Development Of Organic Farming Research Articles

Mulching Practices Improve Soil Moisture and Enzyme Activity in Drylands, Increasing Potato Yield

Mulch is an important measure for improving agricultural productivity in many semiarid regions of the world. However, the impacts of various mulching materials on soil hydrothermal characteristics, enzyme activity, and potato yield in fields have not been comprehensively explored. Thus, a two-growing-season field experiment (2020–2021) with four treatments (SSM, straw strip mulching; PMP, plastic film mulching with large ridge; PMF, double ridge-furrow with full film mulching; and CK, no mulching with conventional planting as the control) was conducted to analyze soil hydrothermal and soil enzyme activities and potato yield on the semiarid Loess Plateau of Northwest China. The results indicated that mulching practices had a positive effect on the soil moisture, with SSM, PMP, and PMF increasing by 7.3%, 9.2%, and 9.2%, respectively, compared to CK. Plastic film mulching significantly increased the soil temperature by 1.3 °C, and straw mulching reduced the soil temperature by 0.7 °C in the 0–30 cm soil layers of the whole growth period. On average, SSM, PMP, and PMF increased soil urease activity in 0–40 cm soil layers by 14.2%, 2.8%, and 2.7%, respectively, and enhanced soil sucrase activity by 19.2%, 8.6%, and 5.7%, respectively, compared with CK. Plastic film mulching increased soil catalase activity by 9.6%, while SSM decreased by 10.1%. Mulching treatments significantly increased tuber yield and water use efficiency based on dry tuber yield (WUE), and SSM, PMP, and PMF increased tuber yield by 18.6%, 31.9%, and 29.7%, enhanced WUE by 50%, 50%, and 57.0% over CK. The correlation analysis revealed that soil moisture was the main factor influencing tuber yield (r = 0.95**). Mulching could improve the soil hydrothermal environment, regulate soil enzyme activities, and promote yield increase. As a sustainable protective mulching measure, straw strip mulching is conducive to improving the ecological environment of farmland and the sustainable development of regional organic agriculture.

Considering the development of organic farming in Poland at different territorial aggregation levels

The aim of this paper is to show and assess how the level of data aggregation can change the way the development of organic agriculture in Poland in 2014–2021 is perceived. A composite indicator of eco-farming at different levels of territorial aggregation and in different time horizons has been built taking into account sub-components and individual indicators. The performance of organic agriculture with the initial effects of the pandemic (for 2020–2021) was also quantified. The results showed that, in populationally larger territorial units (NUTS-1, NUTS-2, NUTS-3), organic farming characteristics are less variable, whereas the same characteristics show greater variability in smaller territorial units (LAU-1, LAU-2). This reflects the strong regional character of eco-agriculture. It can be observed especially in northern and south-eastern Poland. Moreover, although the highest performance of organic farming was observed in 2021, the effects of the pandemic crisis were highly heterogeneous by location. The results may be crucial for farmers and policymakers in planning sustainable agricultural strategies and building resilient organic regions.

The significance of organic farming in the European Union from the perspective of sustainable development

This study aimed to evaluate the status of organic farming in the member states of the European Union, drawing on its potential and selected elements of the organic agri-food products market. To this end, we used several partial indicators and a synthetic measure, which allowed us to create a ranking of the member states depending on the development level of organic farming. The survey showed a 50% increase in the utilised agricultural area allocated for organic farming in the EU from 2015 to 2021 and a 69% increase from 2012 to 2021. So far, the only member state to meet the target set by the Green Deal, that is, 25% of organic UAA, has been Austria. Considering the synthetic index, Portugal is a leader of organic farming development. In addition, differences exist between EU member states in consumers’ expenditure on organic products.

Sustainable Development of Organic Farming using Water Hyacinth Pontederia crassipes Over Vermitechnology by Eisenia fetida

Our planet is really lovely, and there are plenty of living organisms here. Among these organisms, human beings are also contributing to the planet. However with a growing population of human beings, there is a growing need for food, which is entirely dependent on agriculture, several strategies have been employed to boost agricultural output, including inorganic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. Inorganic fertilizers have largely enhanced productivity as well, but they also have several negative health impacts. However, continued use and reliance on these inputs has reduced crop productivity and deteriorated the quality of natural resources and the ecosystem. So, to overcome these problems and for sustainable development, long-term agricultural expansion may be achieved with organic farming while also preserving the environment. It may take time to switch from chemical to organic farming, which could reduce the farmer's profits. Our planet is really lovely, and there are plenty of living organisms here. Among these organisms, human beings are also contributing to the planet. However with a growing population of human beings, there is a growing need for food, which is entirely dependent on agriculture, several strategies have been employed to boost agricultural output, including inorganic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. Inorganic fertilizers have largely enhanced productivity as well, but they also have several negative health impacts. However, continued use and reliance on these inputs has reduced crop productivity and deteriorated the quality of natural resources and the ecosystem. So, to overcome these problems and for sustainable development, long-term agricultural expansion may be achieved with organic farming while also preserving the environment. It may take time to switch from chemical to organic farming, which could reduce the farmer's profits. Advancements in organic farming, using Eisenia fetida to promote the vermicomposting of water hyacinth (wastewater weed) and employing more organic fertilizer while decreasing inorganic fertilizer usage in farming. However, the farmer will only make the changeover if he is persuaded that organic farming has long-term advantages over chemical farming. Vermicompost is a type of organic fertilizer, prepared from earthworms using various unused waste organic materials. It is an alternative source for increasing agriculture production. Many works have shown that vermicompost has beneficial effects on the environment. Various organic waste materials are used by earthworm species to form vermicompost. Water hyacinth poisons water bodies, turning pleasant water into unappealing water by emitting a foul smell. Most times, water hyacinths thrive in sewage water. Controlling this aquatic weed is a major issue, but it is easily solved through vermitechnology. Extremely, in our review study, we are going to give our concentrate on development of organic farming using vermicomposting.

ANALIZA I ZARZĄDZANIE ROZWOJEM ORGANICZNEGO ROLNICTWA W KRAJACH EUROPY WSCHODNIEJ

The study analyses trends in domestic markets and international trade in organic products in some Eastern European countries based on a multifactorial comparative analysis in the regional context and estimates of yield losses about traditional agricultural land processing technologies. Prospects for the development of organic farming by region and in general are determined based on unused reserves of agricultural land suitable for this. The study assessed the organic production development in different regions of Poland and Ukraine: the annual growth rate of transitional and organic lands should be at least +13.3% to meet the strategic goal of reaching 3% of the total agricultural land by 2030.

НАПРАВЛЕНИЯ РАЗВИТИЯ РЫНОЧНО-ОРИЕНТИРОВАННЫХ ОТРАСЛЕЙ РАСТЕНИЕВОДСТВА В ПЕРМСКОМ КРАЕ

The scientific article contains a theoretical analysis of the prospects for increasing production volumes of market-oriented types of crop products, draws attention to the need for the development of organic agriculture, presents the results of an analysis of the global, domestic and regional market for crop products and indicates the fact of imports into the Russian Federation, noting the need to increase consumption of crop products. Attention is drawn to the location of suburban vegetable growing in urban agglomerations, the need to establish the priority of farmers for the production of market-oriented products of the crop industry without losses in their own feed production for the livestock industry is noted. The development of greenhouse vegetable growing in the suburb of Chusovoy, where the Perm Greenhouse Plant operates, was noted. Statistical data is presented and an increase in grain yields in 2022 is noted. In the structure of the gross grain harvest, the largest share belongs to wheat, while the least amount of winter rye was collected. The dynamics of potato yields are considered, it is indicated that peak values were observed in 2011 and 2021. The trend towards a reduction in sown areas has also affected the cultivation of potatoes; according to statistical data, there is a constant annual decrease in the sown areas of potatoes. The decrease in sown areas had a negative impact on the gross potato harvest. Statistically, data indicate that in 2011 the peak value of the gross harvest was obtained with a clear decrease in the sown area. The growth of the gross harvest in 2011 was influenced by the record potato yield. In 2017, there was a decrease in the gross potato harvest due to a significant decrease in yields and sown areas.

Assessing the level of organic farming development in the European countries

Organic farming is an essential approach to agriculture that seeks to reduce the negative impact of human activities on the environment and ensure the sustainability of food production. The study aims to determine the integral index of the development of organic farming and to create a clustering model of organic farming in European countries. As a research methodology, additive-multiplicative convolution was used to determine the integral index of organic farming development. Cluster analysis (the Ward method and the k-means clustering method) identified respective clusters. The integrated index is based on eight indicators of organic farming from the Eurostat database, 2012–2020, and ranges from zero to one. The following countries have the highest value of the integral index: Italy (0.57), France (0.54), Spain (0.54), Germany (0.45), and Turkey (0.47). Three clusters were identified according to eight indicators of organic agriculture. The first cluster includes countries-leaders in agricultural territories (about 2.1 million hectare) with the highest state financial support for agricultural research and development (1.1 billion euros). The second cluster includes countries with the most minor organic farming operators (50-100 operators). The third cluster includes countries with the highest index of annual income from the sale of farm products (200-220 points) but with the highest level of usage of dangerous pesticides (250 points). The heterogeneity of clusters allows one to determine the strengths and weaknesses of organic farming in European countries.

The Government Subsidy Policies for Organic Agriculture Based on Evolutionary Game Theory

Organic agriculture is a sustainable form of farming that can protect the environment. However, the high production costs of organic agriculture deter farmers from switching to organic farming. To support the development of organic agriculture, many governments offer subsidies to farmers or retailers. We develop an evolutionary game model to investigate the effect of government subsidies on organic agriculture and the conditions under which the government should subsidize farmers or retailers. We find that subsidizing farmers or retailers can promote agricultural development. Government subsidies lower the requirement for social responsibility and the premium that retailers offer. Furthermore, if the consumer’s social responsibility is sufficiently low, the government’s best choice is to subsidize retailers. If the social responsibility premium is medium, the government’s best choice is to subsidize farmers. Finally, higher subsidies motivate more farmers to produce organic products when the government subsidizes retailers. Conversely, if the government subsidizes farmers, it is more conducive to reducing the burden on retailers to purchase organic products.

Ukraine in the markets of organic agri-food products of the European Union: Analytics, trends, and prospects

The study of the role of the Ukrainian agricultural sector in meeting the demand for organic products in the European Union is vital for understanding and maximising the benefits for Ukraine. This is crucial in the context of the development of the organic market and expanding cooperation with Europe, which indicates the relevance of the problem discussed in the present study. The purpose of this study was to identify the current position, dominant trends, and prospects for increasing Ukrainian organic imports to the European Union. The methodological framework of this study included the general and special methods of scientific cognition: monographic, dialectical, tabular, graphical, abstract and logical, and comparative analysis. The study analysed the vectors and dynamics of development of organic agriculture in the European Union, specifically, identified the growth of domestic and import demand for organic products, expansion of the list of commodity items, the existence of a gap between supply and demand, and high concentration of the commodity structure of imports. The study found the principal factors that ensure Ukraine’s leading position among the key importers of organic food: geographical location, increase in domestic production of organic products, improvement of the system of its certification, and establishment of partnerships with the European Union. Ukraine’s position in most commodity groups of import demand for organic products has been strengthened: specifically, Ukraine’s share of imports has increased, and its structural characteristics have improved in terms of increasing the share of high value-added products. The study highlighted the barriers faced by Ukrainian exporters when entering the European market and acting as a deterrent to expanding the volume and range of exported organic products. The areas for increasing the potential of Ukraine in meeting the demand for organic products in the European Union were outlined. The findings of this study provide valuable information for producers, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders involved in the development of the organic market in Europe and sustainable agriculture. The outlined priorities for the development of organic production in Ukraine can underlie the development of a national programme aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the Ukrainian organic industry in the markets of the European Union.

Roles of international agricultural organizations in economy revamp: The Nigerian experience

The enduring problems of hunger and poverty in Nigeria are mostly the result of the agriculture sector's failure to have the desired positive impact on the populace. Hence, the study reviewed the roles of international agricultural organizations in economy revamp: the Nigerian experience. In retrospect, a few governments did make an effort to make a statement about agriculture through the creation of farm settlement programs and state-owned agricultural development organizations. However, welfare concerns more than ever served as justification for these activities rather than absolute economic need. The intervention of International Agricultural Organization (IAO) through various types of international agricultural programmes became significant by concentrating on sustainable agricultural practices, technology transfer, capacity building, and policy advocacy, modernizing agriculture, infrastructure development, policy advocacy and reforms, global agricultural trade , market access and trade, climate resilience, research and development, international research and collaboration, food security and agricultural development. To mention but a few, World Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development and United State Agencies for International Development have contributed to agriculture revamp in the Nigerian economy. Challenges Affecting the Nigerian Agricultural Economy in International Business include: Infrastructure Deficiency, Limited Access to Finance, Inadequate Research and Development, Policy Instability and Inconsistency. It was presented in the study that by providing solutions to these challenges will contribute to a way forward to revamp agriculture in the Nigerian economy, making it more robust, sustainable, and inclusive.

Articulating Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Development Goals: Serbia Case Study

With the greening of agriculture, there is a need to better link the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and organic agriculture in developing countries. However, in Serbia, there is a huge gap between the potential of their implementation and the actual situation. This paper assessed the strengths and weaknesses of SDGs and organic agriculture in Serbia and how their relationship can contribute in the development of sustainable agriculture. Key data and indicators of the economic, agricultural and social development of Serbia from international and national databases, as well as recent publications related to the selected topic, were assesed. The results showed that the restricted development of organic agriculture in Serbia stems from the undeveloped awareness of consumers, slower acceptance of alternative agricultural systems and the volatility of mainstream conventional agricultural production. The integration of organic agriculture into the largest conceptual and strategic frameworks, such as the SDGs, can offer a true transformation of local food systems and could result in positive feedback to the environment and society. In the long term, the SDGs framework can help connect various dimensions of sustainable agriculture, stakeholders and policymakers. The future focus should be on how to create entry points for agricultural transformation based on certified organic methodologies and how to integrate agricultural heritage into the realisation of SDGs.

Farmer’s willingness to accept the sustainable zoning-based organic farming development plan: A lesson from Sleman District, Indonesia

Abstract Zoning-based organic farming has become increasingly attractive in Indonesia for producing healthy food, improving the quality of land and the environment, and increasing the welfare of farmers. The problem is that organic farming areas should be certified by a legal agency called the National Standardization Agency and the cost should be paid by farmers in those areas. Zoning allows the farmers to jointly manage farming areas, including payment of certification costs. However, the success of zoning-based organic farming implementation depends on farmers’ acceptability. This study aims to analyse perceptions and knowledge regarding zoning-based organic farming plans, measure the level of farmers’ willingness to accept (WTA) zoning-based organic farming plans and determine the effect of economic, ecological, and social support factors, as well as other factors towards WTA the zoning-based organic farming system. This study found that the majority of farmers perceive zoning-based organic farming as economically viable and ecologically and socially supported compared to conventional farming since most of the farmers have good knowledge regarding the importance of zoning. Although the farmers have long been experiencing conventional farming, the number of WTA farmers in zoning-based organic farming is very high. The study confirmed that the ecological aspect is the most influential in accepting zoning-based organic farming. Economic factors have a very strong influence on increasing farmers’ WTA zoning-based organic farming. This study also suggests that the implementation of zoning-based organic farming needs to be sustainably supported by the community.

Development and Effects of Organic Farms in Poland, Taking into Account Their Location in Areas Facing Natural or Other Specific Constraints

Organic farms should, by definition, place particular emphasis on the protection of agricultural soils, landscape care and activities aimed at producing high-quality agricultural products. However, when joining this production system, the farms face many challenges in order to make these contributions to society at the expected level. The main aim of the study is to determine the scale of disproportions in production effects achieved by farms between organic and conventional production systems, taking into account the quality of natural management conditions. An equally important goal is to determine the factors in Polish agriculture that determine whether to conduct this production system. The paper aims to indicate the direction of development of organic farming in the EU, including Poland, based on the Eurostat data for 2012–2020. It was noted that the current development of the organic farming sector in EU member states has been at different rates. In Poland, its development strength largely depends on the presence of ANCs. Nearly ¾ of organic utilized agriculture area (UAA) is located in communes with a large share of them. Organic farms achieve lower production effects in comparison to conventional farms, and their disproportions also depend on the quality of natural farming conditions. In Poland, the personal competences of farmers are also an important determinant in joining organic farming.

Irrigation Scheduling Based on Evapotranspiration of Tomato (Solanumm Lycopersicum) Using Atmometer in The Upland Rolling Production Area

Objective : The goal is to provide the right amount of water to the crop, at the right time, to meet the crop's needs. It was conducted to estimate evapotranspiration using atmometers for irrigation scheduling that may be highly beneficial in soil water balance, water allocation and budgeting, irrigation management, and improving crop yield and production for greater income. Methods: This study was conducted at the Organic Agricultural Research and Development Innovation Center at the Bataan Peninsula State University – Abucay Campus, Bangkal, Abucay, Bataan, Philippines (North 14°44'28” East 120°27'04”). The effects of using different evapotranspiration estimation methods on the timing and amounts of water application were then evaluated by using a computed irrigation scheduling model. Findings: The atmometer ( and Penman-Monteith ( values were statistically analyzed using linear regression (y=0.8573x + 1.586), coefficients of determination (R² = 0.7236), root mean – squared error (RMSD = 0.73), mean bias error (MBE = 0.03), and the t-statistics (significant at 5% level). The study revealed that the ETo-A data strongly correlated with the ETo-PM data. Using an atmometer for scheduling irrigation on tomatoes would have resulted in an equally similar distribution of irrigation events, more water would have been provided throughout the season compared to using ETo-PM data. Novelty : The calibrated evapotranspiration data from the atmometer may guide appropriate irrigation depth and schedule for tomatoes. By aligning irrigation intervals with other crops’ water requirements, farmers can optimize water usage, minimize water stress, and achieve higher crop yields. Keywords: Atmometer, Bataan Philippines, Evapotranspiration, Tomato, Penman-­Montheith Equation

Organic Agriculture in the Slovak Republic: Efficiency of Legislation and Its Impact on the Economy

A retrospective analysis of the Slovak Republic legislation on organic agriculture. Research current the Slovak Republic legislation on organic agriculture. The impact of the Slovak Republic legislation on organic agriculture on the country‘s economy. The legal status of the bodies (public, private) involved in organic agriculture in the Slovak Republic. The dependence of the development of organic agriculture on these bodies.

Information system for improving the process of managing the manufacture of organic products

Climate change and increased anthropogenic impact on the environment, leading to environmental problems, pose a threat to all countries of the world and require the development of effective solutions in the field of organizing production processes, ensuring the use of resource-saving technologies, increasing production volumes through the use of progressive scientific achievements in the field of digitalization, ecology, chemistry, breeding, etc. As a result, the development of organic agriculture and an increase in its production volumes becomes relevant. The purpose of this paper is to develop a hybrid intelligent decision support system for assessing the effective production of organic crop production in regions, municipal districts, as well as on individual land plots, where data on natural and climatic characteristics, agrochemical soil analysis, monitoring of air parameters, etc. act as input parameters. Within the framework of the article, the authors focused on the consideration of the information, behavioral model and the model of the intellectual system components. Thanks to the implementation of these models of the system for improving the process of managing the manufacture of organic products, the user receives the most optimal proposed solutions on the issue of production, changing parameters and conditions characterizing the level of region development, climatic conditions, socio-economic situation, etc. at the entrance to the system.

IDENTIFIKASI KARAKTERISTIK POLA SPASIAL HULU HILIR PADI ORGANIK DI KABUPATEN SERDANG BEDAGAI

Organic agriculture must be applied in an integrated manner, from upstream to downstream, forming a system. This subsystem is part of the market-oriented agribusiness concept by paying attention to quantity, quality, and continuity to gain income and agricultural productivity profits. This study aimed to look at the development of organic rice farming in the Serdang Bedagai Regency from a regional (spatial), agribusiness, and economic point of view. ANN analysis involves distance variables between agribusiness subsystems, road infrastructure, and transportation. The results of the analysis showed that the spatial pattern of organic rice formed in the Serdang Bedagai Regency was distributed, especially in Lubuk Bayas Village and Tanah Merah Village, with each having a value of R = 2.81 (R> 1) and R = 6.15 (R>1). Pematang Setrak Village had a clustered spatial pattern or had a value of R = 0.12 (R<1). This shows that the closer the locations between the subsystems are, the more profitable it is, thus saving production and transportation costs. The gains obtained were strengthened by the results of the R/C ratio produced, namely Tanah Merah Village with a value of 1.36, Lubuk Bayas Village with a value of 1.39, and Pematang Setrak Village with a value of 1.48. This means that farming activities are pretty efficient.

СТРУКТУРА РИНКУ ОРГАНІЧНОЇ ПРОДУКЦІЇ В УКРАЇНІ

The article defines the concepts of «organic products», «organic production», «consumer», and «circulation of organic products». To ensure the efficient and stable development of the organic products market in Ukraine, on 10 July 2018, the Law of Ukraine «On Basic Principles and Requirements for Organic Production, Circulation and Labelling of Organic Products» was adopted. Taking into account that the organic market is a set of socio-economic relations in the field of exchange, which provides the sale of goods, it can be argued that not all issues have been resolved. The market participants of organic products, such as consumers, intermediaries, sales outlets, stakeholders, etc. were left out. The research used general scientific and special methods. The historical method helped to characterise the main stages of development of Organic Standard LLC. Graphical research methods were applied to gain a deeper understanding of the object and subject of the study, to identify their structural elements and to establish the relationship between them. Logical generalisations were used to conclude. It is emphasised that certification is an integral part of the organic market. The history of the formation of the first certification body accredited by NAAU for certification under Ukrainian organic legislation, Organic Standard LLC, is traced, and its services and activities are listed. The active participants of the organic sector in Ukraine being the partners are described as the following, Swiss-Ukrainian Programme «Development of Higher Value Added Trade in the Organic and Dairy Sectors of Ukraine», German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Agriculture Project, USAID Agricultural and Rural Development Programme - AGRO, Public Union «Organic Initiative», OrganicInfo Information Portal, Public Union «Organic Ukraine», Federation of Organic Movement of Ukraine, Association «Berry Growing in Ukraine», etc. The article also identifies the stakeholders of the organic market that are not covered by the Organic Law of Ukraine. To integrate into international trade, it is necessary to build and implement consistent communication with the consumer regarding the advantages and clear differences between organic products and other products, including the peculiarities of production and the history of producers; knowledge of as well as trust in organic certificates; information about the nearest locations of sales outlets.

Opportunities for the Development of Organic Agriculture in the Countries of the Western Balkans

Opportunities for the Development of Organic Agriculture in the Countries of the Western Balkans

Exo- and endogenous factors of the development of organic production in ukraine

The article examines the restraining factors of the development of organic production in Ukraine. Two blocks of the main restraining factors that negatively affect the development and implementation of organic production are defined and summarized. Among the exogenous factors, the full-scale invasion of the aggressor country into Ukraine, as well as the price of organic products on the international market, are singled out. Endogenous restraining factors include legal, socio-economic, environmental, material and technical factors, as well as the irregularity of the lease model. It was determined that at the moment there is no clearly formed system of certification, standardization and labeling of organic products in Ukraine, but there are a number of legal acts, the norms of which create the basis for the development of the organic sphere. The legal, socio-economic, ecological and material-technical problems that restrain the development of organic production in Ukraine are identified and analyzed. It was determined that the existing system of land relations is built on the basis of a lease, and the production of organic products under lease conditions is risky, since a short-term lease contract is economically unprofitable for organic producers, because it is more aimed at the personal economic benefit of the owner of the land plot than the interest of the tenant in a good harvest. Another endogenous factor that restrains the development of organic farming in Ukraine is the manner in which the suitability of land plots for the production of organic products is established.