Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Farmers' attitudes toward the use of digital technologies in the context of agri-environmental policies","authors":"Rubén Granado-Díaz ,&nbsp;Sergio Colombo ,&nbsp;Marina Romero-Varo ,&nbsp;Anastasio J. Villanueva","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>Environmental policies are increasingly relying on digitalization to improve efficiency. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on farmers' attitudes toward digitally-based environmental policies.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>This paper contributes to the literature by providing quantitative insights on farmers' attitudes in such contexts, focusing on the use of digital technologies for the implementation of results-based agri-environmental policy.</p></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><p>The analysis focuses on the case study of the implementation of innovative, digitally- and results-based agri-environment and climate schemes in two Mediterranean agri-systems: Mediterranean oak savannah (<em>dehesa</em>) and sloping olive groves (SOG). The assessment relies on a latent class analysis using survey data from a large sample of southern Spanish farmers. In addition, a Step-3 model was used to identify determinants of farmers' class membership.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>The results show a high degree of heterogeneity in farmers' attitudes, with three different classes of farmers identified: proactive, skeptical, and reluctant farmers (membership probability of 0.62, 0.25, and 0.13, respectively), basically showing positive, mixed, and negative attitudes toward using digital technologies in environmental policies. Class belonging is determined by farm and farmer characteristics (especially the farm's main agri-system, family labor use, and farmer's education level and age), farmer attitudes (toward environmental results and their certification), and specific agri-system features (economic dependence).</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>The results are useful for better tailoring digitally-based agri-environmental policies; the diverse costs and benefits that different farmers can expect from the introduction of digital technologies in policy implementation and monitoring should be carefully considered.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104129"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002798/pdfft?md5=c4e90cf3cccf615c1b64c4e90368796b&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002798-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142164647","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":"The potential for index-based crop insurance to stabilize smallholder farmers' gross margins in Northern Ghana","authors":"Opeyemi Obafemi Adelesi ,&nbsp;Yean-Uk Kim ,&nbsp;Johannes Schuler ,&nbsp;Peter Zander ,&nbsp;Michael Murithi Njoroge ,&nbsp;Lilian Waithaka ,&nbsp;Alhassan Lansah Abdulai ,&nbsp;Dilys Sefakor MacCarthy ,&nbsp;Heidi Webber","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104130","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Smallholder farmers in semi-arid West Africa face challenges such as weather variability, soil infertility, and inadequate market infrastructure, hindering their adoption of improved farming practices. Economic risks associated with uncertain weather, production and market conditions often result in measures such as selling assets and withdrawing children from school, resulting in long-term impoverishment. To break these poverty traps, there is a need for affordable and sustainable risk management approaches at the farm level. Proposed strategies include risk reduction through stress-resistant crop varieties and diversification, additional investments transfer options like crop insurance and contract farming. Despite experimentation with insurance products in sub-Saharan Africa, low adoption persists due to many factors including high premiums, imperfect indices, and cognitive factors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The objective of this study is to assess the probability of two different index-based insurance products to stabilize smallholder farmers' income and limit asset losses in Northern Ghana using an integrated bio-economic modelling approach.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Method&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;We adapted an existing integrated bio-economic model comprising a process-based crop model, farm simulation model, and annual optimization model by including insurance contracts to assess their impacts on farmers' income and assets. We collaborated with an insurance service provider in sub–Saharan Africa to design and compare two weather index-based insurance contracts—one covering seeding costs and another addressing full input costs. Additionally, we considered the impact of management adaptations, such as replanting after crop establishment failure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The result from the study suggests that except for the most resource constrained, farmers would be better off purchasing seed insurance and replanting in the event of weather shocks, stabilizing their incomes and reducing the sale of their assets. These insurance options are less expensive than full weather index insurance for the resource-constrained farmers considering that extreme weather conditions do not occur regularly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Significance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study is significant for smallholder farmers in semi-arid West Africa, who are faced with economic and environmental challenges, challenging efforts to improve livelihoods. Focusing on Northern Ghana, the research assesses the viability of two index-based insurance products using an integrated bio-economic modelling approach. By presenting the probability of outcomes for income and farm assets, particularly through seed insurance incentivizing replanting after extreme weather shocks, the study offers a cost-effective solution for resource-constrained farmers. The results suggest the potential for weather-index insurance contracts to help smallholder farmers avoid bankruptcy or fall into poverty t","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104130"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002804/pdfft?md5=248527fe3051ed49b41eae0ba4a2475f&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002804-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142164777","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":"Evaluating the effectiveness & costs of strategies post-eradication to monitor for freedom from BVDV infection in Ireland","authors":"Jonas Brock ,&nbsp;Maria Guelbenzu-Gonzalo ,&nbsp;Martin Lange ,&nbsp;Jamie A. Tratalos ,&nbsp;Damien Barrett ,&nbsp;Liz Lane ,&nbsp;Simon J. More ,&nbsp;David A. Graham ,&nbsp;Hans-Hermann Thulke","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>In Ireland, a national Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme has been effective in reducing national prevalence and has recently been approved by the European Commission. In anticipation of achieving freedom, there is an ongoing discussion regarding appropriate strategies post-eradication to monitor for continued freedom from Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) infection of the national cattle sector.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>The objective of this study is to evaluate the trade-off between the performance of different testing protocols and their associated costs in monitoring BVDV post-eradication in the national cattle sector. By assessing various testing strategies, including bulk tank milk (BTM) testing, first lactation check tests (FLCT), abattoir tests, and youngstock check test (YSCT), the aim is to provide informed input for implementing a long-term sustainable monitoring strategy.</p></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><p>In this study, we apply alternative testing protocols to a modelled cattle population in County Kerry, a region with a bovine population considered to be representative of the entire Irish population. The analysis incorporates combinations of Bulk Tank Milk (BTM) testing First Lactation Check tests (FLCT), abattoir tests, and Young Stock Check Testing (YSCT). The YSCT, which focuses on high-risk herds by collecting blood samples from young, homebred animals between nine and 18 months of age, was a key component of the analysis.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>All tested protocols are capable of timely detection of a BVDV outbreak, with detection times of less than one year. Our results highlight the impact of reducing herd coverage by YSCT on post-eradication surveillance for BVDV freedom. By evaluating the trade-off between increased costs and shortened time to detection, this study provides valuable insights for selecting an appropriate monitoring policy in post-eradication programmes.</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>The findings of this study offer guidance on balancing costs and detection efficiency in monitoring BVDV post-eradication. Understanding the implications of different testing strategies can aid policymakers in making informed decisions to ensure the continued freedom from BVDV in the national cattle sector. All tested protocols are capable of detecting a BVDV outbreak in a timely manner, with detection times of less than one year. However, our results quantify the impact reducing herd coverage by YSCT within a possible post-eradication surveillance programme for BVDV freedom. We evaluate how more herds covered by young stock sampling shorten the time to detection, but at an increased cost. The trade-off between increase in costs per shortened time to detection provides guidance to choose an adequate policy to implement monitoring of disease freedom in national post-eradication programmes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104127"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002774/pdfft?md5=9a570ff38a0ddb041c07fba6a88569ec&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002774-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142164778","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":"From emerging theories to messy realities: Inclusive innovation in agriculture and food systems","authors":"Amy R. Beaudreault ,&nbsp;Holger Meinke ,&nbsp;Md. Mofakkarul Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104121","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104121"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142535304","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":"Assessing cropping system multifunctionality: An analysis of trade-offs and synergies in French cereal fields","authors":"Audrey Alignier ,&nbsp;Matthieu Carof ,&nbsp;Stéphanie Aviron","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><p>Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing cropping systems in a given context is a key first step before designing new, more sustainable cropping systems. The concept of multifunctionality can be a useful tool for cropping system assessment. Whether and how cropping systems and specific management practices might modulate agroecosystem multifunctionality remains unknown, as do the potential trade-offs and synergies among functions.</p></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><p>This study aimed to (i) assess the multifunctionality of annual cropping systems by estimating their agronomic, ecological and socio-economic performances; (ii) identify trade-offs and synergies among functions; (iii) highlight management practices that can be mobilized to foster synergies between agricultural production and other functions.</p></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><p>We measured 14 primary variables, used as proxies for seven functions, in 20 conventional and 20 organic winter cereal fields, in northwestern France. We considered three management practice description levels: (i) farming system (<em>i.e.</em> organic <em>vs.</em> conventional), (ii) combination of management practices that defines a cropping system, and (iii) individual management practices.</p></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><p>We found a strong trade-off between functions related to ecological performance and agronomic, socio-economic performances, especially between biodiversity conservation and food and feed production. Organic systems tended to minimize this trade-off. Our study also revealed contrasts in levels of functions despite similar multifunctionality value across cropping systems. The number of field interventions and nitrogen inputs were the main drivers of cropping system multifunctionality and its underlying functions. The results indicate that specific management practices, such as reducing within-field interventions and nitrogen fertilization amount, could be integrated even in conventional cropping systems to improve multifunctionality. More generally, our work opens the door to further studies on how agricultural management fosters the simultaneous provision of multiple functions including socio-economic ones.</p></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><p>Besides multifunctionality assessment of cropping systems, our study emphasizes the need to further explore how management practices shape the provision of multiple functions and their potential trade-offs. This knowledge is crucial to develop effective strategies for the design of sustainable cropping systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104100"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002506/pdfft?md5=c63fbd6e2bf8c9a6eddcc66712865a90&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002506-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142144045","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":"Modelling Indigenous small-scale agriculture and food systems in Guatemala - Hybrid Bayesian inference for data-poor regions","authors":"Julien Malard-Adam ,&nbsp;Jan Adamowski ,&nbsp;Héctor Tuy ,&nbsp;Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104102","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104102","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Participatory system dynamics modelling is a useful method for characterising agricultural systems and the complex dynamics linking their human and agronomic counterparts that determine their long-term behaviour and sustainability. One challenge facing this use of system dynamics methods, nonetheless, is the scarcity of time-series data for many key variables, which hinders the calibration and validation of these models.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;This research proposes a new approach for quantifying difficult-to-quantify relationships within system dynamics models of socio-agricultural systems when temporally scarce but spatially rich data (e.g., survey or census data) is available for many socioeconomic model variables of interest.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;We propose a methodology to quantify system dynamics models that uses Bayesian inference over spatially-explicit data from different regions to estimate the shape of relationships between socioeconomic variables, where the diversity of values across a country can serve to compensate for the lack of time-series data in regions of interest. The hierarchical component of the approach allows for the automatic weighting of each site's data according to its degree of similarity to the case study region. This approach was applied to a model of agricultural systems and food security developed in Tz'olöj Ya', and K'iche', Guatemala with two different Indigenous farming communities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;1) Results indicate that the model performs better in non-study site municipalities that are socioeconomically and environmentally similar to the case study sites than in less similar municipalities (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; 0.81–0.98 in the study sites, but &lt;0.5 in many dissimilar regions).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2) The spatial validation procedure across non-case study municipalities shows that trends in population and child chronic malnutrition are relatively well-represented by the model in similar municipalities (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; 0.81–0.99 in case study regions), while forest cover dynamics are much more difficult to generalise across regions (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; 0.26–0.87 in case study regions, and worse elsewhere).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3) The model showed that agricultural system resiliency was best improved not by technological fixes to improve crop productivity, but rather by structural changes to livelihood diversification.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4) These results were possible due to the hybrid approach used: stakeholder participation was central to the identification of key relationships between agronomic and socioeconomic variables, while Bayesian inference and spatial validation allowed for the assessment of the model's validity and geographical limits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The new methodology allows for quantification and testing of system dynamics models of agricultural systems that could otherwise not be formally calibrated or validated due to a lack of time-series dat","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104102"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142144032","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":"Classifying and explaining Walloon dairy farms in terms of sustainable food security using a multiple criteria decision making method","authors":"Caroline Battheu-Noirfalise ,&nbsp;Alexandre Mertens ,&nbsp;Arno Faivre ,&nbsp;Catherine Charles ,&nbsp;Thomas Dogot ,&nbsp;Didier Stilmant ,&nbsp;Yves Beckers ,&nbsp;Eric Froidmont","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Land intensive grass-based dairy systems have the highest contribution to food security but may have a higher impact on the environment. The aim of this study was to classify dairy farms in terms of sustainable contribution to food security and analyze the farm characteristics related to these performances. To this end, we performed a sustainability assessment by calculating 17 indicators using FADN data of 209 Walloon (Belgium) dairy farms. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process, 25 stakeholders of the Walloon milk upstream sector defined preference weights for the indicators. Farms were ranked using ELECTRE III using the mean weights for the dairy sector and grouped in four sustainability groups. A canonical discriminant analysis was performed on farm characteristics. Farm characteristics that negatively impact sustainability are the use of maize silage, the use of concentrates and the CP-content of these concentrates, the farm size, and the number of female followers per cow. The farm characteristic that positively impacts sustainability is the grassland yield. Milk production per cow, age at first calving, and calving interval have a negligible effect on sustainability. These results suggest that feed conversion efficiency is not a main driver of sustainability but rather that specific production means and practices play a more significant role in determining sustainability. Consequently, we argue that the search for efficiency that has been promoted to increase the sustainability of food systems should be placed in a systemic perspective in order to avoid trade-offs with other aspects and that, in general, an increase in efficiency is positively linked with sustainability when achieved through knowledge and technicity rather than by the addition of external inputs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104112"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142151478","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 economic performance of grassland-based milk production using best practices to lower greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions","authors":"Owen Cashman ,&nbsp;Imelda Casey ,&nbsp;James Humphreys","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104105","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104105","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><p>Economic sustainability is a primary consideration when contemplating adoption of new farming practices to mitigate climate change. Quantifying the impact of adopting best practices to lower emissions on the profitability of dairy production systems is critical to encouraging rapid adoption at farm level to reach emissions reduction targets.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The aim was to evaluate the economic consequences of adoption of best practices to mitigate climate change in a typical compact spring-calving grassland-based system of dairy production in Ireland.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Data were collected from compact systems-scale experiments conducted at Solohead Research Farm, Co. Tipperary, Ireland (52°51′N, 08°21′W) between 2011 and 2022. There were three systems that had an average of 27 cows per system per year and an average annual stocking rate of 2.53 cows ha⁻¹. INT was the control in this study and included average annual fertiliser N input of 265 kg ha⁻¹, applied as calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN 27.5 % N) and urea (46 % N) and the average annual clover content of grassland dry matter was 110 g kg⁻¹, and slurry was applied by splash plate. BPN included average annual fertiliser N input of 99 kg ha⁻¹ applied as urea or protected urea, clover content was 230 g kg⁻¹ and slurry was applied by trailing shoe. BPO received minimal (&lt;5 kg ha⁻¹) inputs of fertiliser N, clover content was 280 g kg⁻¹ and slurry was applied by trailing shoe. INT encompassed each of 7 experimental years, BPN 7 years and BPO 4 years. Herbage, milk and other production characteristics were measured. Relevant farm activity data was modelled on the basis of a 50 ha farm to compare the economic performance of the three systems.</p></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><p>There were no (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) differences in herbage dry matter production per ha and milk production per cow between the three systems. BPO was more (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) profitable than INT, whereas BPN was intermediate. Sensitivity of the systems to changing fertiliser N and milk price showed that BPO was more profitable (P &lt; 0.05) in scenarios with intermediate or high fertiliser N prices. BPO had the potential to maintain or improve profitability with substantially lower greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions than conventional grassland-based dairy production (INT).</p></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><p>The adoption of practices to lower greenhouse gas emissions from grassland-based dairy production can maintain or improve farm profitability. These results support wider adoption on farms.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104105"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002555/pdfft?md5=d7e3151299ccd2618ba5259cc0914d17&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002555-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142128463","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":"Integrating environmental footprints and ecosystem economic performance to evaluate nitrogen management in intensive drip-irrigated potato production","authors":"Yunfei Di ,&nbsp;Haibo Yang ,&nbsp;Yuncai Hu ,&nbsp;Fei Li","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104110","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><p>Excessive fertilizer application and poor agronomy management result in adverse environmental impacts and high environmental and economic costs for ecological restoration.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>Analyzing the integrated effects of nitrogen (N) management on environmental footprints, human health, and ecosystem economic benefits (EEB) is essential to intensive potato cultivation under drip irrigation in Northwest China.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>In this study, field experiments were conducted from 2018 to 2020 to evaluate environmental footprints and EEB based on the life cycle assessment (LCA), and a random forest algorithm was used to identify the importance of indicators to N and carbon (C) footprints. The N fertilizer levels were denoted as no N fertilizer application (Control), farmer practice (FP), and optimized N management (OM) based on N-balance principles, soil mineral N, and target yield.</p></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><p>The results revealed that OM treatment remarkably reduced reactive N (Nr) losses, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, environmental footprints, and ecosystem costs and increased human health and net EEB potentials per tonne or hectare of potato production. The OM treatment achieved 47.8 %, 27.7 %, 48.8 %, 30.4 %, and 42.9 % lower Nr losses, GHG emissions, N footprint, C footprint, and ecological costs, and 19.6 % higher N-derived net EEB compared to the FP treatment, respectively. The N leaching to the N footprint and N fertilizer to the C footprint were the most critical indicators and gained the highest importance scores. The decreased environmental footprints and increased EEB of OM treatments matched environmentally sustainable demand more than the FP treatment.</p></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><p>Integrating management measures and optimized N fertilizer rates have significant potential for environmental impacts and sustainable development in an intensive potato system under drip irrigation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104110"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142122983","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":"Complex cocoa agroforestry systems shaped within specific socioeconomic and historical contexts in Africa: Lessons from Cameroonian farmers","authors":"Isabelle Michel ,&nbsp;Julien Blanco ,&nbsp;François Manga Essouma ,&nbsp;Stéphanie M. Carrière","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104111","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the humid tropics, the socioecological advantages of family-based, multistory agroforestry systems are well recognized. Yet public policies tend to focus on conservation and land-sparing strategies alongside the promotion of modern intensive agriculture, neglecting these biodiverse agroecosystems, which are in decline. This is a particularly central issue in cocoa cultivation. In Africa's two largest cocoa-producing countries (Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana), cocoa plantations with few associated trees contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss. In contrast, in regions like Cameroon, biodiversity-rich cocoa agroforests prevail. Considering global changes and rising cocoa demand, it is crucial to preserve and develop these agroforestry systems that reconcile cocoa production with ecosystem services.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study, conducted in Cameroon between 2013 and 2017, aimed to pinpoint the socioeconomic factors influencing the characteristics, maintenance, and degradation of cocoa agroforests, with the ultimate goal of identifying intervention strategies to promote their preservation and development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The study collected data from (i) on-field measurements in 95 cocoa agroforestry plots, (ii) interviews with the 95 farmers managing the plots, and (iii) historical interviews with 50 key informants. We focused on five sites across a gradient of population density, encompassing various socioecological environments and types of cocoa agroforests. Through thematic and statistical analyses, we evaluated differences between the five sites.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our results indicated contrasting management practices, dendrometric structure, species composition, and cocoa yields between sites. These contrasts largely reflected socioeconomic factors and site-specific dynamics. Cocoa agroforests were less rich in biodiversity in sites where farmers with capital using hired labor had acquired land than in sites where family farmers predominated. A trade-off was found between the richness of companion trees and cocoa yields. Plots managed by smallholder family farmers near urban areas tended to better reconcile cocoa production and biodiversity conservation. These farmers had gradually transformed their traditional agroforests to adapt to increasing demographic pressure by integrating diverse fruit tree species, using pesticides sparingly, and introducing selected cocoa varieties mixed with older varieties.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The small-scale family-managed cocoa agroforests, which incorporate fruit species as described in this study, could serve as a model for a more sustainable cocoa production strategy. However, developing such a strategy would require greater investment and support from policymakers. This includes supporting the marketing of products from companion trees, stabilizing cocoa prices at a high level, and implementing la","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 104111"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X24002610/pdfft?md5=290c66f1ec5cbbb81757b84fdd350fe1&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X24002610-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142101073","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}