New pathways for “three rural” development: private sector forces and technological engines drive agricultural modernization

The world population is estimated to be 9.2 billion in 2050. To sufficiently feed these people, the total food production will have to increase 60% - 70%. Climate models predict that warmer tem-peratures and increases in the frequency and duration of drought during the present century will have negative impact on agricultural productivity. These new global challenges require a more complex integrated agricultural and breeding agenda that focuses on livelihood improvement coupled with agro-ecosystem resilience, eco-efficiency and sustainability rather than just on crop productivity gains. Intensifying sustainability agro-ecosystems by producing more food with lower inputs, adapting agriculture to climate change, conserving agro-biodiversity through its use, and making markets to work for the small farmers are needed to address the main issues of our time. Plant breeding has played a vital role in the successful development of modern agriculture. Development of new cultivars will be required while reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment and maintaining sufficient production. Conventional plant breeding will remain the backbone of crop improvement strategies. Genetic engineering has the potential to address some of the most challenging biotic constraints faced by farmers, which are not easily addressed through conventional plant breeding alone. Protective measures and laws, especially patenting, must be moderated to eliminate coverage so broad that it stifles innovation. They must be made less restrictive to encourage research and free flow of materials and information. Small farmers have an important role in conserving and using crop biodiversity. Public sector breeding must remain vigorous, especially in areas where the private sector does not function. This will often require benevolent public/private partnerships as well as government support. Active and positive connections between the private and public breeding sectors and large-scale gene banks are required to avoid a possible conflict involving breeders’ rights, gene preservation and erosion. Plant breeding can be a powerful tool to bring “harmony” between agriculture and the environment, but partnerships and cooperation are needed to make this a reality.

The pattern of crop genetic diversity in the developing world has changed over the past two centuries with the modernization of agriculture, accelerating with the advent of the green revolution. Since the green revolution, the locus of agricultural research has shifted from the public to the private sector. The growing importance of the private sector in agricultural R&D is changing the types of crop technologies that are developed and the ways they are delivered to farmers, perhaps best illustrated by transgenic crops which are being developed and commercialized almost exclusively by private multinational companies. The spread of transgenic crops will influence crop genetic diversity, but their implications for the availability of plant genetic resources and the resilience of agricultural ecosystems are not entirely clear. Transgenic crops, per se, may increase or decrease crop genetic diversity, depending on how they are regulated and deployed. This paper explores a range of policy options to increase the likelihood that private sector R&D, particularly in the form of transgenic crops, enhances rather than erodes crop genetic diversity.

The study was under take to determine and describe the general characteristic of respondents, to explore present livelihood status of unified enclaves people and to identify problems faced by them. The study was conducted at different unified enclaves’ areas of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Panchagarh and Nilphamari district during December 2016-June 2017. A total 200 respondents were randomly selected from unified enclave areas for the study 50 from each district. Thirty two percent residents live in straw and mud wall houses and side walls are developed either by tin or by bamboo or other low cost materials and poor families (29%) have walls made by jute sticks. Agriculture is the main source of livelihoods in these areas (80%) including agricultural day labour. Non-farm activities (20%) are mainly limited to shop keeping or trading, rickshaw van pulling. No formal educational institute sponsored by government or private sector was found in unified enclave areas but recently people in enclave areas have built new structures with signboard on their lands by own finances with the hope that their relatives and peers will get jobs if the government approves the scheme. There is no community clinic or primary healthcare facility in the unified enclave areas. Majority of the respondents (76%) take treatment from village doctor and Kobiraj followed by upazilla health care centre (13%) and 5% from community clinic. Ninety two percent birth deliveries had been attended by relatives or midwives at home. Nearly 92% girls were married before age of 18 years. The study reveals that 88% respondents were suffering from dowry but there is no eve-teasing in the unified enclaves due to their strong family and social bondage. Insufficient irrigation facilities and quality agricultural inputs, lack of training and lack of marketing facilities of agricultural products is the major problems of their livelihoods. Insufficient support and lack of training in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, lack of healthcare centre, educational institution, poor road transportation facilities, and insufficient loan facilities of agriculture is the major problems of unified enclaves. To improve the condition of lives of people in unified enclaves, need to ensure quality agricultural inputs and irrigation facilities, agricultural product marketing facilities, training on modern farming and agricultural credits with lower interest rate. Group based or community based fish, poultry or cattle farming might be beneficial for landless people. Low cost capital is needed to establish micro or small business enterprise. To improve the condition of lives of people in unified enclaves, different government agencies have taken various initiatives. But government programmes will not be enough to meet various needs of people of unified enclaves. Intervention from private sector would address various development needs there.

Charakterystyczną cechą przemian współczesnego krajobrazu Polski jest zmniejszanie się powierzchni gruntów rolniczo użytkowanych na rzecz lasów. W pracy przedstawiono dane na temat zalesień słabych gruntów rolnych i tzw. nieużytków zrealizowanych w gminie Szadek w ostatnim dwudziestoleciu. Odnotowano, że w analizowanym okresie powierzchnia lasów tego obszaru zwiększyła się o około 300 ha. Uprawy leśne założono na ponad 170 ha gruntów prywatnych, przy czym w ostatnim dziesięcioleciu zalesiono zaledwie 27 ha. Działalność związana ze zmianą formy użytkowania gruntu prywatnego z rolnego na leśny jest od 2004 r. (po wstąpieniu Polski do Unii Europejskiej) wspierana finansowo ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Rolnego na rzecz Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich w ramach Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej UE. Według danych Agencji Restrukturyzacji i Modernizacji Rolnictwa w Gminie Szadek na zalesienie 23,75 ha gruntów przeznaczono ponad 800 tys. zł (w ramach Programu Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich). Stwierdzono, że rozmiar realizowanych zalesień był warunkowany m.in. brakiem długoterminowej stabilności zasad udzielania wsparcia finansowego, ale też znaczącym wzrostem wartości rynkowej gruntów rolnych. Brak stabilizacji gospodarczej czy politycznej oraz zmiany regulacji prawnych związanych z użytkowaniem gruntów rolnych i leśnych w krajach Unii Europejskiej, w tym w Polsce, hamują – uzasadniony względami ekonomicznymi (zalesianie gruntów nieodpowiednich do prowadzenia gospodarki rolnej) i ekologicznymi (odtworzenie ekosystemów leśnych w krajobrazie zdominowanym przez pola uprawne) – proces zalesiania słabych gruntów rolnych i nieużytków.

This paper examines the agricultural potentials of Stara Pazova, and consequently defnes development priorities in this area. The aim at the research is to assess the real possibilities for improvement on agriculture Municipality. The analysis is focused on: knowledge transfer and innovation, agriculture technical equipment, warehouse and fnishing capacities in agriculture, processing of agricultural products and the vision and development priorities over agriculture Municipality. The research results show that the improvement to the competitiveness of the agricultural sector of Stara Pazova requires the implementation of adequate policy measures and projects related to the improvement to human resources, higher level of processing of agricultural and food products, as well as better agricultural technical equipment agricultural producers. Activities in this area include primarily higher correlation science and practice across the reorganized agricultural station, extension services, home service , agricultural cooperatives and other associations of farmers; development and implementation of new knowledge and skills of farmers through advice, training, seminars, courses; support young farmers in the modernization of farms. All projects in this feld must be based on adequate state support and coordinated efforts of the public and private sectors.

Agriculture plays an important role for providing food and jobs as well as an engine of economic growth in most developing countries. In terms of large scale or industrial agriculture, this field faces big challenges for providing food, feed, fiber and fuel for growing population while answering issues of sustainability, natural resource depletion, climate change, market protection, and food security. Therefore, agriculture based tropical countries should be able to address the challenges through collaboration and innovations. Accordingly, we held the First International Conference on Industrial Agriculture (ICONIA 2020) as a part of conference series presented by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia with the theme of Managing Crisis in Industrial Agriculture: Way Forward. This conference is the first round held by Pusat Inovasi Agroteknologi (PIAT) UGM in a close collaboration with partner universities: Universitas Janabadra, Politeknik LPP, Universitas Pembangunan ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta, Institut Pertanian INTAN Yogyakarta, and Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa. This program provides an ideal platform for policy makers (government), private sectors, planters, agriculturist, academicians, professionals, NGO’s, and students to share the experience and knowledge about industrial agriculture.ICONIA 2020 covers various topics from Genetic Resources and Utilization, Crop Production Technology, Modern Agriculture, Post-harvest Agriculture, Agricultural Socioeconomics, to Agriculture Waste Management. This conference was planed one year before that would use an ordinary conference format in a hotel on the mid October 2020 expecting a huge number of participant and some exhibitions. However in the early 2020, the pandemic outbreak forced the conference committee to postpone the date to 3rd December in the hope for outbreak ceased. Unfortunately, until the mid 2020 there was no positive sign of the cease of this pandemic, thus, the committee decided to switch into a virtual conference format. The virtual conference was also mandated by UGM for all the conference held in 2020 and also comply with local government (Yogyakarta) regulation. Luckily through several adaptations and changes, we were still able to get 30 paper submission and four plenary lectures from 5 different countries.During the conference, the online presentation was using Zoom Meeting platform. The committee set up a control room to handle the conference in Eastparc Hotel Yogyakarta at the conference date for ensuring stable internet connection and electrical supply. ICONIA 2020 has two sessions in sequence which are plenary session and parallel session. The plenary sessions delivered by four speakers: Prof. Bunyamin Tar’an, Ph.D. (University of Saskatchewan, Canada), Roland Schafleitner, Ph.D. (World Vegetable Center, Taiwan), Benisiu Thomas, Ph.D. (University of Namibia) and Dr. Guilherme Rossi Machado Junior, MS. (Rossi Consultoria E. LTDA, Brazil). Each keynote speaker had 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for question and answers session. Meanwhile, presenters in parallel sessions were given 10 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for question and answer. All 28 papers have been presented successfully using Zoom Meeting and Conference platform. Meanwhile, non-presenter participants number are 68 which were able to follow the plenary session online before separated into four parallel virtual rooms based on their choice.By all the challenge due to this pandemic, one day conference of 1st ICONIA 2020 has been successfully held. There was no significant hindrance due to internet connection or others. We do hope the next ICONIA can be held in a normal conditions with more participants and more significant contribution to Industrial Agriculture fields.

Some initiatives on green economy have taken place in Nepal, albeit mainly in the forms of dialogues and seminars on the subject. The National Planning Commission, with support of the Poverty Environment Initiative Programme, has organized a few discussion programmes on the subject in recent years. Different non-governmental organizations and the private sector have also organized dialogues on the subject. Among others, these dialogues and seminars have helped spur the debate on what a green economy means for Nepal, which are the sectors that could potentially contribute to a green economy and hence need to be promoted, and what roles different stakeholders should play in Nepal’s pursuit of a green economy. Majority of the people living in Nepal are dependent on agriculture and forestry for their livelihoods. These sectors have not contributed much to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The state of industrial development in the country has not been to the desired extent, and therefore, GHG emissions thereof are very minimal. That is not to say, however, that Nepal is free of environment-related problems. Environmental degradation has been ever increasing; urban population is constantly on the rise and environmental problems are rising commensurately; modern agriculture and unsustainable forestry management practices in many cases are adding to environmental woes; among others. Given that the world is increasingly resorting to a green economy path, Nepal needs to adopt green economy policies to be competitive in the world market. Hence, there is a need to have organized structures to steer the debate on green economy approaches that are applicable in the Nepalese context. Many sectors in Nepal, such as agriculture and forestry, are already green. Moreover, Nepal is yet to enter into the industrialization phase. Therefore, it is relatively easier for the country to take a greener approach to industrialization and development than for many other countries that need to revisit their traditional approach. Nepal can take the initiative of going green by focusing first on three major sectors: agriculture and forestry; infrastructure and energy; and tourism.

Connecting academia and industry: Advancing the use of entomopathogenic nematodes to tackle emerging challenges and opportunities in modern agriculture.

Increasing cropping system diversity has great potential to address environmental problems associated with modern agriculture, such as erosion, soil carbon loss, nutrient runoff, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. As with other agricultural sciences, plant breeding has primarily been conducted in the context of dominant monoculture cropping systems, with little focus on multicrop systems. Multicrop systems have increased temporal and/or spatial diversity and include a diverse set of crops and practices. In order to support a transition to multicrop systems, plant breeders must shift their breeding programs and objectives to better represent more diverse systems, including diverse rotations, alternate-season crops, ecosystem service crops, and intercropping systems. The degree to which breeding methods need to change will depend on the cropping system context in question. Plant breeding alone, however, cannot drive adoption of multicrop systems. Alongside shifts in breeding approaches, changes are needed within broader research, private sector, and policy contexts. These changes include policies and investments that support a transition to multicrop systems, increased collaboration across disciplines to support cropping system development, and leadership from both the public and private sectors to develop and promote adoption of new cultivars.

This study aims to formulate marketing strategies for PT Golden Pratama Gemilang (GPG) to increase the sales turnover of agricultural mechanization tools by employing the SWOT approach and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) method. The research utilizes a qualitative method by collecting data through in-depth interviews, document analysis, and direct observations. The SWOT analysis revealed that PT GPG’s strengths include a strong company reputation, high-quality products meeting international standards, effective after-sales services, robust relationships with key clients, and efficient product demonstrations. However, the company faces weaknesses such as relatively high product prices, limited promotional capacity, and challenges in workforce regeneration. External opportunities identified include agricultural modernization policies, growing demand for mechanization, strategic partnerships with state-owned enterprises (BUMN) and private sectors, and advancements in mechanization technologies. Conversely, major threats include price competition from local competitors, macroeconomic challenges, insufficient market education, and negative perceptions of consumable parts. Through QSPM analysis, strategies with the highest Total Attractiveness Scores (TAS) were prioritized for implementation. The top-priority strategy identified is collaborating with local Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to reducethe cost of consumable parts, which achieved the highest TAS value. Other prioritized strategies include offering flexible payment options to small and medium-scale farmers, developing products tailored to specific land needs, and collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture to promote agricultural modernization. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of a systematic approach in formulating marketing strategies. The proposed strategies are expected to assist PT GPG in enhancing competitiveness,expanding market share, and achieving sustainable sales growth in the agricultural mechanization industry.

This paper deals with developments relating to irrigation and reservoir construction in the United Kingdom during the period from 1960 to the present. This period of modernisation in British agriculture saw the creation of a large and efficient industry where public money was injected to encourage private sector development, in which that private sector always had to provide 50% or more of the capital involved. Thus cost effective techniques were adopted which may have applications for the more effective use of resources in the public sector.

The election of Carlos Salinas de Gortari in 1988 initiated a process of privatization in Mexico's financial and industrial sectors. Banks, state-controlled during most of the 1980s, were reprivatized by reducing the controlling interest of the central government and encouraging recapitalization by the private sector. State-owned industries such as airlines and mines were sold to private investors in an effort to improve efficiency and reduce demands on the public treasury. Also, an increased inflow of foreign investment capital, to be stimulated by legal changes allowing increased foreign private ownership, is now viewed by the Salinas de Gortari administration as a necessary condition for Mexico's future economic growth and stability. In January of 1992, Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution was amended to facilitate the modernization of Mexican agriculture. Two economic conditions help explain this action. First, Mexico is a net importer of agricultural commodities. In some years beans and corn, staples in the Mexican diet, must be imported to meet the demands of a burgeoning population. Second, 50% of the agricultural land in Mexico is controlled by organized community groups: comunidades and ejidos. Ejidos, groups that hold property in common, control approximately 40% of the agricultural land. On average, these lands are 30%50% less productive than comparable private farms and represent, according to some Mexican analysts, an opportunity for increased productivity through privatization.1 The ejido is an important component in Mexico's culture and historical heritage. Its revolutionary past, deeply rooted in the Mexican Revolution of 1910-15, should give pause to the reformer who argues for privatizing these common property land holdings. Questions should

Utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to grant farmers direct access to information, while also developing models tailored to the specific contexts of both public and private agricultural extension sectors, stands as a pivotal endeavor in modern agriculture. This study uses bibliometric analysis to identify key research areas in ICT-based extension and advisory services (EAS) and to understand patterns and trends within this domain. The Scopus database served as the primary tool for accessing publications, yielding a corpus of 525 articles spanning from 1999 onwards, subsequently analyzed through VOSviewer and R software. The findings unveil that the Sustainability journal claims the highest number of published articles, while the Agricultural Economics journal garners the most citations within this realm. Notably, Aker emerges as the most globally cited author with 405 citations, while China Agricultural University emerges as the institution with the highest publication count concerning ICT-based EAS. India emerges as a frontrunner with 446 publications, while publications originating from the USA receive the highest number of citations, reflecting the nation's substantial endeavors and investments in harnessing ICT for agricultural extension purposes. The co-occurrence analysis of all keywords emphasizes the primary focus of publications on e-agriculture and e-extension. Furthermore, the outcomes of co-citation analysis highlight The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension as the most referenced journal, with 22 citations and a cumulative link strength of 266, indicative of its profound influence and recurrent citation alongside other scholarly journals. This study uncovers an escalating interest in this field, emphasizing its paramount importance in contemporary agricultural practices. Accordingly, these findings offer crucial insights for guiding future research and shaping evidence-based policies, thereby aiding researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in improving ICT-based EAS in agriculture.

The book begins with an introduction to sustainable farming, addressing the pressing need for a farming revolution in response to environmental challenges. It highlights the crucial role of technology, including environmental engineering and machine learning, in transforming agriculture into a more efficient and eco-friendly domain. From soil health management and water resource optimization to renewable energy integration and waste recycling, this book delves deep into the principles of environmental engineering applied to agriculture. One of the most groundbreaking aspects of this book is its exploration of machine learning in agriculture. It provides a user-friendly introduction to AI and predictive analytics for non-experts while covering advanced applications such as disease and pest detection, precision farming, and climate adaptation strategies. The book also discusses image recognition for crop health monitoring and the challenges of implementing AI-driven solutions in the farming sector. Readers will find inspiring success stories showcasing real-world applications of machine learning in modern agriculture. Smart agricultural practices form another pillar of this book, providing an in-depth look at innovative solutions like IoT-based farming systems, automated irrigation, agricultural drones, blockchain for supply chain transparency, robotics, and smart sensors. These technologies are paving the way for a more efficient and data-driven approach to farming, ensuring sustainability while maximizing productivity. A critical aspect of sustainable farming is soil health and fertility management. This book explores sustainable enrichment techniques, bioengineering for soil restoration, AI-driven soil analysis, and best practices such as crop rotation and companion planting. It also warns against the risks of over-fertilization and eutrophication, emphasizing the importance of balance in soil nutrition. Climate-smart agriculture is another vital component, addressing strategies for climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation, drought-resilient crops, and water management in changing climates. The book highlights the role of AI in climate adaptation and presents policies and success stories from around the world, illustrating effective approaches to climate-resilient farming. Additionally, the book covers sustainable crop management, ethical livestock farming, advanced irrigation techniques, and the economic and social impacts of smart agriculture. It discusses how technology can empower farmers, reduce costs, and address global food security challenges, while also bridging the urban-rural divide through education and training. For those interested in the policy and global perspectives of sustainable farming, the book provides an overview of international initiatives, government incentives, legal and ethical considerations, and collaborations between private and public sectors. It offers case studies demonstrating policy-driven agricultural transformations and insights into the future of farming. The concluding chapter envisions the future of sustainable agriculture, exploring emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, and big data in farming. It emphasizes the importance of a circular economy in agriculture and highlights the challenges that must be overcome for widespread adoption. Finally, it inspires readers to contribute to a global movement for sustainable farming and food security. With a blend of scientific research, practical applications, and forward-thinking strategies, Sustainable Farming Revolution is an indispensable guide for those seeking to harness the power of environmental engineering, AI, and smart agricultural practices to build a more sustainable and resilient future.

A series of tensions played out in the environmental history of the Russian empire. These tensions had an impact on policies, practices, institutions, and human–nature interactions in the Soviet period. One was top-down pressure to modernize, by which leading officials including such tsars as Peter the Great meant to westernize, in part through adopting enlightenment attitudes toward nature and landscape. By force of will – or force of military and political occupation – Russia would create modern industry and agriculture across an ever-expanding empire. A second tension existed precisely between the power of the state and the private sector, between autocracy and public participation. In the Russian Empire, given the central role of the state, which rivaled or exceeded that in other nations, any environmental concern – alarm about the health of the forest, worries about agricultural performance and quality of soils, or concerns of nascent conservation movements – played out against concerns about the power of the government. The state could be a force of modernization and reform yet also a brake on development through its policies. Granted, the tsarist state had fewer bureaucrats per capita than the major European states and relied on devolving administration on the local population – nobles, peasant communes, and so on. Still, regarding the environment, it had a crucial role. The tsars determined to expand the empire and tame the periphery, push back the frontier, settle the steppe, and create agriculture that met the needs of growing domestic markets and export. No longer would agriculture be subsistence. This required that arable land succumb to agronomy, that polar and subpolar regions reveal their secrets, that Siberia become a part of the patrimony of the tsars and contribute to the economy, and that nomadic and indigenous people in lightly settled areas give way to settlers.