Agrobiodiversity Research Articles

The darker side of agricultural intensification - disappearance of autumn or aus rice, entry of HYVs, and implications in terms of environmental sustainability in a ‘Green Revolution' state of eastern India

Agricultural intensification riding on the Green Revolution ushered bountiful production of selected staples (rice, wheat, maize) in the developing nations and caused a significant economic growth. It showered a new hope through a package of high-yielding seeds of rice and wheat, laying networks of irrigation and facilitating ground-water usage, over-dependence on agro-chemicals, primarily nitrogenous fertilizers, and broad institutional support that claimed to have changed the trajectory of agricultural growth of India. However, its negative impacts have become apparent now.Looking closely and locally at the eastern state of India, I examine various detrimental effects, in terms of agricultural biodiversity, HYV acceptance, and water, and agrochemical usage. In summarizing, I also analyze the findings in terms of environmental sustainability. The major shrinkage of aus or autumn rice acreage and near extinction of landraces, the establishment of a few high-yielding varieties are a few key changes overly visible in the rice cultivation system of West Bengal state. It has also become heavily dependent on groundwater, nitrogenous fertilizers, and pesticides. The side-effects of indiscriminate use of groundwater took a toll on human health through heavy metal poisoning. Monocropping of HYVs also accelerated a heavy onslaught of pests causing major crop loss. Building on these results, it does not seem to grow endlessly and remain sustainable in the long run. The study reinforces its snowballing vulnerability to climate change endangering food systems.

RESEARCH AND APPLICATION OF CROP PEST MONITORING AND EARLY WARNING TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA

<List> <ListItem><ItemContent> ● Crop pests are a major factor restricting agricultural production in China. </ItemContent></ListItem> <ListItem><ItemContent> ● The National Monitoring and Early Warning System (NMEWS) was established > 40 years ago. </ItemContent></ListItem> <ListItem><ItemContent> ● Application of NMEWS has increased national capability to tackle pests. </ItemContent></ListItem></List> The importance of food security, especially in combating the problem of acute hunger, has been underscored as a key component of sustainable development. Considering the major challenge of rapidly increasing demands for both food security and safety, the management and control of major pests is urged to secure supplies of major agricultural products. However, owing to global climate change, biological invasion (e.g., fall armyworm), decreasing agricultural biodiversity, and other factors, a wide range of crop pest outbreaks are becoming more frequent and serious, making China, one of the world’s largest country in terms of agricultural production, one of the primary victims of crop yield loss and the largest pesticide consumer in the world. Nevertheless, the use of science and technology in monitoring and early warning of major crop pests provides better pest management and acts as a fundamental part of an integrated plant protection strategy to achieve the goal of sustainable development of agriculture. This review summarizes the most fundamental information on pest monitoring and early warning in China by documenting the developmental history of research and application, Chinese laws and regulations related to plant protection, and the National Monitoring and Early Warning System, with the purpose of presenting the Chinese model as an example of how to promote regional management of crop pests, especially of cross border pests such as fall armyworm and locust, by international cooperation across pest-related countries.

Fostering Entrepreneurship And Supply Chain In Agri-Business In The Farming Community To Achieve Sustainable Rural Development In Namseling, Bhutan

Fostering Entrepreneurship And Supply Chain In Agri-Business In The Farming Community To Achieve Sustainable Rural Development In Namseling, Bhutan

Diverse crops and input subsidies: a village-scale analysis in Mali

ABSTRACT An extensive literature assesses the productivity, farm income and fiscal impacts of agricultural input subsidy programmes reintroduced during the 2000s throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as their fiscal sustainability, but less is known about how they affect cropping systems. We examine how fertilizer subsidies relate to one component of agricultural biodiversity – crop species diversity – by applying econometric models to nationally representative, village panel data in Mali. Total subsidized fertilizer received is strongly and negatively associated with crop richness, incentivizing the allocation of land to targeted crops away from other crops. These include cowpea, a neglected species which is grown as both a primary crop and intercrop and has agronomic, nutritional and income-generating benefits for farming families. The richer the crop species in a village, the more probable that cowpea is still grown. Findings are important for development policy in this agriculturally-dependent nation with numerous smallholders living below the poverty line.

On-farm conservation in Phaseolus lunatus L: an alternative for agricultural biodiversity

ABSTRACT On-farm conservation characterized by cultivation by smallholder farmers in agricultural and quilombola (formed by descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves) communities is a tool for the maintenance of seeds and genetic diversity. Smallholder farmers who grow local varieties in diversity centers and communities contribute to supporting the capacity of agricultural and food systems to adapt to adverse conditions. Widely cultivated in the Northeast region of Brazil, lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L), despite having relative economic and social importance, is little exploited in terms of conservation aspects. Based on a process of participatory interview, this article documents the knowledge of smallholder farmers associated with local varieties of this species, as well as the practices and strategies used for on-farm conservation in three producing areas of northeastern Brazil. The results revealed that farmers have a low level of education; the main factor for the loss of traditional knowledge is the disinterest of younger people in agriculture. The study highlights the importance of integrating scientific knowledge with traditional knowledge to develop sustainable agroecosystems, in which on-farm conservation is an alternative to diversify agriculture, but which requires government and private support to stimulate and enhance agricultural activities and the interaction among smallholder farmers.

Action on Invasive Species: Control Strategies of Parthenium hysterophorus L. on Smallholder Farms in Kenya

Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae) is an invasive alien weed with detrimental effects on agricultural production, biodiversity, human and animal health, threating rural livelihoods in Asia and Africa. The problem emerged recently in the Kenyan Rift Valley, where it began to affect the landholdings of both agro-pastoralists and crop farmers. These vulnerable smallholders depend heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. In this study, we assessed the severity of parthenium invasion and farmers’ management responses using a sample of 530 agro-pastoralists in Baringo County, Kenya, in 2019. We hypothesise that the implementation of existing management strategies depends on the state of parthenium invasion and household socio-economic characteristics. The prevalence and severity of parthenium invasion differed greatly among field plots. To control weeds, farmers resort to either hand weeding, the use of synthetic herbicides, or intensive tillage, sometimes in combination with mulching. A multivariate probit regression model shows that households’ characteristics determine the type of control strategies used as well as their complementarity and substitutability. Hand weeding is the most common option, adopted by almost 40% of farmers. The use of agrochemicals or soil-based control strategies appears to be related to knowledge and information characteristics such as access to extension services, membership in organisations and the educational level of household heads. While hand weeding and the use of synthetic herbicides depict significant substitutability, the latter strategy is limited to a few larger farms with market-oriented production. As parthenium invasion continues, policies need to improve farmer awareness and access to knowledge to enable pro-poor and environmentally sustainable control of parthenium on smallholder farms.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF NEW SLOVAKIAN BLACK OAT VARIETIES

Black and red cereal grains, rich in anthocyanins, have recently gained a lot of interest in the food industry due to health benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition (crude protein, starch, ash, fat, β-glucans), biological activity (antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, carotenoids and anthocyanins) and technological properties (farinograph, amylograph and extensograph) of new Slovakian black oat varieties Hucul and Norik. Technological properties were observed by incorporation of whole-grain oatmeal flour to standard wheat flour T-650 in amount 3, 6 and 9%. The grains of selected varieties were grinded and resulting whole-grain oatmeal flour was used for analyses. The crude protein content was in both varieties in amount ~ 11%; starch content ~ 44% and ash content in amount ~ 2.6%. The Norik variety showed a higher content of fat – 5.80%, β-glucans – 4.29%, and total carotenoids – 7.47 μg.g-1. In Hucul variety was detected a higher content of total polyphenols – 0.19 mg GAE.g-1(GAE – gallic acid equivalent) and anthocyanins – 22.00 μg.g-1. The antioxidant activity (DPPH method) was approximately at the same level in both evaluated varieties – 3 mg TEAC.g-1 (TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity). There were several differences in mineral composition between observed varieties. The Norik variety showed higher content [mg.100 g-1] of Fe – 5.94, K – 397.56, Na – 6.33 and P – 365.51, while in Hucul variety it was detected higher content of S – 142.89 and Zn – 2.05. Other mineral compounds were not significantly different. Amylograph device shown that with an increasing addition of black oat flour, the amylograph maximum fell down with the best value at 9% addition with compared to standard flour – 1593 AU. Farinograph values on the contrary, showed the good quality of standard flour but parameter water absorption was better with addition of oat flour due to non-starch polysaccharides presented in oat. Extensograph device showed that increasing addition of oat flour decreased resistance to extension. Colorant cereals generally can increase biodiversity in agriculture, and can be attractive raw materials for production foods with added value.

Agricultural Biodiversity and Coastal Food Systems: A Socio-ecological and Trans-ecosystem Case Study in Aurora Province, Philippines

This paper presents a ridge-to-reef case study on Philippine biodiversity conservation that focused on reducing agricultural chemicals as a contribution to development goals of optimized food security, improving water quality, and mitigating maternal malnutrition. Building upon an earlier study that engaged participants and jurisdictions, farmers were oriented on biodiversity considerations and engaged in ecologically-based rodent management that was extended across the province of Aurora through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Subsequently, a Participatory Action Research and Learning (PARL) cycle was conducted among 14 farmer participants to support biodiversity-friendly agriculture. Developed with local farmers, a biodiversity assessment demonstrated that organic approaches in rice farms increased arthropod biodiversity and reduced the number of key insect pests. The organizational results from this biodiversity study further indicated that local government participation can promote positive change by helping overcome the disconnect between communities and sustainability research. The approach to biodiversity-friendly agriculture reached a milestone through the collaborative development of an agricultural protected area supported by drafting a municipal ordinance to encourage the continued expansion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture and reductions in the chemical load of a key Aurora watershed. This paper discusses the biodiversity analysis and organizational results within the context of trans-ecosystem knowledge management and the goal of improving chronic maternal malnutrition that has been identified in coastal settlements of Aurora.

Three Decades of Safeguarding and Promoting Use of Agricultural Biodiversity: Changing Global Perspectives, Paradigm Shifts and Implications

Three Decades of Safeguarding and Promoting Use of Agricultural Biodiversity: Changing Global Perspectives, Paradigm Shifts and Implications

Traditional Production Landscapes for Sustainable Development Mainstreaming Agricultural Biodiversity in East Java Indonesia

Abstract: Mainstreaming biodiversity in production landscapes ensures conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity. Mainstreaming integrates biodiversity in existing or new programs and policies, both cross-sectoral and sector-specific. The conventional model of agricultural production with limited diversity in production systems and use of high chemical input has taught us a valuable lesson as it is adversely impacting the environment, the essential ecosystem services, the soil health and the long term sustainability of our food systems. Using a qualitative participant observation approach, our study investigated four distinct traditional East Java production landscapes to gage (i) the farming communities’ response to institutional policies, programs and agricultural biodiversity-related activities in traditional East Java production landscapes and (ii) opportunities and challenges for sustainable development in smallholder traditional East Java farming systems. Results indicate that the top-down decision-making regime is the least effective towards achieving sustainable development in traditional East Java farming landscapes and that farmers’ experiential knowledge on participatory biodiversity management, maintenance and use for sustainable development are of critical importance to East Java’s agriculture and economy. Reclaiming agriculture’s spiritual roots through organic farming and locally grown food emerged as key, including the need for designing and implementing a more sovereign food system. Revisiting traditional smallholder farming under the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons learned for repurposing East Java’s agricultural policy are also highlighted.

Gains and Losses of Agricultural Food Production: Implications for the Twenty-First Century.

The world food supply depends on a diminishing list of plant crops and animal livestock to not only feed the ever-growing human population but also improve its nutritional state and lower the disease burden. Over the past century or so, technological advances in agricultural and food processing have helped reduce hunger and poverty but have not adequately addressed sustainability targets. This has led to an erosion of agricultural biodiversity and balanced diets and contributed to climate change and rising rates of chronic metabolic diseases. Modern food supply chains have progressively lost dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients, and several classes of phytochemicals with high bioactivity and nutritional relevance. This review introduces the concept of agricultural food systems losses and focuses on improved sources of agricultural diversity, proteins with enhanced resilience, and novel monitoring, processing, and distribution technologies that are poised to improve food security, reduce food loss and waste, and improve health profiles in the near future.

Recent developments and knowledge in pseudocereals including technological aspects

Abstract Amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, and less known, canihua are the most important pseudocereals. Their high nutritional value is well recognized and they are increasingly used for the development of a wide range of starch-based foods, which has been fostered by intensified research data performed in recent years. In addition to health driven motivations, also environmental aspects like the ongoing climate change are an important stimulus to increase agricultural biodiversity again. As pseudocereals are botanically classified as dicotyledonous plants their chemical, physical and processing properties differ significantly from the monocotyledonous cereals. Most important factors that need to be addressed for processing is their smaller seed kernel size, their specific starch structure and granule architecture, their gluten-free protein, but also their dietary fibre and secondary plant metabolites composition. This review gives a condensed overview of the recent developments and gained knowledge with special attention to the technological and food processing aspects of these pseudocereals.

Italian Acarine species intercepted in the United States

ABSTRACT In the last century, biological invasions have increased greatly due to the intensification in international trade and world climate change, thus representing one of the most relevant issues for agricultural productivity and biodiversity. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States, from 2019 to 2021, intercepted different species from Italy belonging to the Orders Ixodida, Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes. The study reported four new records and several new host plant associations. In this framework, the inspection system not only plays a relevant role in the plant protection, human and animal health, but also contributes to the knowledge of the Acari fauna from exporting countries.

Policies and practices of central and sub-national governments for seed commons formation in Japan: will the seeds of the varieties collected and developed be shared?

ABSTRACT Proponents of agroecology and food sovereignty are trying to form seed commons as a framework against the formal seed systems established by governments. However, we argue that the formation of seed commons should not be considered as a dichotomy that distinguishes between the government and stakeholders, including farmers, but rather as a dichotomy that divides the scope of activities into those regulated by law and those that can be determined by farmers at their own discretion. Japan, like many other countries, is a signatory to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, both of which contain important elements for the conservation of agricultural biodiversity and agroecology at the national and local level. Based on the proposed dichotomy, this study aims to explore the possibility of creating seed commons for seed sharing in Japan. We clarify the policies and actual conditions surrounding the access and use of seeds and explore the possibility of creating seed commons.

Study Progress of Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS): A Literature Analysis

Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS), as a new type of heritage, has received extensive attention from the international scientific communities. With the increase of IAHS research, reviews on it have been conducted by many scholars. However, visualized research to show future research trends of IAHS are lacking. Therefore, using metrology analysis methods, this study aims at presenting the progress of research and the general development trends of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in the world from 2006 to 2020 to provide ideas for the development of countries or regions in the future. This study mapped 292 literatures from Web of Science core collections from 2006 to 2020 by CiteSpace software. The results show that research on IAHS from 2006 to 2020 experienced two stages: the fluctuating increase stage, and the steady growth stage. Author groups from China, Italy, the USA, Japan, etc., contributed many papers on IAHS. Institutions including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Florence and the University of Padua in Italy, etc., have a relatively high influence on international IAHS research. Agriculture Ecosystems &amp; Environment is the most cited journal. Agricultural Heritage Systems, regeneration, agriculture, agroforestry, dry-stone wall, social capital, instability, and agricultural biodiversity have been hotspots in the past 15 years. The research themes mainly focus on GIAHS, tourism, livelihood assets, and direct georeferencing. Authors in different regions concern different research themes. In the future, the fields of applications and microscopic views, social sciences, applications of standardized quantitative research methods, and broadened international cooperation should be paid more attention.

Arguments based on biocultural diversity to cease abandonment of traditional agricultural systems: Lessons from Poland

The Polish rural cultural landscape is inherently linked to a special, centuries-old system that combines agricultural tradition and biodiversity. One of such environmentally, ecologically, agriculturally, historically, and culturally unique areas is the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. Home to small agricultural holdings, this diversified mosaic is where agricultural, husbandry, craft, and local industry experience is handed down the generational chain. Developmental changes and progress are becoming the gravest threats to the area. The purpose of the paper is to assess traditional agricultural systems in the Lesser Poland part of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland considering landscape features, agricultural biodiversity, food and livelihood security, traditional local knowledge systems, cultural values—in particular, systems of values—and social organisations that promote them. The research shows that biodiversity is entwined with cultural diversity. The vanishing of agricultural systems due to changed socio-economic conditions and environmental overprotection is a serious threat to the biological and cultural diversity in the upland. The authors employed a SWOT analysis—a tool that can investigate interactions and determine the best development strategy—to identify relationships between cultural and biological diversity.

Valuing local bread wheat farmer’s varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) for conservation and sustainable utilization in goro and agarfa CSBs, bale zone OF Oromiya regional state

The perception of farmer’s verities, scientists and government officials regarding the conservation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) farmer in Bale zone CSBs is examined during 2019. Agricultural development and the reasons why the Bale zone is marginal in terms of wheat production are discussed. The de facto conservation of the local wheat farmer’s varieties analyzed in light of stakeholders’ opinions on agro biodiversity bread wheat conservation within the two community seed banks of Goro and Agarfa. CSBs retain local wheat farmer’s varieties because of their own interpretations of the value of these varieties. While formal opportunities for supporting farmers’ perceptions of local diversity with effective policy initiatives are available, they will require ongoing support from both international and national organizations Therefore, the objectives of this were to estimate households’ willingness to pay (WTP) value for conservation bread wheat and analyze the determining factors that affects willingness of households to participate the conservation bread wheat in the study area. To attain the stated objective contingent valuation survey questionnaires were distributed to elicit farmers WTP for improved conservation bread wheat. A total of 160 households were randomly selected from two CSBs of two Woredas of the study Zone. The result indicated that 153 (92.29%) were willing to pay the given bid amount for bread wheat conservation. Logistic regression model result was shows that the statistically significant determinants of participation of WTP in bread wheat conservation were availability of labor for farm activities, distance from market, households’ livestock holding, initial bid1 offered and productivity of the land of at 5% significance level, and total farm agricultural income and perception about the importance of bread wheat conservation at 1% level. The mean willingness to pay for the sampled respondents was 9.23 ($9. 034.67) labour day per year. Hence, the aggregate economic value of bread wheat conservation 3,098,644.46 (12,394,577.84) person days per annum for five years. Therefore, policy should give emphases at levels for production, conservation and sustainable utilization of bread wheat, farmer’s verities hence, the communities shows willingness to pay for the bread wheat conservation works.

What evidence exists on the relationship between agricultural production and biodiversity in tropical rainforest areas? A systematic map protocol

BackgroundAgriculture produces food for billions of humans and creates livelihoods for farmers. However, the current food production systems, driven by the increasing food demand and the ever-growing human population, are undermining ecological resources, primarily those related to biodiversity. Accordingly, agricultural production in tropical rainforest countries has been a trade-off, as regions harbor high biodiversity while also being pressured by agricultural land expansion. Consequently, threats to biodiversity are inevitable and will likely affect the ecosystem service provisions necessary for the agricultural process. Presently, no study reviews and maps the evidence of relationships between biodiversity and agriculture in the tropical rainforest landscape. Therefore, such a study is necessary to identify the knowledge gaps and provide scientific evidence to the relevant policymakers for safeguarding biodiversity within agricultural policies. This study aims to collect available published literature that evaluates the relations of agricultural production and biodiversity. We will focus on the agriculture and priority crops in the countries producing the commodities situated in the tropical rainforest landscape.MethodsGeneric search terms derived from research question elements will be used to search relevant articles. These terms are in English, and the searches will encompass global tropical rainforest countries. Peer-reviewed and gray literature articles retrieved from search engines and databases will be screened first using the title and abstract and second at the full-text level. The latter screening process will involve data coding to retrieve relevant characteristics from each eligible study and finally collate these characteristics into an evidence map, which will provide a current state of knowledge and further support evidence-informed policy formulation. The map presentation in the final report will also be complemented by a narrative synthesis explaining the trends, pinpointing the knowledge gluts and gaps, serving relevant information, and searchable databases for associated stakeholders.

The challenges of future foods from prevention of nutrient deficiencies to the management of diabetes

With rise of global populations, food demand is expected to increase correspondingly. Concurrently, the number of people with chronic metabolic diseases, specifically diabetes, is also on the rise. Since the discovery of insulin exactly 100 years ago, every aspect of society including food industry has evolved drastically. Hormones, and pesticides have been introduced constantly to increase food production for consumptions. Additionally, the changes of biodiversity in agriculture might have incorporated certain foods and excluded others selectively in diets, which probably results in the production of food with more calories, but less essential nutrients. These might have affected systemic functions in the body and contributed to the development of chronic metabolic diseases. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic factors have had impacts on disease susceptibility, which has challenged the protective mechanisms that have been established in the human genome during evolution. Here, we try to summarize certain changes of systematic, environmental, metabolic, and physiological factors that may have potential effects on human diets and metabolism, and in turn, contributed to the current epidemic of chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. In so doing, we hope to bring the attention of colleagues to develop future foods that not only eliminate malnutrition, but also reduce the incidence of metabolic diseases.

The Significance of Traditional Culture for Agricultural Biodiversity—Experiences from GIAHS

Agricultural biodiversity has a high importance in social-cultural, economic, and environmental aspects, and can help in adapting to and withstanding climate change. Conserving the GIAHS sites and the important components within them can help conserve the agricultural biodiversity and traditional agricultural culture of the whole country. This study considered Ifugao Rice Terraces, Dong's Rice-Fish-Duck System, and Hani Rice Terraces System as three examples which show that traditional culture can be used to protect agricultural biodiversity, while as a carrier of traditional culture, agricultural biodiversity also conveys and protects the traditional culture of the nation. According to the analyses, through several years of efforts, the status of agricultural biodiversity and traditional culture in them has improved. Then, to further promote agricultural biodiversity conservation and traditional culture protection, several suggestions are made, such as establishing community seed banks; documenting and preserving traditional farming methods, techniques, and tools and developing participatory activities which encourage more farmers to participate in the protection work.