Evaluating Agricultural Sustainability in Permaculture Farms: A Multidimensional Approach for Resilient Farming Systems

There is an increasing demand for education in organic and sustainable agriculture from undergraduates, graduate students and extension agents. In this paper, we discuss highlights and evaluations of a multilevel approach to education currently being developed at North Carolina State University (NCSU) that integrates interdisciplinary training in organic and sustainable agriculture and the related discipline of agroecology through a variety of programs for undergraduate students, graduate students, and extension agents. These educational programs are possible because of a committed interdisciplinary faculty team and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, a facility dedicated to sustainable and organic agriculture research, education, and outreach. Undergraduate programs include an inquiry-based sustainable agriculture summer internship program, a sustainable agriculture apprenticeship program, and an interdisciplinary agroecology minor that includes two newly developed courses in agroecology and a web-based agroecology course. Research projects and a diversity of courses focusing on aspects of sustainable and organic agriculture are available at NCSU for graduate students and a PhD sustainable agriculture minor is under development. A series of workshops on organic systems training offered as a graduate-level course at NCSU for extension agents is also described. Connecting experiential training to a strong interdisciplinary academic curriculum in organic and sustainable agriculture was a primary objective and a common element across all programs. We believe the NCSU educational approach and programs described here may offer insights for other land grant universities considering developing multilevel sustainable agriculture educational programs.

Typology of dairy camel farms in the Ouargla region

Empirical evaluation of sustainability of divergent farms in the dryland farming systems of India

Description of the subject. The demand for animal products is increasing due to human population growth. In addition, climate change poses a major threat to the viability and sustainability of livestock production systems, which are the subject of much debate. Objectives. This study aims to assess the sustainability of small dairy farms in the North of Tunisia. Method. Sustainability scores were calculated on the basis of individual interviews conducted on 107 dairy farms using a tool based on indicators covering the three dimensions of sustainability (agroecological, socio-territorial and economic). It allows a quantitative assessment of farms simultaneously on three scales. The questionnaire encompasses these three scales of sustainability, and each scale is composed of a set of indicators. These indicators are aligned with the objectives and scale of analysis, reliable and simple to understand, and incorporate variables for easy measurement. The final sustainability score is the lowest value of these three scales. This analysis is combined with PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and Ascending Hierarchical Classification (AHC), statistical analyses to classify the farms into groups according to the final score. Results. The average results of the sustainability assessment show that the highest performances are recorded for the agroecological (65 points) and economic (63 points) scales, while the socio-territorial dimension penalizes the total sustainability of the farms (56 points). The descriptive analysis of the IDEA method provides a representative picture of the sustainability of small Tunisian dairy farms in the North. The PCA and AHC analyses of the data allowed the identification of four groups of livestock systems according to the components of sustainability. The first is represented by the least sustainable farms. The second group consists of farms with acceptable agroecological and socio-territorial sustainability, but very low economic sustainability. The third group is made up of farms with the best economic sustainability, acceptable socio-territorial sustainability but the lowest agroecological sustainability. The fourth group is associated with the most sustainable farms at all three scales. Conclusions. The overall results show that there is no dissociation between agroecological, socio-territorial and economic sustainability, and that improvements must therefore be made simultaneously on all three scales.

BackgroundPesticide consumption is increasing in Bolivia as well as pest resistance, pesticide poisonings and pollution of the environment. This survey evaluates the training of small holder farmers on pesticide handling and ecological alternatives to reduce the negative pesticide effects.MethodA baseline survey was performed in 2002 and follow-up surveys in 2004 and 2009. Farmers were selected and trained on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) from 2002 to 2004 in Farmer Field Schools (FFS). After exclusions and drop outs, 23 FFS trained farmers could be compared to 47 neighbor farmers for changes in ‘knowledge, attitude and practice’ (KAP) on IPM and symptoms of poisoning when handling pesticides. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 21.0 using χ2-test, Cochran’s Q test and Student’s T-test.ResultsImprovements were seen in both groups but most significant among the FFS farmers. At baseline no difference were seen between the two groups apart from a more frequent use of personal protection among the FFS farmers. After the training was finished significant differences were seen between FFS farmers and neighbor farmers on all KAP variables, a difference reduced to six of the KAP variables in 2009. No difference was seen in self-reported poisonings after pesticide handling. FFS farmers improved their KAP scores markedly during training and there after retained their knowledge, while neighbor farmers improved during the entire period. Ecological farming without the use of pesticides increased most among the FFS farmers.ConclusionThe study showed a sustained improvement among Farmers Field School trained farmers on personal protection and hygiene when handling pesticides, knowledge and use of IPM and ecological alternatives and a reduction in self-reported symptoms after pesticide handling. Similar though less pronounced improvements was seen among neighbor farmers having had less training and information on pesticide handling and alternatives than the FFS trained farmers. Training of farmers on IPM and good agricultural practices has positive effects, but is scarce in Bolivia as in most low-income countries and must be encouraged to support an improved and sustainable food production and to protect the health of farmers and consumers as well as the environment.

ABSTRACTTeaching farmers integrated pest management (IPM) in farmer field schools (FFS) has led to reduced pesticide use and safer handling. This article evaluates the long-term impact of training farmers on IPM and the diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers to neighboring farmers, a subject of importance to justify training costs and to promote a healthy and sustainable agriculture. Training on IPM of farmers took place from 2002 to 2004 in their villages in La Paz County, Bolivia, whereas dissemination of knowledge from trained farmer to neighboring farmer took place until 2009. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, self-reported knowledge and practice on pesticide handling and IPM among trained farmers (n = 23) and their neighboring farmers (n = 47) were analyzed in a follow-up study and compared in a cross-sectional analysis with a control group of farmers (n = 138) introduced in 2009. Variables were analyzed using χ2 test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Trained farmers improved and performed significantly better in all tested variables than their neighboring farmers, although the latter also improved their performance from 2002 to 2009. Including a control group showed an increasing trend in all variables, with the control farmers having the poorest performance and trained farmers the best. The same was seen in an aggregated variable where trained farmers had a mean score of 16.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.45–17.65), neighboring farmers a mean score of 11.97 (95% CI: 10.56–13.38), and control farmers a mean score of 9.18 (95% CI: 8.55–9.80). Controlling for age and living altitude did not change these results. Trained farmers and their neighboring farmers improved and maintained knowledge and practice on IPM and pesticide handling. Diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers might explain the better performance of the neighboring farmers compared with the control farmers. Dissemination of knowledge can contribute to justify the cost and convince donors and governments in low-income countries to prioritize farmers training.

<abstract> <p>By 2050, the global population is anticipated to reach 10 billion, marking a significant 34% increase and raising concerns regarding food availability. Challenges such as the recent pandemic, which led to workforce and input shortages in agriculture, have made it difficult for many countries to maintain adequate food self-sufficiency (SSL). It is crucial to explore various farming methods to ensure that food remains available and affordable, especially in urban areas where over 55% of the population resides. Traditional agriculture faces issues like poor soil and excessive fertilizer use, which harm the environment. These factors threaten sustainable agriculture and food security, particularly in urban environments. Adopting sustainable soilless technology can enhance urban agriculture by providing a controlled environment for producing healthy food and addressing these challenges post-pandemic. This review, utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, a widely recognized and rigorous method for conducting systematic reviews, focused on urban agriculture, specifically soilless technologies, as emerging trends in crop cultivation. It examined conventional and cutting-edge urban production systems aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and food security. The review examined soilless farming techniques such as aeroponics, hydroponics, and aquaponics, highlighting their environmental impact, resource efficiency, and water usage. It carefully considered the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies compared to conventional soil-based farming. Furthermore, the review showcased the successful cultivation of various fresh vegetables and fruits using soilless technologies, each with advantages supporting urban agriculture and overall food security. The findings suggest that these innovative strategies hold promise in fostering sustainable urban agriculture and ensuring food security during a pandemic. These results lay the groundwork for establishing a framework to assess the sustainability of urban agricultural strategies and their practical application in real-world scenarios.</p> </abstract>

The 2001 Agricultural, Food and Public Policy Preference Survey consists of a typology of farms and issues relating to sustainable agriculture. The typology provides an opportunity to investigate the often anecdotally alluded to relationship between farm size, particularly small farms, and sustainable agriculture. This paper utilizes the typology to examine seven classes of farm size and finds a positive and statistically significant relationship between small farms and sustainable agriculture. The interaction term of farm size and tenure suggests that nonagricultural incentives may be adversely impacting the sustainable agriculture decisions of farmers.

Urban and peri-urban agriculture plays a key role by providing many goods and services. In particular, it provides diversified food and employment for vulnerable groups (youth and women). However, it often involves negative externalities due to non-conventional soils fertility management practices. This study aimed to investigate the chemical quality of soils over six (06) sites of the market gardening area of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) as affected by fertilizers uses and sites location. Thirty (30) representative market gardening farms, located in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, were randomly selected from a baseline survey database. Within each farm, composite soil samples made up of 3 individual cores were taken over the 0 - 15 cm soil depth for determining soils carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus contents and pH-water. These data were normalized and summarized to compute a synthetic Soil Fertility Index (SFI). The data processing was focused on a Principal Component Analysis and an Ascendant Hierarchical Classification in order to make a typology of the vegetable farms. Fertilizers management effects on soils quality were compared through Variance Analysis (ANOVA) following a GLM procedure in Rstudio software. As main results, soils chemical parameters, except for available K, were affected by the location of the sites. Soils in urban farms are less acidic (on average pH = 6.9), while semi-urban and rural sites (Samadeni, Nakaguana) have more acidic soils. However, the latter site had the highest values of C and N. Moreover, the long-term application of organic matter sources results in improving of the chemical quality of the market garden soil. The SFI is positively correlated with the rate of applied organic fertilizers, and the cultivation duration. On the other hand, soil quality tends to decrease with the expansion of the area, due to a dilution effect of the organic fertilizer doses. All these results suggest that there is a real scope to reinforce the position of the market garden as an opportunity for recycling organic wastes and sequestration of carbon by promoting relevant fertilization packages that strongly rely on organic matters sources (Compost, Biochar, etc.).

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Dairy farm manager must apply strategic planning to manage the complexity of dairy production systems and produce high-quality milk. <strong>Objective.</strong> To identify and group dairy farms on the basis of milk yield and composition, animal data, and farm characteristics. <strong>Methodology.</strong> Official milk records and production variables of 26 dairy farms and 45,343 cows in the region of Arapoti, Paraná, southern Brazil (24°49′36″S 49°49′36″W, 860 m elevation), were assessed. Milk yield and composition data were analyzed using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and ascending hierarchical classification (AHC) followed by simple linear regression analysis. <strong>Results.</strong> AHC afforded five clusters of dairy farms, grouped according to milk yield and composition. MCA showed that cow age influenced mammary gland health, whereas feed management and lactation stage influenced milk composition. Regression analysis indicated that the relationships between milk composition parameters and lactation number had the same behavior in all clusters; milk protein and lactose contents decreased with increasing lactation number. A relationship was found among cow age, lactation stage, and mammary gland health, as well as among milk yield, cow age, and mammary gland health. Somatic cell count increased with cow age. Low milk yield was associated with high somatic cell counts. Mammary gland health was affected by lactation stage, and milk composition was influenced by feeding management and lactation number (cow age). <strong>Implications</strong>. The comprehension of the relationship between milk production and composition on dairy cattle farms can suggest specific decision-making for group of milk farmers, regarding nutritional and milk quality according to the production, composition and somatic cell count. <strong>Conclusion. </strong>A relationship was found among cow age, lactation stage, and mammary gland health as well as among milk yield, cow age, and mammary gland health. Multivariate statistical analysis helped to understand the relationship between milk production and composition in these dairy cattle farms. Based on these grouping results, we can suggest specific decision-making for each group of producers, regarding nutritional and milk quality according to the production, composition and somatic cell count.</p>

Agricultural mechanization is recognized as an important technology to increase agricultural productivity, face labor shortages, and reduce post-harvest loss. However, variations among farms’ characteristics and agricultural production systems suggest adopting a targeted strategy in mechanization programs for farmers. This research aimed to answer the following questions in the particular case of Haiti: are there different types of smallholder farmers in terms of mechanization use and socio-economic characteristics? What types of mechanization are used by farmers, and what drives their use among different types of farmers? What are the different types of farms in terms of mechanization use? We used typology construction methodology (principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA)) for a sample of 637 farmers and have identified four different clusters of farmers according to the characteristics of the farms they managed: “Little rain-fed farms” (cluster 1), “Little lowlands farms” (cluster 2), “Medium-sized farms in irrigated plains” (cluster 3), and “Large fragmented mountain farms”. Farms in cluster 3 were those who used more agricultural mechanization, and the results of multinomial logistic regression (MNLR) model revealed that the significant drivers of this use were location, access to credit and low food security status. Mechanization use of farms in clusters 1 and 4 was distinctively driven by saving behavior and off-farm income, respectively. In the pooled sample, the drivers of mechanization were: regions or location, age of the farmers, irrigation, livestock, access to credit, off-farm income and food security status. This study contributes to the literature by testing new drivers of agricultural mechanization such as food security status, and off-farm income. The findings can be used to design appropriate mechanization strategies to increase productivity and face labor price/scarcity challenges. They suggest that mechanization policies should focus on agricultural equipment that are adapted to the specificities of the production systems of each farm type, and strengthen access to credit. Otherwise, mechanization will be predominantly used only in irrigated lowlands.

The global transition toward sustainable agriculture has placed significant emphasis on reducing dependency on chemical fertilizers and embracing ecologically sound alternatives. This review was conducted in response to the growing need to synthesize empirical evidence on biostimulants, biofertilizers, organic amendments, and nanotechnological interventions that can enhance crop productivity, soil health, and environmental resilience. Given that Farming and Management regularly publishes research at the intersection of agricultural innovation, environmental stewardship, and farmer-centric solutions, it offers a suitable platform to present a consolidated evaluation of these emerging inputs in diverse farming systems. The manuscript explores recent advances in the application of organic formulations such as vermicompost and Panchagavya, evaluates microbial inoculants including region-specific strains of Azospirillum and Pseudomonas, and assesses the effectiveness of novel tools such as nano DAP and zinc-based nanofertilizers. The review also discusses the physiological and agronomic impact of biostimulants like seaweed extracts and amino acid formulations, especially under abiotic stress conditions. Each topic is situated within the broader context of sustainable intensification, conservation agriculture, and regenerative soil practices. The findings suggest that when appropriately integrated, these ecological inputs can significantly reduce chemical load, improve nutrient use efficiency, and restore biological activity in soils. They also enhance plant tolerance to climate-induced stresses, contributing to food security and long-term farm viability. However, challenges such as inconsistent field performance, limited adoption, and gaps in regulatory oversight remain. The review concludes that future research should focus on standardization, farmer training, and region-specific validation to accelerate the mainstreaming of these technologies into practical agriculture.

This article contributes to debates about the potential of alternative food networks and their contradictions using sustainability-oriented farmer training programs as a case study. I provide an empirical account of the political-economic structures at play in the construction of farmer trainings as a solution to the farming crisis, as well as the possibilities and tensions herein. I argue that that the main rationale framing the farming problem in the public-institutional discourse – namely the apolitical production of a scarcity of farmers – and its discursive usage in popular and institutional circles directs the solution towards the urgent production of more farmers who will farm sustainably and independently of the current structural conditions in which farming is embedded. On the ground, this apolitical ecology is sustained by philanthropism and consumption elitism. In addition, the making of FTPs as an intervention to solve the farming crisis is determined by neoliberal governance structures that promote the devolution of power into the NGO sector and responsibilization of individuals. I finally call for a broader and non-binary vision to alternatives, in which political ecology perspectives bring relevant tools and insights. The case of FTPs throws light into the particular governmentalities, forms of governing at-a-distance, and whiteness associated with sustainable farming and agriculture, and the way society thinks of it.Keywords: farmer training programs, emergent farmers, sustainable agriculture, alternatives, alternative food networks, NGOization of farming, power, privilege, California

Sustainable Pepper Farming (SPF) can be considered one of the ways to increase the production of pepper in Sarawak by the government. Less or low of attitude, values, and perception on SPF become the problem and slow down the process of extending the idea to the pepper farmers. Even though, this issue needs more attention, but the number of studies is still inadequate. The issue of decreasing or neglecting the pepper farm when the price fluctuates is not a new thing in this industry. Hence, the main aim of this concept paper is to critically review and identify groups in current literature on extension agents’ value, attitude, and perception of the farmers towards sustainable farming, explore the role around them and come out with recommendation for future research. This study will apply a quantitative approach through the questionnaire form for purpose of data collection. A total of 400 respondents from nine branches in Sarawak (Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Bintangor, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu) will be choosing as respondents for this research. Descriptive statistic and multiple regression method via Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26 will be using for analysis the data. The findings of this study will be a reference in formulating the new extension strategy or competency to enhance the sustainability of the commodity through Malaysian Pepper Board and Sarawak Agriculture Department. New formulation needed to enhance the extension and to make sure that the farmers will never have abandoned their pepper farm when the price fluctuates. These findings would be helpful in developing an appropriate approach in the technology transfer and farmers training. Future studies are suggested to include more indicators like training to keep the farming sustainability in Sarawak.

Advances in sustainable agriculture are essential for simultaneously optimizing food production and preserving the environment. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth study of the current state and future possibilities of sustainable farming practices. With the ever-increasing global population, ensuring food security has become a paramount issue. Conventional farming techniques, though effective for mass food production, pose serious threats to environmental sustainability due to excessive resource utilization, pollution, and degradation of biodiversity. Sustainable agriculture promotes practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially equitable. This involves the application of advanced technologies, including precision farming, genetically modified crops for higher yield and disease resistance, and integrating renewable energy sources in farming practices. Importantly, the study also emphasizes agroecological practices which include crop rotation, organic farming, and agroforestry that contribute to enhancing soil fertility, reducing synthetic pesticide use, and promoting biodiversity. Additionally, sustainable agriculture supports the use of local resources and traditional knowledge to maintain ecological balance while ensuring food production. This review also highlights the crucial role of policy support and education in promoting sustainable farming. Farmer training and public awareness campaigns can increase understanding and acceptance of sustainable practices, leading to wider adoption. Overall, this review suggests that the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices is not just a choice but a necessity for ensuring food security and environmental conservation in the future.