Crop Substitution Research Articles

Real Water Saving Using Crop Substitution in Cropping Pattern: A Case Study of Khuzestan Province, Iran

Real Water Saving Using Crop Substitution in Cropping Pattern: A Case Study of Khuzestan Province, Iran

Climate–change adaptations can raise cropping’s contribution to household income

ABSTRACT A two-stage fractional regression model is applied to 998 farm observations from Ghana to estimate how three climate-change adaptation practices influence the contribution of crop revenue to household income. The first stage, analysing land selection, shows that farmers in peri-urban areas who cultivate drought-tolerant varieties raise their crops on poor soils, but male farmers, who cultivate large farms and have access to inorganic fertiliser (on credit), have the benefit of fertile soils. The second-stage shows that crop substitution, use of drought-tolerant varieties, and variation in planting dates increase the contribution of crop revenue to household income. Therefore, public and non-state institutions should continue to invest in technology transferat the same time, addressing farm-level constraints on the adoption of proven agricultural innovations.

Adaptation measures to global change in the Serpis River Basin (Spain): An evaluation considering agricultural benefits, environmental flows, and invasive fishes

Damming and flow regulation ensure water availability during dearth periods, but they cause impacts on inhabiting biota and facilitate the establishment of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). Setting environmental flows (e-flows) has proven fundamental to ensure good ecological status of rivers, battle IAS, and sustain ecosystem services. However, ongoing climate change is further straining water resources availability and the fulfilment of e-flows in Spain, which has compelled River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) to include specific adaptation measures. In this study, we assessed adaptation strategies addressing land use and climate change in the Serpis River (Eastern Spain), based on increasing irrigation efficiency (i.e. moving from gravity to drip irrigation). The evaluation considered two CMIP6 climate change scenarios (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5) for two time horizons (short term 2015–2040 and mid-term 2041–2070), together with three land use change scenarios (changes in irrigated areas and technologies). Future estimations included reservoir flow releases, e-flows fulfilment, agricultural benefits, and changes in the suitable habitat and potential competition for two native (Eastern Iberian chub Squalius valentinus and European eel Anguilla anguilla) and two invasive (common bleak Alburnus alburnus and pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus) fish species. Predictions indicated a decrease in the suitable habitat for eel and Eastern Iberian chub, but the established e-flows will be ensured. Although the maximum benefits will rarely be achieved, on average the modernisation expected in the RBMP would sustain agricultural incomes in the optimistic scenario (SSP1-2.6) and for the short term of the pessimistic scenario (SSP5-8.5), showing similar effects than the ongoing redistribution of agricultural plots. Habitat and competition with invasive species will experience little changes due to the strong flow regulation, although the invasive bleak would prevail in the mid-term of the most pessimistic scenario. These results highlight the necessity of proactive adaptation measures beyond those described in the RBMPs (e.g. forest management or crop substitution) to increase water availability and sustain agricultural benefits, in particular for the most pessimistic scenario. They also underscore the difficulties to counteract invasive species through streamflow management under water scarcity scenarios.

From Alternative Development to Decolonisation: Transforming Drug Crop Policies in Bolivia

Bolivia’s ‘coca yes, cocaine no’ policy towards drug crops offers a useful lens to examine Evo Morales government’s decolonisation efforts, as unlike other government attempts, it had both local and international aspects. Using ethnographic data from the Chapare, one of Bolivia’s two principal coca growing regions, this article traces how the Morales government’s development policy between 2006-2019 broke with U.S.-led militarised eradication and crop substitution. Partially assisted by a European Union municipal strengthening program, coca policy was ‘nationalised’, permitting registered growers to cultivate a limited amount of the leaf. Unlike U.S.- financed ‘alternative development’, the new approach fostered self-determination, revalued coca’s traditional role and front-loaded development assistance. These reflect both decolonisation goals and international development best practices. And yet, despite significant achievements, particularly in reducing violent confrontation with the state, the overarching international prohibitionist paradigm, domestic dynamics, and a steady demand for cocaine put the brakes on just how far domestic innovation in development-oriented drug control strategies can go.

Export of Organic Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) as An Alternative Illicit Crop Substitution: Survey of Consumers in Namur, Belgium

The social situation that indigenous people encounter in rural areas of Colombia is linked to social disparities and a dearth of opportunities for their products. Illicitly harvesting coca plants affords them resources they would not receive in the conventional market. This study investigates the feasibility of exporting organic gooseberries cultivated in conflict-affected regions of Colombia to European countries. Such exports could offer a means of crop substitution for indigenous communities that currently rely on coca farming for their sustenance. Additionally, this article features an exploratory analysis of consumer attitudes towards organic cape gooseberry in Namur, Belgium. This study employed surveys of 158 individuals in 2022 to gauge consumer perception and used the ordinary least squares method in the econometric modeling of foreign trade behavior. The modeling utilized 6233 observations between 2015 and 2022 about exports to European nations. Surprisingly, dehydrated gooseberry snacks were found to be the preferred method of consumption in Namur, Belgium, as opposed to fresh fruit. The export of Colombian cape gooseberries has secured a strong presence in Europe, with its price–quantity correlation demonstrating a high inelastic demand. This implies that price changes have minimal impact on the quantities purchased overseas. Organic cape gooseberries have significant potential for indigenous land. However, this study is exploratory and limited to the variables identified in the ICECOMEX databases in Colombia. Further research should consider the consumption of organic cape gooseberries in other European cities.

A political economy perspective on alternative development coalitions: the case of paramilitary territories in Colombia

ABSTRACT This article analyzes alternative development coalitions, their contradictions and complexities, and how they promoted a steeply unequal agrarian change through illicit crop substitution. We zoom into two paramilitary-controlled territories in Colombia. We show that those programs counted with significant support from, and were actually driven by, long coalitions that included regional and national politicians, sectors of the rural rich, paramilitary leaders, Colombian government and United States agencies.

Rethinking the role of value-added industries for invasive trees in South Africa

Invasive alien trees are a threat to sustainable development in South Africa due to their rapid propagation and negative impacts on water availability, fire risks, land productivity, and biodiversity conservation. Despite the ambitious three decades-long governmental Working for Water programme to clear and restore land, the problem remains. This paper questions the proposition that value-added industries can contribute to its resolution by providing value to the biomass and supporting upscaled control efforts with private investments. Their financial feasibility remains largely theoretical as most studies resort to ex ante assessments untested on the ground and are misleading due to the mix of tangible financial flows and hypothetical environmental benefits. Assumed perverse effects with further propagation remain theoretical or rest on anecdotical evidence. It is suggested that value-added industries and particularly bioenergy hold potential but require a more conducive policy environment. Three priorities are identified: an incentives framework that recognises environmental (dis)services and clarifies potential net carbon gains depending on the accounting system; the provision of updated information to the private sector on resource availability with improved coordination between investors and public programs in charge of land clearing; and innovative supply chain models with improved logistics. Thinking outside the box would help and novel land management options could be considered with natural regrowth and rotations in non-strategic sites, or crop substitution to sustain value chains – which would necessitate strict management rules in exchange for greater flexibility in resource accessibility. Overall, value-added industries for invasive trees encompass climate change adaptation and mitigation and their feasibility depends on their articulation.

The Impact of Agricultural Insurance on Farmers’ Enthusiasm for Sugarcane Production: Evidence from Guangxi, China

Improving farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production is of significance for maintaining the stability of sugarcane cultivation, as well as ensuring the sustainability and security of the national sugar supply. Based on rural household survey data from five major sugarcane producing counties in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2018, this paper analyzes the impact of agricultural insurance on farmers’ enthusiasm to grow sugarcane using Probit, IV-Probit, and 2SLS methods, examines the problem of heterogeneity due to differences in farmers’ degree of part-time occupation, and analyzes the mechanisms of agricultural insurance in affecting farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production through income effect and substitution effect pathways. The findings of the study are as follows: first, participation in agricultural insurance significantly increases farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production; second, the impact of agricultural insurance on farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production is heterogeneous depending on the degree of part-time farming, and the intensity of the impact decreases as the degree of part-time farming increases; finally, agricultural insurance increases farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production through income effects such as increased farm income and income expectations on the one hand, and positively influences farmers’ enthusiasm for sugarcane production through competitive crop substitution effects at both agricultural and non-farm levels on the other. Based on these findings, policy measures are proposed in this paper, including increasing the level of sugarcane insurance coverage, improving the pricing strategy of sugarcane, and accelerating the mechanization of the entire sugarcane production process.

The post-conflict expansion of coca farming and illicit cattle ranching in Colombia

Illicit cattle ranching and coca farming have serious negative consequences on the Colombian Amazon’s land systems. The underlying causes of these land activities include historical processes of colonization, armed conflict, and narco-trafficking. We aim to examine how illicit cattle ranching and coca farming are driving forest cover change over the last 34 years (1985–2019). To achieve this aim, we combine two pixel-based approaches to differentiate between coca farming and cattle ranching using hypothetical observed patterns of illicit activities and a deep learning algorithm. We found evidence that cattle ranching, not coca, is the main driver of forest loss outside the legal agricultural frontier. There is evidence of a recent, explosive conversion of forests to cattle ranching outside the agricultural frontier and within protected areas since the negotiation phase of the peace agreement. In contrast, coca is remarkably persistent, suggesting that crop substitution programs have been ineffective at stopping the expansion of coca farming deeper into protected areas. Countering common narratives, we found very little evidence that coca farming precedes cattle ranching. The spatiotemporal dynamics of the expansion of illicit land uses reflect the cumulative outcome of agrarian policies, Colombia’s War on Drugs, and the 2016 peace accord. Our study enables the differentiation of illicit land activities, which can be transferred to other regions where these activities have been documented but poorly distinguished spatiotemporally. We provide an applied framework that could be used elsewhere to disentangle other illicit land uses, track their causes, and develop management options for forested land systems and people who depend on them.

Influence of climate change knowledge on selection of indigenous adaptive strategies among cash crop farmers

Climate change continues to threaten humanity’s livelihoods, particularly those dependent on agriculture. Gradual changes in climate pose a significant threat to food security and sustainable agricultural productivity around the globe. This paper sought to investigate the influence of climate change knowledge on the selection of indigenous climate change adaptive strategies. The study was conducted in Vhembe district of Limpopo province, South Africa, in 2021. Structured questionnaires were administered to 300 emerging cash crop farmers during face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to gain insight into the farmers’ knowledge of climate change. A multinomial logistic model was used to determine the influence of climate change knowledge on the selection of indigenous adaptation strategies. The study discovered that most farmers were aware of climate change and subsequently preferred crop diversification and substitution of crops as their ideal adaptation strategies. This study recommends that adaptation to climate change should be a collaborative effort among the farming community.

Functional transition of cultivated ecosystems: Underlying mechanisms and policy implications in China

The ecological sustainability of cultivated land use is a major challenge for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, less attention has been paid to the ecological sustainability of cultivated land use (CLU) from the perspective of the functional transition of cultivated ecosystems (FTCE). Moreover, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of the FTCE has been very limited to date. The aim of this study was to bridge this gap, taking the Guangdong province in China as the case-study area. A method for assessing cultivated ecosystem functions was presented based on the connotation, integrating the components, structure, and sustainability of cultivated ecosystems, and the ecological process of CLU. According to the theoretical framework of a U-curve for the FTCE presented in this study, the FTCE referring to a shift from rapid consumption to recovery growth was identified using univariate analysis and panel data regression methods. The underlying mechanisms for the FTCE are concluded as induced substitution of agricultural production, involving agricultural input substitution, crop substitution, and land-use substitution. To improve the FTCE and further promote the ecological sustainability of CLU, it is important to encourage farmers to maximize the labor productivity in land use. Further, specific policies are proposed to control these three aspects of substitution. The findings and suggestions of this study are significant for China and other regions to promote the ecological sustainability of CLU. This study has made valuable progress compared with previous studies on land-use transition because of the integrated perspective of functional transition related to ecological sustainability.

Regional intensity of biological disasters in farmland: quantitative assessment and spatiotemporal analysis.

Biological disasters in farmland have become a serious threat to global sustainability. Quantitative studies on spatiotemporal change in regional intensity of biological disasters in farmland (RIBDF) are crucial for promotingsustainable intensification of farmland useand global food security. Many studies have revealed the impacts of natural environment on biological disasters in farmland. However, research on the impacts of farmers' activities on biological disasters remains verylimitedfrom the perspective of induced substitution in agricultural production. Based on the principle of induced substitution in agricultural production, a theoretical framework for the impacts of farmland use intensity (FUI), the occurrence intensity of biological disasters (OIBD), the natural loss intensity resulting from biological disasters (NLIBD), and the actual loss intensity controlled by human activities (ALIBD) on change in RIBDF was presented, and we therefore established an assessment model integrating these four key indices in this study. Taking Guangdong Province in China as the study area, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal changes in RIBDF from 1996 to 2017 and found that RIBDF increased overall with three changestagesof slow growth, rapid growth, and decline at the provincial and regional levels. Moreover, the gravity center of RIBDF appeared to shift towards the coastal region in southwestern Guangdong at a speed of 18.20 km per year. The results reveal that the spatiotemporal change in RIBDF is determined by the key influencing factors including the substitution of chemical fertilizers for farmland and crop substitution. These findings suggest that it is necessary to expand the scale of farmland management and to encourage farmers to implement diversified cropping as well as chemical fertilizers reduction. The foremost contribution of this study is its exploration of an understanding of the linkage between farmland use activities characterized as induced substitution in agricultural productionand biological disasters. Moreover, policy implications for sustainable intensification of farmland usewerediscussedbased on these findings.

KONVERSI TANAMAN KOMODITI (KEDELAI KE PADI SAWAH) TERHADAP PENINGKATAN PENDAPATAN PETANI DI DESA HIALU KECAMATAN LANDAWE KABUPATEN KONAWE UTARA

This research is motivated by the occurrence of three crop conversions that are still being carried out by farmers. The crop substitution carried out by transmigrant farmers started from cassava and others (1994) to soybeans (2004), then soybeans to corn plants (2015), and corn plants to lowland rice (2016). This change in crop types was caused by several factors such as the availability of market access for soybean cultivation, the local government program to make North Konawe a maize self-sufficiency area but failed, and the availability of an abundance of water to carry out lowland rice farming activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the type of crop conversion carried out by farmers in Hialu Village, to determine the economic impact of crop conversion in Hialu Village, and to determine the social impact of crop conversion in Hialu Village. The determination of the research area was carried out purposively (deliberately) on the consideration of the people in Hialu Village to convert crops from soybeans to lowland rice, and no research has been carried out on the topic of crop conversion. The sample in this study amounted to 23 farmers from a total of 78 populations. Data analysis used quantitative description analysis and cross tabulation. The results showed that the type of crop conversion carried out by farmers was a type of transition from one type of plant to another, the economic impact was an increase in income, the social impact was a decrease in the level of social solidarity and agrarian conflict, but on the other hand there was an increase in conflict due to the conversion of crops in terms of seizure. irrigation water.

The killing of social leaders: An unintended effect of Colombia's illicit crop substitution program.

A common drug policy in source countries -forced eradication- has unintended consequences in multiple dimensions. Aerial spraying in particular, has social and environmental costs including, increased violence, deforestation, and adverse health outcomes. However, there is less evidence of the unintended consequences of illicit crop substitution programs, another widely used intervention. This paper illustrates an unintended effect of the largest crop substitution program in the world, namely increased violence against social leaders. Examining the recent Colombian illicit crop substitution program implemented in 2017, this paper estimates the effect on violence towards social leaders employing an event study econometric strategy. The program increased the rate of social leader killings by 481% and the probability of a killing by 122%. The findings reveal a greater effect on municipalities where leaders oppose the expansion of illicit crops, where organized crime does not hold consolidated power, and where there is a presence of illegal armed groups. This study contributes to the literature on antidrug policies by providing empirical evidence of unintended consequences for local communities.

Generating cropping schemes from FADN data at the farm and territorial scale

The paper presents an innovative approach to cropping scheme classification based on fad n data with two main goals. First, the identification at the regional level (NUTS 2) of land use patterns common to similar farms defined ‘group cropping scheme'. Second, the farm-level construction of farm cropping schemes, which expand the observed crop mix and identify suitable variation ranges considering the farm production context. The schemes are based on the observed behaviour of homogeneous farms and capture their common structural characteristics regarding land use.The schemes can be used at the territorial scale to analyse landuse trends and patterns over time. At the farm level, the method is designed to analyse short-term adaptations and is suitable to be used, together with other data, in mathematical programming models to run policy analysis exercises. At this latter scale, crop substitution within a scheme allows the set of eligible crops to be expanded while remaining linked to the observed behaviour on a spatial basis.The paper applies the methodology to identify and quantify the cropping schemes using FADN data on Italian farms specialising in annual field crops. An algorithm implemented in gams automates the process. Results confirm the validity of the method and open a field of research for future applications.

Are Farmers Willing to Substitute Tobacco Cultivation? Evidence From Lichuan City, China.

Tobacco crop substitution is a critical element in implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies. Understanding tobacco farmers' willingness or preferences is imperative to implement policies on tobacco crop substitution. This article assesses tobacco farmers' individual willingness to substitute tobacco cultivation and investigates the factors that influence their willingness in Lichuan City, China. We conducted a face-to-face survey with 280 tobacco farmers in Lichuan City of China to assess their willingness to substitute tobacco cultivation. The binary probit model was used to examine the factors influencing farmers' willingness to substitute tobacco growing. The results show that fewer than one in five tobacco farmers are willing to substitute tobacco growing with other crops. The main reason for their unwillingness is that they thought the comparative income of growing tobacco was higher and more stable. The regression results show that tobacco farmers with higher education levels and more knowledge of tobacco crop substitution are more willing to take up tobacco crop substitution. Tobacco farmers' household income decreased the likelihood of their willingness to replace tobacco cultivation. Farmers who perceived the economic benefits and health benefits of tobacco crop substitution are more likely to substitute tobacco cultivation with other crops. Farmers' willingness to substitute tobacco cultivation is low. Policy interventions are needed to increase farmers' willingness to stop growing tobacco and to replace it with other alternative crops. Few studies have investigated local farmers' willingness to substitute tobacco cultivation in China. We found most tobacco farmers in the Lichuan City of China are unwilling to substitute tobacco growing with other crops. Farmers' low support of tobacco crop substitution is associated with economic factors. Better education and more knowledge of tobacco crop substitution can increase farmers' willingness to substitute tobacco cultivation.

Agroclimatic indices across the Canadian Prairies under a changing climate and their implications for agriculture

AbstractWith the objective of trying to understand the adaptability of agriculture across the Canadian Prairies under climate change, simple‐to‐use agroclimatic indices were calculated for the base climate period of 1981 to 2010 and for both the medium (RCP4.5) and high (RCP8.5) emission projections extending to the distant future (2071–2100). The agroclimatic indices included the Effective Growing Degree Days (EGDDs), Growing Season Length (GSL), the Climate Moisture Index (CMI), and the Temperature Humidity Index (THI). For climate change in 30‐year periods, these indices were calculated as multi‐model ensembles of six Global Climate Models recommended under the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) for the study area. We found that the GSL, EGDDs, CMI, and THI were amplified above the values of the base climate period in the order of 40–50 days, 600–1200 heat units, −100 to −120 mm and 3–4 THI units by the close of the distant future (2071–2100) under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively. This amplification has implications on where crop and livestock production could become more suitable or riskier in future. Opportunities include expanding crop and livestock production to more northerly regions which currently have insufficient heat units, a short growing season and unfavourable temperature humidity thresholds for livestock production. Moisture deficits will continue to be the greatest risk during the growing season under climate change scenarios but options exist to implement adaptive measures such as staggering seeding times to take advantage of moisture availability in the spring and autumn seasons and crop substitution. This study has relevance for policy and program formulation and implementation in Canada's agricultural regions and potentially, other areas of the world with similar climate change outcomes.

Willingness of tobacco farmers to accept compensation for tobacco crop substitution in Lichuan City, China

ObjectiveThis study, conducted in China, explores tobacco farmers’ willingness to accept (WTA) compensation for tobacco crop substitution.MethodsThe contingent valuation method was used to elicit farmers’ WTA compensation. A face-to-face survey...

One step ahead of the law: The net effect of anticipation and implementation of Colombia’s illegal crops substitution program

Pre-announced policies often generate unintended consequences due to individuals’ acting to take advantage of the policy conditions. Little is known about the extent to which unintended consequences from the early announcement of a policy can be larger than the implementation effect, especially in contexts of weak state capacity. We use detailed 1 km grid square data on coca cultivation to estimate the net effect of the announcement and implementation of coca crop substitution payments in Colombia. Our fine-grain data also enable us to estimate geographical spillovers of the program to non-targeted neighboring areas. Using a difference-in-differences empirical strategy, we find that program recipients reduced coca acreage. Surprisingly, the reduction in neighboring grid areas is of a similar magnitude. However, the effectiveness was reduced by half, because farmers increased coca cultivation in order to be eligible for the program after the announcement and before implementation. But the policy’s net effect is negative: due to weak state capacity, the program could not be implemented in every region of the country.

They see us like the enemy: soldiers’ narratives of forced eradication of illegal crops in Colombia

ABSTRACT Despite the promises made in the peace agreement with the FARC-EP in 2016, bureaucratic obstacles, underfunding, and an apparent lack of political will has eroded the voluntary illegal crop substitution programme in Colombia. Armed forces are sent to the territories to forcibly eradicate the coca plants, causing violent confrontations and deepening the distrust between the state and peasant coca-leaf growers. Using qualitative data from 28 semi-structured interviews, this article analyses Colombian Army soldiers’ opinions on manual eradication operations. Their voices suggest that not all the soldiers support coercive measures to fight the rising growth of coca crops, but these measures can encourage institutional corruption and incentivise a logic of an internal enemy that justifies violence against civilians. This article offers insights into obstacles to building legitimacy and trust in the state and its institutions after peace agreements.