Changes In Farming Systems Research Articles

Comparative Effects of Site-specific and Blanket Fertilizer Application on Soil Physicochemical properties and Maize (Zea mays L.) Yield at Mikalango in Chikwawa District, Southern Malawi

Malawi's economy predominantly relies on agriculture. However, continuous soil degradation threatens crop production, food security, and nutrition. The use of fertilizers in soil fertility amendment has not been as effective due to blanket application, which does not adequately address Malawi's diverse soil nutrient deficiencies. This can also lead to over-fertilization, which can generate greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. The experiment, set up in a randomized complete block design, compared site-specific and blanket fertilizer applications having 5 treatments and 5 replications, where a single maize seed variety was planted uniformly. Data was collected from the site's soil physicochemical properties, maize growth, and yield components and analyzed using JMP SAS software version 14.0.0. Results indicated that site-specific fertilizer application significantly differed from blanket fertilizer application at a 5% level of significance. Phosphorus (0.31 ppm), Sulphur (24.2 ppm), and Zinc (1.92 ppm) were significantly higher due to site-specific fertilizer application. Similarly, plant biomass (3.41 t/ha) and grain yield (7.03 t/ha) were also significantly higher due to site-specific fertilizer application. Hence, the study concluded that site-specific soil fertility management is ideal for efficient nutrient replenishment and attaining optimum yields while mitigating climate change in maize farming systems

Reducing insecticide use in winter oilseed rape by in-field to landscape-scale agroecological pest management

Reducing insect pest damage in field crops while minimizing insecticide use poses a significant challenge for farmers in Europe. Initiated in 2019, the six-year territorial project R2D2 aimed to explore the effectiveness of an agroecological crop protection approach in the context of widespread resistance of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) autumn beetles to pyrethroid insecticides. Over an area of 1371 hectares, ten farmers collectively developed a generative experimentation based on modifying cultural practices and implementing conservation biological control to gradually phase out insecticide use. Two years later, these farmers had made significant shifts in their pest management strategies by implementing a coordinated array of pest control measures from the field to the landscape level. These changes led to a complete cessation of systematic insecticide applications on WOSR and a 37% reduction in the insecticide Treatment Frequency Index (TFI) for this crop. Despite these promising outcomes, the total TFI across all crops, as assessed at the territorial level, remained unchanged. One of the main reasons for this is the increase in aerial insecticide applications on winter barley following the ban on neonicotinoids, as well as on spring pea to combat rising pea beetle pressures across the territory. For these two crops, effective alternatives to insecticides must be identified. More time is needed to instigate fundamental changes in farming systems and to enhance natural pest regulation through conservation biological control. Farmers’ support strategy should focus on identifying and overcoming barriers to the implementation of transformative systems.

Environmental Sustainability Aspects in Short Food Supply Chains: the Views of Organic Farmers and Consumers

Abstract Globally, food systems are the most significant cause of environmental change; therefore, efforts to create more environmentally sustainable food systems are presented. One of the directions is strengthening the local actors and short food supply chains. Simultaneously, changes in farming systems are needed, and organic agriculture is one of the ways to make food systems more environmentally sustainable. Despite the abundance of research on the environmental consciousness of consumers in short food supply chains, the question is raised whether local food chain farmers are also committed to environmental sustainability. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the importance of environmental sustainability to organic short food supply chain actors. More specifically, the research depicts the views of organic farmers and consumers and their relation to the actual environmental sustainability of short food supply chains. During the research, a specific short food supply chain – a direct purchasing network – was explored. A qualitative approach was applied to reach the aim. Thus, in-depth interviews and observations were used as a research method. The research results demonstrated the views of farmers and consumers of the specific network regarding environmental sustainability aspects in the network. In the research, such environmental aspects as the circularity of resources, biodiversity, chemicals in the environment, seasonality and locality of diets, and the distance (food miles) were admitted as crucial ones by the specific short food supply chain actors. The differences in opinions of consumers and farmers emerged when thinking about the scale of their views.

Exploring the Effects of Climate Change on Farming System Choice: A Farm-Level Space-for-Time Approach

Climate change is expected to affect the agricultural sector in ways that are often unclear to predict. If in the short- and medium-terms farmers may adapt to climate change by adjusting their agricultural practices, in the long-term, these adjustments may become insufficient, forcing farmers to change their farming systems. The extent and direction in which these farming system transitions will occur is still a subject that is underexplored in the literature. We propose a new framework to explore the effect of climate change on the choice of farming system while controlling the effect of other drivers that are also known to influence the farming system choice. Using a spatially explicit farming system choice model developed by a previous study in an extensive agricultural region of southern Portugal, we applied a space-for-time approach to simulate the effect of climate change on the future dynamics of the farming systems in the study area. The results suggest that climate change will force many farmers to change the farming system in a foreseeable future. The extent of the projected changes in farming systems is likely to trigger significant social, economic, and environmental impacts, which should require early attention from policy makers.

Retrospective Analysis of the History of Agricultural Development and Evaluation of Soil Erosion Rates in the Lokna River Basin, Tula Oblast

—According to published and archival data, the dynamics of soil plowing in Tula oblast in general and in its particular districts has been traced. It has been found that the active agricultural development in the southern part of the modern Tula oblast began no earlier than in the middle of the 17th century. According to the maps of different years, changes in the area of arable land in the Lokna River basin (Plavsk district of Tula oblast) from the end of the 18th century until the present time have been determined. The reliability of our data on the history of plowing of the territory is confirmed by the literature data. The composition of field crops and changes in farming systems during the period under review have been reconstructed, and a significant conservatism of these indicators has been revealed: the fallow three-field system dominated throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century; the predominance of rye among winter crops and oats among spring crops remained until the 1970s. According to the WaTEM/SEDEM and using historical data on changes in the main factors of soil erosion as input parameters, the intensity and volumes of rainfall runoff for the selected stages of development of the Lokna River basin have been calculated. In order to compare the results with the literature data for the period of 1980–1993, the rates and volumes of snowmelt washout have been estimated. An assessment of the reliability of the reconstructed model parameters for remote historical epochs has been carried out. The analysis of historical changes in the factors and rates of erosion indicates that the maximum extent of plowed area and the maximum intensity of erosional processes in Lokna River took place in the last quarter of the 19th–early 20th centuries. The influence of particular geomorphic positions of arable land on the rates and volumes of soil erosion has been revealed.

Retrospective Analysis of Agricultural Development History and Evaluation of Soil Erosion Rates within the Lokna River Basin, Tula Region

According to literary and archival data, the dynamics of the Tula region/province plowing as a whole, and its individual parts are revealed. It is established that the agricultural development of southern part of the modern Tula region began in the middle of the XVII century. According to the maps of different years of creation, changes in the area of arable land in the Lokna river basin (Plavsk district of the Tula region) from the end of the 18 to the present are determined. The reliability of the values of ploughing of the territory obtained by instrumental methods is confirmed by literature data. The composition of field crops and changes in farming systems during the period under review were reconstructed, significant conservatism of these indicators was revealed: the fallow three-field dominated throughout the XIX and the first half of the XX centuries, the predominance of rye in winter crops and oats in spring crops remained until the 1970s. According to the WaTEM/SEDEM, using historical data on the change in the main erosion factors as input parameters, the intensity and volume of rainfall run-off for the selected stages of agricultural development of the Lokna river basin were calculated. In order to compare the results with the literature data for the period 1980–1993 yr the snowmelt soil erosion rates were additionally calculated. The reliability of the obtained estimates for the last 40–50 years is confirmed by the literature data. It is established that the maximum plowing and intensity of the manifestation of erosion processes in the Lokna river basin was observed in the last quarter of the XIX–early XX centuries. The influence of the arable land location relative to the relief elements on the rates and volumes of run-off is revealed.

Side effects of European eco schemes and agri-environment-climate measures on endangered species conservation: Clues from a case study in mountain vineyard landscapes

In Europe, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) encouraged the specialisation of agriculture and forestry systems by supporting schemes that promoted productivity, despite the socio-ecological changes’ detrimental effects on ecosystem services and biodiversity. In the case of mountain viticulture of southern Europe, the adoption of intensive management techniques triggered noticeable changes in farming systems, namely the removal of traditional stonewalls and semi-natural vegetation, partially compensated by eco schemes and agri-environment-climate measures. By combining fieldwork information with spatio-temporal modelling techniques, a novel hybrid framework is explained and implemented to predict the population trends of a critically endangered bird species in Portugal, the Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura), to the individual and/or combined effects of the removal of traditional stonewall terraced vineyards and the implementation of cover crops. The results obtained demonstrate the relevance of stonewall terraced vineyards (and the negative effects of their removal) for the conservation of Black Wheatear, namely during the breeding season when holes and crevices are used for nesting. Conversely, and in accordance with our simulations, the increase in the area occupied by vineyards with cover crops seems particularly detrimental for the species, by decreasing the quality of the feeding grounds. As cover crops, and possibly other eco schemes and agri-environment-climate measures, might not be the panacea for halting biodiversity loss in mountain viticulture, adaptation of measures to species’ ecological requirements is urgent for a successful EU biodiversity strategy for 2030.

Farmers’ adoption intentions of water-saving agriculture under the risks of frequent irrigation-induced landslides

Water-saving agriculture (WSA) is often introduced as an effective strategy to reduce water infiltration and mitigate irrigation-induced landslide risks. The effects highly rely on smallholder farmers, who often would rather suffer from landslides than adapt. This study focused on farmers’ adoption intention of WSA in general and drip irrigation and drought-tolerant crop in specific, representing changes in technology and farming systems. An integrative theoretical model was developed based on the extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) with elements from the norm activation model and technology acceptance model. Hypotheses were tested using data from a questionnaire survey with 363 farmers in Loess Plateau, Northwest China. The results of structural equation modeling showed that the most crucial factor bolstering farmers’ adoption intention was subjective norm, regardless of different measures. Attitude was more influential than perceived behavior control in drip irrigation and vice versa in drought-tolerant crop adoption, indicating that attitude was more important in technology change and capacity played a crucial role in farming system shift. In addition, awareness of environmental consequences contributed positively to subjective norm and attitude, and perceived ease-of-use improved perceived behavior control. Most notably, the extended TPB model has more explanatory power than the classical one. By considering the moral and technical aspects, the extended model enhanced the comprehensiveness of explaining drivers of farmers’ WSA adoption intention under the irrigation-induced landslide risks. The findings shed light on future disaster risk management for China and other countries under the landslide risk.

Contextual realities and poverty traps: why South Asian smallholder farmers negatively evaluate conservation agriculture

Abstract Conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification (CASI) is gaining prominence as an agricultural pathway to poverty reduction and enhancement of sustainable food systems among government and development actors in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of South Asia. Despite substantial investment in research and extension programs and a growing understanding of the agronomic, economic and labor-saving benefits of CASI, uptake remains limited. This study explores farmer experiences and perspectives to establish why farmers choose not to implement CASI systems despite a strong body of recent scientific evidence establishing the benefits of them doing so. Through thematic coding of semi-structured interviews, key constraints are identified, which establishes a narrative that current households' resources are insufficient to enable practice change, alongside limited supporting structures for resource supplementation. Such issues create a dependency on subsidies and outside support, a situation that is likely to impact any farming system change given the low-risk profiles of farmers and their limited resource base. This paper hence sets out broad implications for creating change in smallholder farming systems in order to promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies in resource-poor smallholder contexts, especially with regard to breaking the profound poverty cycles that smallholder farmers find themselves in and which are unlikely to be broken by the current set of technologies promoted to them.

Biological soil quality and soil organic carbon change in biodynamic, organic, and conventional farming systems after 42 years

Soils are the basis of life on land and the ways in which we manage them for crop production, impact their role, functions and quality. Conventional farming uses industrial inputs to a level that is economically justified, whilst organic farming systems avoid mineral fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides. This study investigates the long-term effect of organic and conventional farming systems on soil quality. The DOK trial (bioDynamic, bioOrganic, Konventionell (German for conventional)) running since 1978 in Therwil (CH), compares bioorganic (BIOORG), biodynamic (BIODYN), and conventional (CONFYM) farming systems at two farmyard manure intensities corresponding to 0.7 and 1.4 livestock units per hectare with a purely mineral fertilized system (CONMIN) and an unfertilized control (NOFERT). The treatments in the DOK trial vary in plant protection and receive system-specific organic matter inputs differing in rate and quality. With this work, we revisit the soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics across 42 years and redefine the previous perception of mainly declining SOC contents after 21 years of organic and conventional management (Fliessbach et al. 2007). After 42 years, we found SOC contents to be increased in BIODYN 1.4 and to a lesser extent also in BIOORG 1.4. CONFYM 1.4 showed stable SOC contents, while systems fertilized with manure of 0.7 livestock units and CONMIN lost SOC. SOC loss was highest in NOFERT. Enhanced biological soil quality under organic and particularly biodynamic management highlights the close link between soil biology and SOC changes. The impact of farming systems on SOC was detectable after 2 decades of continuous management. We conclude that recycling manure at a level of 1.4 livestock units per hectare permits maintenance of SOC levels and that composting manure, as performed in BIODYN 1.4, helps to further increase SOC levels and improve biological soil quality.

Combining sustainable livelihood and farm sustainability approaches to identify relevant intensification options: Implications for households with crop-based and gathering-based livelihoods in Tanzania

In low-income countries, the livelihoods of smallholders are affected to different extent by multiple issues, such as food insecurity or low soil fertility, depending on their multiple assets and farming characteristics. In this study, we aim at assessing the current sustainability of households in Tanzania to suggest potential changes in farming system to increase the household́ sustainability. Household survey data from 891 households in two regions of Tanzania (dry Dodoma and humid Morogoro) were used to build composite sustainability indices representing the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental and social), based on 46 basic indicators. Then, a household typology was developed through principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis of descriptive variables, and regression analysis linked the sustainability of farms with household characteristics. The analysis revealed significant differences in household types that relied on different livelihood strategies including particularly a “Gathering-based” type in Dodoma and two “Crop-based” types in both regions. These livelihoods significantly influenced the level of farming system sustainability. Particularly, the households in the “Gathering-based” type performed worst on all three pillars of sustainability. By examining the level of capitals from the different household types, we identified that the “Gathering-based” type and “Crop-based” types could improve their livelihood and be better off if they adopt various upgrading solutions. Such solutions include intercropping and optimised weeding to increase productivity and resource-use efficiency, for which these households have sufficient labour resources. Additionally, livestock rearing and use of fertilisers coupled with rainwater harvesting can increase soil fertility and water use efficiency, and hence food security, without compromising the environmental component of sustainability. To facilitate the adoption of these sustainable intensification options, agricultural policies and appropriate training need to be implemented to fit the local context and diversity of household types.

Changes in coastal farming systems in a changing climate in Bangladesh

Changes in farming systems are dominated by changes in global climate and local environment, apart from the non-climatic drivers. Given the challenges in partitioning the contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors to the changes in farming systems, this paper aims to assess the types and changes of coastal farming systems, the farmer perceptions of the causes of the changes in farming systems, and the relationship between the influencing factors and perceptions. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 381 randomly selected coastal households during September–October 2018. The random forest classification model was applied to estimate the relative importance of the farmers’ characteristics on their perception of causes of changes in farming systems. This study reveals that the coastal farmers had mostly semi-subsistence type of mixed farming systems, which were going through dynamic changes in terms of their sizes and number of farmers. In general, the participation in rice, vegetables, and livestock farming was decreasing but increasing in fisheries, forestry, and fruit farming. Most (95.5%) of the farmers had to change at least one of the farming enterprises over the past decade (2009–2018) compared with the previous decade (1999–2008). About two-thirds of the farmers perceived that climate change had caused changes in their farming systems. Compared with the eastern coasts, the farmers in the western coasts tended to blame climate change to a higher extent for the effect on their agricultural activities. The random forest model outputs imply that the farmers who are younger in age and with less formal education, larger family, and smaller farmland should be supported with scientific knowledge on causes of changes in farming systems. This could help them more aware of climate change issues related to agriculture and increase their enthusiasm to take part in adaptive changes in farming systems.

A systems thinking approach to understand the drivers of change in backyard poultry farming system

CONTEXTDrivers of change in farming systems are not static, they evolve. Yet, there is an underlying assumption in the literature that drivers of change are static. OBJECTIVEThis paper seeks to understand how drivers of change in Ghana's backyard poultry farming system evolve within a calendar year and examine how different production strategies contribute to the incomes of farm households. METHODSA system dynamics model, comprising production, financial, consumption, and epidemiological modules, was developed, validated, and simulated for a 52-week period using a weekly timestep. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSResults of the loops that matter analysis showed that from the onset of the poultry production, disease prevention at different growth stages of the chicken (especially for day-old chicks) via vaccination is a critical driver of change that has a high but short-lived dominance. Beyond the grower stage, the changes in the unit price of eggs have a relatively higher and longer influence on production dynamics than changes in the unit price of poultry meat. Moreover, the results suggest that a focus only on meat production is the most profitable strategy compared to production strategies that focus only on egg production or a mix of egg and meat production. SIGNIFICANCEThe findings of this paper extend the literature on drivers of change in the farming system by stressing the need to assess how these drivers evolve. The application of the loops that matter analysis in system dynamics modelling provides a framework for analysing the evolution of drivers of change in farming system.

Adaptation strategies to land grabbing among agri-preneurs in Lagos State, Nigeria

The study identified adaptation strategies to land grabbing among agri-preneurs using three stage sampling technique. First was purposive selection of Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu Local Governments. Second stage was selection of communities mostly affected by land grabbing activities; third stage involved use of representative sampling technique to select sixty respondents. Data collected through interview schedule were analyzed using percentage and chi-square. Results showed that increased urbanization 48.3% accounted for major cause of land grabbing. Building and construction was used by 60% of the respondents as the most effective preventive measure. The majority (83.3%) of the respondents used change in farming system as their coping strategies. A significant relationship existed between education status and coping strategies (X2= 11.7). Land grabbing is gradually driving agricultural production into extinction in Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu Local Government Areas mostly known for agricultural production. Equipping farmers with adequate knowledge on different farming system such as mixed cropping, mixed farming and integrated farming system. Extension services should be geared towards giving farmers technical advice and information on how to effectively use the little land at their disposal and Government should assist farmers by ensuring strict adherence to formulated policy on land grab matters.

Adaptation Strategies to Land Grabbing among Agri-Preneurs in Lagos State, Nigeria

The study identified adaptation strategies to land grabbing among agri-preneurs using three stage sampling technique. First was purposive selection of Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu Local Governments. Second stage was selection of communities mostly affected by land grabbing activities; third stage involved use of representative sampling technique to select sixty respondents. Data collected through interview schedule were analyzed using percentage and chi-square. Results showed that increased urbanization 48.3% accounted for major cause of land grabbing. Building and construction was used by 60% of the respondents as the most effective preventive measure. The majority (83.3%) of the respondents used change in farming system as their coping strategies. A significant relationship existed between education status and coping strategies (X2= 11.7). Land grabbing is gradually driving agricultural production into extinction in Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu Local Government Areas mostly known for agricultural production. Equipping farmers with adequate knowledge on different farming system such as mixed cropping, mixed farming and integrated farming system. Extension services should be geared towards giving farmers technical advice and information on how to effectively use the little land at their disposal and Government should assist farmers by ensuring strict adherence to formulated policy on land grab matters.

Smallholders' coping strategies in response to climate variability in semi-arid agro-ecozones of Upper Eastern Kenya

Rainfed agriculture dominates food production systems in arid and semi-arid agro-ecozones. Water is a key limiting factor to crop growth in the small-scale farming systems of the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. Climate adaptation is a fundamental and necessary response to the threat posed by the current and future climatic changes in semi-arid farming systems of the SSA region. This study was implemented to identify the socioeconomic drivers and determinants of adaptation to rainfall variability at the farm level in contrasting agro-ecological zones of Kenya. Two hundred and seventy (270) farmers were selected. The survey was implemented in Mbeere South, Meru South, and Maara Sub-Counties in Kenya to determine farmers' perceptions of climate variation during the decade that preceded the survey and climate adaptation strategies that farmers implemented. The most common climate adaptation strategies included the use of terraces (89%), early maturity crop varieties (82%), and intercropping (79%). In comparison, the least common strategies included water-harvesting strategies (29%), trenches (35%), and staggering planting dates (46%). Farmers in low potential agro-ecological zones recorded lower education levels, less secure land tenure systems, and poor access to training, extension, and credit facilities necessary for successful climatic adaptation strategies. The study findings indicated that farmers in low potential zones, including Mbeere South Sub-County, faced more risks due to the nature of climatic variation in this agro-ecozone. Farm socioeconomic characteristics were important factors that influenced farmer adaptation, including gender and age differentials, education attainments and agricultural training, farm labor availability, household food security status, and preceding annual occurrences of crop failure. There is a need to develop holistic approaches that incorporate scientific findings from the researchers and the local household-based strategies that can enhance risk assessment and management, coping and adaption strategies, and decision-making by multiple stakeholders.

Community seed network in an era of climate change: dynamics of maize diversity in Yucat\xe1n, Mexico

Local seed systems remain the fundamental source of seeds for many crops in developing countries. Climate resilience for small holder farmers continues to depend largely on locally available seeds of traditional crop varieties. High rainfall events can have as significant an impact on crop production as increased temperatures and drought. This article analyzes the dynamics of maize diversity over 3 years in a farming community of Yucatán state, Mexico, where elevated levels of precipitation forced farmers in 2012 to reduce maize diversity in their plots. We study how farmers maintained their agroecosystem resilience through seed networks, examining the drivers influencing maize diversity and seed provisioning in the year preceding and following the 2012 climatic disturbance (2011–2013). We found that, under these challenging circumstances, farmers focused their efforts on their most reliable landraces, disregarding hybrids. We show that farmers were able to recover and restore the diversity usually cultivated in the community in the year following the critical climate event. The maize dynamic assessed in this study demonstrates the importance of community level conservation of crop diversity. Understanding farmer management strategies of agrobiodiversity, especially during a challenging climatic period, is necessary to promote a more tailored response to climate change in traditional farming systems.

Watershed Monitoring in Galicia from UAV Multispectral Imagery Using Advanced Texture Methods

Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the use and sustainable management of forests, land, and water. Watersheds can be threatened by deforestation, uncontrolled logging, changes in farming systems, overgrazing, road and track construction, pollution, and invasion of exotic plants. This article describes a procedure to automatically monitor the river basins of Galicia, Spain, using five-band multispectral images taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle and several image processing algorithms. The objective is to determine the state of the vegetation, especially the identification of areas occupied by invasive species, as well as the detection of man-made structures that occupy the river basin using multispectral images. Since the territory to be studied occupies extensive areas and the resulting images are large, techniques and algorithms have been selected for fast execution and efficient use of computational resources. These techniques include superpixel segmentation and the use of advanced texture methods. For each one of the stages of the method (segmentation, texture codebook generation, feature extraction, and classification), different algorithms have been evaluated in terms of speed and accuracy for the identification of vegetation and natural and artificial structures in the Galician riversides. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can achieve this goal with speed and precision.

Economic implications of the loss of glyphosate and paraquat on Australian mixed enterprise farms

CONTEXTGlyphosate and paraquat are effective, affordable non-selective herbicides widely used in Australian agriculture. However, for reasons described in this study, their use is under threat and a ban on their use is a possibility. OBJECTIVEThis study describes the farm business and farming system changes resulting from a ban on use of glyphosate and paraquat in a main mixed farming region of Australia. METHODSThe bioeconomic farm model, MIDAS, is used to represent mixed enterprise farms of Western Australia. The model incorporates the suite of management strategies and tactics farmers are likely to employ in response to loss of access to the key herbicides, glyphosate and paraquat. Scenario analyses are applied to different farm types. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSLoss of these herbicides is estimated to cause increased costs of crop production and large declines in farm profit, if the herbicide ban does not similarly apply to other major grain exporters. Farming systems shift towards sheep production and away from cropping, increasing farm greenhouse gas emissions. Farm businesses that are more crop dominant experience the greatest declines in profit. However, if a global ban on glyphosate and paraquat applies, then Australian farm businesses will be advantaged as they rely far less on glyphosate-tolerant crops. SIGNIFICANCEDespite several tactics and investments that farmers might employ to combat the loss of these herbicides, none prevents a reduction in farm profit. For all farm types considered under all management scenarios, loss of these herbicides generates sizeable declines farm profit. The likelihood of such large declines in profit however should spur the invention and development of cost-effective means of weed control.

Farming Systems Changes in the Urban Shadow: A Mixed Approach Based on Statistical Analysis and Expert Surveys

Due to the growth of the “urban shadow”, farming systems in metropolitan areas (MAs) are characterized by specific environmental, economic, and social pressures. Urbanization pressure and its related threats, as well as the opportunities resulting from a convenient location close to consumers’ markets, cause rapid farming systems changes. The present study provides a quali-quantitative overview of change in farming systems in selected Polish metropolitan areas. Various statistical methods were applied to analyze changes in farming systems. First, farming system changes were characterized for the study area by the exploratory factor analysis. In addition, experts’ opinions (qualitative data) on changes in farming systems until 2027 are presented. The research conducted showed that there are a few main patterns in changes to/adaptations of farming systems: Horizontal growth of farms, farmland concentration, process of specialization (horticulture, orchards), trajectories towards more multifunctional farming practices (off-farm diversification, as well as “deepening” and “broadening” strategies), reduction of livestock farming, deintensification and farmland abandonment. Those processes vary in space, and they are only partially explained in terms of distance to the core city (location). Experts forecast that the identified trends will continue, paying attention to the growing importance of multifunctional agriculture and the intensification of recessive processes, including farmland abandonment and excessive deintensification of production. According to the experts surveyed, most farmers will continue to apply traditional development strategies, which will be ineffective without the possibility of increasing the area of farms.