Family Farms Research Articles

Identification of the effect of ripening conditions on the yield of rose hips and their processed products

Wild rose hip fruit, pulp, beverage, nectar, as well as technological methods and tools are taken as the object of research. Rose hips have a, bright red color and a rich chemical composition, which makes it a very important raw material for industry. However, insufficient research slows down this work and makes the use of raw materials inefficient. With this in mind, the aim was to study the mechanical and technological characteristics of the femur, which are considered important for industrial processing. The reflection of ripening conditions on the mechanical, physical and chemical properties of rose hips, as well as the influence of processing methods, especially hot processing, on the quality of the product has been established. Research has shown that the percentage of fruit cultivation in the Dashkasan region was the lowest, and the highest in the Gadabay region, and the Goygol region took an intermediate position. The Latin hardness of fruits grown in Dashkasan region was 6.41 N. Gadabay region with 5.56 N and Goygol region with 5.47 N. This indicator plays an important role in the storage and processing of fruits. As a result of the treatment, the amount of dry matter in fruit, pulp and beverage increased slightly, titratable acids, ascorbic acid and pH decreased. An increase in total phenolic compounds was observed during the initial heat treatment of the raw material and was noted to be much lower in the pulp and beverage. Hot treatment had a reducing effect on the amount of ascorbic acid, which is considered one of the main components of indicators in the thigh. The obtained results can be used in individual family farms and in the food industry

Inclusive Innovation Governance for Just Transitions: Insights from the Bean Agri-Food System in the Brunca Region of Costa Rica

This study explores how an inclusive governance of “niche” innovations with family farmers enables or limits the realization of just transitions in family farming at different scales, from the local to the national levels. The research focuses on a case study in the Brunca region of Costa Rica, which has pioneered innovations for bean research with family farmers. The primary source of information for the study was in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders. Secondary information comes from a desk review of the relevant policies and strategic documents from the relevant authorities. Lastly, a semi-scoping review was conducted to explore gender and intergenerational gaps in plant breeding, as well as potential conflicts between plant breeding and on-farm agro-diversity. The inclusive governance of bean research contributes to the realization of just-transition dimensions of justice, such as recognitional, procedural, and distributional justice, as a result of farmers’ engagement in participatory plant-breeding processes, and due to the coordination between different institutions at the local and national levels. Progress has been made in terms of the recognition and participation of farmers in research and in decision-making locally. The findings show interactions between the local and national scales, in terms of the commercialization of farmers’ seeds. However, the Costa Rican program for bean research struggles to engage family farmers in national decision-making processes and falls short of addressing equality and intergenerational issues. It also faces challenges in reaching a balance between short-term income generation and long-term conservation of agro-biodiversity on the farm. Fostering just transitions in family farming would require a greater inclusion of women and youth by the Costa Rican bean system. This implies allocating resources to increase their capacities and participation in bean research, as well as in decision-making at all levels. This is imperative and could be achieved if the government and relevant stakeholders align their strategic objectives and priorities to shorten gender and intergenerational gaps within the bean production system.

Assessing soil compaction in sites subjected to different management systems

Soil physical, chemical and biological quality is under constant change in rural areas, mainly in small farms where family farming prevails. Land use in these properties is maximized to ensure profitability. The aim of the current study is to investigate how different land-use types affect soil compaction in a small farm in Southeastern Paraná State. The herein investigated land-use types comprised forest, pasture, yerba mate cultivation, eucalyptus reforestation, no-till and conventional tillage. Soil density, resistance, porosity and moisture were the analyzed variables. The current findings enabled concluding that pressure deriving from different land uses affected soil compaction. Pasture recorded the highest soil compaction indices, whereas forest recorded the best indices for this variable. On the other hand, different soil management practices did not significantly affect soil density and porosity in agriculture. However, there were significant variations in soil moisture and resistance.

Structure of organic farming in the state of Paraná: analysis based on the 2017 Agricultural Census

This study examines the structure of organic farming establishments in Paraná, based on data from the 2017 Agricultural Census. An analysis of the representativeness of organic agriculture was conducted, and factors characterizing its structure in the state, as well as the distribution and concentration of these establishments among the evaluated municipalities, were interpreted. A quantitative and exploratory methodological approach was adopted, using two multivariate techniques, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The results indicate that the structure of agriculture in Paraná is predominantly familial, with nearly three times more family-owned establishments than non-family-owned ones. Although the number of establishments utilizing organic production is small compared to conventional practice, there is homogeneity in the structure of organic agriculture among the municipalities of Paraná. This can be attributed to the decentralization of the production area and the strong presence of collective management in providing technical support and coordinating local establishments. Keywords: Organic production; Family farming; Factor analysis; Cluster analysis.

PRODUÇÃO DE SILAGEM COM RESIDUO UMIDO DE CERVEJARIA PARA ALIMENTAÇÃO DE VACAS LEITEIRAS.

Dairy farming in the State of Amazonas only exists on an industrial scale because of the high cost and lack of availability of cattle feed imported into the State. There is a concrete difficulty in establishing quality forage plantations due to the inadequate climate and soils, causing livestock farming to cause environmental degradation and being considered an activity with a high negative impact due to fires to obtain new pasture areas. At the same time, waste from the local brewery industry is discarded when it could be used to feed dairy cows. The aim was to develop a simple way to use waste from a brewery located in the city of Manaus as an alternative to the high-cost feed used in industrial dairy farming and, possibly, to make family farming (Carvalho et al., 2021) viable through a methodology that defines the specific conditions for sun drying and proper storing of the wet waste, ensuring an increase in the product’s shelf life and enabling its river distribution to the inland of the state (Salman, 2020).

“Marriage is Necessary:” how accessing infrastructure through the family farm affects viability, transitions, and justice

“Marriage is Necessary:” how accessing infrastructure through the family farm affects viability, transitions, and justice

The Impact of Land Transfer on Sustainable Agricultural Development from the Perspective of Green Total Factor Productivity

China’s agricultural sector is transitioning from extensive management to intensive management, and land transfer brings about changes in land use and management methods, which may encourage the agricultural sector to enter a sustainable development track, but this mechanism has not been effectively proven. Using the SBM-GML index to construct a green total factor productivity index to measure the level of sustainable agricultural development in each province (or autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government) and provincial panel data from 2010 to 2022, we applied a panel interactive fixed-effects model to empirically test the impact of land transfer on sustainable agricultural development, with a focus on analyzing the heterogeneity and related mechanisms of this impact. The results indicate that (1) land transfer significantly promotes sustainable agricultural development, and this conclusion still held true after robustness tests such as controlling for regional omitted variables, replacing dependent variables, changing the sample size, IV estimation, and GMM estimation. (2) The mechanism testing found that land transfer mainly promotes sustainable agricultural development by increasing the desirable output, and has no significant effect on reducing non-point source pollution. At the same time, land transfer mainly improves the desirable output through factor allocation effects rather than scale operation effects, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development. (3) The heterogeneity analysis found that the higher the quantile of agricultural development level is, the weaker the role of land transfer in promoting sustainable agricultural development, indicating that land transfer has a greater impact on areas with poor agricultural development foundations, and areas with poor agricultural development foundations are more likely to obtain sustainable development space through land transfer. The impact of different land transfer methods and land transfer objects on sustainable agricultural development was heterogeneous. Compared with non-market transfer methods such as exchange and transfer, market-oriented transfer methods such as leasing and equity had a more significant impact on sustainable agricultural development. Compared to transferring land to ordinary farmers, transferring land to new business entities such as family farms, professional cooperatives, and enterprises can significantly promote sustainable agricultural development.

Does rural e-commerce improve the economic resilience of family farms?

E-commerce and other digital economies are emerging drivers for high-quality development in the Chinese economy. Based on the e-commerce plan in rural China, this paper investigates the effect of e-commerce development on the economic resilience of family farms, using data from 110,574 family farms in China from 2013 to 2021 and applying the staggered DID method. The results show that e-commerce development significantly enhances the resilience of family farms. Mechanism tests reveal that e-commerce policy substantially reduces the financing constraints of family farms and curbs underinvestment, thereby boosting their resilience. However, the effect on family farms with overinvestment is not significant. Additionally, the analysis of heterogeneity indicates that e-commerce has a greater impact on the resilience of family farms in areas with better institutional quality. Regarding the development status of the farm, the impact of e-commerce on resilience is greater in large-scale and capital-intensive family farms. Overall, this study sheds light on the actual impact of rural e-commerce in China on the economic resilience of family farms and offers valuable empirical insights for the revitalization of rural areas in developing countries.

Evaluating food security and nutritional pathways of rural farm families: Empirical evidence from northeast India

The study aimed to ascertain a relationship between agricultural status, socioeconomic factors, and nutrition of farm families. The study was conducted in selected villages in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, using Stratified Random Sampling (St. RS). Using pretested interview schedules, we collected primary data from respondents in 2020 and 2021, focusing on socioeconomic variables, body mass index, and income from agriculture and related sectors. The data was analysed using correlation analyses and separate combined regression estimates for each year and month were obtained. Results from the study indicate that agricultural income significantly influenced nutritional status (p < 0.05) and household income growth was also found significant. The region's agricultural production of cereals, pulses, and vegetables was insufficient, as was the production of meat and meat products, milk, and milk products. Hence, expenditure towards purchasing the above food groups from the market was found to be significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, the markets near the mainland especially in the hilly region play a crucial role in the nutritional pathway of rural farm families.

Economic Analysis of Major Crops in Jammu Division of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India

This micro-economic study focuses on the cost and returns analysis for major crops (wheat, paddy, and maize) in the districts of Jammu, Kathua, and Samba in the Jammu division. Conducted at SKUAST, Jammu during 2023, the study utilized a multistage random sampling method to achieve its objectives. Data was collected from 360 sample farmers, covering aspects such as land-holding size, costs, and return structures. The costs associated with crop cultivation varied pointedly across the districts, with Samba incurring ₹14272.57 for Cost A2 and ₹33023.58 for Cost C3 which was the highest of overall costs. Jammu had the highest main-product yield of 25.22 quintals and by-product yield of 32.70 quintals. Jammu also recorded the highest fixed costs (₹13488.30) whereas the highest total cost was in Samba with ₹30021.43. Gross returns were highest in Jammu with ₹68303.22, resulting in net returns of ₹38740.29. Jammu also had the highest benefit-cost ratio of 1:2.30, as well as the highest family labor income and farm business income (₹41755.29 and ₹43060.92, respectively). The rental value of owned land (Cost B2) suggestively impacted final costs, and Jammu district emerged as the most economically favorable for major crop cultivation. Overall, it depicted the possible profitability from cultivation of major crops like wheat, paddy and maize, that may encourage the farming community specially the youngsters to choose agriculture over private sectors, which would ultimately contribute to meet the state demand as well as contribution to SGDP.

Drought shocks and labour reallocation in rural Africa: evidence from Ethiopia

Abstract We study how rural households in Ethiopia adapt to droughts through labour reallocation. Using three waves of panel data and exploiting spatio-temporal variations in drought exposure, we find that households reduce on-farm work and increase off-farm self-employment in response to both short-term and persistent droughts, without abandoning family farming. Diversification into off-farm activities is driven by drought-related productivity declines in agriculture and contributes to consumption smoothing and food security. Households with better access to financial services are more likely to reallocate labour off-farm. Our results highlight the importance of strengthening the rural non-farm economy to enhance rural households’ climate resilience.

Characterization of production and commercialization systems of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart.).

Objective: To describe the cultivation systems of C. elegans through the analysis of production and commercialization in three municipalities in the high mountain region of Veracruz, Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was conducted in Tepatlaxco, Zongolica, and Omealca, Veracruz, Mexico. From January to July 2022, a survey was administered to 84 producers of Camedor palm using convenience sampling. In addition, interviews with key informants and participant observation were conducted. Results: Camedor palm production occurs in small production units ranging from 1 ± 0.05 to 7.0 hectares, primarily managed by male producers (93%) with an average age of 48 years and 6 years of schooling. Planting densities range from 35,000 to 100,000 plants per hectare, and leaf cutting is conducted on a quarterly basis, yielding between 1000 to 3700 rolls per hectare at an average price of $14.00 Mexican pesos per roll paid to the producer. Prior to cultivating Camedor palm, 56% of producers were growing coffee. The main driving factor for cultivation is the steady generation of income. Limitations/Implications: This is a specific case study; therefore, the results are limited to descriptive statements about the study area. Findings/Conclusions: Producers utilize non-timber forest products as alternatives to crises in other crops and investment constraints within production units. The production of C. elegans is accessible, requires low investment, and is compatible with family farming. However, yields in some cases are low, and the marketing network shows high intermediation.

Clean and Healthy Living Behavior to Prevent Acute Respiratory Infection among Farmer's Families

Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) cases in Indonesia and abroad are still a significant health problem. In Indonesia, ARI ranks first as a cause of death in infants and toddlers, with a mortality rate of around 20-30%. ARI can cause severe breathing difficulties, such as pneumonia, and ARI is also one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of five in developing countries. This study aims to analyze how to improve clean and healthy living behavior to prevent ARI in farmer families. The research method used was a literature review conducted through Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct in the 2019-2024 range. The keywords used in the search for articles were "ARI, Respiratory Disorders," "Unhealthy Living Behavior, Reduced Working Period, Well Ventilated House," and "Farmer, Family". Researchers found ten studies that met the inclusion criteria in the review. Prevention of respiratory tract infections (URI) in farming families involves practicing healthy behaviors, such as washing hands with soap, maintaining environmental hygiene, and avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke. The articles highlight the importance of understanding knowledge and adherence to clean and healthy living behaviors (PHBS) in reducing the risk of ARI. However, therapeutic communication is also essential, through providing clear information and emotional support to change unhealthy behaviors. The article still has obstacles, such as the underutilization of sanitation clinics, which calls for a more intensive and focused therapeutic communication approach to overcome these obstacles. Factors that increase the risk of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) include cooking with biogas inside the house, high housing density leading to a lack of sanitation around the house, poor ventilation, heavy workload for farmers, which increases exposure to dust, smoke and toxic gases, intense smoking, lack of access or awareness of the benefits of local sanitation clinics, and lack of awareness of the importance of maintaining environmental sanitation. Nurses are expected to conduct community counseling to improve understanding of clean and healthy behavior in ARI prevention practices among farmers.

Alleviating Poverty Through One House One Farm Project in Bangladesh

Poverty is a bad inhalation process in the economic breath system, especially at the rural level in Bangladesh. The one house one farm project was initiated to alleviate poverty in Bangladesh as an initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The project focuses on rural households generating income through family farming with e-financial inclusion or online banking opportunities. The study focuses on the fundamental understanding and reasons for the One House One Farm project. The study follows a generic qualitative method with secondary data sources, including the website of The Project, newspaper articles, and journal articles, to indicate what, how, and why questions. With some beneficiaries' statements, an ethnographic study is conducted as another data collection source. The study introduces a thematic mode of analysis that covers the explanation of the pattern of the One House One Farm project and gives a general idea about the background. The study finds that the One House One Farm project was a primary and better initiative for alleviating or eradicating poverty in Bangladesh, which helps to focus on achieving Sustainable Development Goal- 01. Besides the main target of alleviating or eradicating poverty in Bangladesh, this project helped rural households create a basement for generating income and being free from dependency.

ANTIBODIES AGAINST Leptospira spp. IN DAIRY CATTLE IN A FAMILY AGRICULTURE SYSTEM

Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis in Brazil responsible for numerous reproductive and economic losses to the dairy industry. Brazil ranks fifth in the world's production of cow's milk and around 23 million cows are milked every day. The northwest region of the state of São Paulo has a considerable number of family farming settlements, with dairy farming being predominant. This article reports a seroepidemiological study to detect agglutinins against Leptospira spp. in 1,004 dairy cattle kept on 64 family farms producing milk in the northwest region of São Paulo. Management and environmental data for situation diagnosis were obtained with a questionnaire. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. were investigated by the microscopic seroagglutination test (SAM) and milk and urine samples were obtained from seroreactive animals with titer ? 400. These samples were submitted to molecular tests. Of the 64 properties studied, 63 (98%) had seroreactive animals. Of the 1,004 animals, 523 (52%) were reactive. According to the molecular tests, the presence of Leptospira spp. in the urine and milk of the seroreactive animals was negative. Wetlands, presence of rodents, occurrence of abortion, presence of dogs, presence of cats and presence of horses were variables associated with the risk of infection by Leptospira spp. In addition to its importance in animal health, leptospirosis poses a risk to human health, a situation that indicates the need for improvement of sanitary conditions in rural properties.

How does perception of success change between family and solo farmers: A perspective from strategic resources and entrepreneurial orientation

This study compares the resources and entrepreneurial characteristics of family and solo farmers, and influences of these on subjective success perceptions. Quantitative data were collected in Finland and the research model is comprised of Resource-Based Theory and Entrepreneurial Orientation. T-test for equality of means and Structural Equation modelling were employed for testing the hypotheses. The results indicate that family and solo farmers are heterogeneous in most of their resources, entrepreneurial orientation and success perceptions, only except resources in funding opportunities, innovativeness in products and services and investments, and proactiveness in legislation, and success perceptions in self-determination in own work, personal satisfaction. Covariation between resources and entrepreneurial orientation is stronger for family farmers, but this relationship is positive for both groups. Resources and entrepreneurial orientation impact success positively both for family and solo farmers, while the impact of resources is stronger for family farmers and entrepreneurial orientation is stronger for solo farmers. This study suggests a comparative approach in evaluation of the sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship and its implications, also facilitates the methodological development on the measurement of the theoretical models focusing on the role of family in social and agricultural sustainability.

Radioactivity in food crops from the family farms in Croatia with ingestion dose assessment

The results of radioactivity measurements and transfer factor calculations of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in various food crops from family farms in Croatia are presented. Measurements were performed using gamma spectrometry for 40K, 137Cs, 210Pb, 226,228Ra and 228Th, liquid scintillation counting for 90Sr and alpha spectrometry for 210Po. The activity concentrations were used to determine the annual ingestion dose for one – year – olds, ten – year – olds and adults, calculated to be 0.533, 0.666 and 0.348 mSv, respectively. 70% of the dose comes from 228Ra and 40K. Other significant contributors are 226Ra, 210Pb and 210Po. Contribution per foodstuff groups for one – year – olds as the most sensitive group in descending order is: cereals > leafy vegetables > fruits > non–leafy vegetables > tubers > roots vegetables > herbs ≫ nuts. All results are in line with worldwide studies and below the limit of 1 mSv/y.

Feed distribution mechanism for family farms: dependence of the amount of feed on the width and height of the exhaust chamber

Abstract The article provides information on the ongoing research on the development of feed preparation and distribution equipment for livestock farms. As a result of scientific analysis, 85% of the livestock and poultry available in livestock farming belong to livestock farms with a small number of livestock, private and family farms. One of the urgent tasks is to create feed preparation and distribution facilities in these small livestock farms. Based on the above, scientific work was carried out to develop a feed distribution device for small livestock farms intended for feeding 20-30 head of cattle. The primary indicators of the feed distribution device’s technical qualities were established, and its technological scheme was developed, based on the results of the research that was done and the needs of the farms. The impact of feed spreader discharge window width and height on feed distribution quality was studied in preliminary research.

Research on Dynamic Credit Evaluation of Family Farms and Ranches Based on Weight Assembly Optimization Model

Research on Dynamic Credit Evaluation of Family Farms and Ranches Based on Weight Assembly Optimization Model

Assessing the productivity effects of agricultural extension in a pluralistic system: an analysis of Brazilian family farming in 2017

ABSTRACT Purpose: This paper analyzes the impact of agricultural extension on the production of Brazilian family farmers, breaking down differences among extension providers. Design/Methodology/Approach: An Output Distance Function was estimated for Brazilian family farming using 5,463 municipality-level observations from the 2017 Brazilian Agricultural Census. The impact of extension on efficiency and technology was assessed. Findings: Rural extension services from public institutions, cooperatives, and private companies increased technical efficiency. Independent consultant services increased the adoption of more productive technologies and technical efficiency. However, public technical assistance increased productivity by 47.76%, technicians hired directly by farmers increased productivity by 31.25%, and technical assistance from cooperatives increased productivity by 31%. Practical implications: These findings could aid in the Brazilian Extension System’s goal of promoting productivity gains. The National Policy of Rural Extension has the ability to decentralize the role of the government and structure incentives to increase access to other providers based on these findings. Theoretical implications: This article expands the econometric estimation of Output Distance Functions to break down the impacts of extension on both efficiency and technology adoption. Originality/Value: Using readily available municipality-level data, this paper contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of the different providers of rural extension for Brazilian family farmers and provides data regarding the impact on yield.