Large-scale Commercial Farmers Research Articles

A novel multimodal image feature fusion mechanism:Application to rabbit liveweight estimation in commercial farms

In the realm of commercial rabbit farming, assessment of liveweight for each rabbit is crucial for production management. Traditional manual weighing methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and can induce stress and disease transmission. To solve this problem, this paper introduced a liveweight estimation method for rabbit utilizing near-infrared and depth image, including a segmentation stage and a weight estimation stage. Specifically, a dual-stream feature fusion mechanism was proposed to effectively integrate information from both near-infrared and depth imaging. The network was trained and validated on a dataset of 1,957 overhead images from 300 rabbits collected from a commercial farm, achieving superior performance with an R-Square (R2) of 0.95, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 194.95 g, Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) of 155.10 g, Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 4.08%, and Mean Coefficient of Variation (MCV) of 3.03%. Ablation experiments revealed that employing the proposed dual-stream feature fusion mechanism led to reductions of 52.87g, 38.19g, 1.01%, and 0.75% in RMSE, MAD, MAPE, and MCV, respectively, compared to not employing the mechanism. Compared to machine learning method, our proposed approach demonstrates superior performance in RMSE, MAD, MAPE, and MCV, achieving more accurate liveweight estimation for large-scale commercial farms.

Omission in Adoption: Whole of Systems Approach Applied to Case Study Analysis of Genetically Modifi ed (GM) Maize Adoption in Eastern Cape Province South Africa

This article critically explores the political economy of genetically modifi ed (GM) maize adoption in South Africa, focusing on its impact on smallholder farmers using the whole-of-systems approach. While South Africa has become a leader in GM maize production, the benefi ts have been unevenly distributed, particularly disadvantaging smallholders. Government eff orts to integrate smallholders into the GM maize value chain have faced signifi cant challenges, including structural inequalities, high input costs, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to education and resources. The article analyzes the broader political, economic, and environmental contexts, revealing how global trade policies, foreign investments, and domestic regulatory frameworks infl uence smallholder integration into the global maize value chain. A case study of the Eastern Cape province underscores the additional challenges smallholders face, such as climate change, labor shortages, and barriers to market access. Despite GM maize’s potential to improve food security and smallholder incomes, the article argues that current policies and institutional frameworks need substantial reforms to ensure equitable benefi ts. The research highlights the need for a multidimensional approach that addresses the socioeconomic, political, and environmental factors constraining smallholder participation in the GM maize sector, calling for targeted interventions to bridge the gap between large-scale commercial farms and smallholders.

Short- and long-term weather prediction based on a hybrid of CEEMDAN, LMD, and ANN.

Agriculture is one of the major economic sectors in Africa, and it predominantly depends on the climate. However, extreme climate changes do have a negative impact on agricultural production. The damage resulting from extreme climate change can be mitigated if farmers have access to accurate weather forecasts, which can enable them to make the necessary adjustments to their farming practices. To improve weather prediction amidst extreme climate change, we propose a novel prediction model based on a hybrid of complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), local mean decomposition (LMD), and artificial neural networks (NN). A detailed comparison of the performance metrics for the short- and long-term prediction results with other prediction models reveals that the three-phase hybrid CEEMDAN-LMD-NN model is optimal in terms of the evaluation metrics used. The study's findings demonstrate the efficiency of the three-phase hybrid CEEMDAN-LMD-NN prediction model in decision-system design, particularly for large-scale commercial farmers, small-holder farmers, and the agricultural index insurance industry that require reliable forecasts generated at multi-step horizons.

Land Grabbing and Development: The Case of Ethiopia

Since African decolonization and independence, foreign land acquisitions for agriculture have surged in Sub-Saharan Africa, notably transforming agricultural production. This “land grabbing” phenomenon is particularly pronounced in the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopia. This study assesses the impact of land grabbing on Ethiopia’s development, targeting economic, environmental, and quality of life dimensions. Development is viewed as multifaceted, spanning beyond merely economic aspects. The research delves into the land-grabbing phenomenon in Sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia, focusing on policy and legal frameworks for large-scale commercial agriculture. It then explores the effects of large-scale land acquisition on Ethiopia’s development in terms of economy, environment, and quality of life. The analysis reveals that land grabbing profoundly affects Ethiopia’s development. Although some economic benefits exist, the negatives like environmental degradation and food insecurity greatly outweigh the positives. Consequently, the study advises prioritizing alternatives and strategies favoring Ethiopia’s economic development and people’s well-being.

Assessment of morphological and chlorophyll content traits in Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterannea [verdc L.

Background: Bambara groundnut has promising economic potential due to its various uses such as food, medicinal and agronomic benefits. To date, there are no significant breeding efforts aimed at cultivar development and the crop remains underutilised.Aim: To characterise and identify Bambara groundnut landraces using agro-morphological and chlorophyll traits to identify breeding lines for cultivar development.Setting: The experiment was conducted in Limpopo and North West provinces (Loskop and Molelwane research farms).Methods: This study used randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications.Results: Analysis of variance revealed significant variations among most of the landraces used. Highly significant positive correlations were observed for most of the traits recorded. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the first six principal components contributed 78.34% of the total variability among the test genotypes that were being evaluated. The biplot and dendrogram further grouped the landraces according to traits associated with them. Shannon Weaver’s diversity index showed a wide variability among the accessions in qualitative morphological traits.Conclusion: The agro-morphological traits and chlorophyll content characterisation showed significant variability within the landraces tested. These findings would be beneficial for breeders to choose the desirable traits associated with the Bambara groundnut landraces in the breeding programme for the development of new breeding population.Contribution: The identified superior landraces will be utilised by the small-scale and large-scale commercial farmers for direct cultivation and marketing, and can be used as parents in breeding programmes.

Revolutionizing Agriculture: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Farming Practices

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a groundbreaking technology with the potential to revolutionize various sectors, and agriculture stands as one of its prime beneficiaries. This paper delves into the transformative impact of AI in agriculture, exploring its multifaceted applications, benefits, and implications.AI-powered technologies, such as machine learning, robotics, and data analytics, are increasingly being integrated into agricultural practices, offering innovative solutions to age-old challenges. One of the pivotal areas where AI is making significant strides is in precision agriculture. Through the utilization of drones, sensors, and satellite imagery, AI enables farmers to collect real-time data on soil quality, crop health, and weather conditions. By leveraging this data, farmers can make informed decisions regarding irrigation, fertilization, and pest management, thereby optimizing resource usage and enhancing crop yields.Furthermore, AI-driven predictive analytics empower farmers to anticipate crop diseases, pests, and adverse weather events, allowing for proactive mitigation strategies. This predictive capability not only minimizes yield losses but also reduces reliance on chemical inputs, fostering sustainable agricultural practices. Moreover, AI facilitates autonomous farming machinery equipped with advanced sensors and actuators, enabling precise and efficient field operations. This not only enhances productivity but also alleviates the labor-intensive nature of traditional farming, addressing the challenge of labor scarcity in many agricultural regions.The impact of AI in agriculture extends beyond farm-level operations to supply chain management and market forecasting. AI algorithms analyze vast volumes of data encompassing market trends, consumer preferences, and climatic patterns to provide insights into optimal planting schedules, pricing strategies, and distribution logistics. By optimizing supply chain processes, AI enhances efficiency, minimizes wastage, and ensures food security.However, the widespread adoption of AI in agriculture raises pertinent concerns regarding data privacy, cybersecurity, and socioeconomic disparities. The collection and utilization of vast amounts of agricultural data necessitate robust data governance frameworks to safeguard farmer privacy and prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, the digital divide between large-scale commercial farms and smallholder farmers must be addressed to ensure equitable access to AI technologies. Governments, policymakers, and industry stakeholders need to collaborate to develop inclusive policies and infrastructure that foster the equitable deployment of AI in agriculture.In conclusion, the integration of AI in agriculture represents a paradigm shift towards more sustainable, efficient, and resilient food production systems. By harnessing the power of AI-driven technologies, farmers can mitigate risks, optimize resource utilization, and improve livelihoods. However, realizing the full potential of AI in agriculture requires concerted efforts to address regulatory, ethical, and socioeconomic challenges. Through strategic collaboration and innovation, AI has the potential to transform agriculture, ensuring food security and sustainability for future generations.

Socio-Economic Impact of Large Scale Commercial Farming on Rural People’s Livelihoods: The Case of Flower Farming in Central Uganda

Socio-Economic Impact of Large Scale Commercial Farming on Rural People’s Livelihoods: The Case of Flower Farming in Central Uganda

Circular agriculture practices enhance phosphorus recovery for large-scale commercial farms under tropical conditions

AbstractThe objective of this research was to assess the adoption of circular agricultural practices as a tool to improve the recovery use efficiency of phosphorus (P) applied to tropical soils. Two Brazilian farms (1 and 2) that are under long-term no-till and cropped year-round with cover and/or cash crops were used in this study. Soybean, maize and common bean were grown during the summer season (October–February), followed by wheat, common bean and maize during the winter season (February–August). Brachiaria ruziziensis was intercropped with off-season maize. Farm 1 also grew sweet potatoes in rotation with grains. In the integrated crop–livestock system, the leftovers from the silos and crop residues were used to feed beef cattle, while the residues not used in the confinement were turned into compost and applied in the production fields. During the last 3 years, 80 (farm 1) and 71 (farm 2) kg/ha/year of P-fertilizer was applied to meet the demand of the different crops and 56% (farm 1) and 58% (farm 2) of P-fertilizer was exported through the crops and livestock. P-recovery represented more than 50% on both farms. Around 60% of the P consumed by animals was excreted in the form of faeces and urine and the animal manure was used to produce organic compost. Therefore, most of the P consumed by the livestock was returned back to the field to serve as organic fertilizer. This study showed that circular agricultural practices can enhance P-recovery.

Gastrointestinal parasitosis in cattle: Unveiling the landscape across diverse production systems in Bangladesh.

Factors influencing parasitosis in cattle in Bangladesh remain inadequately explored, necessitating a comprehensive investigation for interventions and sustainable livestock farming. We conducted this study to estimate the prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal parasites, exploring their intricate relationship with farm management practices across a spectrum of small-, medium-, and large-scale commercial farms. We conducted this study in the Chattogram district of Bangladesh. We collected a total of 189 freshly voided faecal samples from different farms. We recorded the age, breed, milking status, sex, body condition score, and anthelmintic use history of the sampled animals. We processed the samples using the direct smear method, with the identification of one egg per sample being considered positive. We estimated the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite infection in large-scale (52.1%), medium-scale (54.5%), and small-scale farms (70.0%), with statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05). Both pregnant and lactating cows, as well as indigenous cattle, were more likely to have gastrointestinal parasites (p ≤ 0.05). The predominant parasites across farms of all sizes were trematodes (Paramphistomum spp. and Schistosomas spp.) and protozoa (Balantidium coli and Coccidia spp.). Poor farm management practices, such as no pasture management and inadequate deworming regimens, may contribute to the elevated prevalence and infection load observed on small-scale farms. The increased parasitosis in previously dewormed animals can be attributed to the development of anthelmintic resistance against gastrointestinal parasites. Implementing proper and effective deworming strategies is crucial to preventing gastrointestinal parasitosis and mitigating the risk of anthelmintic resistance.

Advancing cane-quality management in the South African smallholder-farmer sector through participatory on-farm demonstration and knowledge exchange

Cane-quality management involving chemical ripening is an important component of profitable sugarcane production by large-scale commercial farmers in South Africa. For smallholder farmers (SHFs), however, sugarcane field size and adjacent alternative land-uses render conventional aerial crop-spraying methods unsuitable. The recent availability of spraying drones has created opportunities for chemical ripening to be introduced to the smallholder farmer sector. A network of demonstration trials based on strong partnerships of researchers, extension specialists and smallholder farmers, and participation by various industry stakeholders was established in 11 smallholder farmer regions. Knowledge exchange in each region involved an initial stakeholder engagement workshop, a series of practical field days during the execution of the trial, and post-trial information sharing events. The initial workshops were aimed at creating project awareness, defining the relative advantage that ripening with drones could deliver, identifying negative perceptions and potential barriers that might hinder adoption, and reaching consensus on trial methodology. Field days were focused on demonstrating the processes of maturity assessment to establish the need for chemical ripening and applying a ripener with a drone to parts of the fields. At the same time, control portions were left untreated, and assessing the efficacy of ripening benefits and harvest readiness. These demonstrations illustrated the judicious use of agrochemicals by only spraying fields suited to ripening. In-field estimates of cane yield and cane quality in the ripened and control treatments shortly before harvest, and in some cases, field production data from the sugar factories, revealed a range of improvements in recoverable crystal (ERC) due to ripening that was influenced by location and sugarcane cultivar. Although the SHFs expressed genuine interest in chemically ripening their crops with spraying drones, industry challenges will need to be addressed prior to wider adoption.

A framework for the assessment of farm diversification options in broadacre agriculture

CONTEXTThe economic and environmental sustainability of farming systems is under increased pressure from extreme climate variability and market volatility. The diversification of large-scale farms can increase profits, resilience, and deliver sustainability outputs. OBJECTIVETo (a) propose a farm diversification framework specifically designed for large-scale commercial farms; and (b) demonstrate its application to assess the benefits and trade-offs associated with alternative diversification options for a case-study farm in Northern Queensland, Australia. METHODSA literature review and discussions with large-scale commercial farmers, a Natural Resource Management NGO, and a regional council were used to co-design our framework. The framework was then used to guide discussions with a case-study farmer and conduct a participatory modelling exercise on alternative cropping-based diversification scenarios. We used a simulation model to produce quantitative information on the present and co-designed alternative scenarios, to iteratively inform discussions with the participating case-study farmer. The simulated scenarios included (i) the current system of dryland (non-irrigated) monocropping of cotton, (ii) a dryland cotton-maize rotation, (iii) an irrigated cotton-maize rotation, and (iv) an irrigated maize-mungbean-cotton rotation. The benefits and trade-offs of each scenario were assessed across five performance measures: downside risk, profit, water-use efficiency, ground cover and, from the discussion with the participating farmer, the skills needed to de-risk the diversification process. RESULTSResults from the co-designed scenarios showed that adding dryland maize as a rotation crop can reduce downside risks by 12.5% and increase fractional ground cover by more than two-fold, i.e., from 20% to >40%, compared to the current system. The use of irrigation in the cropping system increased the median gross margin by $2000 ha−1 and reduced downside risks to zero. The water-use efficiencies of the proposed irrigated scenarios were similar. Farmers reported that developing skills in irrigated cropping could increase their capacity to dynamically chose more profitable crops to sow with certainty of higher returns, but it would require up-front investments in terms of money and time. SIGNIFICANCEOur proposed framework can be used to assess benefits and trade-offs of alternative farm diversification options across a range of performance dimensions (risk; profit; resource-use efficiency; skills). These assessments will ensure that the co-designed options are evaluated across multiple dimensions, all within the local context of the study and farmers' preference(s) and circumstances. The use of a co-design approach can be expected to increase learnings for all those involved and increase the chances of practice change and adoption.

Selection of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies and Native Tree Species for Rehabilitation of Degraded Arid Lands in Southeast Ethiopia

The large-scale commercial agriculture, mining, expansion of sedentary agricultural settlements, and overgrazing in Ethiopian pastoral areas have become a major cause of land degradation. Such activities reduce grazing capacities and impoverish already fragile living conditions of the pastoralists. Such an increase in land degradations necessitates urgent calls for interventions. The main objectives of this study were to select the best performing soil and water conservation technologies and native tree species to restore degraded lands of arid and semiarid conditions in Liben District of Guji Zone, Oromia Reginal State, Ethiopia. Four locally grown and locally preferred tree species, namely, Cordia africana, Acacia tortilis, Acacia goetzei, and Combretum molle, were planted in five soil and moisture conservation structures (control, half-moon, spot hoeing, mowing, and trench). The survival rate and height and root collar diameter (RCD) growth of planted tree species were collected two years after planting. A significantly higher survival rate, RCD, and height growth of planted seedlings were recorded from half-moon (52.44 ± 12.48%; 1.66 ± 0.31 cm; 51.57 ± 2.79 cm) and trench (64.00 ± 11.49%; 1.92 ± 0.27; 69.67 ± 2.62 cm) moisture conservation structures, respectively. Acacia tortilis (58.22 ± 12.38%) and Acacia goetzei (42.99 ± 8.81%) had better survival rate than Cordia africana (4.00 ± 1.91%) and Combretum molle (24.22 ± 7.34). Cordia africana attained the largest RCD (2.50 ± 0.34 cm) and height (95.83 ± 17.25 cm) growth, followed by Acacia tortilis and Acacia goetzei. It is concluded that Acacia tortilis and Acacia goetzei are better species to grow in degraded lands. The half-moon and trench moisture conservation structures have a great potential for degraded areas of the arid and semiarid conditions of Ethiopia for better tree establishment, survival, and enhanced growth thereby rehabilitation of degraded lands.

Farmers and Consumers Awareness and Acceptance of the Novel Practice of Utilizing Insect Protein as an Alternative Protein Source in Poultry Feed: A Survey

The use of insect protein as an alternative protein source in poultry feed has gained significant attention due to its potential benefits in terms of sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and reduced reliance on traditional protein sources. However, the adoption of this novel practice in the poultry industry may depend on awareness creation for farmers as healthy feed for poultry into the human food chain. This study aims to investigate poultry farmers' awareness and readiness to adopt insect protein as an alternative protein source for poultry. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires administered to 177 poultry farmers and consumers in the Ashanti and Bono regions of Ghana by simple randomisation. The survey collected data on farm size, feed dynamics, protein sources, and awareness and readiness to adopt insect protein as a protein source in poultry feed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and graphs. The study found that 75% of the farmers interviewed had a farm capacity of over 1,000 birds, making them medium to large-scale commercial farmers. However, the feed formulated was not always balanced. Some farmers fed an excess of the required protein levels. Furthermore, while 52% of farmers had knowledge of the insect as an alternative protein source only 3.8% were willing to adopt it. Additionally, 82.5% of the consumers are willing to patronise insect-fed-derived meat with the insect protein qualifying as an organic product. The study concludes that awareness of the use of insects as protein for poultry is important. There is a need to increase research on the benefits of insects to address meat and egg quality and benefits.

Environmental life cycle assessment of a large-scale commercial vertical farm

Vertical farms are often claimed to have better environmental performance compared to conventional products on the market. However, there are few assessments of the environmental performance of vertical farms, in particular commercial systems. This study has aimed to analyze the environmental performance of a large commercial vertical farm in Sweden producing packaged lettuce. Life cycle assessment was employed to assess the environmental performance and compare it to conventional imported and domestically produced lettuce from a cradle-to-grave perspective. For conventional supply chains, the production, transportation to Sweden, washing, processing, packaging, and final distribution were all included. The results from the study suggest that the vertical farm has lower GHG emissions than conventionally sourced varieties. However, for other impact categories, the vertical farm may have larger environmental impacts from a life cycle perspective due primarily to the large electricity demand. The electricity use, packaging, infrastructure, and distribution of the products to retail were found to be the primary hotspots for the system. Finally, key performance indicators are also provided to compare the results of this study with other indoor farming studies. The results from the KPIs suggest that the vertical farm has better water use efficiency, GHG emissions, and energy use efficiency compared to other studies in the literature. The results of this study provide insights into the environmental performance and resource use of vertical farms, which can be used for comparisons and validation of claims in the industry, and to provide empirical evidence to this developing field.

Rethinking agrarian transition in Southeast Asia through rice farming in Thailand

This paper contributes to new understandings of agrarian transition for smallholder rice farming in Southeast Asia through quantitative data analysis from Thailand’s two main rice growing regions. Despite economic modernization models predicting a farm-size transition of smallholder agriculture to large-scale commercial farms with the onset of industrialization and urban employment opportunities, we find rice farmers continue to persist and defy anticipated trends, but not uniformly. We conducted a comprehensive survey in 2019 with rice farming households in twelve provinces in Thailand’s Central Plains and the Northeast on how a host of dynamic farming variables have changed from 2000 to 2019. Rather than the concentration of smallholder rice farms into large commercial farms, we find that the size of smallholder rice farms has remained remarkably consistent across study sites. Our comparative data analysis advances an interrelated set of key explanatory variables that go beyond land size to explicate the variegated nature of agrarian transition: access to resources, household farm labor, farm inputs, agrarian finance, and government support. Our study demonstrates the need for taking into consideration (sub-)regional specificity of material conditions and multi-scaled forces, as well as geographical proximity to advantageous factors, in shaping variegated trajectories of agrarian transition. Smallholder rice farmers and rice production is not about to significantly decline in either region of Thailand nor the rest of Southeast Asia, at least for the next several decades, but will increasingly be defined by changing demographics, growing environmental and climatic challenges, and consolidating global rice production supply chains.

Regulatory ecosystem services through large-scale commercial farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii: Pan-India potential estimates

Regulatory ecosystem services through large-scale commercial farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii: Pan-India potential estimates

Effects of commercial farming on livelihoods and woody species in the Mion district, Ghana

In Ghana, large-scale commercial farming is one of the strategies for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1 and 2). However, large-scale commercial farms have negative environmental consequences that undermine the attainment of SDGs13 and 15 at different scales. This study examined the effects of large-scale commercial farms on woody species diversity and livelihoods of the inhabitants in the Mion District. Interviews using structured questionnaires, Remote Sensing and GIS methods and vegetation survey techniques were employed in data collection and analysis. The results revealed commercial farming offered employment and community support to inhabitants. Notwithstanding commercial farming has reduced the available arable land for small-scale farmers. The landuse landcover analysis indicated close woodland areas (14.9%) had transformed to farm lands which now cover nearly half of the district's landmass (44.9%) since 2015. This has resulted in an estimated loss of 19, 117, 837 individual trees, shrubs and saplings of savanna woody species in the 12,084.6 ha of sampled commercial farms surveyed. The study concludes that large commercial farms causes deforestation and limits small-scale farmers' access to arable land. The study recommends the formulation of policies by stakeholders to help moderate the size of arable land leased out to large-scale farmers at the expense of small-scale farmers.

Standardization and Efficacy of the Husbandry Practices of Broiler Production

The study was undertaken with the aim of identifying the husbandry problems broiler producers faced and to forward possible interventions for enhancing the productivity of chicken meat. A stratified random sampling technique was used. A structural questionnaire was prepared and pretested. A total of 150 broiler producers were interviewed. Most of the broiler producers have experience of 1 to 6 years. About 70.7% of broiler producers were small-scale producers, while 1.3% were large-scale broiler producers. Broiler producers of 57% were allocated one broiler production house and then followed by two houses (30.2%). Regarding the location of the farm, 79.3% were found in residential areas, while 14% and 6.7% of the farm were located isolated and near the main roads, respectively. The highest average numbers of broiler chickens per unit were kept in large-scale production (3000.0±0.0); however, smaller (1371.3±128) numbers of chickens per house were kept in small-scale ones. Large-scale commercial farms were found to be the major sources of day-old chicks (80.7%). Of the respondent broiler producers 89.3% observed flock weight variations, while the remaining 10.7% didn’t observe and understand it. Similarly, out of the total broiler producers, 70.7 and 29.3% achieved 1-1.5 kg and 1.5-1.7 kg of slaughter weights, respectively. Even though broiler producers have scored experiences of about two decades, the country's broiler production status is not reached its expected levels of production potential. Hence, efforts have to be done by engaging various stakeholders who can contribute to improving productivity and maximizing the efficiency of broiler chicken meat in the country.

Elite Capture in South Africa’s Land Redistribution: The Convergence of Policy Bias, Corrupt Practices and Class Dynamics

Land reforms are an important mechanism for addressing inequalities in society. While addressing South Africa’s racialised land inequalities remains crucial, new forms of class inequality are produced through land reform, with the well-off becoming predominant as beneficiaries. This article focuses on elite capture in land redistribution and analyses land-reform outcomes in South Africa’s state land lease and disposal policy (SLLDP). The article presents empirical evidence from 62 land-reform farms in five provinces of South Africa and shows how policy biases in favour of well-off beneficiaries converge with corruption and rent-seeking practices to produce uneven agrarian outcomes. Beneficiary selection and targeting inherently favour well-off beneficiaries, who are considered competent to engage in large-scale commercial farming. Land reform is a new frontier of accumulation for different agribusinesses, urban-based businesspeople and state officials, who increasingly benefit from cheap state land and various forms of production support meant to recapitalise land-reform farms.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of a Large-Scale Commercial Vertical Farm

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of a Large-Scale Commercial Vertical Farm