricultural production surveys, geospatial products and data derived from remote sensing. This framework is designed to improve the accuracy of environmental assessments, inform national and global livestock inventories, and guide sustainable land-use and conservation efforts.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>The study used a combination of geodatabases, data derived from remote sensing, regional statistics, and surveys to generate high-resolution gridded data products of livestock densities. Livestock counts were refined using land cover and farm-type data to exclude non-pastoral lands and accurately estimate grazing densities. The approach integrated data cleaning, processing, and spatial analysis within Python and qGIS, providing time-series analyses and regional validations against standard survey data to ensure accuracy and reliability. The outputs were further compared with global-scale livestock data to validate the accuracy and bias in global data being used to inform international modeling efforts.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>We generated detailed maps showing spatial and temporal trends of sheep, beef, and dairy cattle across New Zealand. This high-resolution national dataset provides a more accurate national data source than previous global estimates for New Zealand and identifies biases/overestimations in global livestock data. The study also offers insights into the environmental pressures of livestock grazing, particularly regarding greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion. The research presents a significant advance in our ability to quantify livestock populations at farm scale across national extents, providing a basis for more precise environmental and policy-making decisions. It underscores the need for high-resolution, locally validated data to inform global databases and supports targeted interventions to mitigate environmental impacts.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>The study's findings are crucial for managing agroecosystems sustainably, enhancing greenhouse gas inventories, and improving land and water quality management. They represent a step forward in our ability to quantify and manage the ecological footprint of livestock farming, with implications fo","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104128"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142312717","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":"Evidence of a rebound effect in agriculture: Crop-livestock reconnection beyond the farm gate does not always lead to more sustainable nitrogen management","authors":"Olivier Godinot ,&nbsp;Julia Jouan ,&nbsp;Thomas Nesme ,&nbsp;Matthieu Carof","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Reconnecting crop and livestock production beyond the farm gate by exchanging raw materials (e.g., feed, manure) between farms is seen as a promising solution for improving the environmental performance of farms, since it should reduce the use of imported nitrogen (N) inputs. However, such a circular economy does not necessarily lead to a positive outcome, since cooperating farms might simultaneously intensify their production, which could cancel out the benefits of reconnecting crops and livestock: this is known as a rebound effect.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The aim of our study was to identify and analyze a potential rebound effect due to reconnection of crop and livestock farms.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We collected data on 18 case-study farms in a small territory in Spain. We then calculated two indicators of the N rebound effect: one based on potential savings of inorganic N fertilizer for cooperating crop farms and another based on potential savings of N losses to the environment for cooperating livestock farms.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>On cooperating crop farms, importing manure did not lead to replacement of inorganic N fertilizer and could lead more inorganic N fertilizer being used. Thus, their mean N rebound effect was 520 %, which constituted a backfire effect. This mean, however, covered large differences among farms. On cooperating dairy farms, exporting manure resulted in a mean negative rebound effect of −17 %, meaning that they achieved higher savings in the N balance than expected compared to non-cooperating dairy farms.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Our main contribution is to show that there may be a rebound effect when reconnecting crop and livestock production beyond the farm gate due to the intensification of farms. The indicators of the N rebound effect developed can thus help identify situations that improve or degrade environmental performance. They should be used to complement existing indicators, such as N-use efficiency and the N balance, to design efficient farming systems while avoiding a rebound effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104137"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142275692","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":"Drivers and barriers to digital transformation in agriculture: An evolutionary game analysis based on the experience of China","authors":"Yong Sun ,&nbsp;Yiling Miao ,&nbsp;Zhiju Xie ,&nbsp;Runtian Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104136","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104136","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The digital transformation of agriculture is a complex and dynamic process involving numerous stakeholders. Inadequate participation and collaboration from stakeholders are major factors contributing to the difficulties in agricultural digital transformation. However, there is a paucity of research that dynamically uncovers the driving forces and obstacles of agricultural digitization from the perspective of stakeholders.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The purpose of this article is to systematically analyze the drivers and obstacles faced by government incentives, digital technology service providers, and agricultural operators in participating in the digital transformation of agriculture.</div></div><div><h3>METHOD</h3><div>This article employs evolutionary game theory to construct a model of the game between digital technology service providers and agricultural operators under the exogenous influence of the government. It also conducts stable strategy analysis and numerical simulation to explain and predict the behaviors and interaction mechanisms among multiple stakeholders in the digital transformation of agriculture.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Our analysis reveals four potential equilibrium points under specific conditions, identifying that the increase in returns and the opportunity costs of not participating in agricultural digital transformation are key driving factors. Critical barriers include the high costs faced by digital technology service providers and agricultural operators, as well as the associated risks of non-participation. Government incentives emerge as a crucial exogenous factor in promoting agricultural digital transformation. To better facilitate this process, we propose policy recommendations and management insights.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study provides a new research perspective and methodology for agricultural digital transformation, offering a more comprehensive reflection of the complexity and multidimensionality of the driving and barrier factors influencing this process. It also provides theoretical support for explaining phenomena such as irrational behavior, multiple equilibria, and path dependence that exist in agricultural digital transformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104136"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142312716","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":"Stagnating rice yields in China need to be overcome by cultivars and management improvements","authors":"Huimin Zhuang ,&nbsp;Zhao Zhang ,&nbsp;Jichong Han ,&nbsp;Fei Cheng ,&nbsp;Shaokun Li ,&nbsp;Huaqing Wu ,&nbsp;Qinghang Mei ,&nbsp;Jie Song ,&nbsp;Xinyu Wu ,&nbsp;Zongliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Jialu Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104134","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104134","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>Understanding the dynamics of potential yields, actual yields, and their drivers is vital for developing sustainable agricultural management practices. Previous studies on rice in China, focusing on either limited experiments, limited driving factors, or short-term periods, reached inconsistent conclusions.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>We tried to investigate annual dynamics of rice potential yields, actual yields, and their gaps to distinguish the contributions of climate and technology to yield increases in major rice cultivation areas across China.</p></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><p>Herein, using valuable field trials from 1981 to 2018 across 205 agro-meteorological stations and the crop model CERES-Rice, we explored the spatiotemporal trends of rice yields and quantitively separated the contributions of various factors to yield increases across mainland China.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>A contrasting trend in potential yields was observed, with a decline in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR, −22.4 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) and an increase in the Northeastern China Plain (NECP, 20.0 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). Despite varying regional trends, the national yield gap narrowed to 27 % in 2018. Technological advances were the primary drivers (37.3 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) of yield increases in most areas compared to climate impact (−2.6 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). Particularly in the MLRYR, technological improvements have offset the negative impacts of climate change. Cultivars improvement contributed (14 %–22 %) more than water and fertilizer management did in the main rice-producing regions.</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>Our findings discover the evolving patterns of potential rice yields across China and the underlying drivers, providing scientific evidence for hindering rice yield stagnations by cultivars improvements and field management optimizations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104134"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142243055","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":"Integrating stakeholder value network with strategic issue management for multi-stakeholder needs and requirements analysis of vertical farming systems","authors":"Yongbing Feng,&nbsp;Guohua Gao,&nbsp;Pengyu Wang,&nbsp;Zihua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>Vertical Farming Systems (VFSs) are considered an evolutionary jump in humanity's quest for a reliable, sustainable and healthier food supply, and their design and implementation require bringing multi-stakeholder together to achieve values co-creation. However, there is a lack of the qualitative and quantitative analysis from the perspective of multi-stakeholder's value exchange to explain the complex need relationships among related VFSs and their multi-stakeholder and a lack of the research on VFSs needs (VFSs-N) from the strategic issues view to consider the balance of conflicting needs.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>To transform stakeholder needs into stakeholder requirements and capture the comprehensive and consistent VFSs requirements (VFSs-R) list.</p></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><p>This paper proposes an approach integrating stakeholder value network (SVN) and strategic issue management (SIM). This study offers a systematic framework to get a VFSs-R list. The SVN is employed for structuring a four-step needs analysis process and viewing multi-stakeholder direct and indirect need relationships as value exchanges for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Integration of stakeholder relationships and SIM is presented to reveal additional insights into the balance of conflicting VFSs-N and reduce the dimensionality of the complex relationships in SVN by issue networks (IN). In addition, based on the above analysis results, needs-to-requirements transformation can be achieved by adding identity (ID), name, description, and rationale.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>When the framework was applied to the multi-stakeholder needs and requirements analysis of the Robotic Vertical Farming Systems (RVFS) project. We can get 52 needs including 3 conflicting needs and eventually analyse and balance the needs to get a RVFS-R list of 13 well-formed and prioritized requirements.</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>These research results can help the designer identify the relatively more important requirements, whether direct or indirect, and assist the VFSs projects achieve value co-creation among stakeholders.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104133"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142243056","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":"Impact of adoption of climate smart agriculture practices on farmer's income in semi-arid regions of Karnataka","authors":"Shreya Kapoor ,&nbsp;Barun Deb Pal","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104135","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Semi-arid regions are one of the most vulnerable regions of climate change to agriculture. Karnataka, a semi-arid state of India has warmed by 0.4 °C with declining trends in average annual rainfall by 10 % over the last century, is highly vulnerable to climate change. To adapt with this climate change impact, Government of Karnataka along with CGIAR institutes and agriculture universities had initiated the Bhoo-Samrudhi program in 2013 to promote climate smart agriculture practices in the state. The primary aim of this program was to enhance crop productivity by 25 % and farmers income by 20 %.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Firstly, this study aims to identify who adopts CSA practices and at what scale? Secondly, how much additional income farmers earn by adopting CSA practices as compared the non-CSA but improved agricultural practices, and the traditional practices. Thirdly, this study estimates marginal increase in farmers income at difference scale of adoption of CSA practices. Finally, this study identifies possible challenges and opportunities in upscaling the adoption of CSA practices in the state.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;A primary survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted among the selected 1466 farmer households in four districts of Karnataka (Bidar, Chikballapur, Dharwad, and Udupi). The sample consisted of 833 adopter farmers and 633 non-adopter farmers. Non-adopter farmers were those who were following traditional practice of crop cultivation and rest of the farmers are treated as adopters. The study used multinomial logistic regression to explore what made adopter farmers different from non-adopter farmers. Further, we had applied propensity score matching and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment methods to estimate the impact of scale of adoption of CSA practices on farmers income.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results and conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The results highlighted that landholding size, education levels, and asset ownership likely affect the adoption of various levels of CSA practice intensification. Moreover, the impact of adoption on farmers' income is estimated to be Rs. 4845 for low intensified, Rs. 6801 for medium intensified, and Rs. 7858 for highly intensified farmers, in comparison to the improved technology adopters. Therefore, we can conclude that adoption of single technology may not be able to solve the problem, instead technology intensification can be a more effective mechanism to deal with the vulnerabilities and create resilience against climate change.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Significance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Technology adoption has been a proven method to improve agricultural productivity as well as income of the farmers in semi-arid regions across the globe. However, an upcoming method to improve food and livelihood security is through sustainable technological intensification. Thus, this study contributes to providing empirical and evidence-based policy suggestions to promot","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104135"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142243184","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":"Towards sustainable fruit production: Identifying challenges and optimization strategies","authors":"Liangquan Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Yan ,&nbsp;Jiayi Huang ,&nbsp;Xiuzhu Xu ,&nbsp;Siwen Zhang ,&nbsp;Shilei Cui ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Chen ,&nbsp;Zhixiong Zeng ,&nbsp;Shuangyong Huang ,&nbsp;Yingzhe Zeng ,&nbsp;Yibin Weng ,&nbsp;Bingkun Lu ,&nbsp;Da Su ,&nbsp;Wenhao Yang ,&nbsp;Yan Li ,&nbsp;Yifei Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104132","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The transition to sustainable fruit production is vital for global sustainability and agricultural development. However, implementing these insights into practice faces significant challenges.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVES&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pomelo (&lt;em&gt;Citrus maxima&lt;/em&gt;), a prominent citrus species in tropical and subtropical regions, has been cultivated to enhance farmer profitability but increasing yields often comes at the cost of environmental degradation. This study uses pomelo as a case study to assess key factors influencing pomelo production and establish optimal practices that meet consumption-based food while co-benefits for environmental and economic sustainability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;A comprehensive study was conducted by combining 1155 farm surveys (from 2010, 2018, and 2022) with 31 field experiments. Life cycle assessment (LCA), classification and regression tree (CART) analysis, and scenario analysis were employed to develop pathways for sustainable pomelo production in Pinghe County, Fujian Province, China.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Results show no significant differences in pomelo yield across the three years; however, pomelo production in 2022 demonstrated a 60 %–67 % lower in environmental footprints and a 64 %–76 % higher benefit-cost ratio (BCR) compared to 2010 and 2018. Tree age was identified as a critical factor influencing pomelo yield, with optimal yields observed in trees older than 12.5 years. The rate of phosphorus fertilizer application was a key determinant of the phosphorus footprint (PF), which was positively correlated with phosphorus fertilizer rates. Similarly, nitrogen fertilizer application significantly impacted both carbon and nitrogen footprints (CF and NF) as well as the BCR. CF and NF increased with higher nitrogen fertilizer rates, while BCR exhibited a negative correlation with nitrogen fertilizer application. Implementing Science and Technology Backyards (STB) followed by farmer training of slightly more than pomelo nutrient requirements practice (SNRP) or coordinate management by farmers and researchers of matching pomelo nutrients requirement practice (MNRP) had 50 %–91 % lower environmental footprints per ton of pomelo produced and 15 %–44 % higher BCR compared to current farming practices (FP) via reducing 46 %–77 % N, 49 %–92 % P&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt;, and 42 %–73 % K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O per hectare. Moreover, adopting 100 % MNRP in pomelo production, along with sustainable fertilizer practices and the implementation of innovative fertilizers, could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (0.76 Tg), reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions (8.76 Gg), phosphorus (P) losses (0.84 Gg), and augment net ecosystem economic benefits (NEEB) (0.94 billion CNY) at the county scale.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our study provides evidence-based strategies for achieving sustainable pomelo production through multi-stakeholder collaboration of STB, government, ent","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104132"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142172861","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":"Modelling cow longevity policies: Impacts on GHG emissions of the Swiss agricultural sector","authors":"Eva Winter ,&nbsp;Manika Rödiger ,&nbsp;Jérôme Schneuwly ,&nbsp;Anina Gilgen ,&nbsp;Gabriele Mack","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><p>The agricultural sector has a high potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One promising measure is to promote the longevity of dairy cows, as the resulting reduction in replacement heifers reduces the overall GHG emissions of the dairy sector.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>In this study, we analysed the effects of a voluntary policy programme to promote the longevity of dairy cows in Switzerland. We forecasted the effects on agricultural production (milk and meat) and GHG emissions for the Swiss agricultural sector. This voluntary direct programme was implemented by the Swiss government in 2024.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We used an interdisciplinary method and a data approach that combined several data sources and models. We implemented herdbook data on changes in milk yield and veterinary costs with an increasing number of lactations in a bio-economic farm optimisation approach. The use of an agent-based modelling framework allows the consideration of heterogeneous farm responses to the voluntary direct payment programme, which incentivises an increase in productive life of dairy cows. The results of the agent-based model were then implemented in the GHG model SAGE. Four policy scenarios were simulated. They considered two levels of direct payments (low and high) for the voluntary longevity programme and two fattening strategies for those calves no longer needed for cow replacement (4- and 10-month calf fattening). The results of the longevity scenarios were compared with a reference scenario without these direct payments.</p></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><p>Our results show a policy scenario with a high level of direct payments and a 4-month calf fattening strategy has the highest GHG emission reduction potential in Swiss agriculture</p><p>(−1.71 % of total agricultural GHG emissions and 998 CHF/t CO₂ equivalent). However, a lower level of direct payments combined with a 4-month calf fattening strategy is more cost-effective with regard to GHG emission reduction (−1.69 % of total agricultural GHG emissions and 471.5 CHF/t CO₂ equivalent). The other scenarios show lower GHG reduction potential and lower cost effectiveness. We find the voluntary direct payment programme has high wind-fall effects because the payments are not linked to changes in longevity but are distributed as long as the average number of lactations of a cow herd is three or more.</p></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><p>This study is the first to analyse a voluntary policy programme that incentivises farmers to extend the productive life of their dairy cows. Furthermore, both environmental and economic impacts are estimated with a novel mixed modelling approach.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104107"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002579/pdfft?md5=741abf5c9f4c9bd0679591b79f2d25fe&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002579-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142164645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Public and private institutional arrangements for early generation seed production: Cassava seed value chains in Southeast Asia","authors":"Erik Delaquis ,&nbsp;Conny J.M. Almekinders ,&nbsp;Stef de Haan ,&nbsp;Jonathan C. Newby ,&nbsp;Cu Thi Le Thuy ,&nbsp;Pao Srean ,&nbsp;Wannasiri Wannarat ,&nbsp;Pornsak Aiemnaka ,&nbsp;Chareinsuk Rojanaridpiched ,&nbsp;Pham Thi Nhan ,&nbsp;Phalla Kang ,&nbsp;Paul C. Struik","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104131","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Early generation seed (EGS) production and delivery pathways are critical components of so-called formal seed systems, of principal importance in the release of improved varieties into national seed systems. Vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs), with clonal reproductive ability and considerable differences in production and dissemination patterns from sexually propagated crops, often challenge generalized assumptions about ‘business models’ for private sector-led EGS production.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;We evaluate production trends and institutional arrangements for early generation ‘seed’ (stem cutting) production in the Greater Mekong Subregion of Southeast Asia to compare models, stakeholders, production pathways, and economic efficiency. We systematically document three cases of formal EGS production underpinning this globally important agricultural commodity, and contextualize their development in regional cassava production trends. We then interrogate whether the observed models support common assumptions in contemporary debates about how VPC seed system development, in particular the logic of public and private participation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;To contextualize EGS initiatives, we compiled district-level production data and processing factory locations from national sources across the Greater Mekong subregion, paired with data on varietal releases and international trade of cassava products. To evaluate institutional arrangements for cassava EGS production in this context, we conducted ten key informant interviews with stakeholders involved with three case studies in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Using a seed value chains framework, we compared institutional participation, seed multiplication practices, and partial budgets of each case.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The three cases represent diverse institutional arrangements that don't exhibit seed company-led, profit-motivated structures often recommended by experts. Despite the commercial nature of export-oriented Southeast Asian cassava products, public involvement remained central in cassava breeding and EGS delivery models, implemented via different actors and multiplication stages. Case histories and partial production budgets describe institutional arrangements with variable points of subsidy along the value chain, resulting in positive effects on varietal turnover and cassava production across the region.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;While private sector involvement was significant and variable, public involvement remains important, even for highly commercialized crops like cassava. Contrary to common assumptions, successful cassava EGS systems in Southeast Asia have initiated impressive impacts without pursuing conventionally profit-oriented seed business models. Value chain approaches reveal backing EGS yields tangible downstream benefits, but for VPCs additional innovations are required to ensure be","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104131"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142169239","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":"Market-driven transitions in the vegetable seed sector in sub-Saharan Africa","authors":"E.M.S. ter Steeg ,&nbsp;N.P. Louwaars","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>Quality vegetable seed has the potential to significantly impact nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region has the world's lowest per capita production and consumption of vegetables. Moreover, seed companies might have an important role to play, as in Asia, vegetable production and consumption increased rapidly following the expansion of the private seed sector. However, market-driven seed sector development remains contentious, with some celebrating technological advancements and others raising concerns.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>This paper contributes to seed systems literature by focusing on the role of vegetable crops and diversity within the private sector. It explores the heterogeneous character of the private sector by studying how different business models of leading vegetable seed companies jointly contribute to sector development in sub-Saharan Africa.</p></div><div><h3>METHODOLOGY</h3><p>Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted with leading vegetable seed companies operating in the region. Qualitative tools were selected to translate individual company data into general findings; while thematic analysis was used to pinpoint a private sector perspective and ideal-type analysis was used to construct business model typologies.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>The results show that seed companies collectively view seed sector development as a linear trajectory involving public and private investments to enable farmers to adopt increasingly advanced seed types, especially hybrids. In this trajectory, different companies take on different roles based on specialization in seed system functions: variety development, seed production, seed dissemination, and seed use. The coexistence of and collaboration between different (private) actors in the vegetable seed sector contribute to plurality and interaction in line with an integrated approach to seed sector development. However, it is not a static condition as company roles evolve with expanding business models in terms of seed system functions and market segments.</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>A general objective of (national) seed policies is to increase farmers' access and choice in terms of quality seed of improved varieties. Seed sector development interventions can enhance inclusivity by focusing on viable and innovative business models for niche markets in terms of farming systems and crop types.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104113"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002634/pdfft?md5=d2d5ccc33239339efa6fbf8abb0e5f47&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002634-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142164646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}