Agricultural Support Research Articles

Sustainable livelihood development and cultural preservation through agricultural tourism: local community perspectives from Dak Lak province, Vietnam

This study conducted in collaboration with the local community focused on sustainable agricultural tourism development in Dak Lak, Vietnam. Using a qualitative research method, we conducted in-depth interviews with 29 households and agricultural cooperatives, combined with case studies. The results showed that agricultural tourism, a product of our joint efforts, played a significant role in diversifying livelihood sources and contributing to the preservation of ethnic and cultural identity. However, the sustainable development of this sector was hindered by limitations in infrastructure, lack of investment and uneven management capacity. Based on these findings, we propose specific policies and solutions to promote sustainable agricultural tourism development and support rural communities in the context of economic transition.

Leveraging Kisan Call Centre Analytics for Data-Driven Agricultural Support in Gujarat: Trends, Insights, and Policy Implications (2009–2024)

Leveraging Kisan Call Centre Analytics for Data-Driven Agricultural Support in Gujarat: Trends, Insights, and Policy Implications (2009–2024)

A Scale to Measure Impact of Front Line Demonstrations on Food Security and Climate Resilience

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) were established to provide essential agricultural education and support to farmers at the grassroots level. These centers play a crucial role in disseminating advanced agricultural technologies and practices to improve the productivity and sustainability of farming. Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) play a crucial role in agricultural extension programs of KVKs, providing a platform to demonstrate and validate new technologies, practices, and innovations directly in farmers' fields. They are an integral part of agricultural extension services, facilitating the smooth and effective transfer of knowledge and technology from research institutions to the farming community. The present study was conducted to develop a scale to measure the impact of Front Line Demonstrations on food security and climate resilience. We collected 107 statements, out of these 42 statements were selected through relevancy test. Out of 42 statements, 28 statements were retained on the final scale. Reliability and validity of the scale indicates its consistency and precision of the results.

Study on the spatio-temporal coupling and drivers of agricultural carbon emission efficiency and food security

In light of global climate change and environmental challenges, reducing agricultural carbon emissions while maintaining food security has become a critical concern for sustainable agricultural development. This study examines 13 provinces in primary grain-producing regions, utilising data from 1999 to 2022 to analyse the spatio-temporal heterogeneity and driving factors of the coupled and coordinated development of agricultural carbon emission efficiency and food security. The findings indicate that: 1) The proportion of carbon emissions from agricultural inputs in primary grain-producing regions exceeds 80%, whereas the contribution of carbon sinks from rice, maise, and wheat surpasses 95%. Both agricultural carbon emissions and carbon sinks in the Yellow River Basin are significantly elevated; 2) The general trend of agricultural carbon emission efficiency and food security is increasing, spatially characterised by a pattern of high levels in the north and south, and low levels in the south and high levels in the north, respectively. The integration of the two systems is progressing positively, and the trailing form of food security has emerged as a developmental trend, with the degree of food security limiting the coordinated advancement of both. 3) The overall spatial disparity exhibits a declining tendency, with hypervariable density being the primary contributor to this spatial difference. The overall polarisation of the primary grain-producing regions has diminished. The level of heterogeneity in the Songhua River basin progressively intensifies; 4) Rural human capital and financial support for agriculture, urbanisation rate and soil erosion control, agricultural machinery power and soil erosion control are the main interaction factors. The economic status and rural human capital will facilitate the integrated and harmonious development of the two systems, while the agricultural disaster rate will impede this integrated and harmonious development. Ultimately, policy solutions are proposed to optimise agricultural inputs and raise their utilisation efficiency, adopt diversified regional development strategies, promote regional connection and coordinated development, and reinforce the management of drivers and policy support.

The contribution of the Gaza Envelope Region to Israel’s food security

BackgroundArmed conflicts can severely impact food security by displacing farmers, destroying farms and agricultural infrastructure, disrupting supply chains, and limiting governance control over highly volatile food markets. In this study, we aim to gain an initial understanding of the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas War on local food production in Israel.MethodsThis study examined the challenges of food production in the Gaza Envelope region, a border area in Israel that has been profoundly affected by the recent conflict. The analysis focused on the allocation of land to specific agricultural crops and sectors, along with the nutritional output of these edible crops. The nutritional output was standardized based on the dietary needs of the Israeli population, considering population size and demographic factors. These methods aimed to understand the effects of conflict on crop diversity, the risks posed to specific crops, and the implications for nutritional security.ResultsWe found that the Gaza Envelope region is crucial for the propagation of several key crops, notably cherry tomatoes, radishes, and sweet potatoes. We identified 16 crops whose local production is particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to the conflict, including radishes and potatoes. The nutritional output of the edible crops from the Gaza Envelope region is extensive, producing over 50% of the annual caloric requirements of the Israeli population. Beyond the caloric contribution, the produce from the region is nutrient-dense, supplying more than 100% of the annual Dietary Reference Intakes for the Israeli population of 12 vital nutrients, which include dietary fiber, six vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K, and five minerals including potassium and iron. These findings suggest that the Israel-Hamas War is having detrimental ramifications on local food production in Israel.ConclusionsThe ongoing conflict highlights the critical need for data informed agricultural support and policy adjustments to protect food production in conflict-affected areas. Up-to-date and accurate land use data are essential to assess the initial impact of any disaster swiftly and reliably on these zones. This approach will enable more effective responses to safeguard food security under crisis conditions.

The Impact of Agricultural Support on the Cost of Certain Forage Crops in Erzurum Province

The objective of the study is to reveal the impact of agricultural subsidies provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on the costs of certain forage crops in Erzurum province. The study used data obtained from 306 surveys conducted through a simple random sampling method from farms producing alfalfa, sainfoin, and vetch in Erzurum province during the 2021 production year. All data obtained from the surveys were averaged per decare and analyzed. The cost calculation includes all expenses incurred to produce a crop. In alfalfa farms, the cost of alfalfa was calculated as 1.05 ₺/kg before receiving subsidies. However, after receiving subsidies, this cost decreased to 0.86 ₺/kg. In sainfoin farms, the production cost was determined to be 1.32 ₺/kg for farms not receiving subsidies, while it was 0.99 ₺/kg for farms receiving subsidies. In vetch farms, the production cost was found to be 1.49 ₺/kg for farms not receiving subsidies, while it was 1.25 ₺/kg for farms receiving subsidies. The research explains the difference that agricultural subsidies make in the production of these forage crops. The findings indicate that agricultural subsidies have the potential to reduce costs, which can increase farmers' income and encourage agricultural production.

On the design and behavior of axially-compressed square concrete-filled double-skin tubular short columns for ocean engineering applications

Deep-sea offshore wind technology development is now deemed a strategic national need in China. At the same time, research and engineering communities have a substantial increase in intertest on the design and behavior of novel arrangements for double-skin composite columns. Accordingly, concrete-filled double-skin steel tubular (CFDST) columns have recently gained significant importance in wind farm support structures as well as tall buildings with heavy loads. To predict the axial compressive resistance of square CFDST short columns with square inner tubes (SS-CFDST) or circular inner tubes (SC-CFDST), a new design resistance model has been proposed in this paper. First, test data for axially-loaded short columns of SS-CFDST and SC-CFDST configurations were extracted from literature studies. Then, available design resistances in the European and American specifications, as well as from previous studies, were examined, and a range of accuracy results were displayed. Subsequently, new formulae for determining the lateral confining pressure (frp) supplied by outer and inner tubes in different types of square CFDST columns have been developed using the data gathered from the experimental tests. A new design resistance model has then been proposed to calculate the axial compressive resistance of SS-CFDST and SC-CFDST short columns, based on the proposed formulae for frp in addition to the confined concrete strength. This has been followed by a finite element (FE) modeling using ABAQUS program that has been well validated, generated to increase the resistance data of these columns. The design formula was then verified through the extensive parametric studies generated by the FE modeling. According to the comparisons between numerical and proposed resistances, the design proposal was found to yield more accurate and reliable results in terms of the average resistance ratio, accuracy across the whole range of the relative tube slenderness ratio and the calculated reliability index.

Preferences for sustainable intensification: Do agricultural interventions matter? Plot-level evidence from Senegal

To what extent do agricultural support programs that promote modern intensification shape farmers’ incentives to adopt sustainable agricultural management practices? We answer this question by examining the effects of receiving input subsidies and agricultural extension services on Senegalese smallholder farmers’ preferences for crop diversification, crop rotation, rotational grazing, fallowing, and mulching crop residues. The empirical investigation is based on the 2020/2021 Annual Agricultural Survey (AAS) and uses two identification strategies: selection on observables and the Abadie-Imbens matching approach to account for differences in farmers’ socio-economic backgrounds and biophysical characteristics of plots and the likelihood of benefiting from input subsidies and agricultural extension services. We find heterogeneous responses to extension services and input subsidies. In particular, we find that receiving agricultural extension services is associated with a higher likelihood of adopting crop rotation, rotational grazing and fallow. On the other hand, the effect of receiving fertiliser subsidies is significantly negative for these three practices. The results also indicate that receiving extension services is associated with a lower likelihood of adopting crop diversification, and receiving seed subsidies is associated with a higher likelihood of mulching crop residues. As international research and development organizations consider sustainable intensification as a means to effectively address soil degradation and achieve greater agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa, our findings call for the design of agricultural policies to support smallholder agriculture that take into account unintended consequences in terms of disincentives for the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

Quantitative Insights into Extension Advisory Services: Enhancing Rural Livelihoods through Evidence-based Analysis

Aims: Agricultural extension advisory services (EAS) aim to facilitate development of agriculture and rural sector through transfer of agricultural information and technology. However various literature were published in different forums on various challenges faced by the EAS agents in disseminating effective service to farmer. Hence, this study was taken to evaluate various factors of EAS impacting agriculture development to benefit farming community and for effective policy framing. Study Design: Exploratory-diagnostic research design was employed in the study. Place and Duration of Study: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. January 2012 to January 2024. Methodology: A meta-analysis of selected EAS articles from international data base (Scopus) was carried out with an objective to identify the variables explaining EAS and analysing the relationship between the variables for policy making. Results: On analysing the variables of EAS, four major factors of EAS were identified namely, EAS Purpose, EAS Strategies, EAS Process and EAS Product. The study also revealed that studies focusing on Agricultural and Rural credit were very few, which play a vital role in up scaling of farmers and agricultural sector. The study revealed the need for framing EAS policy for effective facilitation of Agricultural and Rural Credit for the development of agricultural and rural sector. Conclusion: The study found that while the EAS process included agricultural and rural credit support, its focus was primarily on transferring agricultural information. However, the progress of the agricultural sector relies heavily on farmers' financial capacity to address modern challenges. Integrating EAS with improved credit access could help overcome barriers to scaling up agricultural and rural development. This underscores the need for policies that align EAS with credit facilitation to promote long-term sustainability for farmers.

A computationally lightweight model for ensemble forecasting of environmental hazards: General TAMSAT-ALERT v1.2.1

Abstract. Efficient methods for predicting weather-related hazards are crucial for the effective management of environmental risk. Many environmental hazards depend on the evolution of meteorological conditions over protracted periods, requiring assessments that account for evolving conditions. The TAMSAT-ALERT approach addresses this challenge by combining observational monitoring with a weighted multi-year ensemble. In this way, it enhances the utility of existing systems by enabling users to combine multiple streams of monitoring and meteorological forecasting data into holistic hazard assessments. TAMSAT-ALERT forecasts are now used in a number of regions in the Global South for soil moisture forecasting, drought early warning and agricultural decision support. The model presented here, General TAMSAT-ALERT, represents a significant scientific and functional advance on previous implementations. Notably, General TAMSAT-ALERT is applicable to any variable for which time series data are available. In addition, functionality has been introduced to account for climatological non-stationarity (for example due to climate change), large-scale modes of variability (for example El Niño) and persistence (for example of land-surface conditions). In this paper, we present a full description of the model, along with case studies of its application to the prediction of central England temperature, Pakistan vegetation conditions and African precipitation.

Bridging the gap: The role of geographic proximity in enhancing seed sustainability in Bandung District

Abstract Climate change poses mounting challenges to agriculture in the Bandung District, Indonesia, and across the Global South. Seeds are the foundation of resilient food systems, and sustainable seed systems are essential for adaptation. This study offers a unique, holistic investigation of seed sustainability within the Bandung District. Utilizing multidimensional scaling and an independent t-test on a surveyed sample of 100 farmers across 8 villages, we analyze the interwoven social, economic, ecological, institutional, and technological dimensions shaping seed sustainability within the region. A core finding reveals the impact of geographic proximity to the government center on economic sustainability within the seed systems. Further, this analysis demonstrates the importance of policies promoting decentralized agricultural support, enhanced seed-saving infrastructure, and accessible farmer education programs to promote farmer agency, food security, and district-wide agricultural resilience. Findings transcend the context of Bandung, informing sustainable seed development practices in both regional and global contexts.

Accounting for VAT calculations when receiving subsidies in agriculture

Subject. This article discusses the issues related to the organization of State support for agriculture, in particular, the reflection of VAT calculations in the accounting when applying for subsidies. Objectives. The article aims to study the impact of subsidies in agriculture on the reflection of VAT in accounting in order to better understand the mechanisms of financial reporting and assess the impact of this process on the financial condition of enterprises. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of a systems approach, comparison, systematization, and generalization of data. Results. The article clarifies the methodology for accounting for VAT calculations when receiving State subsidies in agriculture separately for each area of State support. Conclusions. Timely and accurate reflection of VAT in accounting when receiving subsidies helps control these amounts specifically for each area of State support. This ensures the reliability of data and excludes possible errors, helps optimize VAT payment and minimize possible risks of tax audits. The importance of correct VAT accounting also lies in ensuring the transparency of the financial activities of an agricultural enterprise.

Influencing factors and prospects of Chinese agricultural outward foreign direct investment

Against the backdrop of global economic and trade internationalization, China's outward foreign direct investment has exhibited consistent growth over the years. Notably, China has engaged in agricultural cooperation with over 100 countries, becoming the global leading donor of foreign direct investment in agriculture and the world's fifth-largest importer of agricultural products. This paper reveals the structure of Chinese agricultural outward foreign direct investment to summarize their developmental stages and influencing factors. The study utilizes relevant data on China's foreign direct investment from 2014 to 2023 to assess the investment stage and analyze the future development trends in China's agricultural trade. The research results indicate that currently, despite some decline in 2021 and 2022, China's agricultural foreign direct investment is in a stage of rapid development. It can be concluded that the levels of agricultural economic development, national policy support for agriculture, and agricultural technology have all improved. However, the structure is significantly influenced by global external factors, although the overall trend remains favorable, with significant potential for advancement. The results could also have important practical significance for further promoting the growth of the scale of agricultural foreign investment and enhancing the international competitiveness of China's agriculture.

Research on the Income Guarantee of Grain Farmers from the Perspective of Food Security

Food security is an important foundation for national security, and ensuring the income of grain farmers is a key link in solving food security issues. This article explores in depth the construction and improvement of the income guarantee mechanism for grain farmers from the perspective of food security. To effectively establish a mechanism for ensuring the income of grain farmers, the following implementation paths have been proposed: firstly, stable and increased production to ensure reasonable income for grain farmers; The second is to control costs and promote technological innovation in the grain industry; The third is comprehensive development, which helps to improve the entire grain industry chain; Fourthly, optimize policies and improve the agricultural support policy system; The fifth is to expand coverage, optimize and improve the insurance sharing mechanism.

How the Soybean Producer Subsidy Policy affects crop planting structure: evidence from Chinese county-level data

PurposeThe Soybean Producer Subsidy Policy (SPSP), an agricultural support policy enacted in China within the past few years, is designed to optimise crop planting structure. This study analyses the impact of SPSP on the crop planting structure in terms of absolute and comparative incomes and elucidates the mechanisms involved.Design/methodology/approachUtilising balanced county-level panel data from 966 counties in China’s major soybean-producing regions, spanning from 2008 to 2021, we investigate the impacts of SPSP on crop planting structure by applying a difference-in-difference (DID) model.FindingsThe findings reveal several crucial insights. First, SPSP optimises the crop planting structure in Northeast China, primarily through an expansion in the area sown to soybeans and a simultaneous reduction in the area sown to maize. Second, the impacts of SPSP gradually strengthen over time but begin to weaken by 2021. Third, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the effects of SPSP are most pronounced in Eastern Inner Mongolia, followed by Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. Finally, SPSP incentivises farmers to expand soybean sown areas by improving absolute rather than comparative incomes from soybean cultivation.Practical implicationsAddressing structural contradictions within China’s food supply chain necessitates the adjustment of support policies for different crops to mitigate market distortions. Establishing a holistic agricultural support system encompassing various crops could promote sustainable agricultural practices in the future.Originality/valueOur findings are valuable for policy makers in China and globally who aim to establish support systems for regional linkages that include a variety of crops.

Climate change, agricultural transformation and climate smart agriculture development in China

Against the backdrop of increasingly severe global climate change, it has become an inevitable choice to promote the transformation of agriculture oriented to climate smart agriculture. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate realistic problem faced by China's agricultural transformation and identify key factors affecting agricultural development under the background of climate change. The paper constructs a linear econometric model and employes time series data from 1990 to 2019 to empirically test the impact of climate change and agricultural investment on agriculture in China. The results indicate that climate change has a negative impact on agriculture, while agricultural investment has a positive impact. Therefore, it is necessary to promote agricultural transformation oriented to climate smart agriculture. To this end, China must vigorously promote agricultural system reform, accelerate agricultural technological innovation, accelerate the development of agricultural big data and informatization, and strengthen financial support for agriculture.

A Study on the Construction of Environmental Image of Four Chinese Banks: Based on Metadiscourse Analysis

With the escalating global concern for environmental issues and China's commitment to achieving carbon peaking and neutrality goals, this study aims to investigate how four leading Chinese banks have constructed environmental images through their CSR reports from 2016 to 2021. Utilizing Hyland's (2005) Metadiscourse model and AntConc 3.5.9 for corpus analysis, we quantitatively and qualitatively examine the strategic use of Metadiscourse in these reports. Our findings reveal a dominance of interactive Metadiscourse, particularly transitions and frame markers, which facilitate coherent and structured environmental disclosures. Interactional Metadiscourse, featuring self-mentions and engagement markers etc., underscores the banks' authority and reader engagement. The banks' CSR reports demonstrate commitments to carbon reduction, green finance and credit, ecological agriculture support, and environmental risk management, and then portray proactive environmental images. This research provides insights into how Metadiscourse constructs sustainability discourse in the financial sector, informing ESG reporting and environmental communication strategies.

Short‐Term Grasslands in Agriculture Support Both Natural Enemy and Phytophagous Arthropod Populations

ABSTRACTSimplified agricultural land with high chemical input is increasingly replacing natural habitats in many parts of the world. This loss and fragmentation of natural areas may have profound impacts on an array of wildlife, including predatory arthropods that provide natural biocontrol of agricultural pests. There is increasing interest in utilising short‐term seminatural habitat restoration in agricultural systems to support populations of beneficial organisms. We assessed the impact of two types of short‐term set‐asides on the diversity and abundance/activity density of phytophagous and predatory arthropods. We found that flower‐enhanced set‐asides supported higher abundances of both phytophagous and predatory arthropods compared to control crop fields. In addition, we found that both set‐aside types (flower enhanced and traditional) supported a more active and diverse community of beneficial predatory carabid beetles, with particularly strong trends in set‐asides supplemented with flowering plants. These results suggest that small‐scale, temporary, seminatural habitats in agricultural systems provide support for a diverse and abundant community of both beneficial and phytophagous arthropods.

Assessing the initial impact of the Russian invasion on Ukrainian agriculture: Challenges, policy responses, and future prospects

The war in Ukraine has caused significant losses to the Ukrainian agricultural sector and threatened global food security. This study aims to comprehensively analyse the impact of the Russian invasion on Ukrainian agriculture in its initial phase, examine the responses of Ukrainian agricultural policy and outline key elements for the post-war development of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. Using a systematic approach that includes thorough data collection and analysis from official sources, the Ukrainian press, relevant legislation and statistical data, our study focuses on the first five months of the conflict, from February 24, 2022 to July 24, 2022, to identify the main challenges during this period. The agricultural policy analysis shows that the Ukrainian government has adopted a reactive approach, including tax simplification, affordable credit, deregulation, financial support for the agricultural sector, reduced prices for inputs and resources to support farmers, and improvements in logistics. Critical factors identified for post-war development include repatriation and agricultural education, support for small and medium-sized farms, integration into global markets, emphasis on organic practices and sustainable development, and digitalization in agriculture. The integration of a systematic overview of the Ukrainian agricultural sector and an analysis of key elements of post-war development provides essential insights for policy-makers and researchers concerned with the impact of war on the agricultural sector and food security.

LEGAL ENSURING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF UKRAINE UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

The article defines the main normative legal acts to ensure the transformation of the government agrarian policy of Ukraine after the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which will allow further legislative changes to be made in the construction of the government mechanism for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector of Ukraine in the conditions of European integration. The purpose of the article is to research the regulatory and legal support of the agricultural sector of Ukraine in order to justify further changes in the government sectoral policy of Ukraine in the conditions of European integration. A number of basic legal acts regarding the development of government agrarian policy and various mechanisms of government regulation of individual sectors of the agrarian complex were analyzed, the main of which are: Concept of the development of rural areas for the period until 2025, Concept of the development of farms and agricultural cooperation for the period of 2018-2020, Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine «On the Functioning of the Government Agrarian Register», Law of Ukraine «On State Assistance to Business Entities», Government Regional Development Strategy for 2021-2027, Draft Concept of Rural Development until 2030, UN Transitional Framework Program 2022- 2023, resolution «On Amendments to the Procedure for the Use of Funds Provided in the Government Budget for Providing Support to Farms and Other Producers of Agricultural Products». The principles of government support for agriculture in Ukraine, the key goals of the development of rural areas and agricultural activity, the key vectors of sustainable development of the agricultural sector of Ukraine on the way to European integration have been determined. Based on the analysis of the regulatory framework, conclusions were made regarding the long-term prospects of the agrarian policy of Ukraine.