Ha Of Farmland Research Articles

A new optimized procedure for circular WasteWater sustainability: Coastal cities supporting agricultural rural communities

This proposal introduces a novel methodology that addresses the increasing irrigation demands driven by climate change and urban growth. Traditionally water-scarce areas are now facing severe water deficits, while wastewater volumes from treatment plants, often discharged into the sea, contribute to pollution. The proposed hybrid system strategy innovatively reallocates 33 hm3 of water annually to agricultural communities, employing a zero-discharge approach to prevent marine pollution. Evaluated from energetic, environmental, and social perspectives, this methodology shows a remarkable cost-benefit ratio exceeding 12, showing its feasibility. It features technical indicators for optimizing water distribution and regulatory components, applied effectively to 28,424 ha of farmland. This strategy meets 24.1 % of the irrigation needs in these regions while safeguarding coastal areas from degradation. Crucially, it integrates 11.3 GWh of renewable energy annually, underscoring its sustainability and enhancing its replicability for other water-deficient regions.

Fate of chlordecone in soil food webs in a banana agroecosystem in Martinique

Large quantities of chlordecone-based insecticides were produced and used throughout the world. One of its most important uses was to control the damage caused by Cosmopolites sordidus in banana-growing regions. In the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, 18,000 ha of farmland are potentially contaminated. Despite the key role played by soil macrofauna in agroecosystems, there are currently no data on their contamination. The aim of this study was to explore the fate of chlordecone (CLD) and its transfer to different organisms of the soil food web.Seven species of invertebrates representing different taxonomic groups and trophic levels of the soil communities of Martinique were targeted and collected in six experimental banana fields, with a level of contamination within a range of values classically observed. Soil samples and macrofauna from the study sites were analysed for CLD and chlordecol (CLDOH) its main transformation product. The contamination of the soil fauna were related to δ15N (trophic level), proportion of soil ingestion (diet) and types of epidermis (mucus or exoskeleton) in order to study the different mechanisms of macrofauna contamination.Presence of CLD and CLDOH could be quantified in all the soil organisms from contaminated fields. Results showed a significant relationship between the CLD contamination of detritivorous and the ash content of their faeces, suggesting that soil ingestion was the main contamination pathway. In contrast, the exoskeleton-bearing diplopod Trigoniulus coralinus and the soft-bodied earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae, both detritivores with a comparable diet, had similar contamination levels, suggesting that the type of tegument has little influence on bioaccumulation. At the scale of the entire trophic network, a significant relationship was uncovered between δ15N values and CLD contamination of the fauna, therefore providing some in situ evidence for a bioamplification process along the soil food chain.

Design and Retrofitting of Irrigation Pumping System for the Middle Ogun Irrigation Project Using Hydrokinetic Technology

High cost of irrigation pumping by use of fossil fuel has negatively impacted irrigation efficiency on the Middle Ogun Irrigation scheme. Efficient irrigation pumping would improve agricultural productivity and food production on the irrigation scheme. Many attempts have been made by stakeholders to seek alternative energy sources for powering irrigation pumping. This study aimed at the design and retrofitting of the irrigation water pumping system on the Middle Ogun Irrigation scheme using hydrokinetic technology. Hydrological modelling of the catchment was carried out using MapWindow Soil and Water Assessment Tool to determine the annual gross and recoverable hydrokinetic potential of the water resource from the river. A Savonius hydrokinetic turbine system was developed and tested on the river. The mean voltage output at selected streamflow depths were determined to derive a power curve. Results showed that retrofitting the irrigation pumping system with an array of twenty units (20) of selected submersible irrigation pumps powered by twenty-two (22) units of an array of Savonius hydrokinetic turbines would satisfactorily deliver irrigation water into night storage and irrigate the pilot field of 100 ha of farmland on plot 2 and 5 on the scheme.

Characteristics and driving mechanism of wetland landscape pattern change in karst region of southwest China over past 35 years: A case study of Caohai wetland in Guizhou

AbstractTo uncover the process of land use change and its driving mechanism of typical wetland ecosystems in the karst region, this thesis conducts a case study on Caohai National Nature Reserve (hereafter referred to as Caohai). With the support of geo‐information technology and the landscape index analysis method, it quantitatively analyzes the magnitudes, speed, and landscape patterns of land use changes over 35 years from 1985 to 2020 using continuous remote sensing images. The results show that the land use structure of Caohai has mainly undergone mutual conversion between farmland and wetland. Before 2005, 164.60 ha of farmland were converted to wetland, from 2005 to 2015, 451.79 ha of wetland were converted to farmland, and from 2015 to 2020, 979.62 ha of farmland were transformed into wetland. The trend for construction land was to decrease first and then increase, with increased construction land primarily coming from farmland and partially from shrubland and forestland. The spatial connectivity of landscape distribution showed a slow decrease to a rapid decrease, then increased and reduced again, while diversity and evenness showed the opposite trend. Rational policies and urban construction planning are essential measures for protecting wetland ecosystems in the karst region.

Ecology and economics of irrigation in the south of Ukraine following destruction of the Kakhov reservoir

ABSTRACT The rupture of the Nova Kakhovka dam on 6 June 2023, resulted in the termination of water distribution to southern Ukraine and Crimea, affecting 750 000 ha of farmland that relied on irrigation. The Kakhov irrigation system serves as a case study to demonstrate the organisation of crop rotation and the economic viability of irrigated farming. We also consider the potentials of future agricultural development in the region and a novel conceptual strategy for water management and changes in irrigation methods to conserve energy and resources.

A generic framework for glacial lake outburst flood investigation: A case study of Zalai Tsho, Southeast Tibet

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are one of the most severe natural disasters, resulting in enormous socio-economic losses as well as threatening downstream settlements and infrastructure in the alpine region. Understanding historical GLOFs benefits disaster reduction and landscape conservation, but many GLOF events remain unreported or lack critical attributes. In this study, a novel framework was proposed to detect historical GLOFs and populate related attributes using a combination of Landsat, Sentinel-2 and Planet optical images, Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, field surveys, and documentation. The framework was implemented successfully on the case of Zalai Tsho, which revealed a previously unknown GLOF with critical attributes including the associated lake evolution, the flood process, and the impacts. The Zalai Tsho GLOF event in Bomi County, Southeast Tibet, occurred on July 7, 2018. Zalai Tsho emerged in 1994, and its surface area increased by 178% between 1994 and 2018, followed by a complete disappearance after the dam failure. A total water volume of 2.7 ± 0.2 × 105 m3 was released from Zalai Tsho to generate a peak discharge of 558.4 m3/s estimated by hydrological models, which destroyed a bridge, 23.2 ha of woodland, and 1.7 ha of farmland. The Zalai Tsho GLOF was initiated by intense melting waters, superimposed on water from an upstream supraglacial lake, eventually resulted in serious socio-economic losses and long-term environmental effects. Post-GLOF conservation projects play a positive role in protecting residents against flooding, while soil erosion has been exacerbated in certain areas without artificial countermeasures. This study provided an up-to-date, prototype framework for the identification of historical GLOF events to enrich the GLOF dataset and contributed to the risk assessment of GLOF and landscape conservation.

Improvement of pricing on the market of organic products

Modern organic agriculture is increasingly gaining momentum against the background of worsening economic, social and environmental problems. In recent years, interest in environmentally friendly production has been growing in many areas. In particular, agriculture in this direction satisfies the needs of mankind for quality products and has a positive effect on restoring the natural fertility of the soil, which contributes to the maintenance of the natural balance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the pricing process on the market of organic products and the justification of recommendations for improving the pricing methodology and determining the equivalent price for organic agricultural products. The work uses: dialectical method, methods of systematic and comparative analysis, economic-statistical and graphic methods, methods of computer information processing. It has been established that the leaders of organic agriculture are countries that have formed systemically influential supranational institutions and societies. When comparing the economic efficiency of production, it was determined that an agricultural enterprise with the production of organic products receives less gross production, net income and profit per 1 ha of farmland than conventional ones. The price analysis of the organic market in Ukraine revealed the need to modify generally accepted approach to pricing. The proposed equivalent price can be a guideline for improving the price policy in organic production.

Perception of arable crop farmers on agro-forestry practices in selected local government areas in Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study examined the arable crop farmers’ perception on Agroforestry practices in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect data from two hundred and forty (240) respondents. Descriptive and ordinal measured statistics were used in data analysis. The results showed that 93% of the respondents were educated, whereas, 59.2%, 62.9 and 72.9% of the respondents were married, male and Christians respectively and made up of farmers with age bracket between 31 – 50 years old, majority of the respondents had household size between 6 and 10 persons.The study also showed that respondents who cultivated less than 1 ha of farmland were 49.6% whilethose that had no access to formal credit were (84.2%). The results from Likert scale on farmersperception based on the mean scores of (3.0) showed that 67.9% of the respondents affirmed thatAgroforestry practices was profitable and favourable. However, the major constrains to Agroforestrypractices in the study area based on the average mean score of 2.5 were fire outbreak with severityindex of 3.10, non-availability of seeds/seedlings (2.81), time consuming (2.65), Pest/rodents anddiseases (2.64), whereas , land tenure and long gestation period had mean severity index of 2.6%and 2.59% respectively. Conclusion drawn from the study is that the agroforestry systems was analternative agricultural practices adopted by some arable crops farmers to increase their incomeand forest products in the study area, while incident of fire out-break should be checked to preventloss of crop, land and farmers income.

Postharvest handling practices and mycotoxin occurrence along the dried berbere chilli pepper value chain: A case study from Northern Ethiopia

Berbere, the hot pepper spice, is a central ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine. This study aimed to deepen understanding of the agricultural and postharvest handling practices and incidence of aflatoxins and ochratoxins at different stages of the domestic berbere (Capsicum frutescens) value chain in the Amhara region of Northern Ethiopia. The main actors in the berbere value chain in Ethiopia are farmers, assemblers, wholesalers, retailers, industrial processors, and domestic consumers. A series of semi-structured questionnaires were developed and used to interview 90 stakeholders from across these different value chain stages to learn about their berbere-related activities and challenges. Additionally, a random sampling method was used to collect 100 berbere samples (80 samples of whole dry berbere pods and 20 samples of berbere powder) from across the different focal value chain stages (harvesting, storage, processing, and retail) for analysis to determine whether aflatoxin and ochratoxin were present above the maximum recommended thresholds. In the Amhara region, most farmers typically cultivate berbere on areas of 0.5–1 ha of farmland. The berbere harvest is done manually, and the chilli pods are then spread directly on the ground to sun dry. Such drying practices increase the risk of contamination of the produce by dust, debris, and soil-borne fungi. Assemblers purchase berbere from the farmers, the pods are then sorted by variety and packed in woven polypropylene bags which are then heaped in store rooms. All the berbere samples, from each stage of the value chain analysed were found to test positive for mycotoxins, exhibiting levels of >20 ppb and >2 ppb of total aflatoxin and ochratoxin, respectively. The promotion of a range of integrated pest and postharvest management actions with the different value chain actors are recommended to improve the quality and safety of berbere within these important domestic value chains.

Alternative practices to pesticide use in the Guadeloupe banana belt: Do biophysical constraints limit agroecological transitions?

CONTEXTIn the French West Indies, the banana sector has made a transition from systems heavily reliant on synthetic inputs to more agroecological systems. However, despite abundant literature on the performance of these systems, few studies have described the mechanisms involved in this transition at the level of individual farms. OBJECTIVEThis article aims to understand the drivers of diverse individual agroecological transitions on banana farms in Guadeloupe towards alternative practices to the use of pesticides with a specific focus on the role of biophysical constraints at territorial scale. METHODThe methodological approach was based on three complementary steps to grasp the spatio-temporal determinants of these transitions: (1) a mapping of biophysical constraints on the scale of a territory spanning 2510 ha of farmland, (2) a mapping of the land use changes between 2010 and 2019 at the plot scale over 1680 plots, and (3) an evaluation of the agroecological transition over ten years of 20 farms located in four previously determined constraint zones. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe show that some farms in the study area face multiple constraints linked to biophysical factors (sigatoka pressure and slope), and that there are links between these various constraints and land use changes (e.g. abandonment, diversification and maintenance of banana production). A more detailed analysis of the farms shows the emergence of five transition types over the last ten years: farms with a weak transition, farms with a weak transition despite having governance over their productive resources, farms with a moderate transition, farms with an organic-based agroecological transitions, and farms with a strong agroecological transition. The biophysical constraints of these farms affected these transitions, however changes in legislation or access to organic certification also supported changes. There is room for progress to intensify the transition of these systems, but this requires specific recommendations for these different types. SIGNIFICANCEThe mixed method used in this study is helpful to diagnose changes in time and space of farms in agroecological transition and assess their real room for maneuver.

The impact of Turkey’s water resources development on the flow regime of the Tigris River in Iraq

Study regionOnce, the Tigris River (with its twin, the Euphrates) was the remarkable river in the west of Asia, making Mesopotamia a cradle of civilization thousands of years ago. Upstream anthropogenic activity has choked the Tigris River, the connecting lifeline across Iraq, and, due to droughts and desertification, caused the country to be plagued by poverty. Study focusHere, we give a perspective on flow regime alteration in the main corridor of the Tigris River at five crucial points (Cizre, Mosul, Baiji, Baghdad, and Kut) before and after the planned water resources development in Turkey. Turkey’s Tigris River regulation goal is to generate about 7247 GWh of energy and irrigate over 640,000 ha of farmlands. New hydrological insights for the regionWe reconstructed the natural flow along the Tigris River. In addition, to evaluate hydrological droughts, we proposed a modified streamflow drought index (MSDI) and compared it with the original streamflow drought index (SDI). The results show that the worst hydrological conditions could be found below the Samarra barrage in Iraq before the Tigris River regulation in Turkey. This negative hydrological condition will be extended to the whole corridor of the Tigris River in Iraq after the implementation of Turkey's goal. As a result, for example, Cizre and Mosul will experience extreme conditions in 37.5–87.5% of the years; this means a considerable reduction in the Mosul reservoire’s inflow (135–326 m3/sec). Consequently, some parts of Mosul's hydropower and reservoir capacity will be useless, and hydrological drought upstream of the Samarra barrage will be dominated.

How do financialised agri-corporate investors acquire farmland? Analysing land investment in an Australian agricultural region, 2004–2019

Abstract This article uses a purpose-designed land parcels database covering all rural land transactions over 16 years (2004–2019 inclusive) to document the ways in which financialised agri-corporate investors acquired farmland in a major Australian cropping and grazing region, New England North West (NENW). Framing these investments through the lens of strategic coupling reveals a mix of land acquisition strategies. Almost 200,000 ha of farmland was acquired by financialised agri-corporate investors in NENW during the study period. Approximately one-third was acquired through takeovers of stock market listed agricultural companies or unlisted agricultural asset management companies, another third involved the purchase of farms already packaged into assetised forms by prior rounds of restructuring and the final third involved the purchase and aggregation of family farms. We interpret this mix of entry modes to indicate a flexible and opportunistic set of dynamics in how financialised agri-corporate investors amass their land assets, underlining their reach and scope in the restructuring of regional agricultures.

Assessment of Existing Gaps among Genders in Maize Value-Chain in Northern Nigeria

Equitable access to production resources, inputs, and technologies by men, women, and youth is a critical success factor for improved livelihoods of maize farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study was conducted to assess the existing gaps among different genders in the maize production value chain in selected northern States of Nigeria. A field survey was conducted in five major maize-producing States of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, and Adamawa. Structured questionnaires were administered to 450 maize farming households across the five selected States using a simple random sampling technique. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) were in the study area. The Integrating Gender into Agricultural Value Chains (INGIA-VC) Analytical Framework was employed to develop the tools for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that over 82% of the sampled farm households in each State were male-headed households, whilst only 18% were female-headed households. Male farmers cultivated an average 4.2 ha of farmland compared to 1.8 ha cultivated by female farmers for maize production. Male farmers have more access to other production inputs like fertilizers than female farmers. More female farmers (22%) than male farmers (7.6%) purchase improved seeds directly from seed companies. Maize productivity by male farmers was consistently higher (2–2.5 t ha-1) than female farmers that recorded an average of 0.24 t ha-1 across the States. The lower participation of female farmers in maize production compared to male farmers was attributed to the socio-cultural and religious restrictions placed on females that exclude them from public engagements in northern Nigeria. Awareness creation through the traditional rulers and mechanization of some practices will engender more women and youth participation in maize cultivation.

Agricultural fuelbreaks in sustainable fire-resilient landscapes in Madagascar

The first 65 km of agricultural fuelbreaks in the country were established in Boeny Region, northwestern Madagascar in 2021 and 2022. Mostly in grassy savanna, these fuelbreaks limit the spread of fires, and have also create an additional 615 ha of farmland for crop production. This should reduce the cleating in the national park and so reduce future fire ignitions. Due to the benefits seen by local smallholders and decision makers, their use has already spread to more locations. The keys to success are territorial land-use plans that make it possible to create fire-resistant mosaic landscapes that combine forest and agricultural land. The goal is to find sustainable solutions to the problem of fire, while in parallel, creating agricultural, economic and social opportunities.

Soya Yield Prediction on a Within-Field Scale Using Machine Learning Models Trained on Sentinel-2 and Soil Data

Agriculture is the backbone and the main sector of the industry for many countries in the world. Assessing crop yields is key to optimising on-field decisions and defining sustainable agricultural strategies. Remote sensing applications have greatly enhanced our ability to monitor and manage farming operation. The main objective of this research was to evaluate machine learning system for within-field soya yield prediction trained on Sentinel-2 multispectral images and soil parameters. Multispectral images used in the study came from ESA’s Sentinel-2 satellites. A total of 3 cloud-free Sentinel-2 multispectral images per year from specific periods of vegetation were used to obtain the time-series necessary for crop yield prediction. Yield monitor data were collected in three crop seasons (2018, 2019 and 2020) from a number of farms located in Upper Austria. The ground-truth database consisted of information about the location of the fields and crop yield monitor data on 411 ha of farmland. A novel method, namely the Polygon-Pixel Interpolation, for optimal fitting yield monitor data with satellite images is introduced. Several machine learning algorithms, such as Multiple Linear Regression, Support Vector Machine, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Stochastic Gradient Descent and Random Forest, were compared for their performance in soya yield prediction. Among the tested machine learning algorithms, Stochastic Gradient Descent regression model performed better than the others, with a mean absolute error of 4.36 kg/pixel (0.436 t/ha) and a correlation coefficient of 0.83%.

Organic Waste Generation and Its Valorization Potential through Composting in Shashemene, Southern Ethiopia

Composting organic waste and human excreta could significantly reduce the amount of waste dumped and increase soil fertility and agricultural yields. However, studies focusing on the replacement of mineral fertilizer with compost from these resources are rare. The presented study quantifies the potential of human excreta and other organic waste for compost production. During wet and dry seasons, the generation and composition of household solid waste (HSW) was measured from three wealth categories: poor, medium, and rich, as well as the organic waste generated from 20 commercial facilities. Furthermore, the amount of human excreta, when converting unimproved into ecological sanitation facilities, was assessed. The HSW generation was significantly higher in the wet (0.77 ± 0.07 kg fresh weight (FW) cap−1 day−1) compared to the dry season (0.54 ± 0.04 kg FW cap−1 day−1). Organic waste was the main component of HSW in the dry and wet seasons, accounting for 84% and 76% of the total HSW, respectively. Annually, about 6824 Mg of organic dry matter could be collected from households, 212 Mg from commercial units, and 12,472 Mg from ecological sanitation. With these resources, 11,732 Mg of compost could be produced annually and used for fertilizing 470 ha of farmland, completely replacing mineral fertilizer.

Production Profile of Farms and Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions

The negative impact of agricultural production on the environment is manifested, above all, in the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). The goals of this study were to estimate methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the level of individual farms and indicate differences in emissions depending on the type of production, and to investigate dependencies between greenhouse gas emissions and economic indicators. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions were estimated at three types of farms in Poland, based on FADN data: field crops, milk, and mixed. Data were from 2004–2018. Statistical analysis confirmed the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and economic performance. On milk farms, the value of methane and nitrous oxide emissions increased with increased net value added and farm income. Milk farms reached the highest land productivity and the highest level of income per 1 ha of farmland. On field crops farms, the relationship between net value added and farm income and methane and nitrous oxide emissions was negative. Animals remain a strong determinant of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, and the emissions at milk farms were the highest. On mixed farms, emissions result from intensive livestock and crop production. In farms of the field crops type, emissions were the lowest and mainly concerned crops.

How is urbanization shaping agricultural land-use? Unraveling the nexus between farmland abandonment and urbanization in China

Urbanization often results in agricultural expansion but can also lead to farmland abandonment. However, it remains unclear about the extent, exact timing and determinants of farmland abandonment in response to ongoing urbanization. Using the example of China’s Sunan economic region, we present the spatiotemporal trajectories of farmland abandonment and recultivation from 2001 to 2018. We classified Landsat satellite image time-series with a regression trees classifier in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Further, we analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns and rates of farmland abandonment and recultivation. Spatially-explicit logistic regressions were applied to explore the determinants of farmland abandonment in space and time. Our results show widespread farmland abandonment: approximately 232,700 ha of farmland had ever been abandoned from 2001 to 2018, with the highest annual abandonment rate (8.5%) in 2017. Approximately 66,200 ha of abandoned fields were later recultivated, with the maximum recultivated area (13,600 ha) in 2018. Approximately 92% of abandoned fields were later recultivated or reused as the impervious surface within two years of the first detection of abandonment, suggesting more rapid land transformation. The regressions reveal that locational and socio-economic factors determined farmland abandonment patterns. Specifically, a higher likelihood of farmland abandonment was statistically associated with an increased distance from the nearest settlements; the significantly positive relationship between ‘Non-agricultural GDP’ and farmland abandonment strengthened over time. In contrast, a lower likelihood of farmland abandonment was observed in areas with more cash crops. The statistical results may extend the application of the Ricardian comparative advantage theory along with Alonso’s bid rent theory to explain and predict abandonment patterns in response to ongoing urbanization. Our study is the first attempt in China to apply 30-m Landsat imageries to reconstruct abandonment patterns over long time-series. The findings provide important insights into adjusting land-management practices for preventing farmland abandonment due to urbanization.

Industrial Agroforestry—A Sustainable Value Chain Innovation through a Consortium Approach

Agroforestry has been practicedtraditionally in India in the form of subsistence farming, but is being increasingly recognized from the economic point of view, in addition to its positive contribution to the wood-based industrial sector, which has recent origin. Low forest cover, poor productivity and legal restrictions coupled with an increasing demand for wood and wood products due to increasing population, industries and associated policy changes have ushered in a total mismatch between demand and supply. This has attracted increasing attention towards agroforestry. The National Forest Policy of India 1988 has directed all wood-based industries to generate their own raw material resources by linking farmers and extending technology and market support. However, these directives were not taken seriously, and consequently, the achievements that should have taken place in industrial agroforestry and plantation establishment are dismally modest for want of suitable institutional mechanism to resolve the research gaps that exist in the entire Production to Consumption System (PCS). Against this backdrop, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has pioneered research by creating a value chain in industrial agroforestry which was initially demonstrated in 200 ha of farmlands through technological, organizational and marketing interventions. Incorporationof high yielding short rotation (HYSR) clones, precision silviculture technology, adoption of multifunctional agroforestry and value addition technology are the major technological interventions that attracted more farmers towards agroforestry development. Conceptualization and successful practice of the contract tree farming model, particularly the quadripartite contract farming model, ensured institutional linkage among the value chain players and facilitated technology transfer, assured buy back, price support system and also institutional credit and insurance. The provision of a market support system for a wide range of pulp wood, plywood, timber, and match wood exerted a significant influence among tree-growing farmers. In order to sustain these value chain innovations and interventions, an institutional mechanism, namely the Consortium of Industrial Agroforestry (CIAF), was established in 2015, which linked all value chain players and aided in resolving the issues in the entire production to consumption system (PCS) of agroforestry on a sustainable basis. Over the years, these innovative interventions have had a significant impact in terms of area increase, productivity and profitability improvement coupled with safeguarding the social and environmental concerns of agroforestry farmers from a holistic perspective. The Consortium-based Value Chain on Industrial Agroforestry model has a very good replication potential not only within India, but also elsewhere across the global landscape.

A life cycle sustainability assessment of organic and conventional pork supply chains in Sweden

Most existing life cycle assessment studies that have compared the sustainability of organic and conventional pork supply chains are environmental assessments. The economic and social sustainability dimensions of pork supply chains are currently under-researched. The study reported here was designed to assess the environmental, economic and social sustainability of conventional and organic pork in Sweden. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment was undertaken using 20 indicators expressed per unit product (1000 kg pork fork weight) and per unit area (1000 ha of farmland) for the four main subsystems in pork supply chains: (1) farm and feed production, (2) slaughter, (3) wholesaling and retailing, and (4) consumption. The organic pork supply chain out-performed the conventional chain in 11 of the 20 indicators expressed per unit product and 18 of the 20 indicators expressed per unit area. It was therefore the more sustainable of the two chains in nearly all the indicators expressed per unit area. However, the organic supply chain was less sustainable in some of the indicators expressed per unit product because, more feed per kg of pork was required in organic pork production. Pig welfare improvement leads to higher production costs and environmental impacts. Assessment of all three sustainability dimensions – environmental, economic and social – helps to identify trade-offs between these three pillars of sustainability. However, the selection of indicators influences results, and obtaining environmental, economic and social data simultaneously is challenging.