Hectares Of Agricultural Land Research Articles

INVESTMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The article is dedicated to exploring the state of investment activity in the agricultural sector of the Ukrainian economy. The article analyzes trends in attracting investment resources by types of economic activity from 2018 to 2022. It is determined that investments in agriculture occupy a significant share in the overall structure of capital investments. The growth of investment resources in agriculture over five years (2018–2022) amounted to 3.8 billion UAH or 5.9%. In 2023, specialists in demining surveyed 274 thousand hectares of agricultural land in Ukraine, and already 208 thousand hectares were transferred to the agricultural sector for use. The main directions of investment in agriculture were also identified, including technology modernization, infrastructure development, crop production, livestock development, ecological investments, support for small farms, and the development of agritourism.

Agrivoltaic Systems: Potential Opportunities for South Africa

South Africa has seen a drastic uptake of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with an increasing number of solar farms over the last decade. From an available land perspective, there is also much potential to significantly expand the generation capacity, when compared to the rest of the world. More than 80% of the land area has a solar resource greater than 1600 kWh/m2/yr. Over 79% of the land is used for agricultural purposes, yet only 22.5% of the installed PV capacity is in the agricultural sector. This highlights the potential of dual land usage with agrivoltaic systems. This paper investigates the opportunities to develop such systems by considering agricultural production in South Africa that may be suitable – to pave the way forward for the implementation of appropriate agrivoltaic systems in the country. A Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis was undertaken, considering the solar resource and land with a slope of less than 2 degree – to minimise construction costs. Current large-scale solar projects in South Africa indicate that at least 0.6 GWh of electricity can be generated annually per hectare. The current total capacity (of all sources) generated around 237 TWh of electricity in 2022. To generate an equal amount of electricity with agrivoltaic systems would then (roughly) require less than 400 thousand hectares of agricultural land; or less than 2% of the available land suitable for agrivoltaic systems (depending on the designed panel density). Further site-specific techno-economic analyses are underway to provide greater insight into the potential opportunities for South Africa.

Remote sensing and GIS-based inventory and analysis of the unprecedented 2021 forest fires in Türkiye’s history

AbstractIn the summer of 2021, Türkiye experienced unprecedented forest fire events. Throughout that fire season, a total of 291 fire incidents, covering an area of 202,361 hectares, dominated the public agenda. This study aimed to document and analyze the 30 large fires (affecting over 100 hectares) of 2021 using remote sensing and GIS techniques. A comprehensive fire database was established, encompassing information on burned areas, fire severity, and fuel types, determined from forest-stand types and topographical properties including slope, elevation, and aspect (in eight directions). Sentinel-2 satellite images were utilized to calculate dNBR values for assessing fire severity, analyzed in the Google Earth Engine platform. Three GIS-integrated Python scripts were developed to construct the fire database. In total, 164,658 hectares were affected by these large fires, occurring solely in three regions of Türkiye: the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Eastern Anatolian. The majority of the burned area was situated in the Mediterranean region (59%), with only 3% in Eastern Anatolia. The burned areas ranged from a minimum of 150 hectares to a maximum of 58,798 hectares. Additionally, 679 hectares of residential areas and 22,601 hectares of agricultural land were impacted by the fire events. For each fire, 21 fuel types and their distribution were determined. The most prevalent fire-prone class, “Pure Turkish pine species (Pr-Çz),” accounted for 59.56% of the total affected area (99,516 hectares). Another significant fire-prone pine species, the “Pure Black pine species (Pr-Çk),” covered 7.67% (12,811 hectares) of the affected area. Fuel types were evaluated by considering both forest-stand development stages and canopy closure. Regarding forest-stand development stages, the largest area percentage burned belonged to the “Mature” class (26.48%).

Market transformations in the development of land relations (experience of Canada and Scotland)

The development of land relations today remains one of the most important tasks of Ukraine. The priority directions for the development of such relations are the creation of conditions for the inclusion of land to the economic circulation and the regulation of land relations in combination with the increase of budget revenues of all levels from the use of land.
 In modern conditions, the land policy of developed countries creates mechanisms for regulating the land market with a multifaceted socio-economic content. This complex process is accompanied by the reform of land relations. Effective management of land resources ensures the development of the land market. Discussions regarding the creation of a full-fledged land market in Ukraine are still ongoing. Analysis of foreign experience will allow to transform land relations in Ukraine.
 Natural resources are diverse, but land is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for most countries. They are trying to achieve high rates of economic growth, which, in turn, are related to the development of land resources. It often turns out that such «development» is connected with the seizure of a million hectares of agricultural land by rich corporations or even foreign states. Deprivation of rights to land claims the status of the most famous and, at the same time, little-researched form of deprivation of rights not only in modern literature devoted to «land grabbing», but also in classical theory in general. The article discusses the factors contributing to «land grabbing». Global factors causing similar processes in Canada and Scotland, current consequences, future risks are identified. It was established that the factors of «grabbing of land» for agricultural purposes are of different nature. This is a significant price differentiation on the land market, and the increase in the investment attractiveness of agricultural land, the consequences of privatization and land consolidation. The leading role of the state in the investment process and the existence of a strategy for spreading the influence of the countries in question, which is implemented in parallel with the purchase of land, are shown.

Land management without burning and corn productivity enhancement during long dry season in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

In long dry season (El Nino), thousand hectares of agricultural land in Indonesia to experience drought, and sometimes wildfires occur naturally. Land management without burning and environmentally friendly agricultural cultivation needs to be done in the long dry season. It is not recommended to use crop residue that is burned on the land, since the residue can be composted into organic matter which later is returned to the agricultural land as organic fertilizer. Currently, about 40% farmers use local corn varieties. Corn farming lands in Indonesia are generally deficient in nitrogen. Consequently, drought tolerant new superior corn varieties complemented with right dose fertilizer based on plant needs, especially N fertilizer, are needed to increase corn productivity in the dry season. This research aimed to ascertain adaptive hybrid corn varieties and right N fertilizer rate on the growth and productivity of corn planted on the land without burning. The experimental design was Randomized Complete Block Design consisting of 2 factors. The first factor was corn varieties, namely Bima 19, Nasa 29, and JH 21; whereas, the second factor was N fertilizer rate, namely 64, 86.5, 109, and 131.5 kg ha-1. The combination of the two factors consisted of 12 treatments, which were repeated 3 times. The results showed that there was an interaction between the new high yielding varieties and the N fertilizer rate on corn productivity. Greater yields were performed in Bima 19 with N rate of 109 and 131.5 kg ha-1 and Nasa 29 with N rate of 131.5 kg ha-1 i.e., 8.45, 7.94, and 8.04 t ha-1, respectively. Bima 19 and Nasa 29 are drought tolerant high yielding corn varieties.

Correlation and regression assessment of the main factors influence on the change in the level of the net profitability of sales

Ensuring the positive dynamics of the agricultural organizations development taking into account their specifics is an extremely difficult process. It is due to the seasonal nature of the activity and significant dependence on external factors. In this regard, it requires high efficiency of management personnel, which is expressed in the quality of the development strategy being designed, the ability to analyze the current results achieved in their correlation, based on the results of the analysis, to make adjustments to the development strategy and current activities. To solve these problems, a system of indicators is important, which will make it possible to draw objective conclusions on the analysis of the relevant subject of research. In the proposed article, the author uses the correlation method to analyze and study the impact on the profitability of sales of such indicators as labor productivity, return on capital of production assets, turnover of working capital, labor capital ratio, current liquidity ratio, investments per 1 hectare of agricultural land. For the first time, the object of the study was twenty peasant farms in the region. As a result of the analysis, a forecast of the level of management efficiency dependence of on selected factors was made, calculated on the database of the studied enterprises in the region. The use of the systematic analysis of correlations will make it possible to make adjustments to current activities and thus ensure its positive dynamics and achieve the ultimate goal of ensuring financial stability.

Расчет поливной нормы при капельном орошении древесно-плодовых культур в садовых насаждениях

Purpose: to develop the methodology for calculating irrigation rate for drip irrigation of tree-fruit crops, ensuring the formation of moistened soil contours in soil space with the required geometric and moisture parameters. Materials and methods. The empirical basis for the methodology development was the materials of the author's research devoted to determining the geometric dimensions (parameters) of soil moisture contours. The working hypothesis of the study involved determining the water supply rate for one emitter, one tree-fruit plant and a number of crops in the plantation, with further determining drip irrigation rate per unit area of drip-irrigated agricultural land, taking into account the number of drip micro-water outlets located on it. Results and discussion. When determining the geometric parameters of moisture contours and water supply rate, the main soil and technological parameters of drip irrigation and contour formation (physical clay content in soil, its lowest moisture capacity and bulk density, levels of pre-irrigation and after-irrigation soil moisture, specified depth soil profile moistening and dripper consumption) were considered as influence factors. The dependencies obtained by the author make it possible to determine the linear, areal and volumetric dimensions of local moisture contours and water supply rate, which, under appropriate conditions of drip irrigation, ensures the formation of a local, initially formed moisture contour with the required soil wetting depth in the soil layer. A study of the proposed methodology showed a deviation of the predicted parameters from the experimental soil moisture contours within ±10.0 %. Conclusions. A methodology allowing determining the irrigation rate for drip irrigation of agricultural land as the sum of the water supply rates of all drip water outlets irrigating 1 hectare of agricultural land with practical accuracy has been developed.

Расчет поливной нормы при капельном орошении древесно-плодовых культур в садовых насаждениях

Purpose: to develop the methodology for calculating irrigation rate for drip irrigation of tree-fruit crops, ensuring the formation of moistened soil contours in soil space with the required geometric and moisture parameters. Materials and methods. The empirical basis for the methodology development was the materials of the author's research devoted to determining the geometric dimensions (parameters) of soil moisture contours. The working hypothesis of the study involved determining the water supply rate for one emitter, one tree-fruit plant and a number of crops in the plantation, with further determining drip irrigation rate per unit area of drip-irrigated agricultural land, taking into account the number of drip micro-water outlets located on it. Results and discussion. When determining the geometric parameters of moisture contours and water supply rate, the main soil and technological parameters of drip irrigation and contour formation (physical clay content in soil, its lowest moisture capacity and bulk density, levels of pre-irrigation and after-irrigation soil moisture, specified depth soil profile moistening and dripper consumption) were considered as influence factors. The dependencies obtained by the author make it possible to determine the linear, areal and volumetric dimensions of local moisture contours and water supply rate, which, under appropriate conditions of drip irrigation, ensures the formation of a local, initially formed moisture contour with the required soil wetting depth in the soil layer. A study of the proposed methodology showed a deviation of the predicted parameters from the experimental soil moisture contours within ±10.0 %. Conclusions. A methodology allowing determining the irrigation rate for drip irrigation of agricultural land as the sum of the water supply rates of all drip water outlets irrigating 1 hectare of agricultural land with practical accuracy has been developed.

Comprehensive assessment of degradation and methods of phytomelioration of low-yielding soils of the Volga region

In the Volgograd Region, more than 3.9 million hectares of agricultural land, including 2.1 million hectares of arable land (36%), and 1.8 million hectares of hayfields and pastures (64%), are subject to degradation and desertification to one degree or another. The article presents the results of a survey of the Trans-Volga region, by the percentage ratio of areas of low-yielding soils subject to degrading factors and calculations of a complex indicator of soil Dр. It was found that the low-productive lands of the Bykovsky district are subject to a moderate level of degradation (Dp = 0.94). An increased level of soil degradation was noted in the Mykolaiv and Staropoltavsky districts with a Dp equal to 0.91 and 0.89. A high level of degradation was detected in the Leninsky, Pallasovsky and Sredneakhtubinsky districts with Dp equal to 0.87, 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. In areas with a moderate level of degradation, a set of measures with superficial improvement is proposed. With an increased and high level of degradation, it is proposed to use root and surface improvement with the use of drought-resistant and halophytic vegetation. The results of calculations of the complex, indicator of the degree of degradation of low-yielding lands of the Volga region and the proposed methods of phytomelioration are the basis for making tactical decisions to reduce the impact of degradation factors on the soil.

Wavelet Analysis of a Sentinel-2 Time Series to Detect Land Use Changes in Agriculture in the Vega Alta of the Guadalquivir River: Cantillana Case Study (Seville)

Historically, the Vega Alta of the Guadalquivir River (southern Spain) has been an anthropized space. Over time, the dominance of latifundia agriculture has evolved towards more intensive citrus-based agriculture. In this study, wavelet algorithms applied to Sentinel-2 time series were used to determine both the expansion of citrus plantations and the level of intensification of these plantations within the municipality of Cantillana. Sentinel-2 provides comprehensive global coverage from March 2017 to the present. Our study applied a 90% power wavelet transformation for the creation of a wavelet-smoothed time series for four years of Sentinel-2 NDVI data. Based on the data, it can be stated that within our research region covering 5000 hectares of agricultural land, over a span of four years (2017 to 2020), more than 980 hectares of native vegetation and pasture were transformed into citrus orchards, giving rise, at the end of 2020, to a total area of 3250 ha. Analyzing unique spatial patterns within a wavelet-smoothed time series data is very useful for land management, as it allows land use changes to be controlled. For this reason, it becomes feasible to assess the reliability of the wavelet method using both remote sensing and GIS tools.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM REFORM IN GEORGIA: A BRIEF LEGAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Effective irrigation and drainage systems have always been the most significant components of the sustainable development of Georgian agriculture. Almost half a million hectares of agricultural land is irrigated by irrigation systems in Georgia. The increase of reclamation areas is the basis for the growth of agricultural products, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for Georgia's position restoration as an exporting country. Taking into account that one of the main tasks of the country is the rehabilitation, modernization, raising of the technical level, and the technological and organizational perfection of its effective functioning in order to increase the fertility and yield of the soil, the development of the law of Georgia on water user organizations is on the agenda. That is the first attempt to legally regulate the land artificial irrigation issues, which will contribute to overcoming the three main challenges in the irrigation system: (1) perfect operation of the irrigation system and supply of irrigation water to users; (2) maintaining systems in good condition and (3) increasing revenues to carry out the above two activities. The paper highlights the challenges of the reclamation system of Georgia. The possibilities of implementing a new model of irrigation system management are analyzed. The legal and economic aspects of the ongoing reforms in the irrigation sector are discussed. Establishing an affordable, reliable, stable irrigation system in Georgia will help strengthen the agro-sector and the country's economy as a whole.

A Study on Knowledge Level and Attitude of Farmers towards Organic Farming in Ananthapuramu District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Organic farming is practicing in 187 countries, and 72.3 million hectares of agricultural land were managed organically by at least 3.1 million farmers. India is home to 30% of total organic producers in the world having 2.30 million ha (NCOF, 2021). A study was conducted in ten mandals of Ananthapuramu district with sample size of 100 and farmers were selected randomly. Pearson correlation, frequency, percentage, mean were calculated. From the results it was noticed that farmers have more knowledge related to statements viz., organic farming is a type of farming system in which crops are grown without the use of chemical inputs (85%) and knowledge gap percentage was 15. Farmers have positive attitude on statement I can obtain optimum production level in organic farming if we rear livestock at our farm with score of 244 and attitude gap percentage of 20 followed by organic farming will decrease the production cost by reducing the input purchases score of 243 and attitude gap percentage of 19. Education, extension contact, information seeking behaviour and awareness about organic farming variables were positively significant and highly correlated with attitude of farmers towards organic cultivation. Major constraints faced by the farmers were lack of skill regarding the preparation and usage of organic inputs (80%) followed by complicated methods for production of organic inputs and absence of premium price for organic produce in the local market (71%). Major suggestion were direct procurement of organic produce by government and supply to Midday Meals Scheme and Public Distribution System.

Utilization of Fly Ash from Lignite Combustion in Materials Sealing Hydro-Technical Structures

In Poland, approximately 2 million hectares of agricultural land are at risk of flooding, which constitutes approximately 7% of the country’s area, half of which is protected by flood embankments. The total length of the embankments is approximately 8.5 thousand km. kilometers. The age of the embankments and their related technical condition, as well as insufficient funds allocated for maintenance and renovation, mean that the flood risk in the areas protected by the embankments is higher than would result from the geometric parameters of the embankments and floods assumed for their design. The need to renovate embankments, including their sealing, causes an increase in interest in new technological and material solutions, and it is expected that these solutions will be pro-ecological: low-emission and consistent with the idea of a circular economy. The research was aimed at presenting the possibility of using fly ash from lignite combustion (low-rank coal) in Pątnów Power Plant, in raw form and fractions separated from it. The article presents the method of preparation and properties of hardening slurries containing mineral by-products of coal combustion. The tests showed the usefulness of the fly ashes used as the main component of hardening slurries. Additionally, a beneficial effect of the fine fraction (0–30 μm) of fly ash on the properties of the slurry, especially on tightness and hydraulic conductivity, was found.

Organic Farming in India: Evolution, Current Status and Policy Perspectives

The performance of the agricultural sector is key for the development of the economy, especially for developing economies. It helps the economy in various ways, such as increased income for farmers, employment in rural areas, and, most importantly, food security. With the growing demand for food, farmers use extensive fertilisers and pesticides to increase productivity. This irrational use of fertilisers reduces soil fertility, pollutes rivers, kills plants and animals, and is linked to many human diseases. Thus, conventional farming raises many concerns related to the environment as well as human health. The emergence of organic farming is because of certain limitations of conventional farming. In our country, organic farming practices are taking a new shape. India has 1.59 million organic producers with 2.7 million hectares of agricultural land under organic agriculture. The current paper aims to describe the evolution and status of organic agriculture in India. It also seeks to probe the impact of organic agriculture on various aspects of farming and economy. The paper also aims to identify the constraints in the growth of organic agriculture. Further, based on the findings, the paper proposes new development models for the sustainable growth of the agriculture sector in India. Through this, a perspective is provided on the current state and policy alternatives with innovative organic farming models for the welfare of farmers and people at large.

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS USE IN CONDITIONS OF POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION

The article summarizes the study of strategic directions in land use under the conditions of sustainable development and efficiency in agricultural enterprises with different production structures. The author uses grouping, a correlation method, reliability check of differences in averages, using t-Student method as `a research methods. Calculating the specialization coefficient according to the structure of cultivated areas, the author assessed crop rotation structure at enterprises. The research included 515 enterprises in Kharkiv region according to 2020 data. The article established that with a value of the specialization coefficient of up to 0.25, 2,482,000 UAH of marketable products accounted for 100 hectares of agricultural land, and with an increase of more than 0.85 – 2,120,000 UAH. The probability that these values are not random is quite high -83.5%. The enterprises with a larger number of crops in the crop rotation had a larger average area of agricultural land. According to the indicator of profit per unit of land area and the level of profitability, the enterprises with an average and high coefficient of specialization turned out to be the most efficient. Moreover, the enterprises with a specialization coefficient of up to 0.55 had the largest rent. In the course of work, the author built a regression dependence model of rent on the size of agricultural land, the specific weight of animal husbandry in the structure of marketable products, and the value of the specialization coefficient. According to the results of this model, only the value of the specialization coefficient had a negative effect on the amount of rent. The article emphasizes that in the period of post-war reconstruction, the strategic directions of state policy in the agricultural sector should be aimed at supporting multi-industry enterprises oriented towards the production of livestock products. This should ensure not only the economic efficiency of land use, but also the sustainability of the entire agricultural development

ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE USE OF CHEMICALS IN AGRICULTURE: THE CASE OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

This study investigates the effects of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural lands on gross domestic product. The primary purpose of this study; is to prove that conscious chemical support policies should be applied in agriculture to increase yield and quality in agricultural lands. The study's hypothesis is; when fertilizers and pesticides are used in fertile agricultural lands, the agricultural sector's contribution to the gross domestic product increases. Panel data analysis was conducted for 27 countries covering 2000-2020. In the analysis, the contribution of agriculture to the gross domestic product is taken as the dependent variable. Independent variables; the amount of chemical fertilizer used, hectares of agricultural lands, and pesticides used. The analysis concluded that chemical fertilizers and pesticides affected the dependent variable significantly and positively. In addition, it is understood that the dependent variable's most influential factor is agricultural land. As a result, to increase agriculture's contribution to the gross domestic product, countries should educate farmers about the effects and correct use of pesticides and fertilizers. Thus, agricultural productivity and product quality will be increased.

The Prediction of The Drought Index in The Indragiri Watershed Using SARIMA and SPI Methods

Farmers are concerned about the problem of drought in agriculture because it will disrupt the production system and cause losses. In 2015, the Indragiri Hulu area experienced a drought on 273 hectares of agricultural land. This area is part of the Indragiri River Watershed in Riau Province. To prevent the impact of future droughts, forecasting is required. The level of drought is influenced by rainfall, so the Seasonal Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) method is used to model rainfall data. In addition, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is also used to analyze the drought index. After the analysis, it was found that the best model in forecasting is SARIMA model (1,0,1)(2,1,1)12 with an average residual square of 18.0175, and the drought index in the Indragiri watershed is currently included in the "Normal" category. The results of this forecasting are expected to assist the Riau Province National Disaster Management Agency in anticipating and mitigating the impact of future drought disasters.

MEDICINAL PLAHTS OF BADAKHSHAN PROVINCE OF AFGHANISTAN

For hundreds of centuries, humans have been trying to get rid of vital problems such as nutrition. They were always fighting for the provision of clothes for the continuation of life and especially for the treatment of health diseases that afflicted them. One of the most important ways of their struggle against all the problems of life, especially deadly diseases, was to turn to plants, especially medical and medicinal plants. The Chinese and Japanese believe that their medical information based on herbal medicine existed hundreds of centuries ago, and the historical documents available to them show that three thousand years before Christ, large gardens and farms were built in that country to cultivate medicinal plants. However, every year, hundreds of hectares of agricultural land in Western and American countries are allocated for the cultivation of medicinal plants, so that in the year (1998) AD, 65,000 hectares of agricultural land in America were allocated only for the cultivation of mint. This indicates the value and position of medicinal and medicinal plants in human life. It is mentionable that plants, in addition to their medical and medicinal values, were also used as a suitable source of food for humans in ancient times, and humans benefit significantly from the existence of plants on the earth. Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan, with its special geographical area such as high mountains and useful water resources, has been a suitable environment for the growth and development of all kinds of plants, especially medical and medicinal plants. This subject has encouraged researchers to research and work for knowing these valuable plants. Key words: Medicinal plants, value of medicinal plants, usages, protection methods, medicinal plant in Badakhshan.

Romanya’da tarım sektörü ve arazi mülkiyet durumu (1990-2020).

Romanya 13,8 milyon hektar tarım arazisiyle Avrupa Birliği Ülkelerinin toplam tarım alanın % 7,2’sine sahiptir. Ülkede yaşanan siyasi rejim değişikleri ve Avrupa Birliği üyeliği, arazi mülkiyetinde yapısal değişime sebep oldu. 1990 sonrasında büyük çiftlik arazilerinin halka dağıtılması sonucu tarlalar küçük parsellere bölündü. Romanya’nın AB’ye katılım sürecinde ve 2007’de gerçekleşen tam üyelik sonrasında yapılan yasal düzenlemeler, çok uluslu şirketlerin kiralama ve satın almalar yoluyla büyük arazilere sahip olmalarını sağladı. 1990 ile 2020 yılları arasını kapsayan bu çalışmada, Romanya’daki arazi mülkiyetinin devlet, bireysel üretici ve tüzel kişiliğe sahip işletmeler şeklinde yıllara göre değişimi ortaya konulmaktadır. Mısır, buğday ve ayçiçeğinin ekim alanı, üretim miktarı ve verimliliğin yıllara göre değişimi, örnek teşkil etmesi adına tablolar şeklinde gösterilmektedir. AB ülkelerinde kullanılan NUTS sınıflandırması ile Romanya 8 bölgeye ayrılarak incelenmiştir. Kaynak olarak, FAOSTAT ve Romanya Ulusal İstatistik Ajansı esas alınmıştır. Arazi kullanımı verileri CORINE tarafından sağlanmış ve ARCMap ortamında oluşturulmuştur.

What follows fallow? Assessing revegetation patterns on abandoned sugarcane land in Hawaiʻi

Millions of hectares of agricultural land have been abandoned globally in recent decades, presenting opportunities for secondary vegetation growth and restoration. While abandoned fields have the potential to return to ecological communities with similar species diversity to their pre-agricultural state, they alternatively may transition to novel ecosystems or persist in degraded states that may have alternative functions that impact ecological and human communities. Yet we lack an understanding of how vegetation naturally recovers on disturbed lands. Using remote sensing and land survey data, we characterized the structure, composition, and function of secondary vegetation canopies on former sugarcane fields in Hawaiʻi that were abandoned between 4 and 117 years ago. We used a species distribution model to identify patches of uncultivated land with similar environmental conditions to abandoned sugarcane fields to serve as reference ecosystems. Using these reference ecosystems, we evaluated how secondary ecosystems at different ages since abandonment compare in terms of canopy structure, composition, and function. Grasses were prevalent in the years immediately following abandonment, but shrubs and trees dominated canopy structure on fields that had been abandoned more than 20 years. Non-native species constituted most of the secondary vegetation, but native vegetation cover increased on sugarcane fields that had been abandoned longer than 25 years. Secondary vegetation recovered canopy functional traits in ≤ 53 years since abandonment. Completely recovering the structural properties of reference ecosystems would require over a century. Abandoned sugarcane fields are unlikely to recover the native composition of reference ecosystems through unassisted vegetation recovery. Our findings contribute to a growing body of literature that characterizes whether and when the globally increasing area of abandoned agricultural land may passively recover, which can direct restoration efforts on abandoned lands to enhance ecosystem services or guide alternative management to achieve socio-cultural objectives.