Increase In Land Area Research Articles

Desertification dynamics in China's drylands under climate change

Much of drylands has been hit by land degradation during the recent decades. But whether and how desertification is related to climate change is poorly understood. Here, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series and climatic variables, we assessed the desertification dynamics over China's drylands from 1982 to 2016 and explored the climate change impacts, with a particular focus on the influence of the 2015/2016 El Niño event. We found a fluctuant downward trend of barren land area from 1982 to the early 2010s, but followed by a sharp increase afterwards. Decrease in precipitation combined with high temperature are major contributors to the barren land expansion. During the 2015/2016 El Niño, the concurrence of severe drought and heat stress gave rise to the most serious land desertification in the record. Hyper-arid and arid drylands are the predominant contributors to the abrupt barren land area increase during 2015/2016. Our findings, therefore, highlight the climate change impacts on dryland desertification processes. Future dryland expansion and accompanying drought stress may exacerbate the risk of land degradation in these regions.

Integrated analysis of opportunities and trade-offs for mixed crop-livestock farm types in Amhara, Ethiopia

CONTEXTIn Ethiopia, many agricultural interventions have been introduced for mixed farm types in different biophysical and socioeconomic conditions. The contribution of such interventions to multi-objectives at farm level and beyond remains unclear. OBJECTIVETo derive insights into interaction of multi-objectives on economic profit-, nutrition security-, and environmental performance that are relevant for improvement of farm household living income in Amhara, Ethiopia. METHODSFarmDESIGN model evaluated performance of four stylized medium- and small-scale farm types in a low (Lay Gayint)- and high (South Achefer)- potential district: LG-M, LG-S, SA-M and SA-S. Pareto-based multi-objective optimization was performed to maximize farm profit, livestock density, dietary energy and vitamin A yield, and minimize GHG and soil N losses. Further analysis resulted in 3–4 clusters per farm type with varied farm configurations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSHigher dietary energy- and vitamin A- yield that meets household and Ethiopian society requirements increased synergistically with profit in three of the four farm type clusters, while LG-S clusters could only increase vitamin A yield substantially with profit. Only LG-M clusters intensified livestock by addition of 4–8 crossbred cows and 1–10 chickens, supported by imported feed and off-farm grazing but face strong environmental trade-offs of increased GHG and soil N losses. Chicken production (eggs and chicken meat) is an option to reduce environmental impact, increase profit and contribute to both human nutrition requirements. In LG-S, SA-M and SA-S farm type clusters, profit was generated mainly from sale of eucalyptus, maize, potato, carrot, finger millet, garlic, beetroot and banana, with eucalyptus accounting at least 35% of the crop profit. Livestock diversification in these clusters also contributed to farm revenue, but always to a smaller extent, due to relatively high management costs. A living income from farming activities was only achieved on SA-M3 as 3.96 USD/capita/day (+0.36 above the threshold). This cluster had a 2.90 ha land area, farm income almost equally generated from crop and livestock production, and successfully met all set objectives except maximizing livestock density. SIGNIFICANCEOur study infers the need to increase land area, expand poultry and rear crossbred cows, and cultivate high value crops to realize a living income solely from agricultural activities. For implementation, current land-use policies should support farm area expansion. The suggested agricultural options, which already align with current Ethiopian development plans, must utilize sustainable measures that will not lead to short- or long-term challenges as higher GHG and soil nutrient mining.

The Pattern of Coastline Changes and Wave Modelling around the Expansion of PPI Popoh Tulung Agung, East Java

The expansion of the Popoh PPI in Popoh Village, Tulungagung, East Java affects the movement of currents and waves in the vicinity. The purpose of this study was to analysis sediments and the pattern of coastline changes and to elaborate these using wave modelling based around the expansion of the Fish Landing Port Popoh. The methods used in this research were sieve analysis, remote sensing and GIS for processing Sentinel-2 imagery, and hydrodynamic modeling using DHI MIKE 21. Sediment sampling was carried out based on a purposive sampling method, with 10 points spread over land and water using a sediment grab. The findings of the study showed that there was a fairly large accretion from 2015 to 2021, with sand and clay sediment types. The accretion process dominated the abrasion process at Popoh Beach. In the period 2015 to 2018, the area of ​​accretion was 17.78 hectares and, in the period 2018 to 2021, the area of ​​accretion was 9.32 hectares, so that for 6 years there was an accretion of 18.79 hectares. The average wave energy was 1.5 kW/m per year on eroded beaches with sandy sediments. Highlights A sizable increase in land area from 2015 to 2021 with sand and clay sediment types The area of ​​increase in the 2015 - 2018 period was 17.78 hectares and in the 2018 - 2021 period it was 9.32 hectares The beach accretion process is more dominant than the beach abrasion process in Popoh Beach The average wave energy of 1.5 kW/m per year has eroded the sandy beaches of Popoh Beach

Analysis of China’s Coastline Changes during 1990–2020

As the boundary between the sea and the land, information on the location and type of coastline constantly changes with environmental changes in coastal zones. Monitoring of coastline changes in long time series becomes important for the monitoring and assessment of the coastal zone environment. In this study, Landsat series images from five time periods (1990, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2020) were selected for monitoring and analyzing the changes in coastline length, sea–land pattern, the index of coastline diversity, and fractal dimension characteristics. Our conclusions are as follows: (1) The lengths of the entire coastline and the artificial coastline of mainland China increased from 30,041.22 km and 10,022.49 km in 1990 to 32,977.34 km and 17,660.84 km in 2020, with annual change rates of 97.87 km/year and 254.61 km/year, respectively. From 1990 to 2020, the rate of natural coastline decreased from 66.68% to 42.29%, and the artificial coastline increased from 33.32% to 57.71%. (2) The length of natural coastline decreased from 20,018.73 km to 15,316.5 km; among the types of natural coastline, the length of sandy coastline and bedrock coastline decreased the most, at 2062.95 km and 1815.8 km, respectively. (3) The coastal zone of mainland China had a significant increase in land area, with a net increase of about 10,902.55 km2. (4) The index of coastline diversity continued to decrease, and the coastline structure tended to be simple. The fractal dimension of the mainland coastline was consistent with the trend of the length of the coastline, which basically shows an increasing trend. Therefore, the length of the mainland coastline and artificial coastline displayed an upward trend between 1990 and 2020, which also led to simpler coastline diversity and more complex coastline shapes. Since the first year of the SDGs (2015), the growth rate of the artificial coastline has decreased by 158.32 km/year compared with that between 2010 and 2015. In recent years, China has enacted a number of laws, regulations, and action plans to protect its coastline, and it has proposed that by 2020, the proportion of natural coastline will be no less than 35%. The rapid development of China’s coastal areas drives the construction of coastal zone cities but also creates a variety of challenges for the ecological environment of the coastal zone, and the management and sustainable use of the mainland coastline resources should be further strengthened.

Production Risk Analysis for Organic Cabbage Farming in Semarang District, Central Java

There is some risk and uncertainty involved with purchasing organic cabbage. Farming is highly susceptible to natural phenomena such as high rainfall and pest infestations. It will have consequences for the development of the harvested area, and fluctuations in production can indicate a risk to agricultural production. This study aims to determine the factors that influence organic cabbage production and to determine the factors that affect the risk of organic cabbage production in Getasan District. The Semarang Regency, where this study was conducted, is the largest cabbage market. A total of 73 farmers were selected using a census-based sample from four INOFICE-certified organic farmer groups: Batur Village, Wates Village, Tajuk Village, and Kopeng Village. The analysis method utilized the Just and Pope production risk function and the Cobb-Douglass type production function. The Cobb-Douglass production function analysis revealed that land area, seeds, manure, and cropping patterns all positively and substantially affected organic cabbage production, but only to a limited extent. According to the Just and Pope production risk function, the risk associated with farming organic cabbage could be mitigated by increasing land area and diversity in cropping patterns.

KAJIAN DAS AIR DINGIN DITINJAU DARI PERUBAHAN TUTUPAN LAHAN TAHUN 2008 - 2021

This research was conducted in the Air Dingin watershed of West Sumatra which aim calculating changes of land cover area in Air Dingin watershed (2008 – 2021). To determine land cover changes using maximum likelihood classification by utilizing Arc Map 10.8. It can classify land cover change and Microsoft Excel software to calculate land cover change. The result shows that the landcover change of Air Dingin Watershed in 2008 - 2021 largest increase in the shrub area by 392.60 ha (3.1%) and followed by dry land agriculture which increased 215.18 ha (1.7 %), building area increased by 148.68 ha (1.2%), mixed gardens by 16.94 ha (0.1%). The increase in land area will be followed by a reduction in land cover, which has the largest decrease in forest area, namely 635.58 ha (5.0%), followed by a decrease in paddy fields of 129.25 ha (1.0%) , waters decreased by 8.57 ha (0.1%).

Chasing Performance of Protected Area Management in Nepal

Nepal represents a unique biodiversity which is associated with higher topographic variation and regional climate. The landscape 60 m above sea level reaching its maximum elevation up to 8.8 kilometers, strong monsoon system entering from south east of Nepal and westerly entering from the west contribute to considerable variety of life forms in the relatively smaller land area. The rich biodiversity not only forms the part of many ecological systems in the region but also provides varieties of ecosystem service in the region. Realizing the efficacy of conservation of biological and natural resources, the early conservation efforts were initiated in Nepal in the early 1970s when the concept of Protected Area (PAs) was in its rudimentary stage. Since then PA management achieved its greater heights in Nepal marching to include 30% land area of Nepal under PAs, which is perfectly following AICHI Target of 2030. In this communication, we have accessed the achievements and lapses in PAs management in Nepal. It is claimed the considerable increase in land areas and types of protected areas, and visible lapses in PAs management. Basically, it is very critical to pinpoint biodiversity hotspots and species endemism before setting aside protected areas for conservation. It emphasizes that it has been a high time to initiate the conservation of several small protected areas in order to complement the existing single large protected area system. Further, I recommend the equal conservation consciousness for areas outside conservation areas in Nepal with more focus on educating people for caring Mother Nature.

Evapotranspiration and carbon exchange of the main agroecosystems and their responses to agricultural land use change in North China Plain

The North China Plain (NCP) plays an important role in food production while there is serious groundwater overexploitation in this area. The quantified relationship between the variation in evapotranspiration (ET) and net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and agricultural land use change in NCP remains unclear. In this study, based on the eddy covariance method, water balance method, and remote sensing data, ET and NEE variations were quantified and the impacts of agricultural land use change from 2002 to 2012 on regional ET and NEE variation were analyzed. The average ET and NEE of the winter wheat – summer maize cropland ecosystem were 714.2 mm yr-1 and − 534.3 gC m-2 yr-1, respectively. Correspondingly, the above values were 786.2 mm yr-1 and 667.5 gC m-2 yr-1 for the pear orchard ecosystem, and 778.6 mm yr-1 and 814.8 gC m-2 yr-1 for the vegetable field ecosystem, which had relatively high ET and ecosystem productivity. The average annual ET and NEE of the cotton field ecosystem were only 592.0 mm and − 351.3 gC m-2, respectively. Agricultural land area increased by 331.2 × 103 ha over 2002–2012, which was caused by the increasing land area of spring maize, forest/fruit trees, and vegetables. As a result, the ET and NEE of the agroecosystems in NCP increased by 25.6 × 108 m3 and − 257.9 × 104 tonC from 2002 to 2012, which are beneficial for carbon sequestration. However, the increase in carbon sink was at the cost of greater groundwater overexploitation due to increased regional water consumption. The planting of crops with high water consumption should be reduced as the surpluses of these agricultural products compared to the food demand in this region. These results are meaningful for reasonable planting structure adjustment of water-adaptive sustainable agricultural development in the NCP.

Assessment of Soil Capability and Crop Suitability Using Integrated Multivariate and GIS Approaches toward Agricultural Sustainability

Land evaluation has an important role in agriculture. Developing countries such as Egypt face many challenges as far as food security is concerned due to the increasing rates of population growth and the limited agriculture resources. The present study used multivariate analysis (PCA and cluster analysis) to assess soil capability in drylands, Meanwhile the Almagra model of Micro LEIS was used to evaluate land suitability for cultivated crops in the investigated area under the current (CS) and optimal scenario (OS) of soil management with the aim of determining the most appropriate land use based on physiographic units. A total of 15 soil profiles were selected to characterize the physiographic units of the investigated area. The results reveal that the high capability cluster (C1) occupied 31.83% of the total study area, while the moderately high capability (C2), moderate capability (C3), and low capability (C4) clusters accounted for 37.88%, 28.27%, and 2.02%, respectively. The limitation factors in the studied area were the high contents of CaCO3, the shallow soil depth, and the high salinity and high percentage of exchangeable sodium (% ESP) in certain areas. The application of OS enhanced the moderate suitability (S3) and unsuitable clusters (S5) to the suitable (S2) and marginally suitable (S4) categories, respectively, while the high suitability cluster (S1) had increased land area, which significantly affected the suitability of maize crop. The use of multivariate analysis for mapping and modeling soil suitability and capability can potentially help decision-makers to improve agricultural management practices and demonstrates the importance of appropriate management to achieving agricultural sustainability under intensive land use in drylands.

Land Cover Change Detection and Subsistence Farming Dynamics in the Fringes of Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda from 1978–2020

Analyzing the dominant forms and extent of land cover changes in the Mount Elgon region is important for tracking conservation efforts and sustainable land management. Mount Elgon’s rugged terrain limits the monitoring of these changes over large areas. This study used multitemporal satellite imagery to analyze and quantify the land cover changes in the upper Manafwa watershed of Mount Elgon, for 42 years covering an area of 320 km2. The study employed remote sensing techniques, geographic information systems, and software to map land cover changes over four decades (1978, 1988, 2001, 2010, and 2020). The maximum likelihood classifier and post-classification comparison technique were used in land cover classification and change detection analysis. The results showed a positive percentage change (gain) in planted forest (3966%), built-up (890%), agriculture (186%), and tropical high forest low-stocked (119%) and a negative percentage change (loss) in shrubs (−81%), bushland (−68%), tropical high forest well-stocked (−50%), grassland (−44%), and bare and sparsely vegetated surfaces (−14%) in the period of 1978–2020. The observed changes were concentrated mainly at the peripheries of the Mount Elgon National Park. The increase in population and rising demand for agricultural land were major driving factors. However, regreening as a restoration effort has led to an increase in land area for planted forests, attributed to an improvement in conservation-related activities jointly implemented by the concerned stakeholders and native communities. These findings revealed the spatial and temporal land cover changes in the upper Manafwa watershed. The results could enhance restoration and conservation efforts when coupled with studies on associated drivers of these changes and the use of very-high-resolution remote sensing on areas where encroachment is visible in the park.

Accelerated Domestication of New Crops: Yield is Key

Sustainable agriculture in the future will depend on crops that are tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses, require minimal input of water and nutrients and can be cultivated with a minimal carbon footprint. Wild plants that fulfill these requirements abound in nature but are typically low yielding. Thus, replacing current high-yielding crops with less productive but resilient species will require the intractable trade-off of increasing land area under cultivation to produce the same yield. Cultivating more land reduces natural resources, reduces biodiversity and increases our carbon footprint. Sustainable intensification can be achieved by increasing the yield of underutilized or wild plant species that are already resilient, but achieving this goal by conventional breeding programs may be a long-term prospect. De novo domestication of orphan or crop wild relatives using mutagenesis is an alternative and fast approach to achieve resilient crops with high yields. With new precise molecular techniques, it should be possible to reach economically sustainable yields in a much shorter period of time than ever before in the history of agriculture.

ANALISIS FAKTOR SOSIAL EKONOMI YANG MEMPENGARUHI PRODUKSI PETANI KOPI SANGGABUANA DI KECAMATAN TEGALWARU KABUPATEN KARAWANG

Karawang Regency has potential in coffee production, this is shown by the increase in land area in 2018 and 2019 by 0.024 ha with a production value of 207.20 tons in the same year with a productivity value of 0.50 Karawang compared to the Pangandaran area which experienced a decline. land area of 12.14 ha and has an increased production value from 2018 to 2019 of 15.60 tons with a productivity value of 0.44. The low coffee production in Tegalwaru District is because farmers who cultivate coffee are still simple, such as the absence of plant care, no fertilizer and pesticides are applied, it is necessary to research on socio-economic factors on production in Tegalwaru District, Karawang Regency. The purpose of this research is to determine the partial and simultaneous influence of socio-economic factors that affect coffee production. Samples were determined using the Slovin formula, sampling using themethod simple random sampling. The analysis technique used is multiple regression analysis, classical assumption test and hypothesis testing. The results showed that the simultaneous hypothesis testing of independent variables (land area, labor age, length of farming, number of dependents, and education) jointly affected the dependent variable (production). In the partial test, only the land area variable has a partial effect on production.

The Effect of Price, Land Area and Production Costs on Rice Farmer’s Income: Case in Bone Bolango Regency

This study aims to determine the effect of price, land area and production costs on the income of rice farmers in North Toto Village, Tilongkabila District, Bone Bolango Regency. Data collection techniques used in this study were observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation. With a total sample of 44 farmers in North Toto Village. This research method uses a quantitative approach with multiple linear regression model analysis. The results showed that the price had a negative and insignificant effect on the income of rice farmers in North Toto Village. This means that every 1% increase in price can reduce income by 0.237. Land area has a positive and significant effect on the income of rice farmers in North Toto Village. This means that every 1% increase in land area can increase income by 0.682. Production costs have a negative and significant effect on the income of rice farmers in North Toto Village. This means that every 1% increase can reduce income by -0.254. The coefficient of determination (R Square) is 0.596, this shows that the percentage of rice farmers' income variation which is explained by the variation of the independent variables, namely price, land area and production costs is 59.6% for the remaining 40.4% influenced by other variables.

A review of India’s fodder production status and opportunities

AbstractThis review paper aims at an in‐depth analysis of the challenges, opportunities, and status of fodder production in India. A comprehensive review of available literature and various reports by govt. as well as non govt. organizations have been done as part of the methodology for preparing the manuscript. India caters to approximately 20% of the world's livestock population and about 17.5% of the human population on just 2.3% of the world's land area. The human population is increasing at a pace of 1.6% per annum, while the livestock population is increasing at a rate of 0.66% per year. Theses increasing human and animal populations are fighting tooth and nail for land resources for food and fodder production, respectively. As a result, cultivated fodders occupy only 4% of the entire cultivable land in the country. Presently, the country faces a net shortfall of 35.6% green fodder, 10.5% dry crop leftovers, and 44% concentrate feed ingredients. The option for increasing land area under fodder cultivation is very limited. Hence, it is big challenge in front of us to utilize the available meagre land wisely with its fullest potential to produce the fodders for the animals. Which could be achieved by adopting suitable cropping systems, incorporation of fodder crops in food and other cash crop‐based cropping systems on rotational basis, production of fodder on degraded lands by adopting fodder‐based agro forestry systems and exploring other options of green fodder like azolla. The cropping system with forage crops provides a potential alternative to overcome the fodder problem as it utilizes the resources more efficiently.

Quantitative Analysis on Coastline Changes of Yangtze River Delta Based on High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Images

The coastline situation reflects socioeconomic development and ecological environment in coastal zones. Analyzing coastline changes clarifies the current coastline situation and provides a scientific basis for making environmental protection policies, especially for coastlines with significant human interference. As human activities become more intense, coastline types and their dynamic changes become more complicated, which needs more detailed identification of coastlines. High spatial resolution images can help provide detailed large spatial coverage at high resolution information on coastal zones. This study aims to map the position and status of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) coastline using an NDWI threshold method based on 2 m Gaofen-1/Ziyuan-3 imagery and analyze coastline change and coastline type distribution characteristics. The results showed that natural and artificial coastlines in the YRD region accounted for 42.73% and 57.27% in 2013 and 41.56% and 58.44% in 2018, respectively. The coastline generally advanced towards the sea, causing a land area increase of 475.62 km2. The changes in the YRD coastline mainly resulted from a combination of large-scale artificial construction and natural factors such as silt deposition. This study provides a reference source for large spatial coverage at high resolution remote sensing coastline monitoring and a better understanding of land use in coastal zone.

Land area increase in Ukrainian part of the Danube delta

The quantitative indicators of land growth in the Ukrainian part of the Danube delta are considered. Comparison of Landsat satellite images in three key areas of the delta showed that for the period 1975-2020 the area of wetlands at the mouth of the Сhilia channel increased by 1448 hectares due to the accumulation of sediments between the Starostambul and Limba branches and their overgrowth with vegetation. In the area of the Bystroe channel, the area of new lands increased by 1037 hectares due to the artificial deepening of this channel for the Ukrainian ships passage into the Danube River and the deposition of sediments along the coast. A slightly smaller increase in land cover (797 ha) was found in the northern part of the coast of the Ukrainian part of the delta, where saline and carbonate soils are formed. In the future, active land growth is expected in the Musura bay between the mouths of the Starostambul and Sulina branches, ie at the contact of Ukraine and Romania. Some changes in these parameters are expected after a powerful flood in 2021, which will become known after the establishment of a relative equilibrium between the processes of accumulation and erosion after this extreme event.

Determining optimum applied water and seeding rates for winter wheat by using AquaCrop and mathematical‐economic analysis*

AbstractThe growing scarcity of water resources has made the need to optimize water consumption in the agricultural sector inevitable. In this study, the accuracy of the AquaCrop model in simulating the yield and dry matter of winter wheat under different plant densities and water levels was evaluated. Then using economic‐mathematical analysis, the optimum values of plant density and irrigation water were determined. Next, using time‐series models, the values of optimum irrigation water and economic yield were forecasted for the next 10 years. Results showed that the accuracy of the AquaCrop model to simulate grain yield and dry matter of winter wheat was very satisfactory. For seasonal rainfall of 289.9 and 394.5 mm (the values related to an occurrence probability of 50 and 80%, respectively), applying optimum irrigation water resulted in a 22.4 and 29.9% decrease in water consumption and 28.9 and 42.7% increase in land area and 47.4 and 50.2% increase in total benefit compared to full irrigation, respectively. The time‐series model used in this study was able to forecast optimum applied water with high accuracy. The forecasting results of this study can be used by farm managers and decision‐makers in water resources management in the study areas.

A Tale of Two Land - The True Economic Costs of Land Use Projects

Land use is an important part of the human-land system, which can provide huge ecosystem services. Land use changes also lead to changes in the value of ecosystem services. Considering primary production, maintaining carbon dioxide and oxygen balance, nutrient cycling, water conservation, soil erosion and other main services functions, this study establishes a land use ecosystem services value (ESV) estimation method based on the terrestrial ecosystem simulator (TESim) implemented for regional scales (TESim-R model) coupled with the Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC) model (the TES-LUC model). This ESV estimation model facilitates understanding the true economic costs of land use projects as it considers ecosystem services. This model can be utilized to calculate the ecosystem data of different types of land use by substituting in data of meteorology, vegetation, soil, and control attribute, and then evaluate the ESVs of land use according to different ecosystems. Following Constanza et al. (2007), this study classifies the ESV of an area into five categories: primary production, climate regulation, nutrient cycling, water conservation, and erosion control. Using the net primary productivity (NPP) output value simulated by the TES-LUC model as the basis, the ESVs of five categories can be calculated, respectively. The sum of the five ESVs yields the total ESV. This study introduces the model through the example of China. To test the model, two cost benefit analysis, one on a land use development project of a small community, and the other one on a large national project, are conducted. The effectiveness of the model is evaluated for both projects. This study first investigates the “Grain-for-Green” Project in Long County, Sha’anxi Province, China based on the remote sensing image of the county and the data published by the local bureau of statistics from 2000 to 2015. Using the model, this study calculates and analyzes the change of ESV in Long County during the study period. The results demonstrate that the area of woodland, construction land, and grassland increased in different proportion, among which the area of grassland increased the most at 15.15%. The increase in land area mainly came from the decrease in farmland, the reduced area of which is up to 6,055.40hm2. During the study period, the total ESV increased by 1.670×107 yuan, an increase of 0.52%. This is mainly attributed to the increase in the ESV of woodland and grassland. However, due to the sharp decrease in the area of farmland and water body, the NPP and the nutrient cycling function of Long County were affected, exhibiting decreasing ESVs during the period. Therefore, based on the model and results, this study puts forward policy implications for land use projects from perspectives of water resources. The model is further tested by evaluating the environmental costs of a large national land use project, the “Rapid Urbanization” Project of Yangtze River Delta, which is in the Outline of China’s National Land Planning. Using data of land use gathered from six terms of remote sensing image interpretation data of Resource and Environmental Science Data Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences from 1990 to 2015, the results derived from the model find that rapid urbanization leaded to unbalanced transition among different types of land, which caused a significant loss of ESV. From 1990 to 2015, the ESV of Yangtze River Delta decreased from 171.701 billion yuan to 168.267 billion yuan. Moreover,among five E5V components, the loss in the ESV of soil erosion was the highest, which decreased by 1.518 billion yuan due to the violent transformation between farmland and construction land. As a concluding remark, this study proposes a series of implications for large land use projects from the perspective of planning, implementation, and management.

Impact of Agricultural Land Changes on Farmers’ Income in Cirasea Watershed, Bandung Regency, West Java

Changes from agricultural land to non-agricultural land are continuously occurring, especially in areas adjacent to cities. Land changes from agricultural to non-agricultural land will eliminate crops’ hydrological function, impacting rivers, including the Cirasea River. Besides, changes in agricultural land have an impact on the resulting agricultural productivity and income. This study’s main objective is to determine land area changes, productivity, and farmers’ income in 2011 - 2018 in the Cirasea watershed. A literature study was applied to this study. Secondary data were obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics of Ciparay, Ibun, Kertasari, Majalaya, Pacet, and Paseh Districts, Bandung Regency in Cirasea River Upstream. The study results showed an increase in land area, productivity, and agricultural income for vegetables (75%, 50%, and 68%, respectively) and rice field (16%, 0.32%, and 0.32%). In addition, there was a decrease in land area followed by a decrease in agricultural productivity and income for fruit commodities (-88%, -35%, -33%) and plantations (-97%, -1%, -1%). For eight years, farmers have relied on their income from vegetable commodities in Cirasea Watershed.

Vegetable Grafting: Methods, Uses and Opportunities for Nepal: A Review

Grafted vegetable seedlings have been used from the early 20th century. This technique has been utilized extensively in East Asia and the European countries where it has developed as a multimillion-dollar industry. The increase in land area under protected cultivation, intensive use of land, scarcity of production resources and changing climate leading to unpredictable weather has caused a rapid increase in the use of grafted vegetables. However, in Nepal, where the productivity of vegetable crops is quite low and the breeding activities are inadequate, use of grafted vegetables is still unexploited. Therefore, this technique can be an important intervention to improve the overall production system of Solanaceous and Cucurbitaceous vegetables. Methods of vegetable grafting, their current uses, research carried out in Nepal and the possible opportunities are discussed in this review paper. Cleft, splice, tongue approach, hole- insertion and pin grafting are the methods currently in use. Grafting can be used to overcome the problems caused by various soil borne disease and nematodes and abiotic stresses like, low and high temperature stress, water stress, salinity, metal and organic pollutants while increasing the yield and extending crop duration in vegetable production. In Nepal, few research have been carried out on vegetable grafting with majority of them on assessment of tolerance to soil borne diseases. Utilization of this technique in Nepalese conditions provide ample opportunities for researchers and academicians to conduct researches and for breeding companies to develop resistant rootstocks. By implementing this method, vegetable industry can improve the overall yield, its quality and reduce hindrances in production.