Different Types Of Farms Research Articles

Assessing the environmental performance of English arable and livestock holdings using data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN)

Agri-environment schemes (AESs) have been implemented across EU member states in an attempt to reconcile agricultural production methods with protection of the environment and maintenance of the countryside. To determine the extent to which such policy objectives are being fulfilled, participating countries are obliged to monitor and evaluate the environmental, agricultural and socio-economic impacts of their AESs. However, few evaluations measure precise environmental outcomes and critically, there are no agreed methodologies to evaluate the benefits of particular agri-environmental measures, or to track the environmental consequences of changing agricultural practices. In response to these issues, the Agri-Environmental Footprint project developed a common methodology for assessing the environmental impact of European AES. The Agri-Environmental Footprint Index (AFI) is a farm-level, adaptable methodology that aggregates measurements of agri-environmental indicators based on Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) techniques. The method was developed specifically to allow assessment of differences in the environmental performance of farms according to participation in agri-environment schemes. The AFI methodology is constructed so that high values represent good environmental performance. This paper explores the use of the AFI methodology in combination with Farm Business Survey data collected in England for the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), to test whether its use could be extended for the routine surveillance of environmental performance of farming systems using established data sources. Overall, the aim was to measure the environmental impact of three different types of agriculture (arable, lowland livestock and upland livestock) in England and to identify differences in AFI due to participation in agri-environment schemes. However, because farm size, farmer age, level of education and region are also likely to influence the environmental performance of a holding, these factors were also considered. Application of the methodology revealed that only arable holdings participating in agri-environment schemes had a greater environmental performance, although responses differed between regions. Of the other explanatory variables explored, the key factors determining the environmental performance for lowland livestock holdings were farm size, farmer age and level of education. In contrast, the AFI value of upland livestock holdings differed only between regions. The paper demonstrates that the AFI methodology can be used readily with English FADN data and therefore has the potential to be applied more widely to similar data sources routinely collected across the EU-27 in a standardised manner.

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of agricultural fires in the central United States in relation to land cover and land use

Agricultural burning is an important land use practice in the central U.S. but has received little attention in the literature, whereas most of the focus has been on wildfires in forested areas. Given the effects that agricultural burning can have on biodiversity and emissions of greenhouse gasses, there is a need to quantify the spatial and temporal patterns of fire in agricultural landscapes of the central U.S. Three years (2006–2008) of the MODIS 1 km daily active fire product generated from the MODIS Terra and Aqua satellite data were used. The 2007 Cropland Data Layer developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture was used to examine fire distribution by land cover/land use (LCLU) type. Global ordinary least square (OLS) models and local geographically weighted regression (GWR) analyses were used to explore spatial variability in relationships between fire detection density and LCLU classes. The monthly total number of fire detections peaked in April and the density of fire detections (number of fires/km2/3 years) was generally higher in areas dominated by agriculture than areas dominated by forest. Fire seasonality varied among areas dominated by different types of agriculture and land use. The effects of LCLU classes on fire detection density varied spatially, with grassland being the primary correlate of fire detection density in eastern Kansas; whereas wheat cropping was important in central Kansas, northeast North Dakota, and northwest Minnesota.

Selfishness, altruism, and inequality aversion toward consumers and farmers

AbstractOne hypothesis explaining the persistence of farm programs in the United States is the public's altruism toward farmers. We utilize economic experiments to identify the motivations of selfishness, altruism, and inequality aversion toward anonymous members of the general population and toward different types of farmers. We find that people are generally less selfish and more altruistic toward small farmers than other members of the population. We also find that (i) people are more averse to inequality in a market‐like setting as compared to a nonmarket setting, (ii) there is significant heterogeneity across people in terms of other‐regarding preferences, and (iii) experimental choices accurately predict preferences for “real‐world” income re‐distribution policies that entail giving up one's own money to benefit farmers, but fail to predict preferences for policies that redistribute others’ incomes.

Assessing the Impact of Alternative Water Pricing Schemes on Income Distribution

AbstractThe reform of water pricing policies may represent an effective instrument for enhancing the efficient use of water resource. However, policy makers fear that a change in the pricing methods may cause income loss for some farmers, and that this income inequality may generate public discontent and policy inertia. The aim of this paper was to compare some pricing methods in order to measure their effects on income distribution. The analysis focuses on the income distribution among different types of farms, and the income distribution between different social groups (landowners, capitalists and workers) in the short term. A linear programing model based on expected utility theory is used to take into account the effect of commodity prices and rainfall variability, which are among the most relevant factors affecting farmers’ income. According to the findings, water pricing schemes do not affect the income distribution among farm types, although a significant impact emerges on the distribution among social groups, and in particular on the wages of temporary workers.

Farmers’ Organisations and Contracted R&D Services - Service Provision and Innovation in the Coffee Chain

The changing institutional architecture of R&D systems introduces the question of how to govern innovation and service provision. One of the options is concluding contractual arrangements between users, i.e. farmers’ organisations, and these demand-led R&D services. Contracts can include detailed conditions about services to be rendered, by whom and at what costs. They can be complemented by a legal system that enables parties to force compliance with these contracts. Such a contract-based system will only work in competitive market situations where parties have the possibility to choose other providers of technologies and services on basis of their performance. This requires that farmer organisations dispose of the capacity to formulate proposals for services and to monitor and evaluate the effi ciency and quality of the services rendered. To facilitate this monitoring role of R&D by farmers’ organisations, both the designers of R&D systems and the farmers’ federations need to build knowledge and experience on possible and effective ways of arranging R&D. Therefore, it is important to open up effective channels of communication and learning between the designers of R&D systems and the farmers’ federations in a country. For understanding the capacities of different types of farmers’ organisations to play an effective role in governing R&D systems, the paper sketches the strengths and weaknesses of grassroots organisations, commodity based organisation, and sector-wide or area–based federations. A coordinated involvement of these different types of organisations in the national R&D system may prevent frustrations. Often too high expectations are placed on either grassroots organisations or on the national federations. Where grassroots organisations and commodity federations are especially knowledgeable on R&D demands for chain development, their second level organisations tend to be more knowledgeable on issues around contracts, processes and governance of R&D systems. There seem to be typical strengths and weaknesses of the different types offarmers’ organisations in R&D systems.

Solos da área indígena Yanomami no médio Rio Catrimani, Roraima

Em Roraima, a distribuição espacial das populações indígenas identifica um cenário de busca constante de solos capazes de sustentar uma agricultura itinerante. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estabelecer relação entre a compreensão dos solos por parte dos Yanomami da região do médio Catrimani e o Sistema Brasileiro de Classificação de Solos, bem como avaliar o seu tipo de uso em função de análises químicas para diagnóstico da fertilidade do solo. O trabalho foi executado em duas etapas. A primeira consistiu em visitas a oito malocas para estudar os solos. Foram coletadas amostras em trincheiras até 1,50 m de profundidade para análise e classificação dos solos e (em prospecções com o trado) nas profundidades de 0-10 a 10-30 cm, em 21 tipos de uso agrícola, e da área de floresta para análises químicas de fertilidade. A segunda fase foi uma oficina, abordando os sistemas de exploração agrícola, com duração de 20 h. Focalizou-se a discussão sobre a compreensão do meio ambiente (Urihi)(1) e sistemas de produção agrícolas e sobre a importância do uso correto do conhecimento dos solos. Os solos são denominados pelos Yanomami em função das características morfológicas, pelos teores de matéria orgânica e pela presença de minhocas, e da posição na paisagem - a escolha para agricultura é fundamentada nessas características. As práticas agrícolas consistem da derrubada da mata nativa, queima e plantio das culturas em separado. Os solos descritos na área foram: Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo (Maxita a uuxi wakë axi), Argissolo Amarelo (Maxita a axi), Latossolo Amarelo (Maxita a axi) e Plintossolo (Maxita a axi a maamaxipë). O processo de derruba e queima promove um incremento inicial do teor de Ca e K trocáveis e P assimilável devido à contribuição das cinzas, o que permite a exploração das áreas por um período máximo de três anos.

Reducing labour and input costs in soybean production by smallholder farmers in south-western Kenya

We conducted experiments in 2006 and 2007 in south-western Kenya to reduce labour and input cost of soybean production through different planting systems (point-placement was compared to planting in trenches and broadcasting), weeding frequencies (once or twice), and the use of local inputs (at 20 kg P ha −1). Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) was compared to manure, ashes, combinations of those, 1/2 Tithonia 1/2 DAP (TD) and no input. 1/3rd of the labour was saved when placing seeds in trenches as compared to individual holes without losing significant grain yield. Broadcasting requires 1/9th of the planting time while losing only 15% grain. 5% grain was lost by weeding once instead of twice, while saving 36% of the time. The time saved at planting can be more productively invested in collecting inputs. Plots without input yielded 537 kg ha −1 grain and 642 kg ha −1 biomass in 2006. Inputs increased both grain and biomass yields significantly with 27–51%, without significant difference between local and mineral inputs (with exception of TD). Using local input is thus a reasonable decision for farmers. Farmers concluded that the experiments had led to options for different types of farmers, with different access to resources, to increase their soybean production.

A agricultura familiar em Portugal: rupturas e continuidades

Em Portugal, as ciências sociais têm estudado a agricultura familiar a partir de um modelo de interpretação dualista que acentua as diferenças inter-regionais, marginalizando, até certo ponto, o significado sociológico de algumas continuidades que se estabeleciam (e se estabelecem) entre as zonas do Norte e do Sul ou entre o Litoral e o Interior. O presente estudo pretende, assim, construir uma perspectiva diferente sobre as modalidades de agricultura familiar em Portugal, procurando identificar, num primeiro momento, uma série de proximidades sociológicas entre os diferentes modos de organização (tradicionais e modernos) das famílias agrícolas e, consequentemente, traçar os eixos para um modelo mais complexo na análise dessas mesmas modalidades.

Debunking the myth of the hard-to-reach farmer: Effective communication on udder health

Worldwide, programs to control mastitis are implemented using different strategies to reach farmers. Even though education materials and best practices may be technically optimal, they need to be used to be successful. Thus, effective communication with farmers is essential in order to change their behavior and to improve their farm management. During a Dutch national mastitis control program, a substantial number of farmers seemed to be hard to reach with information on udder health. Consequently, this study was designed to provide insight into the attitude and motivation of such farmers. In the period of October 2007 to July 2008, 24 in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with farmers whose veterinarians considered to be difficult to approach with advice on udder health management (8 practices, 3 farmers from each practice). The interviews included questions about the farms and the farmers, their attitude and behavior regarding mastitis, and their information sources and social environment. The results show that so-called hard-to-reach farmers were not always badly informed about udder health and did not always experience problems with mastitis. These ostensibly unreachable farmers were not a homogeneous group, but rather could be divided into 4 categories based on their trust in external information sources regarding mastitis and their orientation toward the outside world: proactivists, do-it-yourselfers, wait-and-see-ers, and reclusive traditionalists. There are ample opportunities to reach hard-to-reach farmers, provided that the communication strategies are tailored to their specific needs. There is especially much to gain in communication with do-it-yourselfers and wait-and-see-ers, but this demands a more proactive role on the part of veterinarians and extension specialists. Different types of farmers need to be approached in different ways and through different channels with information on udder health. Consequently, this study can contribute to the optimization of future programs designed to control and prevent diseases.

Weed control practices on Costa Rican coffee farms: is herbicide use necessary for small-scale producers?

This paper presents research conducted during two coffee farming seasons in Costa Rica. The study examined coffee farmers’ weed management practices and is presented in the form of a case study of small-scale farmers’ use of labor and herbicides in weed management practices. Over 200 structured interviews were conducted with coffee farmers concerning their use of hired labor and family labor, weed management activities, support services, and expectations about the future of their coffee production. ANOVA and regression analyses describe the relationships between farm size, labor, and herbicide use, and three farm types (i.e., conventional, semi-conventional, and organic). Based on findings regarding the amount of labor used to manually control weeds on different types of farms (large farms, small conventional, semi-conventional, and organic farms) I am able to challenge small conventional farmers’ perceived need for herbicide use. Semi-structured interviews of coffee farmers and extension workers further revealed a dominant role played by agro-chemical companies in assisting farmers with production problems, and documented a high transaction cost for information provided from elsewhere. Chemical companies hire extension workers to visit farmers at their farms, free of charge, to offer recommendations on how to treat different pest problems, while government and cooperative extension agents charge for the service. There is a need to increase the amount of resources available to the National Coffee Institute to fund one-on-one farmer support services in order to balance the influence of agro-chemical company representatives and allow farmers to make better decisions regarding weed management.

Urban farming in the informal settlements of Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa

The objectives of the study were to provide quantitative information on the material benefits generated from urban farming in order to assess the contribution of this activity to the food security and nutrition of participating households and to explore the meaning of urban agriculture in the livelihood of participants. The study was conducted in five informal settlements of Atteridgeville, Pretoria and involved a pilot study, a household survey and multiple case studies using participants in the different types of urban farming projects as units of data collection and analysis. More than half of the households in the studyarea participated in urban farming which consisted of home gardening, group gardening and dryland farming in open urban spaces. Active participation was predominantly by women. The contribution to total household income and food security of the different types of farming found in the study area was generally modest but the livelihood benefits derived from urban farming extended far beyond material gain, reducing social alienation and the disintegration of families associated with urbanpoverty. Lack of space and limited access to water for irrigation were the main constraints that affected participants in urban farming.

The contribution of smallholder agriculture to the nutrition of rural households in a semi-arid environment in South Africa<sup>#</sup>

The contribution of own food production to the nutrition of households in two neighbouring, rural, semi-arid settlements was investigated. A survey of a 10% probability sample (n=131) of households in Sekuruwe and Ga-Molekane in the Mokgalakwena Local Municipality, Waterberg District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa, conducted in 2001, provided data on household composition, income (cash and kind), poverty status, expenditure and agriculture, including a detailed account of the types and quantities of food that were purchased during the month preceding the date of the interview. For each household the food obtained from the different types of agriculture they practised was quantified. Protein, iron and Vitamins A and C were selected as indicators to assess the contribution of purchased and own produced food to the food intake of households. Food composition tables were used to estimate the nutrient content of the different foods. To assess the contribution of irrigated home gardening to food intake of households, Drum & Drip micro-irrigation systems which enabled irrigated vegetable production on an area of 36 m2 were installed on the residential sites of 10 volunteer households in the study area. The results confirmed that income is the most important determinant of household food security in rural South Africa. However, food obtained from various types of dry-land agriculture contributed significantly to household nutrition and without farming the food security of households would be reduced, especially among the ultra-poor. Small-scale irrigated vegetable production was shown to have the potential to substantially raise the amount of the Vitamins A and C available to households but did not address the lack of protein in the diet of ultra-poor households and the lack of iron in the diet of all households.

Quantitative risk assessment for the annual risk of exposure to Trichinella spiralis in imported chilled pork meat from New Zealand to Singapore

AIMS: To determine the annual likelihood of exposure to an infectious dose of Trichinella spiralis from consuming imported pork meat from New Zealand to Singapore. METHODS: Input values specific for chilled pork meat imported into Singapore from New Zealand were used in a quantitative risk-assessment model. The model, designed to allow any combination of importing and exporting countries, was divided into two components, viz the release assessment, and the exposure assessment that assessed the annual risk of exposure to the consumer (ARC). The former estimated the likelihood that a contaminated fresh meat product from New Zealand would arrive at Singapore's border, and took into consideration the prevalence of disease on different types of farms. The latter determined the likelihood over a year that a person in Singapore would consume one or more servings of imported fresh meat from New Zealand that contained a burden of greater than or equal to one larva(e) of T. spiralis per gram after preparation for consumption. RESULTS: The ARC for offal was 2.41 × 10−7, which was below the pre-selected safety threshold of 1.00 × 10−6. The ARC for lean meat was 2.39 x 10−5, which was above the acceptable safety threshold. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that continued routine testing at slaughter is unnecessary for pig offal produced commercially, and provided a model with which to further assess management of the risk of exposure to T. spiralis in lean meat. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The potential of Trichinella species to cause disease in humans is a public health concern, and has created adverse effects on the international trade of fresh lean meat without regard to the surveillance measures employed by particular pork-producing countries.

Sustainability in Spanish Extensive Farms (Dehesas): An Economic and Management Indicator-Based Evaluation

The dehesa is defined as an agroforestry system that is characteristic of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, where grassland is combined with evergreen species of the genus Quercus. Those systems have been gradually transformed from the Mediterranean forest into a unique kind of pastoral woodland by means of an agricultural use. Dehesas occupy more than 6 million ha, and the livestock systems that are based in them are of vital importance for their sustainability. The present work classifies, describes, and evaluates the sustainability of these systems in the Spanish region of Extremadura (southwestern Spain). To this end, we apply a methodological adaptation of the Framework for the Evaluation of Management Systems incorporating Sustainability Index (MESMIS). MESMIS is based on the evaluation of basic attributes of sustainability from indicators that allow one to make a simultaneous and comparative analysis of different types of farms. For the study, 69 farms were selected at random, and were classified using multivariate techniques into four types according to their level of intensification and productive orientation. The results were used to obtain an overall value of sustainability from a technical economic perspective for each farm type present in the dehesa. The mixed systems (beef cattle–sheep–Iberian pigs) have been found to be the most sustainable in general terms. The high–stocking rate sheep dehesas are the least sustainable, although at present, they are the most profitable. The other two groups analyzed, “low–stocking rate sheep farms” and “beef cattle farms,” had intermediate and similar scores. Mixed livestock dehesa farms are the closest to the traditional systems with a highly diverse production, an optimal use of the system's resources, and little dependence on external subsidies. In the present context, with uncertainties about European Union subsidies, this type of farm should be a goal for dehesa farmers. Los sistemas agroforestales de dehesas se localizan en el suroeste de la Península Ibérica ocupando una extensión de más de 6 millones de hectáreas. Los sistemas ganaderos que en ellos se asientan son de vital importancia para su sostenibilidad. Este trabajo clasifica, describe y evalúa la sostenibilidad de estos sistemas en la región española de Extremadura (SO España). Para ello se aplica una adaptación metodológica del marco MESMIS (Marco de Evaluación de Sistemas de Manejo incorporando indicadores de Sostenibilidad). Este método se basa en la valoración de atributos básicos de sostenibilidad a partir de indicadores que permiten hacer un análisis simultáneo y comparativo de distintas tipologías de explotaciones. Para el desarrollo del trabajo se ha partido de 69 explotaciones seleccionadas aleatoriamente. Se emplearon técnicas de estadística multivariadas clasificandolas en cuatro tipologías según su nivel de intensificación y orientación productiva. De los resultados se obtuvo un valor global de sostenibilidad para cada tipología de explotación presente en la dehesa desde una perspectiva técnico-económica. Los sistemas mixtos (vacuno-ovino- porcino ibérico) han resultado ser los más sostenibles en términos generales. Las dehesas de ovino con alta carga ganadera son las menos sostenibles, aunque en la actualidad son las más rentables. Los otros dos grupos analizados, “explotaciones ovinas con carga baja” y “explotaciones de bovinos”, tienen puntuaciones intermedias y similares. Las dehesas con ganado mixto son las más cercanas a los sistemas tradicionales, con una producción altamente diversificada, un aprovechamiento óptimo de los recursos del sistema y una baja dependencia de los subsidios. En la situación actual, con incertidumbres acerca de los subsidios comunitarios, este tipo de explotación debería ser el objetivo de las explotaciones de dehesa.

Introgression from modern hybrid varieties into landrace populations of maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.) in central Italy

Landraces are domesticated local plant varieties that did not experience a deliberate and intensive selection during a formal breeding programme. In Europe, maize landraces are still cultivated, particularly in marginal areas where traditional farming is often practiced. Here, we have studied the evolution of flint maize landraces from central Italy over 50 years of on-farm cultivation, when dent hybrid varieties were introduced and their use was widespread. We have compared an 'old' collection, obtained during the 1950s, before the introduction of hybrids, and a recent collection of maize landraces. For comparison, a sample of maize landraces from north Italy, and of improved germplasm, including hybrids and inbred lines were also used. A total of 296 genotypes were analysed using 21 microsatellites. Our results show that the maize landraces collected in the last 5-10 years have evolved directly from the flint landrace gene pool cultivated in central Italy before the introduction of modern hybrids. The population structure, diversity and linkage disequilibrium analyses indicate a significant amount of introgression from hybrid varieties into the recent landrace populations. No evidence of genetic erosion of the maize landraces was seen, suggesting that in situ conservation of landraces is an efficient strategy for preserving genetic diversity. Finally, the level of introgression detected was very variable among recent landraces, with most of them showing a low level of introgression; this suggests that coexistence between different types of agriculture is possible, with the adoption of correct practices that are aimed at avoiding introgression from undesired genetic sources.

Commercialisations In Agriculture

Policy discourses around agricultural commercialisations tend to separate producers into different types of farm (small farms, large farms) growing different types of crops (food crops, cash crops) with simple distinctions made between ‘subsistence' and ‘commercial' or ‘export' agriculture. Lack of clarity about what commercialisation actually means may give rise to misconceptions, evoking certain fears that can obstruct the passage of policy into practice. Writing on commercialisation highlights a number of aspects to what it means to be commercialised. However, the lynchpin of most, if not all, definitions of agricultural commercialisation is the degree of participation in the (output) market, with the focus very much on cash incomes. However, there are other dimensions to agricultural commercialization. First, there is the degree of participation in input markets. As farms become more commercial, they tend to rely less on own-produced inputs (e.g. manure, retained seed) and services from mixed farming systems (e.g. animal traction) and instead depend more on markets to supply their inputs (improved seed, inorganic fertiliser, crop protection chemicals) and services (mechanised equipment for ploughing, planting, weeding, harvesting etc – either hired/rented or purchased). Thus, on the input side we might define commercialisation as value of inputs acquired from market/ agricultural production value Some writing on commercialisation highlights the importance attached to the profit motive within the farm business as an indicator of commercialisation. Agricultural commercialization means more than the marketing of agricultural output, it means the product choice and input use decisions are based on the principles of profit maximisation. Looking beyond purely the agricultural activities of a household, some authors (e.g. von Braun and Kennedy (1994) propose household commercialization as a measure of integration into the cash economy, which they define as the proportion of total value of goods and services acquired through cash transactions or the share of gross income from all market sources. In recent time commercialization of smallholder agriculture has got increased attention by policy makers. However, more often than not large farm bias may develop in practice even though policy appears to be pro-smallholder on paper. Actions to encourage smallholder commercialisations could include more attention to food crops, pro-actively encouraging asset accumulation processes and making markets work for poor farmers in poor areas. However, to ensure that pro-smallholder policy documents lead to pro-smallholder policy on the ground, policy makers should create enabling environment for smallholders and strengthen the service delivery process. Yet, creating a good enabling environment and ensuring sufficient, timely and efficient service delivery is crucially dependent on policy processes. Ethiopian Journal of Economics Vol. 16 (1) 2007: pp. 3-42

Assessing the technical efficiency of extensive livestock farming systems in Extremadura, Spain

The technical efficiencies of a sample of extensive dehesa farms were analyzed using a non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. This technique creates efficiency indices by comparing the performance of each farm with the best production practices observed, which define the efficiency or production frontier. The influence of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies (taken as an output) on the farms' efficiency was determined. The measurement of the efficiency has taken place from inputs per hectare thus allowing to make a different interpretation from the scale efficiency that, instead of referring to the dimension of the farm, is referred to the intensification. Thanks to the input-oriented analysis it can be established that the farms could maintain similar production levels by introducing a 30% reduction of their inputs (e.g. with breeds better adapted to the environment, a better use of the own produced pastures to reduce the amount of feedstuff to be bought, reductions in manpower…). Those highly intensified dehesas have shown decreasing inefficiencies of scale, whereas the least intensified have shown increasing inefficiencies. With a second stage analysis, different types of farms were identified as corresponding to greater or lesser efficiencies. It has been identified that the group of farms with high stocking rates have the greatest efficiencies indices. With respect to the livestock orientation, the farms with a livestock mix including pig were the most efficient. Modifications in the stocking rate, allowing an adequate use of the natural resources available, can be a solution to improve the efficiency of dehesa farms. In addition mixed livestock farming is another useful tool towards achieving increased efficiency, and a reduced dependence on subsidies.

Multi-agent simulations to explore rules for rural credit in a highland farming community of Northern Thailand

Multi-agent systems (MAS) open new modelling and analysis perspectives in ecological and social sciences. An original characteristic of the companion modelling (ComMod) approach adopted in this case study is the co-construction and use of a MAS model with and for local stakeholders such as farmers and local administrators. Alternating iteratively field and modelling activities, this approach facilitates collective learning among local stakeholders and between them and the researchers. Combining the use of MAS models with role-playing games (RPG), the described experiment aimed to facilitate collective decision-making in a socially heterogeneous community of small farmers in mountainous Northern Thailand about the local rules for the allocation of rural credit to allow a more equitable and extensive process of expansion of non-erosive perennial crops in a watershed prone to erosion. This paper presents the MAS model and the results of a series of simulations exploring the ecological, social and economic effects of various rules for formal and informal credit suggested by the villagers-participants. Six scenarios considered as pertinent to further explore the participants' suggestions were defined based on different combinations among the following three variables: (i) Duration for the reimbursement of loans, (ii) Mode of allocation of formal credit among three different types of farms, (iii) Configuration of networks of acquaintances for access to informal credit. Drawing on this case study, we first elaborate on the potential of bottom-up models such as MAS to analyze the functioning of agricultural systems, in particular farm differentiation and rural credit dynamics. We highlight the ability of MAS to deal with interactions between social and ecological dynamics and to provide an alternative to classical economic thinking by analyzing the effects at the village level of social interactions among individuals. MAS allow us in particular to trigger an overlooked but nevertheless fundamental aspect of socio-ecological systems, i.e. social capital which is a determining factor when dealing with sustainability issues. The second question addressed in this paper deals with the potential and limits of MAS models to support a bottom-up (or participatory) modelling approach. This experiment suggests that the usefulness of models relies much more on the modelling process than on the model itself, because a model is usually useless if it is misunderstood by its potential users, or if it does not respond to their current preoccupations. The intuitive representation of real systems provided by MAS and their high flexibility are the two underlined characteristics favouring their appropriation by local stakeholders.

Effects of Conversion to Organic Farming on Carabid Beetles (Carabidae) in Experimental Fields in the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT The effects of conventional and organic farming and landscape structural elements on carabid beetles were compared in four experimental plots over a five-year crop rotation period. The working hypothesis was that the distance from ecotone as well as different types of farming are the main ecological factors influencing both the qualitative and quantitative features of carabid communities and their distribution. The question was whether or not there are changes in carabid communities in the fields with organic management in the first years of experiment. An attempt was made to detect such changes by two methods: using cenological indices and/or using ordinance methods (RDA). During the five-year study, 22498 specimens representing 91 carabid species were collected, with the following five species dominating: Poecilus cupreus, Pseudophonus rufipes, Anchomenus dorsalis, Pterostichus melanarius and Bembidion lampros. The methods of multidimensional statistical analysis used in the study (RDA) distinguished species composition according to their preference for ecotone, field margin or field centre. Consequently, the analysis detected the increasing ability of organic management to influence carabid communities, and finally it confirmed significant differences in the structure of carabid communities in organically and conventionally managed fields in the last year of the experiment. The preference of larger carabid species (Carabus granulatus, Carabus scheidleri) for organically managed fields was noted.

The farm as clinic: veterinary expertise and the transformation of dairy farming, 1930–1950

This paper explores the wartime creation of veterinary expertise in cattle breeding, and its contribution to the transition between two very different types of agriculture. During the interwar period, falling prices and steep competition from imports caused farmers to adopt a ‘low input, low output’ approach. To cut costs, they usually butchered, marketed or doctored diseased cows in preference to seeking veterinary aid. World War II forced a greater dependence on domestic food production, and inspired wide-ranging state-directed attempts to increase agricultural output. However, the weak connection between veterinary services and livestock productivity meant that the drive for greater milk yields did not automatically translate into a demand for improved veterinary health care. Rather veterinary expertise had to be actively created and made relevant to the new context. Leaders of the profession secured this goal through establishing a government-backed ‘scheme for the control of certain diseases of dairy cows’. Drawing on pre-existing but rarely applied reproductive technologies, the scheme provided the opportunities and education necessary for more extensive veterinary interventions in cattle breeding. I show how its operation transformed understandings of fertility, raised veterinarians to the status of experts, won them the patronage of farmers and the state, and facilitated the shift to a productivity-oriented agriculture.