Ha Of Arable Land Research Articles

Area under Rapeseed Cultivation as a Factor Differentiating the Economic Performance of Biodiesel Producers

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the area under rapeseed cultivation on the economic performance and organization of farms. The study was conducted in 164 rapeseed farms in different Polish voivodeships. A targeted sampling procedure was used to select farms for the study. The studied population was divided into four groups depending on area under rapeseed cultivation rates. The selected farms were located in voivodeships with the highest rapeseed acreage rates of the total cropped area. The economic performance of the examined farms improved with increases in rapeseed area. Farms with larger rapeseed areas were characterized by higher production values and better economic performance. On average, the total production value per farm was highest in the group of farms with rapeseed areas of 20.1–30 ha. Similar results were noted when total production values were expressed per ha of arable land, per full-time employee and per man-hour. Total production value was lowest in farms with the smallest rapeseed areas. Farms with the largest areas under rapeseed cultivation achieved the highest farm household income. The farm household income values per full-time employee and per man-hour were highest in farms with the largest areas under rapeseed cultivation. The values of fixed assets and current assets increased with increases in rapeseed area. Most farms were run by owners with secondary school education. The highest percentages of farmers with university education were noted in farms with rapeseed areas of 10–20.1 ha (37.5%) and above 30 ha (30.4%). The vast majority of farms from all groups were run by male farmers. The research results could be useful for policy makers, because they indicate that rapeseed production can not only be profitable but can also be used for biofuel production.

Imperatives of Efficient Use of Land and Resource Potential of the Agricultural Enterprises of Ukraine

The article considers the institutionalization of land relations and the imperatives of efficient use of land and resource potential of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine. Within the institutionalization of land relations, the methodical approach to complex estimation of effective use of land and resource potential of agricultural enterprises is substantiated, by definition of an integral indicator of efficiency (quantitative and qualitative characteristics of involved resources, productivity and efficiency) of basic kinds of activity of economic entities on agricultural lands. Indicators of transparency in the assessment of land and resource potential and indicators of land policy according to the level of their use in agriculture are proposed. Comprehensive criteria for assessing the components of the efficiency of the use of land and resource potential of agricultural enterprises are presented. The amount of rent for land shares and the amount of fertilizer application per 1 ha of sown area of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine are analyzed. The productive capacity of natural and potential yields for grain and legumes (excluding corn for grain) in Ukraine has been determined. The normative monetary value of 1 ha of arable land in rural areas is calculated on average for one region of Ukraine, adjusted for the natural yield of cereals and legumes, without taking into account the application of fertilizers. The forecast level of technical, social and economic efficiency of the use of land and resource potential of agricultural enterprises is presented

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE ANALYSIS OF ARABLE LAND AND GRASSLANDS FROM THE TIMIS PLAIN

In Romania, the diversity and specificity of the pedoclimatic systems (in approximately equal proportions - plain, hill, mountain) and the historical and socio-economic particularities generated a land fund structure dominated by the share of agricultural lands (over 61%), being present in all relief units. Romania is one of the European countries with important land resources, per capita returning 0.68 ha of agricultural land and 0.43 ha of arable land. In the last 30 years, in Banat and not only, under the impact of socio-economic, political and natural factors, there have been significant changes in the structure of land use. The general trend was to increase agricultural land and built at the expense of forests and natural grasslands. This paper aimed to make an empirical analysis of land use categories in the Timiş Plain, focusing on grasslands and arable land, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the 2018 Corine Land Cover database. The experimental site is constituted in the form of a transect formed by five territorial administrative units (Lovrin ATU, Cenei ATU, Peciu Nou ATU, Pădureni ATU and Moşniţa Nouă ATU), representative for the geographical unit of which they are part, respectively Timiş Plain. The relief conditions, as well as the geographical position of the analyzed territory, are reflected in the land use and the agricultural activities carried out. The five ATUs analyzed have a significant agricultural potential, characterized by large areas of covered arable land, mostly fertile soils, which allow crop diversification. The area has agricultural potential, the market access being an important factor of development in terms of livestock growth, even if the grassland areas are small. Filling with fodder is made from fodder crops and arable sown grasslands (complex crops).

ORGANIC CARBON STOCKS IN ARABLE LAND OF REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

On the territory of Republic of Srpska (RS – Entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), in the period 2014 - 2017, the fertility control of arable land was performed in 4125 average samples (taken from top soil, 0 - 30 cm) representing the surface area of 5776 ha. All samples were geo-positioned and linked to the SOTER database (soil and terrain databases). RS is divided into 262 SOTER units. In each soil sample humus was analysed (colorimetric method, wet burning with K2Cr2O7 and conc H2SO4). Soil organic carbon (SOC) was calculated from humus (% humus x factor 0.58). SOC stock (t ha-1) for each plot were calculated on the basis of the volume mass (mg m-3) of the soil type on which the plot was located, the soil weights up to 30 cm (kg ha-1) and the area of the plot (ha). SOC stock on 5776 ha of agricultural land was 225168 t ha-1. The analyzed area was represented by 24 types of soil (FAO class). The highest average SOC stocks of 130 t ha-1 (based on 31 samples) was found in Calacaric Cambisol and the lowest in Stagnic Luvisol 38 t ha-1 (based on 464 samples). In 84% of the tested samples, representing 89% of researched area, the SOC stocks were less than 57 t ha-1. Estimation of the SOC stocks on the total arable land was prepared by GIS analysis interpolation of the SOC results for 4125 samples on the agricultural land area (arable land, gardens, orchards, vineyards and meadows). Estimated SOC stocks on 578894 ha of arable land were 32833549 t. The result of this research is the first step towards the establishment of SOC monitoring system in RS.

Potential of fruit plants and opportunities for product diversification in Dusung pattern farmers in Wakal Village, Ambon Island

Wanatani or Agroforestry in Maluku is commonly known as Dusung, which is the traditional use of land resources and its ecosystem. This farming system is associated with combining agricultural plants with forestry on a stretch of land, with harvest season numerous kinds of fruits. However, sometimes, these fruits are wasted, damaged, and are left indiscriminately without further processing. Therefore, research related to the distribution of fruit crops per ha, season, and opportunities for product diversification to improve the farming community’s welfare is needed. This is a qualitative and descriptive research, with data obtained through observation and interviews to determine farmers’ experience and knowledge on fruit crop cultivation and Wakal Village on Ambon Island. The results showed that each household, clan, or family covers an area of 40 ha. Furthermore, there are 10 types of fruit crop products that have economic value with an average of 0.5 - 5 ha of arable land owned by dusung farmers. Therefore, an alternative means of diversifying processed products to increase dusung farmers’ income needs to be developed.

The change in grain yield by rotation of crop rotations of the chernozem steppe of the Lower Volga region

The influence of rotation length and fullness of grain – fallow crop rotations with a different set of biological groups (biogroupps) - winter, early spring and late spring crops on the yield of grain crops and grain yield from 1 hectare (ha) of arable land in the chernozem steppe of the Saratov Right Bank is analyzed, based on calculations for 4-field - 8 rotations, starting from 1989 and ending in 2020 (2-field - 16 rotations, 3-field - 10). It was revealed that the highest grain yield of 1.63 tons (t) from 1 ha of arable land, both on average for 32 years (1989-2020), and (1.82 t / ha) in the first-fourth (1989-2004) and (1.44 t/ha) of the fifth-eighth rotations (2005-2020), is observed in the 4-field grain – fallow crop rotation with a set of biogroupps-winter, spring early and late. The absence of a field of spring late crop (millet) in the 2 - and 3-field crop rotations reduces the grain yield by 0.11 and 0.30 t/ha, respectively, in comparison with the 4-field, both on average for all years, and by 0.22 and 0.28 t/ha in the first-fourth and by 0.20 and 0.32 t/ha in the fifth-eighth rotations. During the transition from the first-fourth rotation to the fifth-eighth, a significant decrease in the yield of field crops was established: winter wheat in the 3-field crop rotation by 0.87 t/ha or 26.6 %, 2-field by 0.72 t/ha or 22.4% and 4-field by 0.70 t/ha or 21.8 %; millet by 0.43 t/ha or 16.3 %, spring hard by 0.40 t/ha or 29.6 %, soft by 0.35 t/ha or 24.6 %. In all three spring crops, the yield reduction is 2.0 times lower than that of winter wheat. In general, according to crop rotations, the yield of winter wheat, both for the entire period of research, and in the first-fourth, fifth-eighth rotation, fluctuated within limited of the error of the experiment.

Corn productivity for grain in the short-rotary cultivation of the left bank forest-steppe depending on the fertilizer system

The study was conducted in the subzone of unstable humidification of the Forest-Steppe on chernozem typical low-humus Panfil research station NSC «Institute of Agriculture NAAS».The study was conducted in the subzone of unstable humidification of the Forest-Steppe on chernozem typical low-humus Panfil research station NSC «Institute of Agriculture NAAS».The aim of the research is to establish the influence of the structure, set and placement of field crops in a 4-field crop rotation for 100 % grain saturation on the overall productivity, yield and quality of corn grain in particular.The technology of growing crops in the experiment is generally accepted and recommended for the research area.Varieties and hybrids of agricultural crops entered into the State Register were sown in the experiment. Chemical plant protection products were used for the production of competitive commodity products of cereals.The results of studies conducted in a long-term stationary field experiment, established in 2001, to study crop rotations on typical chernozems of unstable moisture of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe, convincingly show that for highly specialized farms the most rational in this area are 4-field crop rotations. saturation with grain crops (winter wheat peas-corn for spring barley grain) using various fertilizer systems (without fertilizers), mineral (with the introduction of N60P60K60), organo-mineral (NPK + by-products of the predecessor), organic fertilizer systems (by-products of the predecessor)). The grain yield of corn depended on the fertilizer system and was in the range of 5.86–8.30 t/ha. Productivity of crop rotation area for harvesting from 1 ha of arable land with corn for grain in 4-field crop rotation was: grain – 4.54–6.29 tons, fodder units –7.48–10.47 tons; digestible protein – 0.60–0.84 tons. The economic efficiency of growing corn for grain in short-rotation crop rotation, depending on the fertilizer system, is: relatively net profit – 16.04–21.34 thousand UAH/ha, the level of profitability –112 –180 %.

Impact Assessment of the Long-Term Fallowed Land on Agricultural Soils and the Possibility of Their Return to Agriculture

Agricultural land abandonment is a process observed in most European countries. In Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, it was initiated with the political transformation of the 1990s. Currently, in Poland, it concerns over 2 million ha of arable land. Such a large acreage constitutes a resource of land that can be directly restored to agricultural production or perform environmental functions. A new concept for management of fallow/abandoned areas is to start producing biomass for the bioeconomy purposes. Production of perennial crops, especially on poorer soils, requires an appropriate assessment of soil conditions. Therefore, it has become crucial to answer the question: What is the real impact of the fallowing process on soil, and is it possible to return it to production at all? For this purpose, on the selected fallowed land that met the marginality criteria defined under the project, physicochemical tests of soil properties were carried out, and subsequently, the results were compared with those of the neighboring agricultural land and with the soil valuation of the fallow land, which was conducted during its past agricultural use. The work was mainly aimed at analyzing the impact of long-term fallowing on soil pH, carbon sequestration and nutrient content, e.g., phosphorus and potassium. The result of the work is a positive assessment of the possibility of restoring fallowed land for agricultural production, including the production of biomass for non-agricultural purposes. Among the studied types of fallow plots, the fields where goldenrod (Solidago L.—invasive species) appeared were indicated as the areas most affected by soil degradation.

Analysis of the Agricultural Land Market in Selected Poviats of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship

Purpose: The research aimed to identify the regularities in the dynamics and structure of phenomena occurring on the agricultural land market, emphasizing treasury real estate. The transactions came from the primary market in 1996-2001 and 2014-2019. The seller was the Agricultural Property Agency of the State Treasury, later transformed into the Agricultural Property Agency. Design/Methodology/Approach: In the scope of processing the collected data, the methods of inductive and deductive reasoning, descriptive and monographic, and statistical methods, were used. The research methodology was based on statistical measures in the field of structural analysis and changes over time. The structural analysis was carried out for the characteristics per and of agricultural land, for which empirical distributions were built and selected descriptive parameters were calculated. Findings: The conducted research shows that the price of 1 ha of arable land is determined primarily by the location rent. The highest unit prices were achieved by land with an area of up to 0.5 ha located near the Szczecin agglomeration, which is confirmed in both analyzed periods. The dynamics of agricultural land prices in 1996-2001 showed no clear development tendency, which proves an unstable market was transforming, susceptible to the external environment's influence, including the shaping of demand. Practical Implications: The article contains a lot of valuable information that may constitute a base material and a reference to further research carried out by scientific specialists researching the issues of the agricultural land market or agricultural property management institutions of the Agricultural Property Stock of the State Treasury. Originality/Value: The results of the comparative analysis and theoretical considerations supplement the research conducted so far in the field of prices on the agricultural land market in Poland and may become a valuable resource of knowledge useful in the preparation of dissertations in the field of agricultural property management.

Биологическая эффективность и конкурентная способность вики посевной яровой при выращивании в смеси с рапсом на семена и зернофураж

Abstract. The purpose of the research is to study the influence of the method of growing mowed and grain-fed varieties of spring vetch in mixed crops with spring rape on the seed yield, yield structure, and seed sowing qualities. Method of research. Formulation of field experience and generalization of research results were performed in accordance with the methods of experimental work. Indicators that characterize the biological efficiency, competitiveness and aggressiveness of crops are considered. Results. Sowing of spring vetch with a seeding rate of 1.3, 0.8, 0.6 and 0.4 million germinating seeds per hectare in a mixture with rapeseed leads to the formation of a grain crop that significantly exceeds the yield for single-species sowing of vetches. Evaluation of the efficiency of arable land use (LER) shows that when using Vetch-rapeseed crops, the productivity of 1 ha of arable land increases significantly: by 1.9–2.16 times for the Krasnoufimskaya 49 variety; 1.89–2.02 times for the L’govskaya 91 variety; 1.82–1.98 times for the Lugovskaya 98 variety; 1.38–1.62 times for the Lyuba variety. The efficiency of arable land use is achieved due to the total interaction of both crops and their increased competitiveness in the agro-cenosis. When the seeding rate is 0.4 million per ha, compared with the seeding rate of 1.3 million per ha, the vetch aggressiveness coefficient, depending on the variety, increases by 1.59–2.0 times. Scientific novelty. In the conditions of the Middle Urals, high efficiency of vetch cultivation in mixed crops with rapeseed was revealed, and the influence of changes in the seeding rate on the yield and sowing qualities of vetch seeds was established.

A Study of Food Waste in the Catering Industry in Beijing

Currently, the topic of food waste and its environmental impacts is attracting increasing attention among academic researchers. Based on an investigation of restaurants in Beijing, this study analyzes the quantities, structures, characteristics and costs of the agricultural resources related to food waste in the catering industry in Beijing. The results show that: (1) The average food waste per capita per meal is about 75.02 g (raw) for food away from home among Beijing urban residents, which means that about 10.52% of the food is wasted. (2) According to the quantitative ranking of different categories of food waste, vegetable is the most wasted, followed by meat, aquatic products, and grains. The foods in the other categories are wasted much less. (3) Food waste is affected by the restaurant type, as well as the number, gender, age, education level, and consumption motivation of the consumers. (4) Based on the estimated food waste per capita, about 417.92 thousand tons of food is wasted annually at the consumption stage in the catering industry in Beijing. This food waste amount is equivalent to approximately 765.53 tons of cereals which are wasted, and this represents 79.66% of cereals production and 13.15% of cereals consumption in Beijing. Estimated by the required land use, this amount of food waste means that the total production of approximately 166.12 thousand ha of arable land is being wasted in Beijing.

Faktor-faktor Determinan Pemberdayaan Wanita dalam Pengelolaan Limbah Rumah Tangga Berkelanjutan

In Jorong Podang Rontang Nagari Koto Tuo, Limapuluh Regency, West Sumatra City, the number of underprivileged households is relatively high, 72 households. 98% of the members of the women farmer groups are cultivating farmers with 0.1-0.2 ha of arable land so that they are categorized as small farmers. The behavior of household waste management by women farmer groups is generally not sustainable because they dispose of it behind the house and allow it to rot. The method used is a survey method. Qualitative data and information were analyzed using qualitative analysis methods through a process of coding, categorization, interpretation, meaning, and abstraction. Then the data will be analyzed with the SPSS program. Based on the analysis results obtained by the equation: Y = 12,860 + 0.021X1 - 0.47X2 - 0.78X3. The equation shows that there is a positive relationship between the empowerment of women peasants and the knowledge of women peasants. In contrast, the motivation of women farmers, local wisdom and the empowerment of women farmers has a negative relationship. Positive and negative influences between independent variables (knowledge of women farmers, motivation of women farmers and local wisdom) and dependent variables (empowerment of women farmers) are not necessarily interpreted mathematically, but interpretation must be within the framework of empowerment as a reflection of women's emancipation, collective community participation in carrying out development, as well as community involvement (women) in participating in carrying out development. The influence of these independent factors is a leverage for women's empowerment to be independent in sustainable waste management. Keywords: Waste, Empowerment, Women Farmers, Nagari, Local Wisdom

Technical feasibility of hard coating by flux-cored arc welding on a sugarcane cutting knife

The sugarcane agroindustry covers 10,184,340 ha of arable land in Brazil. Harvesting this crop requires increasingly sophisticated equipment and sugarcane uses a basal cutting system with knives. These knives deteriorate rapidly due to abrasion with silica in the soil, which makes hard coating feasible for these components. Hard coatings generally involve the addition of chromium to increase the service life of agricultural machinery parts. The need to reduce the levels of chemical elements harmful to humans and animals in agricultural soils requires a study of alternatives to substitute chromium in hard metal alloys. Based on that, this work is aimed to investigate an alternative this respect; the present study proposes a change in coating from tungsten carbide paste (WC), which contains chromium, to a titanium carbide–based coating without chromium. To this end, FCAW (flux-cored arc welding) welding process was used, with self-shielding flux-cored wire containing alloy elements that increase resistance to abrasion, thereby extending the service life of the component. Simultaneous optimization of multiple responses was used to determine proposed welding parameters. For validation purposes, abrasion wear tests with a rubber wheel and dry sand were conducted to compare resistance to abrasion between the proposed material and that used in commercial knives. Results from accelerated wear tests showed FCAW higher performance (around 48%) compared to the WC coating. This demonstrates technical feasibility of the proposed hard metal deposition process using FCAW welding aimed to increase the service life of basal cutting knives without chromium.

Opportunities and conditions of sustainable development of the agricultural industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The article shows aspects of sustainable agricultural development. It summarized modern views on the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The problems of the agricultural sector of the republic are identified, the solution of which will contribute to the successful development of agricultural production. The necessity of increasing the efficiency of resource use is substantiated. An important place in the article is given to the role of state support for the agricultural sector. A comparative analysis of the yield of field cultivation from 1 ha of arable land and crops in the Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out. Using the index method, the influence of the structure of crops and crop productivity is calculated. According to statistical data, the current state of the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan is revealed. The reasons for low labor productivity in the agricultural sector of the republic are indicated. The role of science in the qualitative renewal of the country's agricultural sector is emphasized. Promising ways to stimulate the growth rate of agricultural production are proposed. The main directions of sustainable development of the agricultural sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan are determined. It is proved that organic agriculture can act as a point of sustainable agricultural growth.

Factors Determining the Development of Small Farms in Central and Eastern Poland

The agrarian structure in Poland is dominated by small farms; the large share of these is a result of historical consequences. The economy has pushed small farms toward economic efficiency, which in farming often translates into increasing the scale of production. The primary objective of this research was to present the directions of the changes in the number of small farms in Central and Eastern Poland and to indicate the factors determining their functioning and development. The research was based on a random sample selection from rural municipalities, villages and small farms. The researchers collected 19 completed surveys from municipal agricultural officers, 75 surveys from village mayors and 116 surveys from small and active farms. The data from the farm surveys was analysed using k-mean cluster analyses and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to distinguish farms into homogenous groups. Three types of farms were identified: “hobby”, “two-occupation” and “professional” farms. The research shows that in the municipalities of Central and Eastern Poland, the number of landowners (over 1 ha of arable land) paying agricultural tax increased by 9% between 2005 and 2017. A significant gap was identified between the number of “official farmers” and “active” farmers. In the farm category surveyed, “active” farmers numbered only 33% of all farming entities. The surveys confirmed that the development of small farms is particularly influenced by external factors (EU funding; national benefits), rather than internal (entrepreneurial) factors. An in-depth survey of farmers, municipal agricultural officers and village mayors shows that “professional” farmers (Cluster 0) are expected to invest, develop and innovate. Farmers managing “hobby” and “two-occupation” farms have a reserved attitude towards investment and their objective is to maximise the benefits related to the arming status. In the authors’ opinions, “professional” farms have the highest probability of being economically viable, while others tend to focus on the provision of public goods related to financial support.

The Global natural factors that are limiting the plant production

Agricltural areas of the world occupy 37.67% of the total land area. Areas suitable for agricultural production are very small – it has been cultivated only 10.89% of the land area in the world, whereas only 3% is highly productive and large parts of the areas are in adverse conditions. According to that criterion, it can be stated that the world is medium rich with agricultural areas. Almost one third of the total agricultural areas or even less is arable lands. The largest part of the arable lands has been in America (30.58%) and Asia (29.18%) and the smallest part is in Europe (5.82%), Oceania (11.46%) and Africa (20.68%). In the world the arable lands occupied 29.92% of total agricultural areas. The participation of the arable lands in total land areas represents the insignificant part of the land, from 5% to 16%. Different soils are used at the different degree for the food production. It can be genarally said that soils of better physical and chemical propertie, such as chernozem soil, red-yellowish tropical soil, terra rosa and alluvial are used for the agricultural production at the higher degree even though only 50% or even less of the total area is used. If arable land per capita is taken as an important indicator of how that country is rich with arable land, then it can be noticed that all the continents, except Asia, are below the world’s average. According to that, Europe is richer than Africa and Asia with 0.40 ha per capita. The world average of the arable land per capita is 0.21 and America (0.40), Afica (0.22) and Europe (0.40) is above this average. The poorest continent is Asia with 0.13 ha of arable land per capita. The arable land has been decreasing, and it is onlu 0.21 ha per capita in the world and 1.05 ha per active capita. Pupulation, particularly in the countries where the number of family members is not planned, is increasing which causes the disbalance between the population needs and available amount of foodstuff. Food production in the world has been taking place in different areas but quite often there is not a correlation between the population and agrictural production. Plant production has never been in such complex relationships as it is nowadays since very important cultivated plants such as corn, soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, sugar cane and others, wich have been used only as the food for humans and feed for domestic animals, are now used for production of bioethanol and biodiesel in the high percentage (even up to 40% of the production). Yields of important cultivated plants in the last 50 years are increased. The largest increase of the yields in this period is achieved with soybean, then corn, rice and wheat. Increasing the arable lands, growing the high yielding varieties and hybrids and intensifying the production can provide the sufficient amounts of food even for the porest countries in the world, but economical, political and other reasons are an obstacle for undisturbed production and marketing of the plant products in the world.

Proposed Spray System for Family Agriculture with A Remote-Controlled UAV (Small Drone or Helicopter) and An Economical Sprinkler

In the country, food production is more compromised every day, despite zero efforts and government, agricultural and livestock sector, causing poverty, migration, marginalization among other social disorders in addition to food insecurity. In Mexico 34% of the population is engaged in agricultural tasks, with very small land areas. The fact that 85% of do not have more than 5 ha of arable land, and that among them, 90% do not reach 3 ha clearly indicates their great need for light machinery .The solution to these problems family farmers are provided with affordable technologies to increase their productivity. One of the most common problems in agriculture is the application of agrochemicals, which is tedious and dangerous when farmers are exposed to these highly toxic products, therefore a system is proposed is through the help of a drone or remote control helicopter, both of economic type connected by a hose to the sprinkler and a tank. Due to the danger of applying agrochemicals for family farmers who rarely follow the precautions to apply these products, the proposed alternative is attractive for small agricultural properties, although it is not free of cost, the drone and the optimal sprayer should be investigated.

Ways to Improve the Competitiveness of Agricultural Production in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, which occupies the 9th place in the world and the 3rd place in the territory per capita, has great potential for the development of agriculture. There are 15 ha of land per inhabitant, including 1.3 ha of arable land. In recent years, gross agricultural output has exceeded 4.0 trillion tenge. The purpose of this study is to present the current state of agricultural activity in Kazakhstan and to search for effective ways to improve the quality and profitability of products manufactured by agricultural cooperatives. Improving the competitiveness of agricultural production in Kazakhstan can be achieved in several ways. As a result of the study, we presented the following methods: preserving resources, developing infrastructure, improving quality and expanding the range of products, improving sales quality and promoting products in the domestic and foreign markets, as well as introducing innovative technologies, as an extension of cooperation and integration.

Land–water–energy nexus in agricultural management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Agriculture plays an important role in global climate change. The interaction and efficiency of use of land, water, and energy in agricultural activities are the principal factors affecting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and food production. However, comprehensive analysis exploring the mechanism of the land–water–energy system in agricultural production remains lacking. This study developed such a framework based on regional agricultural GHG emissions by combining top-down analysis that considered cross-sectoral interactions with bottom-up analysis that addressed the context-specific conditions of resources and technology. We employed the proposed framework to analyze the interaction of land–water–energy and factors influencing agricultural GHG emissions and to explore mitigation measures based on a case study of the Sanjiang Plain (China). Results showed cropland on the Sanjiang Plain produced 1.8 million tonnes of protein and released 10.9 million tonnes of CO2eq in 2015 using 3.0 million ha of arable land, 12.1 billion m3 of water, and 100.4 PJ of energy. Owing to their high input of resources and flooded cultivation, rice fields produced 29% of total crop protein but consumed 51% of total crop water use, 43% of total crop energy use, and emitted 54% of total crop GHG (CO2eq). Structural adjustment through conversion of half the paddy fields into dryland crops (e.g., wheat) could mitigate GHG emissions by 18.8% in 2020 compared with the baseline scenario. However, such change would be almost impossible given the Sanjiang Plain is one of China’s most important rice-producing areas. If integrated technology improvements were adopted, e.g., advanced crop–soil nutrition management, groundwater protection measures, water-saving irrigation technology, and low-carbon energy technology, GHG emissions could be reduced by 23.9% without sacrificing food production. This study used the nexus approach to analyze agricultural GHG emissions, providing a framework for sustainable agricultural management and a reference for understanding the land–water–energy nexus.

The impact of the fertilization system on fertility of drained sod–podsolic soil in a short–term crop rotation

The relevance of research is connected with the effective use of drained land in the face of climate change. Goal. To determine the optimized fertilizer system and to study its effectiveness on the fertility of sod-podzolic soil in short-term rotation: soybean - winter wheat - sunflower - buckwheat. Methods. Field, statistical, laboratory. Results. During the vegetation periods of 2016-2019, the sunflower was the least responsive to the soil-air drought, which, on the recommended standard N 60 P 60 K 90 background, combined with 40 t/ha of manure and the increased rate N 90 P 90 K 135 and 4.0 tonnes of precursor by-products provided seed yield levels 2.3 and 2.4 t/ha respectively. The maximum harvest produce from 1 ha of crop rotation area is marked on a raised background (N 62 P 84 K 96 + 3.3 tonnes of by-products) - 3.20 tonnes of grain units. Conclusions. An alternative fertilizer system (replacement of 10 tons of manure per1 ha of arable land by 3.3 tons of by-products on the mineral fertilizers background) provided a positive balance of nutrients and humus in short-tecropm rotation. Prospects. Further scientific studies expect to reduce the amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers that provided by the by-products plowing of all crops in rotation. Keywords : drained sod-podzolic soils, short-term crop rotation, market crops, fertilizers, productivity, soil fertility