Objective: To identify and discuss on-farm management practices linked to bacterial zoonosis risk in smallholder dairy farmers in South Asia. Methods: This scoping review was conducted as per the PRISMA-ScR guidelines...Objective: To identify and discuss on-farm management practices linked to bacterial zoonosis risk in smallholder dairy farmers in South Asia. Methods: This scoping review was conducted as per the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five hundred and two publications were retrieved from five online databases using a comprehensive search strategy. Studies were selected if they discussed a farm management practice which impacted human health within a South Asian country. Results: Twenty-two studies were included. Seven management practices relevant to farmers, livestock and their shared environment were identified including raw milk consumption, farm hygiene management, personal protective equipment uses, animal vaccination, cleaning udders, hand washing and disposal of afterbirth materials. Preventive practices were found to be utilized at lower frequencies compared to risk increasing practices. Awareness of bacterial zoonoses is particularly low within the region. Conclusions: Based on the results of this review, it was determined that improving farmer awareness of bacterial zoonotic diseases may favor several of the presented leverage points within the South Asian smallholder dairy system. Relying on formal school education to improve this awareness may not solve this problem, instead, more focus on accessible and affordable zoonoses education and farming programs is required.展开更多
Farms less than 2 hectares have constituted almost 90% of the total number of farms in Ethiopia. These small farms are rain fed and are vulnerable to climate change and variability extremes such as droughts. This in t...Farms less than 2 hectares have constituted almost 90% of the total number of farms in Ethiopia. These small farms are rain fed and are vulnerable to climate change and variability extremes such as droughts. This in turn undermined the ability of smallholders’ farmers to feed themselves and the growing population. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a random sample of 355 smallholder farmers distributed in three agro-ecologies, namely, lowland, midland, and highland in central rift valley of Ethiopia (Arsi Negele district). This was supplemented with 18 focus group discussions and 30 key informant interviews. How do smallholder farmers live with climate change and variability challenges? On the basis of this question, this study has assessed the factors that determine the adaptive capacities, strategies and livelihoods of smallholders to climate change and variability;and the role of climate capacities and landscape functions for sustainable adaptation in response to climate change and variability. The results showed that even if most respondents (>95%) have the perception and intention of climate change;it was nearly 3% of them have higher adaptive capacity to adapt to climate change impacts. Adaptive capacity of smallholders and the potential impact exerted by climate change risks were negatively correlated (r = −0.134 and p < 0.02). The results showed that farmers have made some evolution in their livelihoods as an adaptation strategy. Adaptation strategies explicitly depend on adaptive capacity-human, natural, financial, social and physical resources. Indeed, the results indicated limited climate-specific and climate-relevant capacities at the local level which suggests a need to strengthen climate capacities. Moreover, it has been implicated that maintaining the landscapes, which provide landscape production functions that build the well-being and adaptive capacity of farmers, could help to sustain farmers’ livelihood and build their adaptive capacity to withstand the challenges of climate change.展开更多
The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering ...The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering and free grassing in the commune grass,since the natural grass and rice straw were the main source of cattle feed,however some of them supplemented their cattle with crop-byproducts,planting grass or concentrated feed.For the majority,BCS(Body Condition Scoring)of the cattle in those areas was 3 accounting for 52%-73.33%,but it was found the thin cattle has low BCS of 2 accounting for 11.11%to 40.00%and also fat cattle has BCS of 4 up to 27.78%.However,the average BCS varied with village which ranged from 2.68 to 3.17,but is not different in term of commune and sex of cattle.Besides facing with shortage of feed,the experience with diseases was also another concern,since 85.71%to 95.83%of the households faced this problem last year.Among the clinical signs found,lumpy skin was 100%,i.e.no one escaped from this problem,thus making them aware of vaccinating their cattle against some diseases such as FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease),HS(Hemorrhagic Septicemia)and LSD(Lumpy Skin Disease),but mostly vaccination was used against FMD.Because the LSD has occurred in these areas since 2020,then the seroprevalence was found in high positive up to 72.62%by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA)test.This positive rate was also varying by villages,ranging from 53.3%to 94.44%.But there was no association between positive cattle with commune,BCS,sex and age of cattle.In conclusion,the cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province had developed markedly,however the shortage of feed and disease occurrence are the main challenges for farmer cattle producers,especially LSD outbreak last year.However,most of the farmers have been aware of the benefit of vaccination and had vaccinated their cattle against those main disease,such as FMD,HS and LSD.展开更多
Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as we...Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as well as negative environmental impacts,which may be unfavorable for sustainable agriculture production.This study developed a county-level sustainability assessment of maize production in Hebei,China,by applying multiple data sources in combination with emergy,carbon footprint,nitrogen footprint and costbenefit analyses.Scenario analysis was applied to explore the localized implementation strategies to achieve the sustainable farming system.The results show that the average emergy sustainability index(ESI)of maize at 2.31 is relatively low.The average greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and reactive nitrogen(Nr)losses are 0.15 g·kcal^(−1) CO_(2)-eq and 3.75 mg·kcal^(−1) N,respectively.The average cost and net income are 12,700 and 4340 CNY·ha^(−1),respectively.These results indicate a great potential to improve the environmental-economic sustainability of the maize production system of smallholders.In addition,the environmental and economic indicators calculated from the maize production show a substantial spatial heterogeneity among counties,indicating a requirement for different optimization strategies to improve the environment-economy sustainability at a finer scale.Based on the multiple scenario analysis,optimal strategies targeting each county are proposed.By adopting the optimal strategies,the average ESI and net income could increase by 32%and 83%,respectively,and the average GHG emissions and Nr losses reduce by 33%and 35%,respectively.These findings provide an important reference for adopting different strategies to achieve environmenteconomy sustainability for smallholders production systems with diverse landscapes in North China and propose a transition pathway toward achieving agriculture sustainability for smallholders worldwide.展开更多
Pressurized irrigation systems are economically justifiable for medium-to large-scale farms,while fewer choices are available for smallholders.The current research work provides additional options for small plots,as t...Pressurized irrigation systems are economically justifiable for medium-to large-scale farms,while fewer choices are available for smallholders.The current research work provides additional options for small plots,as the only income source for low-income farmers in poorer countries,which produce a considerable portion of the agricultural products in some regions of the world.In this research,two novel layouts of a semipermanent sprinkler irrigation system,namely,clock hand(CH)and corner pivot(CP)lateral designs,were designed for a lighter irrigation system to lower the cost requirement.The new techniques were based on a quadrant/full circle movement pattern of manually pivoting laterals,with no/shorter main pipe requirements,which causes a higher system efficiency.These retrofitted layouts were examined in different farms with areas of 0.20 hm^(2),0.81 hm^(2),1.62 hm^(2),and 3.24 hm^(2) in Guangxi,China.This study introduced,analyzed,and compared the layouts with the widespread traditional split lateral method on technical planning,components,implementation,operation details,size optimization,performance evaluation,and economic advantages.In comparison with the traditional system,CH and CP were found to be more user-friendly and cost-effective but slightly complicated in design with higher required manual work.The results revealed a distribution uniformity(LQDU)of 81.0%to 84.0%via the catch can method,lower capital costs(35.0%-45.0%),and lower annual expenses(6.5%-9.8%)for CP and CH,respectively,compared to the split lateral method.The 0.81 hm^(2) and 1.62 hm^(2) farms were found to be the optimum farm sizes for implementation of the new methods for a 25-year project time horizon.The outcomes of this experimental work can encourage small farm owners with limited capital to apply pressurized systems for efficient irrigation and water resource sustainability.展开更多
Oil palm is cultivated by agro-industries and smallholders for vegetable oil production. Good farm management practices with balanced soil and plant macronutrients are needed to attain optimum yields. Smallholder oil ...Oil palm is cultivated by agro-industries and smallholders for vegetable oil production. Good farm management practices with balanced soil and plant macronutrients are needed to attain optimum yields. Smallholder oil palm farmers of Dibombari Sub-Division, Cameroon, suffer from low on farm yields which could emanate from the agronomic practices implemented, which also has an influence on the soil and plant macronutrient status. This study provides information on the agronomic practices, soil and plant macronutrients status in smallholder oil palm fields. Structured questionnaires were administered to 200 farmers to collect data on their agronomic practices, using a stratified random sampling design. Soil and plants were sampled from plantations of different age groups (control, >0 - 4 years, >4 - 8 years and >8 - 15 years’ plantations) in four locations of the Sub-Division (i.e. Dibombari-central, Bonamateke, Bomono and Nkapa) using a randomized complete block design. Data collected, was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that 65% of farmers planted Tenera variety, with majority of them below the standards for weeding (81%), fertilizer use (100%), pruning (62%), pest/disease control (90.5%) and harvesting (96%) practices. Soil macronutrients were low across the different plantations except P which was optimal at >0 - 4 years and >4 - 8 years’ plantations but low at >8 - 15 years’ plantation. Similarly, for plant macronutrients, N and P were optimal across the different plantations, while K and Mg were optimal at >0 - 4 years’ plantation but low at >4 - 8 years and >8 - 15 years’ plantations. Thus, agronomic practices and macronutrient status of soil and plants were below standards in smallholder oil palm plantations of Dibombari, leading to low yields of fresh fruit bunches.展开更多
Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950,accounting for 20%of the global arable land and 40%of food production.Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate ch...Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950,accounting for 20%of the global arable land and 40%of food production.Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate change.Most previous studies have calculated carbon emissions and their composition in irrigated areas using the engineering approach to life-cycle assessment.By combining life cycle assessment(LCA)-based carbon emissions accounting with econometric models such as multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling(SEM),we conducted an interdisciplinary study to identify the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of the carbon footprint(CFP)of smallholder crop cultivation on irrigation reform pilot areas.To this end,we investigated corn and potato production data in the 2019–2020 crop years for 852 plots of 345 rural households in six villages(two irrigation agriculture pilot villages and four surrounding villages as controls)in Southwest China.The crop CFP in the irrigation agriculture pilot areas was significantly lower than in non-reform areas.Irrigation reforms mainly impacted the crop CFP through four intermediary effects:the project(implementation of field irrigation channels),technology(improving adoption of new irrigation technologies),management(proper irrigation operation and maintenance),and yield effects.All effects inhibited the CFP,except for the project effect that promotes carbon emissions.Among them,yield increase has the greatest impact on reducing CFP,followed by management and technology effects.Furthermore,planting practices,individual characteristics,and plot quality significantly impacted the crop CFP.This study has policy implications for understanding the food security–climate nexus in the food production industry.展开更多
This research paper assesses the reality of Climate-Smart Agriculture(CSA)practices’potential to promote the outcomes of sustainable food systems(SFS)within Ghana’s smallholding agriculture context.The study demon-s...This research paper assesses the reality of Climate-Smart Agriculture(CSA)practices’potential to promote the outcomes of sustainable food systems(SFS)within Ghana’s smallholding agriculture context.The study demon-strates that rural farmers generally perceive CSA’s contribution to‘food and nutrition security’and‘economic performance’as more important than CSA’s contribution to‘social equity’and‘environmental stewardship’.From a narrow perspective,the study demonstrates that farmers perceive CSA’s potential to‘prevent pest and disease outbreaks’and‘increase human capital information’as the most important contribution of CSA to SFS outcomes.In contrast,CSA’s potential to promote environmental stewardship is perceived as the least important among Ghana’s rural farmers.This enormity of displacement of smallholders’perceptions at large is motivated by de-mographic,socioeconomic and ecological factors.Moreso,the CSA for SFS outcomes narratives is driven by farmers’self-apprise,social networks and other local information dissemination agents.Furthermore,research findings suggest farmers’awareness of CSA practices and interventions is deficient owing to unmet training and information needs for approximately 82%of the CSA practices and interventions.This situation elucidates the dichotomy of CSA practices’narratives as tools for attaining food,nutrition security and economic performance to the detriment of critical issues such as increasing awareness and building farmers’capacity to engage with CSA practices while also managing socio-ecological trade-offs that emerge over time due to engagement with CSA.Critical(re)orientation is needed across the scale to drive CSA practices and interventions that confine cli-mate adaptation and food production practices within safe planetary boundaries without undermining social,economic,food and nutrition security needs.展开更多
Objective:To determine the prevalence of bacteriospermia,the bacterial load,and the potential factors associated with bacterial contamination in boar semen collected by local smallholder artificial insemination operat...Objective:To determine the prevalence of bacteriospermia,the bacterial load,and the potential factors associated with bacterial contamination in boar semen collected by local smallholder artificial insemination operators.Methods:Fifteen individual raw semen samples were collected from locally available artificial insemination boars owned by different smallholder boar operators within the 5th district of Leyte,Philippines and were subjected to standard bacteriological culture and identification,including a survey of potentially associated factors.Prevalence and bacterial count were determined accordingly,while boar characteristics and collection practices were clustered following agglomerative hierarchical clustering technique.Results:One hundred percent contamination with a bacterial count of(2.01±0.38)×10^(3) CFU/mL was observed.At least 73.33%of the samples were positive for Bacillus spp.,while other identified isolates included Enterobacter spp.,Staphylococcus spp.,E.coli,Pseudomonas spp.,Citrobacter spp.,and Klebsiella spp.Conclusions:Despite the high prevalence of bacteriospermia,the bacterial count is low.Nevertheless,on-farm practices on boar health and management,semen collection,and sanitation as well as the enhancement of basic protocols to control contamination should be conscientiously considered in smallholder artificial insemination operation.展开更多
Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agrofor...Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.展开更多
In Cambodia,cattle are used as draught power,sources of fertilizer,sources of assets,and for meat production.Due to some contagious illnesses such as hemorrhagic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease(FMD),they mostly ...In Cambodia,cattle are used as draught power,sources of fertilizer,sources of assets,and for meat production.Due to some contagious illnesses such as hemorrhagic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease(FMD),they mostly have low reproductivity and poor physical health.Among those diseases,brucellosis is starting to appear in cattle production in rural Cambodia and is highly transmissible to humans.Thus,the objective of this study was to evaluate the farmers’awareness of cattle diseases and their transmissibility in the country.A survey was conducted in two provinces,Svay Rieng and Prey Veng,in Cambodia,starting from July 2021 to January 2022.A sample size of 216 was randomly selected from the two provinces by using Taro Yamane,and the selection criteria were that the targeted households must have at least two cows.A pre-determined questionnaire was utilized to collect data on number of cattle,raising type,feeding system,source of cattle purchase,hygienic condition,waste management,cattle disease,body score condition and symptoms.As a result,86% of the respondents in Prey Veng province and 99.07% in Svay Rieng province have cattle disease.Smallholder farmers raise 5 to 10 cattle per household,while other farmers raise 10 to 15 calves,or 15-20 or more than 20 heads,while only 20% of smallholder farmers in Prey Veng were able to raise 5 to 10 male cattle per household.Of all the interviewees,90% recognized FMD based on clinical signs such as blisters on the feet,loss of appetite,salivation and painful,red,blister-like lesions on the tongue.Meanwhile,60% know lumpy skin disease(LSD)due to skin nodules.No one knew about brucellosis.The findings suggest that the knowledge farmers have over cattle disease is very limited and this needs more support from related institutions to raise their awareness in order to cope with cattle disease correctly and timely.展开更多
Especially for smallholder farmers with limited land and financial resources,farming in arid and semi-arid lands(ASALs),where season-to-season rainfall fluctuation dictates production,is a risky business.Through parti...Especially for smallholder farmers with limited land and financial resources,farming in arid and semi-arid lands(ASALs),where season-to-season rainfall fluctuation dictates production,is a risky business.Through participatory approaches,this study compares deterministic and probabilistic interpretations of climate forecasts and their use by smallholder farmers through a crop-growing season.The study revealed that deterministic advisories are good for smallholder farmers only when formulated from forecasts with higher accuracy than the historical climatological distribution.Otherwise,they cause farm loss in terms of labor and inputs.On the other hand,probabilistic advisories help farmers spread the risk to cater to all the uncertainty and in so doing bring out a balance between confidence and caution.However,farmers must be supported with enough sensitization to comprehend forecast probability,translate it into probabilistic advisories and use that to plan and manage farm activities.The findings support the hypothesis providing packaged climate products in transparent probabilistic terms in place of deterministic form can overcome inherent credibility challenges.The study’s conclusion highlights important takeaways and new understandings of the advantage of using probabilistic advisories among resource-poor smallholder farmers.展开更多
Globally,cocoa is famous for the production of chocolates and beverages.However,it also serves as a source of raw material for the manufacturing of high-quality cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Due to its high de...Globally,cocoa is famous for the production of chocolates and beverages.However,it also serves as a source of raw material for the manufacturing of high-quality cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Due to its high demand,cocoa is regarded as a major commodity for poverty alleviation in deprived cocoa farming communities. Government has therefore instigated relevant measures to address issues facing the sector by investing in extension programs. These programs act as information dissemination tools for teaching modern farming technologies and enhancing learning among farmers. This study highlighted the effects of the Cocoa Life Project (CLP) by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) International on farm productivity and income of 200 cocoa farmers in three districts of the Eastern Region,Ghana. Regression on covariates,Heckman’s treatment effects model,and propensity scores were used to test the robustness of the estimates. A positive association between extension program participation,farm productivity,and household income was discovered. Specifically,after correcting for selection bias,the estimated results of the Heckman’s model showed that the extension program significantly increased participating farmers’ cocoa yield by 14.3%. The effects on total farm income showed a significant increase of 25.1 and 42.9%,respectively from regression on propensity scores and the Heckman’s model. Across all three models,program participation led to an increase in total household income by 46.1,31.7,and 69.3%,respectively. Other variables such as farming characteristics,institutional and demographic factors affected farmers’ income,depending on the estimation method used. This study reiterated the supporting role played by extension programs in enhancing cocoa production and increasing household income in Ghana. Conclusively,government and development partners should invest in extension programs by providing enough logistics,training qualified agents,and creating a conducive atmosphere to support learning and technology adoption.展开更多
Farm households in developing countries are faced with various challenges one of which is occurrence of unexpected negative events namely shocks. Shocks could be caused by extreme adverse natural events (droughts, sto...Farm households in developing countries are faced with various challenges one of which is occurrence of unexpected negative events namely shocks. Shocks could be caused by extreme adverse natural events (droughts, storms, flood, and landslides) and market-related events (fuel, food, input and output price fluctuations, volatilities and price hikes). Most of these shocks affect production systems, food markets and local economies, all of which have direct effects on food security. This study explores the prevalence of shocks among indigenous vegetable farmers in Kenya followed by an assessment of the type of coping strategies in response to these shocks. We find that over two thirds of farmers have coping strategies that are not based on market-related insurance mechanisms;rather they use strategies such as working for more hours and selling assets. We analyze which socioeconomic and institutional factors determine households’ decision and extent of coping with shocks. The results showed that access to high-value markets and market information were the major factors informing their decision and extent of using coping strategies along with access to critical services such as credit, extension, and farmer groups. This has significant policy implications regarding the dissemination of information and promotion of credit markets through mobile phone-based platforms for easy accessibility in remote rural areas. Social capital should be encouraged because it acts as a necessary and sufficient conduit for information dissemination and mutual support to help farmers’ access critical services and resources needed for successful and sustainable implementation of relevant and appropriate coping strategies.展开更多
Voluntary pre-farm certification schemes especially GlobalGAP are increasingly defining market access for smallholders in developing countries. Their strict demand for financial and technical competencies and concerns...Voluntary pre-farm certification schemes especially GlobalGAP are increasingly defining market access for smallholders in developing countries. Their strict demand for financial and technical competencies and concerns for producer welfare and environmental conservation imply that transition to certified production could spell smallholders’ exit or shift to alternative markets for no-compliance. But what factors motivate successful transition to certification and does alternative market access exist for the unsuccessful transition? Multinomial logit estimates reveal training and higher farm assets base as key indicators of successful certification and organized production. However, a large cultivated land resource favours certification but disfavours transition to organized production. The results point to sensitivity of certification schemes to expertise on technical information and assets that enhance cultivation of quality, reliable and hygienic produce and economies of scale in farming. The transition to organized production seems efficient if technical knowledge and assets that enhance cultivation of quality, reliable and hygienic produce are present. The results imply that farmer expertise, farm assets and land resource are critical barriers for farmers transiting to certification schemes. This calls for concerted mitigation if smallholders in developing countries are to benefit from the lucrative premium markets in Western Europe.展开更多
Soil loss through erosion continues to pose serious challenges to increasing the smallholder agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone. While emphasis on sustainable land use practices continue to gain attention among...Soil loss through erosion continues to pose serious challenges to increasing the smallholder agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone. While emphasis on sustainable land use practices continue to gain attention among land users, however, the rate of adoption among smallholder farmers is still very low and hence, in most part of the country soil fertility has been declining at alarming rates. In the Njala area, studies have shown that soil loss ranges from moderate to high. Though soil erosion has been identified as a major soil fertility declining factor, however, the effect of land use practices on the inherent resistance of soil materials to erosion is lacking. This study was therefore conducted to assess the effect of land uses on soil erodibility. The results showed that the soils are coarse sandy loam with high sand content. The dispersion ratios and erosion indices of soils under cassava, plantain, maize and guava were above the minimum thresholds of 15.0 and 10.0 respectively, thus indicating that these soils are highly erodible compared to soils under fallow and sweet potato which have dispersion ratios and erosion indices below the minimum thresholds. Clay content was inversely proportional to and significantly correlated with dispersion ratio and erosion index while the correlations between silt + clay, dispersion ration and erosion index, and silt, silt + clay and dispersion ratio were negative and non-significant. Considering the coarse nature of soils, landscape features and high erodibility indices, these soils would need special soil and water conservation practices to counter further degradation. These may include following, agroforestry, silvi-pasture, controlled and rotational grazing. In addition, awareness of sense of self-responsibility and forest policies and regulations are needed.展开更多
Sustainable feeding of the growing population in China without ecological destabilization is a grand challenge. In this populous country where agriculture is dominated by smallholder farming, developing innovative tec...Sustainable feeding of the growing population in China without ecological destabilization is a grand challenge. In this populous country where agriculture is dominated by smallholder farming, developing innovative technology and translating scientific knowledge into action for smallholder farmers is a crucial step in addressing this challenge. Here, we present a novel approach for technology innovation and dissemination to achieve sustainable intensification in the fields of smallholder farmers. The Science and Technology Backyard(STB) is a hub in a rural area that links knowledge with practices to promote technology innovation and exchange. In this study, the framework and functions of STB are introduced, and the key implications for sustainable intensification across millions of smallholder farmers are explicitly stated:(i) develop innovative technology based on stated demands of farmers;(ii) disseminate technology by innovative social service models though combined top-down approaches with bottom-up measures to enable smallholders in rural areas. This paper provides a perspective on transformation of small-scale agriculture toward sustainable intensification in China and useful knowledge applicable to other developing countries.展开更多
North China Plain(NCP) is the primary winter wheat production region in China, characterized by smallholder farming systems. Whereas the winter wheat average yield of smallholder farmers is currently low, the yield po...North China Plain(NCP) is the primary winter wheat production region in China, characterized by smallholder farming systems. Whereas the winter wheat average yield of smallholder farmers is currently low, the yield potential and limiting factors driving the current yield gap remain unclear. Therefore, increasing the wheat yield in NCP is essential for the national food security. This study monitored wheat yield, management practices and soil nutrient data in 132 farmers’ fields of Xushui County, Baoding City, Hebei Province during 2014–2016. These data were analyzed using variance and path analysis to determine the yield gap and the contribution of yield components(i.e., spikes per hectare, grain number per spike and 1 000-grain weight) to wheat yield. Then, the limiting factors of yield components and the optimizing strategies were identified by a boundary line approach. The results showed that the attainable potential yield for winter wheat was 10 514 kg ha^–1. The yield gaps varied strongly between three yield groups(i.e., high, middle and low), which were divided by yield level and contained 44 farmers in each group, and amounted to 2 493, 1 636 and 814 kg ha^–1, respectively. For the three yield components, only spikes per hectare was significantly different(P<0.01) among the three yield groups. For all 132 farmers’ fields, correlation between yield and spikes per hectare(r=0.51, P<0.01), was significantly positive, while correlations with grain number per spike(r=–0.16) and 1 000-grain weight(r=–0.10) were not significant. The path analysis also showed that the spikes per hectare of winter wheat were the most important component to the wheat yield. Boundary line analysis showed that seeding date was the most limiting factor of spikes per hectare with the highest contribution rate(26.7%), followed by basal N input(22.1%) and seeding rate(14.5%), which indicated that management factors in the seeding step were the most important for affecting spikes per hectare. For desired spikes per hectare(>6.598×10^6 ha^–1),the seeding rate should range from 210–300 kg ha^–1, seeding date should range from 3th to 8th October, and basal N input should range from 90–180 kg ha^–1. Compared to these reasonable ranges of management measures, most of the farmers’ practices were not suitable, and both lower and higher levels of management existed. It is concluded that the strategies for optimizing yield components could be achieved by improving wheat seeding quality and optimizing farmers’ nutrient management practices in the NCP.展开更多
Mango is an important cash crop in the tropics and subtropics. Determining the yield gap of mango and production constraints can potentially promote the sustainable development of the mango industry. In this study, bo...Mango is an important cash crop in the tropics and subtropics. Determining the yield gap of mango and production constraints can potentially promote the sustainable development of the mango industry. In this study, boundary line analysis based on survey data from 103 smallholder farmers and a yield gap model were used to determine the yield gap and production constraints in mango plantations in the northern mountain, central valley and southern mountains regions of Tianyang County, Guangxi, China. The results indicated that the yield of mango in three representing regions of Tianyang County,Northern Mountains, Central Valley and Southern Mountains, was 18.3, 17.0 and 15.4 t ha^–1 yr^–1, with an explainable yield gap of 10.9, 6.1 and 14.8 t ha^–1 yr^–1, respectively. Fertilization management, including fertilizer N, P2O5 and K2O application rates, and planting density were the main limiting factors of mango yield in all three regions. In addition, tree age influenced mango yield in the Northern Mountains(11.1%) and Central Valley(11.7%) regions. Irrigation time influenced mango yield in the Northern Mountains(9.9%) and Southern Mountains(12.2%). Based on a scenario analysis, the predicted yield would increase by up to 50%, and fertilizer N use would be reduced by as much as approximately 20%. An improved understanding of production constraints will aid in the development of management strategy measures to increase mango yield.展开更多
Apple occupies a dominant position in fruit production globally, and has become the main income source of local smallholder farmers in Luochuan County in the Loess Plateau area, one of the largest apple production are...Apple occupies a dominant position in fruit production globally, and has become the main income source of local smallholder farmers in Luochuan County in the Loess Plateau area, one of the largest apple production areas in China. However, the annual productivity of apple orchards in this region remains low and has gradually declined over the years. The distinction and correlation of production constraints can contribute to the promotion of apple orchard productivity and the development of a sustainable orchard system. In the present study, survey data from 71 smallholder farmers were analyzed using a yield gap model to distinguish the production constraints and determine their correlation with the yield gap based on the structural equation model(SEM). The results indicated that the average apple yield in Luochuan County was 29.9 t ha^–1 yr^–1, while the attainable yield(Yatt;the highest yield obtained from the on-farm surveys) was 58.1 t ha^–1 yr^–1. The average explained and unexplainable yield gaps were 26.3 and 1.87 t ha^–1 yr^–1. According to the boundary line analysis, crop load,number of sprayings and base fertilizer N were the top three constraints on apple production in 9.8, 7.8 and 7.8% of the plots, respectively. Among the production constraints, crop load and fruit weight affected apple yield through direct pathways,whereas other constraints influenced apple yield through an indirect pathway based on the SEM, explaining 51% of the yield variance by all the main production constraints. These results can improve the current understanding of production constraints and contribute to the development of management strategies and policies for improving apple yield.展开更多
文摘Objective: To identify and discuss on-farm management practices linked to bacterial zoonosis risk in smallholder dairy farmers in South Asia. Methods: This scoping review was conducted as per the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five hundred and two publications were retrieved from five online databases using a comprehensive search strategy. Studies were selected if they discussed a farm management practice which impacted human health within a South Asian country. Results: Twenty-two studies were included. Seven management practices relevant to farmers, livestock and their shared environment were identified including raw milk consumption, farm hygiene management, personal protective equipment uses, animal vaccination, cleaning udders, hand washing and disposal of afterbirth materials. Preventive practices were found to be utilized at lower frequencies compared to risk increasing practices. Awareness of bacterial zoonoses is particularly low within the region. Conclusions: Based on the results of this review, it was determined that improving farmer awareness of bacterial zoonotic diseases may favor several of the presented leverage points within the South Asian smallholder dairy system. Relying on formal school education to improve this awareness may not solve this problem, instead, more focus on accessible and affordable zoonoses education and farming programs is required.
文摘Farms less than 2 hectares have constituted almost 90% of the total number of farms in Ethiopia. These small farms are rain fed and are vulnerable to climate change and variability extremes such as droughts. This in turn undermined the ability of smallholders’ farmers to feed themselves and the growing population. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a random sample of 355 smallholder farmers distributed in three agro-ecologies, namely, lowland, midland, and highland in central rift valley of Ethiopia (Arsi Negele district). This was supplemented with 18 focus group discussions and 30 key informant interviews. How do smallholder farmers live with climate change and variability challenges? On the basis of this question, this study has assessed the factors that determine the adaptive capacities, strategies and livelihoods of smallholders to climate change and variability;and the role of climate capacities and landscape functions for sustainable adaptation in response to climate change and variability. The results showed that even if most respondents (>95%) have the perception and intention of climate change;it was nearly 3% of them have higher adaptive capacity to adapt to climate change impacts. Adaptive capacity of smallholders and the potential impact exerted by climate change risks were negatively correlated (r = −0.134 and p < 0.02). The results showed that farmers have made some evolution in their livelihoods as an adaptation strategy. Adaptation strategies explicitly depend on adaptive capacity-human, natural, financial, social and physical resources. Indeed, the results indicated limited climate-specific and climate-relevant capacities at the local level which suggests a need to strengthen climate capacities. Moreover, it has been implicated that maintaining the landscapes, which provide landscape production functions that build the well-being and adaptive capacity of farmers, could help to sustain farmers’ livelihood and build their adaptive capacity to withstand the challenges of climate change.
文摘The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering and free grassing in the commune grass,since the natural grass and rice straw were the main source of cattle feed,however some of them supplemented their cattle with crop-byproducts,planting grass or concentrated feed.For the majority,BCS(Body Condition Scoring)of the cattle in those areas was 3 accounting for 52%-73.33%,but it was found the thin cattle has low BCS of 2 accounting for 11.11%to 40.00%and also fat cattle has BCS of 4 up to 27.78%.However,the average BCS varied with village which ranged from 2.68 to 3.17,but is not different in term of commune and sex of cattle.Besides facing with shortage of feed,the experience with diseases was also another concern,since 85.71%to 95.83%of the households faced this problem last year.Among the clinical signs found,lumpy skin was 100%,i.e.no one escaped from this problem,thus making them aware of vaccinating their cattle against some diseases such as FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease),HS(Hemorrhagic Septicemia)and LSD(Lumpy Skin Disease),but mostly vaccination was used against FMD.Because the LSD has occurred in these areas since 2020,then the seroprevalence was found in high positive up to 72.62%by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA)test.This positive rate was also varying by villages,ranging from 53.3%to 94.44%.But there was no association between positive cattle with commune,BCS,sex and age of cattle.In conclusion,the cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province had developed markedly,however the shortage of feed and disease occurrence are the main challenges for farmer cattle producers,especially LSD outbreak last year.However,most of the farmers have been aware of the benefit of vaccination and had vaccinated their cattle against those main disease,such as FMD,HS and LSD.
基金funded by State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex(SCAPC202102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71904189).
文摘Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as well as negative environmental impacts,which may be unfavorable for sustainable agriculture production.This study developed a county-level sustainability assessment of maize production in Hebei,China,by applying multiple data sources in combination with emergy,carbon footprint,nitrogen footprint and costbenefit analyses.Scenario analysis was applied to explore the localized implementation strategies to achieve the sustainable farming system.The results show that the average emergy sustainability index(ESI)of maize at 2.31 is relatively low.The average greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and reactive nitrogen(Nr)losses are 0.15 g·kcal^(−1) CO_(2)-eq and 3.75 mg·kcal^(−1) N,respectively.The average cost and net income are 12,700 and 4340 CNY·ha^(−1),respectively.These results indicate a great potential to improve the environmental-economic sustainability of the maize production system of smallholders.In addition,the environmental and economic indicators calculated from the maize production show a substantial spatial heterogeneity among counties,indicating a requirement for different optimization strategies to improve the environment-economy sustainability at a finer scale.Based on the multiple scenario analysis,optimal strategies targeting each county are proposed.By adopting the optimal strategies,the average ESI and net income could increase by 32%and 83%,respectively,and the average GHG emissions and Nr losses reduce by 33%and 35%,respectively.These findings provide an important reference for adopting different strategies to achieve environmenteconomy sustainability for smallholders production systems with diverse landscapes in North China and propose a transition pathway toward achieving agriculture sustainability for smallholders worldwide.
基金This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52150410408,No.41761048,No.42067002)the Guangxi Science and Technology Program(Grant No.G.K.AA20302020-2).
文摘Pressurized irrigation systems are economically justifiable for medium-to large-scale farms,while fewer choices are available for smallholders.The current research work provides additional options for small plots,as the only income source for low-income farmers in poorer countries,which produce a considerable portion of the agricultural products in some regions of the world.In this research,two novel layouts of a semipermanent sprinkler irrigation system,namely,clock hand(CH)and corner pivot(CP)lateral designs,were designed for a lighter irrigation system to lower the cost requirement.The new techniques were based on a quadrant/full circle movement pattern of manually pivoting laterals,with no/shorter main pipe requirements,which causes a higher system efficiency.These retrofitted layouts were examined in different farms with areas of 0.20 hm^(2),0.81 hm^(2),1.62 hm^(2),and 3.24 hm^(2) in Guangxi,China.This study introduced,analyzed,and compared the layouts with the widespread traditional split lateral method on technical planning,components,implementation,operation details,size optimization,performance evaluation,and economic advantages.In comparison with the traditional system,CH and CP were found to be more user-friendly and cost-effective but slightly complicated in design with higher required manual work.The results revealed a distribution uniformity(LQDU)of 81.0%to 84.0%via the catch can method,lower capital costs(35.0%-45.0%),and lower annual expenses(6.5%-9.8%)for CP and CH,respectively,compared to the split lateral method.The 0.81 hm^(2) and 1.62 hm^(2) farms were found to be the optimum farm sizes for implementation of the new methods for a 25-year project time horizon.The outcomes of this experimental work can encourage small farm owners with limited capital to apply pressurized systems for efficient irrigation and water resource sustainability.
文摘Oil palm is cultivated by agro-industries and smallholders for vegetable oil production. Good farm management practices with balanced soil and plant macronutrients are needed to attain optimum yields. Smallholder oil palm farmers of Dibombari Sub-Division, Cameroon, suffer from low on farm yields which could emanate from the agronomic practices implemented, which also has an influence on the soil and plant macronutrient status. This study provides information on the agronomic practices, soil and plant macronutrients status in smallholder oil palm fields. Structured questionnaires were administered to 200 farmers to collect data on their agronomic practices, using a stratified random sampling design. Soil and plants were sampled from plantations of different age groups (control, >0 - 4 years, >4 - 8 years and >8 - 15 years’ plantations) in four locations of the Sub-Division (i.e. Dibombari-central, Bonamateke, Bomono and Nkapa) using a randomized complete block design. Data collected, was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that 65% of farmers planted Tenera variety, with majority of them below the standards for weeding (81%), fertilizer use (100%), pruning (62%), pest/disease control (90.5%) and harvesting (96%) practices. Soil macronutrients were low across the different plantations except P which was optimal at >0 - 4 years and >4 - 8 years’ plantations but low at >8 - 15 years’ plantation. Similarly, for plant macronutrients, N and P were optimal across the different plantations, while K and Mg were optimal at >0 - 4 years’ plantation but low at >4 - 8 years and >8 - 15 years’ plantations. Thus, agronomic practices and macronutrient status of soil and plants were below standards in smallholder oil palm plantations of Dibombari, leading to low yields of fresh fruit bunches.
基金financially supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Joint Research and Development Project Under the Sino–Thai Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation(2017YFE0133000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72104239)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Public Welfare Research Institutes,China(Y2022ZK03)the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAED-2022-04)。
文摘Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950,accounting for 20%of the global arable land and 40%of food production.Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate change.Most previous studies have calculated carbon emissions and their composition in irrigated areas using the engineering approach to life-cycle assessment.By combining life cycle assessment(LCA)-based carbon emissions accounting with econometric models such as multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling(SEM),we conducted an interdisciplinary study to identify the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of the carbon footprint(CFP)of smallholder crop cultivation on irrigation reform pilot areas.To this end,we investigated corn and potato production data in the 2019–2020 crop years for 852 plots of 345 rural households in six villages(two irrigation agriculture pilot villages and four surrounding villages as controls)in Southwest China.The crop CFP in the irrigation agriculture pilot areas was significantly lower than in non-reform areas.Irrigation reforms mainly impacted the crop CFP through four intermediary effects:the project(implementation of field irrigation channels),technology(improving adoption of new irrigation technologies),management(proper irrigation operation and maintenance),and yield effects.All effects inhibited the CFP,except for the project effect that promotes carbon emissions.Among them,yield increase has the greatest impact on reducing CFP,followed by management and technology effects.Furthermore,planting practices,individual characteristics,and plot quality significantly impacted the crop CFP.This study has policy implications for understanding the food security–climate nexus in the food production industry.
基金PTQ receives funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund(Grant No.499077)and the Canada Research Chairs Program.
文摘This research paper assesses the reality of Climate-Smart Agriculture(CSA)practices’potential to promote the outcomes of sustainable food systems(SFS)within Ghana’s smallholding agriculture context.The study demon-strates that rural farmers generally perceive CSA’s contribution to‘food and nutrition security’and‘economic performance’as more important than CSA’s contribution to‘social equity’and‘environmental stewardship’.From a narrow perspective,the study demonstrates that farmers perceive CSA’s potential to‘prevent pest and disease outbreaks’and‘increase human capital information’as the most important contribution of CSA to SFS outcomes.In contrast,CSA’s potential to promote environmental stewardship is perceived as the least important among Ghana’s rural farmers.This enormity of displacement of smallholders’perceptions at large is motivated by de-mographic,socioeconomic and ecological factors.Moreso,the CSA for SFS outcomes narratives is driven by farmers’self-apprise,social networks and other local information dissemination agents.Furthermore,research findings suggest farmers’awareness of CSA practices and interventions is deficient owing to unmet training and information needs for approximately 82%of the CSA practices and interventions.This situation elucidates the dichotomy of CSA practices’narratives as tools for attaining food,nutrition security and economic performance to the detriment of critical issues such as increasing awareness and building farmers’capacity to engage with CSA practices while also managing socio-ecological trade-offs that emerge over time due to engagement with CSA.Critical(re)orientation is needed across the scale to drive CSA practices and interventions that confine cli-mate adaptation and food production practices within safe planetary boundaries without undermining social,economic,food and nutrition security needs.
基金funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture,Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development(PCAARRD)through the Visayas State University(Project Code:20201050-1.93)。
文摘Objective:To determine the prevalence of bacteriospermia,the bacterial load,and the potential factors associated with bacterial contamination in boar semen collected by local smallholder artificial insemination operators.Methods:Fifteen individual raw semen samples were collected from locally available artificial insemination boars owned by different smallholder boar operators within the 5th district of Leyte,Philippines and were subjected to standard bacteriological culture and identification,including a survey of potentially associated factors.Prevalence and bacterial count were determined accordingly,while boar characteristics and collection practices were clustered following agglomerative hierarchical clustering technique.Results:One hundred percent contamination with a bacterial count of(2.01±0.38)×10^(3) CFU/mL was observed.At least 73.33%of the samples were positive for Bacillus spp.,while other identified isolates included Enterobacter spp.,Staphylococcus spp.,E.coli,Pseudomonas spp.,Citrobacter spp.,and Klebsiella spp.Conclusions:Despite the high prevalence of bacteriospermia,the bacterial count is low.Nevertheless,on-farm practices on boar health and management,semen collection,and sanitation as well as the enhancement of basic protocols to control contamination should be conscientiously considered in smallholder artificial insemination operation.
基金The United Nations Development Programme(UNDP)Small Grants Program supported this work through the project“Exploring Innovative Opportunities for Promoting Synergies between Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Seychelles”(SEY/SGP/OP6/Y5/CORE/YCC/2019/25),under the youth and climate change portfolio implemented by the University of Seychelles。
文摘Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.
文摘In Cambodia,cattle are used as draught power,sources of fertilizer,sources of assets,and for meat production.Due to some contagious illnesses such as hemorrhagic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease(FMD),they mostly have low reproductivity and poor physical health.Among those diseases,brucellosis is starting to appear in cattle production in rural Cambodia and is highly transmissible to humans.Thus,the objective of this study was to evaluate the farmers’awareness of cattle diseases and their transmissibility in the country.A survey was conducted in two provinces,Svay Rieng and Prey Veng,in Cambodia,starting from July 2021 to January 2022.A sample size of 216 was randomly selected from the two provinces by using Taro Yamane,and the selection criteria were that the targeted households must have at least two cows.A pre-determined questionnaire was utilized to collect data on number of cattle,raising type,feeding system,source of cattle purchase,hygienic condition,waste management,cattle disease,body score condition and symptoms.As a result,86% of the respondents in Prey Veng province and 99.07% in Svay Rieng province have cattle disease.Smallholder farmers raise 5 to 10 cattle per household,while other farmers raise 10 to 15 calves,or 15-20 or more than 20 heads,while only 20% of smallholder farmers in Prey Veng were able to raise 5 to 10 male cattle per household.Of all the interviewees,90% recognized FMD based on clinical signs such as blisters on the feet,loss of appetite,salivation and painful,red,blister-like lesions on the tongue.Meanwhile,60% know lumpy skin disease(LSD)due to skin nodules.No one knew about brucellosis.The findings suggest that the knowledge farmers have over cattle disease is very limited and this needs more support from related institutions to raise their awareness in order to cope with cattle disease correctly and timely.
文摘Especially for smallholder farmers with limited land and financial resources,farming in arid and semi-arid lands(ASALs),where season-to-season rainfall fluctuation dictates production,is a risky business.Through participatory approaches,this study compares deterministic and probabilistic interpretations of climate forecasts and their use by smallholder farmers through a crop-growing season.The study revealed that deterministic advisories are good for smallholder farmers only when formulated from forecasts with higher accuracy than the historical climatological distribution.Otherwise,they cause farm loss in terms of labor and inputs.On the other hand,probabilistic advisories help farmers spread the risk to cater to all the uncertainty and in so doing bring out a balance between confidence and caution.However,farmers must be supported with enough sensitization to comprehend forecast probability,translate it into probabilistic advisories and use that to plan and manage farm activities.The findings support the hypothesis providing packaged climate products in transparent probabilistic terms in place of deterministic form can overcome inherent credibility challenges.The study’s conclusion highlights important takeaways and new understandings of the advantage of using probabilistic advisories among resource-poor smallholder farmers.
基金This research was funded by the Academy–Locality Cooperation Project of Chinese Academy of Engineering (2019-JL-1-5).
文摘Globally,cocoa is famous for the production of chocolates and beverages.However,it also serves as a source of raw material for the manufacturing of high-quality cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Due to its high demand,cocoa is regarded as a major commodity for poverty alleviation in deprived cocoa farming communities. Government has therefore instigated relevant measures to address issues facing the sector by investing in extension programs. These programs act as information dissemination tools for teaching modern farming technologies and enhancing learning among farmers. This study highlighted the effects of the Cocoa Life Project (CLP) by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) International on farm productivity and income of 200 cocoa farmers in three districts of the Eastern Region,Ghana. Regression on covariates,Heckman’s treatment effects model,and propensity scores were used to test the robustness of the estimates. A positive association between extension program participation,farm productivity,and household income was discovered. Specifically,after correcting for selection bias,the estimated results of the Heckman’s model showed that the extension program significantly increased participating farmers’ cocoa yield by 14.3%. The effects on total farm income showed a significant increase of 25.1 and 42.9%,respectively from regression on propensity scores and the Heckman’s model. Across all three models,program participation led to an increase in total household income by 46.1,31.7,and 69.3%,respectively. Other variables such as farming characteristics,institutional and demographic factors affected farmers’ income,depending on the estimation method used. This study reiterated the supporting role played by extension programs in enhancing cocoa production and increasing household income in Ghana. Conclusively,government and development partners should invest in extension programs by providing enough logistics,training qualified agents,and creating a conducive atmosphere to support learning and technology adoption.
文摘Farm households in developing countries are faced with various challenges one of which is occurrence of unexpected negative events namely shocks. Shocks could be caused by extreme adverse natural events (droughts, storms, flood, and landslides) and market-related events (fuel, food, input and output price fluctuations, volatilities and price hikes). Most of these shocks affect production systems, food markets and local economies, all of which have direct effects on food security. This study explores the prevalence of shocks among indigenous vegetable farmers in Kenya followed by an assessment of the type of coping strategies in response to these shocks. We find that over two thirds of farmers have coping strategies that are not based on market-related insurance mechanisms;rather they use strategies such as working for more hours and selling assets. We analyze which socioeconomic and institutional factors determine households’ decision and extent of coping with shocks. The results showed that access to high-value markets and market information were the major factors informing their decision and extent of using coping strategies along with access to critical services such as credit, extension, and farmer groups. This has significant policy implications regarding the dissemination of information and promotion of credit markets through mobile phone-based platforms for easy accessibility in remote rural areas. Social capital should be encouraged because it acts as a necessary and sufficient conduit for information dissemination and mutual support to help farmers’ access critical services and resources needed for successful and sustainable implementation of relevant and appropriate coping strategies.
文摘Voluntary pre-farm certification schemes especially GlobalGAP are increasingly defining market access for smallholders in developing countries. Their strict demand for financial and technical competencies and concerns for producer welfare and environmental conservation imply that transition to certified production could spell smallholders’ exit or shift to alternative markets for no-compliance. But what factors motivate successful transition to certification and does alternative market access exist for the unsuccessful transition? Multinomial logit estimates reveal training and higher farm assets base as key indicators of successful certification and organized production. However, a large cultivated land resource favours certification but disfavours transition to organized production. The results point to sensitivity of certification schemes to expertise on technical information and assets that enhance cultivation of quality, reliable and hygienic produce and economies of scale in farming. The transition to organized production seems efficient if technical knowledge and assets that enhance cultivation of quality, reliable and hygienic produce are present. The results imply that farmer expertise, farm assets and land resource are critical barriers for farmers transiting to certification schemes. This calls for concerted mitigation if smallholders in developing countries are to benefit from the lucrative premium markets in Western Europe.
文摘Soil loss through erosion continues to pose serious challenges to increasing the smallholder agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone. While emphasis on sustainable land use practices continue to gain attention among land users, however, the rate of adoption among smallholder farmers is still very low and hence, in most part of the country soil fertility has been declining at alarming rates. In the Njala area, studies have shown that soil loss ranges from moderate to high. Though soil erosion has been identified as a major soil fertility declining factor, however, the effect of land use practices on the inherent resistance of soil materials to erosion is lacking. This study was therefore conducted to assess the effect of land uses on soil erodibility. The results showed that the soils are coarse sandy loam with high sand content. The dispersion ratios and erosion indices of soils under cassava, plantain, maize and guava were above the minimum thresholds of 15.0 and 10.0 respectively, thus indicating that these soils are highly erodible compared to soils under fallow and sweet potato which have dispersion ratios and erosion indices below the minimum thresholds. Clay content was inversely proportional to and significantly correlated with dispersion ratio and erosion index while the correlations between silt + clay, dispersion ration and erosion index, and silt, silt + clay and dispersion ratio were negative and non-significant. Considering the coarse nature of soils, landscape features and high erodibility indices, these soils would need special soil and water conservation practices to counter further degradation. These may include following, agroforestry, silvi-pasture, controlled and rotational grazing. In addition, awareness of sense of self-responsibility and forest policies and regulations are needed.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2015CB150405)
文摘Sustainable feeding of the growing population in China without ecological destabilization is a grand challenge. In this populous country where agriculture is dominated by smallholder farming, developing innovative technology and translating scientific knowledge into action for smallholder farmers is a crucial step in addressing this challenge. Here, we present a novel approach for technology innovation and dissemination to achieve sustainable intensification in the fields of smallholder farmers. The Science and Technology Backyard(STB) is a hub in a rural area that links knowledge with practices to promote technology innovation and exchange. In this study, the framework and functions of STB are introduced, and the key implications for sustainable intensification across millions of smallholder farmers are explicitly stated:(i) develop innovative technology based on stated demands of farmers;(ii) disseminate technology by innovative social service models though combined top-down approaches with bottom-up measures to enable smallholders in rural areas. This paper provides a perspective on transformation of small-scale agriculture toward sustainable intensification in China and useful knowledge applicable to other developing countries.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2015CB150405)the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest, China (201103003)
文摘North China Plain(NCP) is the primary winter wheat production region in China, characterized by smallholder farming systems. Whereas the winter wheat average yield of smallholder farmers is currently low, the yield potential and limiting factors driving the current yield gap remain unclear. Therefore, increasing the wheat yield in NCP is essential for the national food security. This study monitored wheat yield, management practices and soil nutrient data in 132 farmers’ fields of Xushui County, Baoding City, Hebei Province during 2014–2016. These data were analyzed using variance and path analysis to determine the yield gap and the contribution of yield components(i.e., spikes per hectare, grain number per spike and 1 000-grain weight) to wheat yield. Then, the limiting factors of yield components and the optimizing strategies were identified by a boundary line approach. The results showed that the attainable potential yield for winter wheat was 10 514 kg ha^–1. The yield gaps varied strongly between three yield groups(i.e., high, middle and low), which were divided by yield level and contained 44 farmers in each group, and amounted to 2 493, 1 636 and 814 kg ha^–1, respectively. For the three yield components, only spikes per hectare was significantly different(P<0.01) among the three yield groups. For all 132 farmers’ fields, correlation between yield and spikes per hectare(r=0.51, P<0.01), was significantly positive, while correlations with grain number per spike(r=–0.16) and 1 000-grain weight(r=–0.10) were not significant. The path analysis also showed that the spikes per hectare of winter wheat were the most important component to the wheat yield. Boundary line analysis showed that seeding date was the most limiting factor of spikes per hectare with the highest contribution rate(26.7%), followed by basal N input(22.1%) and seeding rate(14.5%), which indicated that management factors in the seeding step were the most important for affecting spikes per hectare. For desired spikes per hectare(>6.598×10^6 ha^–1),the seeding rate should range from 210–300 kg ha^–1, seeding date should range from 3th to 8th October, and basal N input should range from 90–180 kg ha^–1. Compared to these reasonable ranges of management measures, most of the farmers’ practices were not suitable, and both lower and higher levels of management existed. It is concluded that the strategies for optimizing yield components could be achieved by improving wheat seeding quality and optimizing farmers’ nutrient management practices in the NCP.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFE0101100 and 2016YFD0201137)the Innovative Group Grant of the National Science Foundation of China (31421092)
文摘Mango is an important cash crop in the tropics and subtropics. Determining the yield gap of mango and production constraints can potentially promote the sustainable development of the mango industry. In this study, boundary line analysis based on survey data from 103 smallholder farmers and a yield gap model were used to determine the yield gap and production constraints in mango plantations in the northern mountain, central valley and southern mountains regions of Tianyang County, Guangxi, China. The results indicated that the yield of mango in three representing regions of Tianyang County,Northern Mountains, Central Valley and Southern Mountains, was 18.3, 17.0 and 15.4 t ha^–1 yr^–1, with an explainable yield gap of 10.9, 6.1 and 14.8 t ha^–1 yr^–1, respectively. Fertilization management, including fertilizer N, P2O5 and K2O application rates, and planting density were the main limiting factors of mango yield in all three regions. In addition, tree age influenced mango yield in the Northern Mountains(11.1%) and Central Valley(11.7%) regions. Irrigation time influenced mango yield in the Northern Mountains(9.9%) and Southern Mountains(12.2%). Based on a scenario analysis, the predicted yield would increase by up to 50%, and fertilizer N use would be reduced by as much as approximately 20%. An improved understanding of production constraints will aid in the development of management strategy measures to increase mango yield.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0201137 and 2016YFE0101100)the Innovative Group Grant of the National Science Foundation of China (31421092)
文摘Apple occupies a dominant position in fruit production globally, and has become the main income source of local smallholder farmers in Luochuan County in the Loess Plateau area, one of the largest apple production areas in China. However, the annual productivity of apple orchards in this region remains low and has gradually declined over the years. The distinction and correlation of production constraints can contribute to the promotion of apple orchard productivity and the development of a sustainable orchard system. In the present study, survey data from 71 smallholder farmers were analyzed using a yield gap model to distinguish the production constraints and determine their correlation with the yield gap based on the structural equation model(SEM). The results indicated that the average apple yield in Luochuan County was 29.9 t ha^–1 yr^–1, while the attainable yield(Yatt;the highest yield obtained from the on-farm surveys) was 58.1 t ha^–1 yr^–1. The average explained and unexplainable yield gaps were 26.3 and 1.87 t ha^–1 yr^–1. According to the boundary line analysis, crop load,number of sprayings and base fertilizer N were the top three constraints on apple production in 9.8, 7.8 and 7.8% of the plots, respectively. Among the production constraints, crop load and fruit weight affected apple yield through direct pathways,whereas other constraints influenced apple yield through an indirect pathway based on the SEM, explaining 51% of the yield variance by all the main production constraints. These results can improve the current understanding of production constraints and contribute to the development of management strategies and policies for improving apple yield.
