Agricultural Crisis Research Articles

Was There a Crisis? Living Standards in Lower Canada, 1760 to 1848

Abstract Lower Canada, now the Canadian province of Quebec, is believed to have faced an agricultural crisis in the early 1800s, leading to declining living standards, a debated topic due to lack of data. This paper uses new data on real wages, literacy, and infant mortality to quantitatively assess living standards from 1760 to 1850. The findings show no evidence of a crisis; instead, there are only indications of improvements during the period.

Sonic ontology of diasporicity: The case of Punjabi gangster music in Canada and Punjab

ABSTRACT Bhangra is a musical genre that indexes the traditional sonic identity of Punjab. The dhol and tumbi evoke an agrarian lifestyle that is the pride of the Punjabi Jatt, the traditional landlord caste. Since 2019, however, Punjabi gangster music has emerged to reflect a new conception of Punjabi diasporic subjectivity that has shifted the Punjabi sonic imagination of home from Punjabi fields to the Western city. This article contextualizes the rise of Punjabi gangster music within crises in agriculture and substance abuse among Punjabi youth, alongside an accelerating exodus from Punjab of young Punjabis seeking education and work in Canada.

The Future Role of E-Media in Developing Farmers’ Awareness of Some Agricultural Crises at Kafrelsheikh Governorate

The Future Role of E-Media in Developing Farmers’ Awareness of Some Agricultural Crises at Kafrelsheikh Governorate

Religious Responses to Agricultural Crises: Exploring the Diverse Patterns in Garut, Indonesia

This study explores the critical role of religious patterns in shaping responses to agricultural crises, specifically focusing on the failure of the strawberry harvest in Barudua Village, Garut, West Java. The research employs a qualitative case study approach, examining three distinct sub-villages, each with unique religious practices: exclusive-protective, participatory, and progressive. Through interviews, observations, and thematic analysis, the study reveals how these religious patterns influence the community's resilience and adaptability in the face of crisis. The findings indicate that while exclusive-protective patterns tend to foster passivity, participatory and progressive patterns encourage community engagement, innovation, and social cohesion. These results suggest that integrating religious perspectives into agricultural crisis management can enhance community resilience and offer sustainable solutions. This research provides practical insights for policymakers and community leaders, empowering them to develop culturally sensitive and effective strategies for managing agricultural challenges.

Reflections on Religious, Cultural, and Political Dynamics in Contemporary Studies

This issue of Religious: Jurnal Studi Agama-agama dan Lintas Budaya presents a collection of eight articles that examine the intricate intersections of religion, culture, and politics in Indonesia and beyond. The studies explore a range of topics, including the regulation of religious practices, the politicisation of Islamophobia, the influence of social networks on political behaviour, and the use of digital platforms in preserving cultural values. The issue also delves into local religious responses to agricultural crises and the role of religious identity in fostering social cohesion. Together, these articles contribute to broader discussions on how religious and cultural practices adapt to changing societal contexts, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and academics.

Repeated plague infections across six generations of Neolithic Farmers

In the period between 5,300 and 4,900 calibrated years before present (cal. bp), populations across large parts of Europe underwent a period of demographic decline1,2. However, the cause of this so-called Neolithic decline is still debated. Some argue for an agricultural crisis resulting in the decline3, others for the spread of an early form of plague4. Here we use population-scale ancient genomics to infer ancestry, social structure and pathogen infection in 108 Scandinavian Neolithic individuals from eight megalithic graves and a stone cist. We find that the Neolithic plague was widespread, detected in at least 17% of the sampled population and across large geographical distances. We demonstrate that the disease spread within the Neolithic community in three distinct infection events within a period of around 120 years. Variant graph-based pan-genomics shows that the Neolithic plague genomes retained ancestral genomic variation present in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, including virulence factors associated with disease outcomes. In addition, we reconstruct four multigeneration pedigrees, the largest of which consists of 38 individuals spanning six generations, showing a patrilineal social organization. Lastly, we document direct genomic evidence for Neolithic female exogamy in a woman buried in a different megalithic tomb than her brothers. Taken together, our findings provide a detailed reconstruction of plague spread within a large patrilineal kinship group and identify multiple plague infections in a population dated to the beginning of the Neolithic decline.

Economic Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Possible Ways to Address New Challenges

The observed decline in the level of Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) countries economic security is due to the increasing influence of both external factors (the rising volatility of global financial and commodity markets, changes in the policies of international economic organizations and a number of countries, etc.) and internal factors, largely related to their own socio-economic and, in some cases, political instability. This is manifested primarily in the insufficient food supply in the SSA countries as a consequence of the ongoing agricultural crisis. Possible ways to overcome this challenge are connected with the transformation of the agriculture sectors into productive, profitable, and reliable systems that will allow the SSA countries to reach and maintain food security. The agricultural policy aimed at this must take into account the specifics of the local crops and livestock production, the local climate, and the state of rural infrastructure, while making extensive use of new technologies and digital innovations. One of the most important factors for stable economic development is energy security in the context of the ongoing energy transition. The problematic state of energy supply in the SSA countries is manifested in the insufficient supply of electricity for both industrial sectors and the population, rolling blackouts, and rising tariffs. African countries see a solution to this challenge in implementing the strategy aimed at expanding national and regional networks based on the rational use of all available energy resources, creating off-grid systems and small-scale generation in remote areas using renewable energy sources, which will facilitate access to sustainable and technologically advanced energy. Further expansion of cooperation in almost all areas of the energy spectrum between African states and Russian public and private companies, as well as leading universities, will contribute to solving many problems of economic security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Agricultural crisis, refugee crisis, or health crisis? Migrant seasonal workers in Italian agriculture during the COVID pandemic

AbstractThe concept of crisis has been widely used to describe European social phenomena which have become acute and unmanageable in recent years. Exceptionality and emergency have become attributes of the political strategies developed to address the economic, social, and environmental unsustainability of industrial farming; the flow of forced migrants; and the COVID‐19 pandemic. This article is based on ethnographic data collected over more than 2 years among immigrant workers and their employers in northern Italy, before and during the spread of the pandemic. By relating the experience of the people involved and analysis of the structural dimensions, I show how the “refugeeization of the agricultural workforce” and the “normalization of precarity” are two interconnected and interdependent processes. My study contributes to the recent scientific debate on the “polycrisis” by highlighting how the agricultural crisis generated a demand for vulnerable migrant labour and this situation was exacerbated by the health crisis.

Educate to liberate: agroecological transitions with participatory methodologies in popular and community education

The response to the environmental crisis is a revolution that, in addition to insisting on the transformations of the economic and political structure, must address the social and cultural relations that sustain it. One of the alternatives to face the crisis in conventional agriculture is agroecology. However, this agroecology must be thought of under a pedagogical and educational support that transcends technological and substitution practices; This must be done from a transformation of perceptions and social relationships with nature. In that sense, this article aims to determine the need for agroecological transitions with educational methodologies, taking into account the research carried out in peasant organizations in the states of Morelos and Guerrero, through participatory methodological approaches. Discovering that micro practices in the ecosystem can lead to resolving social conflicts.

Consulting through crisis

Veterinarians play a vital role in the VCPR for many reasons, but during times of true crisis when so many variables are out­side of any one person’s control, we often are leaned on heavily. This is not a skill we are necessarily equipped with in our for­mal training. This presentation will focus on addressing theses situations beyond our control that impact the well-being of our livestock and those responsible for their care, while also giving insight into protecting the overall health of the entire industry by connecting with consumers who may have concerns about certain crisis in animal agriculture that they may be exposed to by the media.

Agricultural Crisis, Farms Laws, and Farmers’ Protest: Reflection on its Rollback and Implication

Agriculture has been brought to the forefront of policymaking, parliamentary debate, and political discussions in recent history. India’s Parliament recently voted to scrap agricultural reform laws which came up as a huge victory for the farmers’ movement, who have been protesting for over a year for the rollback of the laws. This farmers’ movement created history at the national and international levels in the present times. The government had passed three farm laws to transform agriculture and increase farmer income without detailed consultations with all stakeholders. This led to protests by the farmer community by blocking roads and highways, calling an All-India Bandh, which attracted public attention and brought weight to the farmer issues, leading to achievement for the ‘Annadatas’ of the country. The article discusses the predicaments of the agriculture sector, the problems of the farmers, critical analysis of the three Farm laws, their implementation, implications and finally, its rollback. The reasons for this move have been examined from the political and economic angle with a reflection on its rollback for the future. JEL Codes: Q18, Q10, Q13, Q15

Landscape Changes in the Bavarian Foothills since the 1960s and the Effects on Predicted Erosion Processes and Control

Socio-economic changes, technical progress, and a variety of funding and planning interventions have significantly changed land use in Central Europe since World War II. The aim of this study was to illustrate these changes in the Alpine foothills in Bavaria and to calculate the effects of these changes on soil erosion. This was performed in a two-step procedure: a GIS-based orthophoto evaluation and a cause–effect model using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). Key findings were that field sizes (+370%) and lengths (+35%) have changed significantly since the 1960s. Moreover, the uninterrupted runoff paths on arable land have increased in length by about 70% on average, with corresponding effects on soil erosion. The discussion shows that the possibilities for erosion control measures in the field are already severely limited due to the effects of the climate crisis and structural changes in agriculture. Furthermore, the often-assumed rule, according to which only a small part of the arable land causes a large share of the eroded material, was largely confirmed. The findings underline the overlapping impacts of land use change and climate crisis on agriculture erosions rates with the need for integrative and adaptive management.

Spatial Spillover Effects of “New Farmers” on Diffusion of Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Evidence from China

Sustainable agricultural development has been the policy priority for countries with limited natural resources. New farmers’ emergence and growth have not only helped to address the labor crisis in agriculture to some extent, but they have also improved, integrated, and expanded the agricultural sectors. However, less attention has been paid to the performance of new farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices and the related spatial effects. Also, few studies have combined the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices with the effects of various specific measures. Therefore, this study constructed the Tobit MLE spatial cross-section regression models to empirically study a sample of 174 farmers. We attempted to analyze the impact of the new farmers group on the diffusion of sustainable agricultural practices as well as farmers’ influence on various sorts of sustainable agricultural practices. The results show that new farmers greatly enhanced the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, as evidenced by the fact that their adoption level was 69.9% greater than that of traditional farmers. However, they had statistically significant negative spillover effects on their neighboring farmers. For the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices, there were also statistically significant negative spillover effects. Additionally, there were notable disparities among the factors influencing farmers’ decisions to adopt various types of sustainable agricultural practices and the spatial effects of those adoptions, particularly in the farm size, the number of plots, and the variety of marketing methods employed by farmers. Therefore, measures need to be proposed to address the barriers to the implementation and diffusion of various types of sustainable agricultural practices. This would increase farmers’ willingness to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and the effectiveness of their motivation to neighboring farmers.

Анализ резул ьтатов математи ческого моделирования влияния санкций на сел ьское хозяйство Южного федерал ьного округа РФ

The article presents a scenario analysis of the possible consequences of the current sanctions on agriculture in the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation. The study is based on the spatial model of partial equilibrium in the wholesale markets of agricultural products of the subjects of the Russian Federation of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “All-Russian Institute of Agrarian Problems and Informatics named after A.A. Nikonov” – Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Center of Agrarian Economy and Social Development of Rural Areas – All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics”. The methodology of using the results of modelling to assess the impact of sanctions on agriculture in the Southern Federal District is proposed. The main threats caused by illegal sanctions are considered: reduction of the machine and tractor fleet and barriers to the export of manufactured products. During the analysis the volumes of production and consumption of the main types of agricultural products in the Southern Federal District were studied. Conclusions are drawn on the impact of the sanctions on the region’s dependence on external supplies of livestock products, namely: the deterioration of the agribusiness situation, violations of the reproductive process will sooner or later lead to a decline in agricultural production, which will cause instability in the situation of food supply to the population. Special attention is paid to the consideration of cash flows of the grain industry of the Southern Federal District. The possible impact of the sanctions on agricultural foreign trade is assessed in the context of scenarios. The special role of the state in overcoming agricultural crises is highlighted: financial support for local agricultural producers and the development of measures to eliminate the negative impact of export barriers. On the basis of the identified trends, the conclusions on the negative impact of the sanctions on the agricultural sector are formulated, namely: their serious negative impact on food security of the population, participants in foreign economic activity and on the financial situation of agriculture has been established.

Impacts of COVID-19 on Livestock Production in Sudur Paschim Province of Nepal: Assessing Government Interventions and Lessons Learned

This study examines the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on livestock sectors in Sudur Paschim Province (far western province) of Nepal with a focus on the government's response. Analyzing provincial interventions in the livestock sector, we present findings from a primary survey and interviews with livestock farmers, agri-business traders, market agents, and key stakeholders across Kanchanpur, Kailali, Doti, and Achham districts. These districts represent the diverse agro-climatic conditions of far western Nepal. Using mixed methods, we combine qualitative and quantitative data to analyze the impact on livelihoods, business performances, employment, and income for livestock farmers and traders compared to the pre-pandemic scenario of 2019. The pandemic significantly disrupted the livestock and fresh meat production system due to supply chain disruptions, affecting all stakeholders – farmers, producers, suppliers, traders, agro-businesses, and consumers. The repercussions varied among these actors. Dairy farmers experienced a 50-60 percentage income loss, while poultry farmers had to sell birds at half price. The dairy, poultry, and fish sub-sectors were particularly hard-hit. Despite government support, assistance primarily reached well-off farmers and larger businesses rather than smallholders. This study not only underscores lessons learned for Nepal in managing the pandemic and similar disasters but also offers insights for other countries in South Asia facing comparable constraints and opportunities. By investigating the pandemic's repercussions and government interventions in Nepal, this research contributes to better preparedness and response strategies for future crises in livestock and agriculture. SAARC J. Agric., 21(2): 217-226 (2023)

Changes in the fauna and distribution of birds of the forest-steppe Trans-Urals in the late XX – early XXI centuries under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors

The distribution of birds in the West Siberian plain in the western part of the forest-steppe zone (bound east by River Ishim) is very dynamic. Just since the beginning of this century, 16 new breeding species and one possibly breeding species have been discovered in this region. Most of them (76%) are representatives of the Tropical group (5 species) dispersing from the south, as well as the Nomadic (5) and the European (3) types of fauna coming from the south and the west; 3 species belong to the Chinese type of fauna and one – to the Siberian type. Another new species from the Tropical group was recorded as breeding in the last decade of the previous century. The distribution ranges of all 6 representatives of the Tropical group and 2 species of the Nomadic fauna associated with aquatic habitats have expanded northward most over the past 40 years (for 500–600 km). A powerful wave of their dispersal in forest-steppe occurred during the years of maximum filling of water reservoirs in the early 2000s. At the same time, despite the cyclical dynamics of the water level, cyclical processes in the changes of the distribution of limnophile birds are not expressed (analysis of century-long faunal lists shows the cyclical nature of the distribution of no more than 2–3 such species). It is assumed that against the background of intense climate warming most bird species, primarily limnophiles, are not simply redistributing individuals within the ranges, but are expanding their ranges northward, and that expansion will continue in the future. The anthropogenic impact on the regional avifauna is mainly caused by the consequences of the economic crisis in agriculture. In the recent decades, it has been much less obvious than the natural impact.

Von der Krisenreserve zur Agrarreserve – falsche Anreize im neuen Rechtsrahmen?

Abstract The European Union’s new Agricultural Crisis Reserve, introduced in 2023, aims at enhancing support for the agricultural sector during market crises. Unlike its predecessor, this reserve is funded directly from the EU budget, eliminating the need to cut direct payments to farmers. However, this change has unintentionally created an incentive for member states to trigger the reserve more frequently, depleting its resources rapidly. This article explores how this shift has led to a “Tragedy of the Commons” scenario, where member states seek individual advantages at the expense of the collective interest.

Agriculture Distress and Farmers' Suicide in Kerala in the Globalization Era

Liberalization, privatization, and globalization are to blame for Kerala's rural poverty and farmer suicides. Ineffective state and federal government policies, a lack of coordinated public investment, ongoing flooding, trade manipulation, false seeds and pesticides, a fluctuating price for agricultural products, growing cultivation expenses, an increase in droughts, as well as a loss of biodiversity are all factors that negatively affect agriculture. Though it receives criticism, the opposition to the current administration is strong in states with high rates of farmer suicide. A.R. Vasavi's Triple Crisis of Agriculture (1999), the widespread use of hybrid seeds, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, as well as the inadvertent escalation of farmer debt, are the five primary debates that need to be addressed in order to investigate farmer suicides. As of now, a significant amount of government funding—1,69,6718 crores in 2017–18 and 97,3729 crores in the 12th five-year plan—was allocated to the agriculture sector. However, the state of farming and agrarian hardship has not much improved. H+owever, the rate of agriculturalists' concern dramatically increased. The price of the cash crop products grown in Kerala—pepper, coffee, and rubber—is significantly impacted by free trade agreements with ASEAN. Farmer's suicide has a significant relationship with these factors as well as extreme climate change along with, the heavy burden of debt, marginalization of land, etc.

Economic assessment of entomophilous pollination in crops from Argentina: possible effects of the pollinator crisis in agriculture

In Argentina, food production is the basis of economic and social development. Several crops depend on entomophilous pollination. However, wild and managed pollinators are threatened by conventional agricultural management practices. In this work, we evaluate the economic value attributed to entomophilous pollination (EEV) of the main crops between 2013 and 2018. Our study focused on analyses of crops with varying degrees of pollinator dependence in terms, their harvested area, yield and total economic value (EV). The EEV attributed to pollinators and the vulnerability of each crop category were estimated. The EEV attributed exclusively to entomophilous pollination, in the 27 crops analyzed, was US$ 4.437 million, representing a contribution of the pollinators of 21,83% of the EV and 13,8 million tons of agricultural products. The EEV in decreasing order is industrial crops, fruit trees, vegetables, nuts and citrus. In industrial crops, where managed pollinators are not used, the contribution of pollinators was high, reaching US$3.655 million. Fruit trees and vegetables are the most vulnerable to an eventual decrease or absence of pollinators with estimated vulnerability rates of 68 and 38% respectively. These results show the economic contribution of the pollinators to the country's agriculture, the high vulnerability of agroecosystems and the effects in quantitative terms of a potential reduction in food production due to a pollination deficit. Finally, this work may be useful to guide decision-making and establish public policies aimed at promoting diversification and sustainability of agricultural models to guarantee food security.

A Perspective on the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Agriculture with Special Reference to Precision Agriculture

Agriculture has undergone rapid technological changes in the search for greater productivity. At the same time, environmental changes, agricultural crises from the possible repercussions of climate change and the different uses of land and technology make tools that look to minimise the negative aspects of the environment and human beings increasingly necessary. In this context, the concern with sustainability is imperative. Different agricultural systems have been trying to connect with this issue, making the term sustainable a field of conceptual, political, ideological, and power dispute. On this note, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to enhance sustainable agriculture's growth prospects. Therefore, this paper analyses how AI could aid sustainable agriculture, keeping in mind the accessibility challenges for small and marginal farmers. The paper will also explore the prospects of agrometeorology and precision agriculture as a concept and how it would play a significant role in smart harvesting. Finally, the documents will also look to oversee the influence of AI in agroecology. The article will also explore the common grounds between Indian and Brazilian agriculture, especially the small and medium farmers scenario, their challenges in accessing this technology, and how the government could aid the use of these technologies through inclusive policy interventions.