Less-favoured Areas Research Articles

Influence of dairy farmers’ knowledge on their attitudes towards breeding tools and genomic selection

Understanding farmers' attitudes towards traits is critical for developing appropriate breeding goals for dairy production. In response to a research gap in regards to the influence of farmers' knowledge of breeding tools, this study aimed to determine the effect of farmers' knowledge on their attitudes towards the use of breeding tools and traits in typical family-owned farms in Slovenia. An online questionnaire was sent to dairy farmers affiliated with Slovenian breeding associations, and 256 dairy farmers responded. The analysis was conducted in three steps. First, the basic response patterns according to the farmers' knowledge level were determined using latent class analysis. Second, farmers' attitudes towards breeding tools were assessed by 15 statements using principal component analysis. Finally, we were interested in the relationship between farmers' attitudes and knowledge about selection. The results showed that farmers had more knowledge about the benefits of genomic selection, followed by general knowledge about breeding values and the definition of genomic selection, and they had the least knowledge about the reference population. Farmers with more knowledge were statistically significantly more likely than farmers with less knowledge to have higher education, be younger, have a larger herd size, have higher milk production per cow, have the intent to increase herd size and milk quantity, and use genomically tested bulls. No significant relationship was found between belonging to a specific knowledge class and the main breed in the herd, the farmer's gender, production system, or farming in less-favoured areas. The results also show that farmers basically agree that they need written recorded performance data about a bull/cow to know exactly how good the animal is, that the genetic merit (breeding value) of bulls/cows adds to the performance of their progeny, that it is very important to maintain the breed characteristics of bulls/cows, that cooperation in being able to compare animals with other farmers is essential for improving herd performance, and that the possibilities of selecting dairy cows with genomic selection and monogenetic traits must be fully exploited, indicating a positive attitude towards genomic selection. The level of knowledge was shown to influence attitudes towards various aspects of breeding. It was found that the higher the level of knowledge, the more positive the attitude towards genetic and genomic selection, and the more negative the attitude towards traditional selection.

Sustainability strategies and stakeholder management for upland farming

Upland farming provides important benefits to society. To retain these benefits, measures to encourage farms to adopt practices that balance economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability are required. This study used survey data from a sample of farms located in less-favoured areas in Northern England to identify the trade-offs between the three dimensions of farm-level sustainability and the impacts of farm behaviours on them, including diversification, participation in agri-environmental policies and stakeholder management. Results showed that farm businesses may face a trade-off between improving economic and environmental performance through their decisions about participating in agri-environmental schemes and that strengthening relationships with some stakeholders is critical for achieving sustainability. This suggests that future policy design may simultaneously improve three dimensions of sustainability by promoting environmental conservation activities through non-economic incentives and by encouraging farm businesses to build good working relationships with their stakeholders.

Identifying best practice in Less Favoured Area mixed livestock systems

CONTEXTThe ruminant livestock sector is under scrutiny for its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Less Favoured Areas (LFA) carry a large proportion of Europe's cattle and sheep ruminant population and is also characterised by variable economic and biophysical constraints. OBJECTIVEThis study aims to assess the heterogeneity in carbon emissions, resource usage and financial performance in a sample of mixed LFA livestock farms in Scotland. METHODSIndividual farm account data for 263 LFA cattle and sheep producers were augmented with emissions data over the period 2019–2020. Environmental impacts were estimated for each farm using emissions intensity and carbon productivity. Technical efficiency at the farm level (the rate of output to total inputs) was estimated using non-parametric data envelopment analysis. Financial resilience was measured through returns on assets to meet short-term liquidities. To manage the heterogeneity in these indicators Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed. This allocates farms into separate groups, or profiles, representing different levels of environmental, resource efficiency and financial dimensions. To gain understanding of the drivers on membership of profiles we assess the impact of intensity and enterprise mix using multinomial logistic regression (MLN). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThree profiles were identified within our sample which reflect different levels of performance; i) a best practice profile (23% of farms) have relatively low mean emissions intensities (22.3 kg CO2-eq./kg CW), high carbon productivity (£0.17 GVP/ kg CO2-eq.), high technical efficiencies and strong financial resilience; ii) a low resilience profile (31% of farms) which are the most economically fragile and susceptible to economic shocks, and iii) a high emissions profile (46% of farms) which have the lowest technical efficiencies and also the highest mean emissions intensities (31.9 kg CO2-eq./kg CW) and lowest carbon productivity (£0.10 GVP/ / kg CO2-eq.). The MLN identified that farms within the best practice profile will be more extensive compared to the other profiles. SIGNIFICANCELess Favoured Areas dominate global agricultural systems and they offer a more heterogenous picture compared to more intensive lowland or feedlot cattle systems. Agricultural support payments are changing to reward public goods. Our approach sets realistic thresholds for higher level performance across multiple dimensions that may merit higher payments if an outcomes-based payment scheme were adopted.

Economic Performance of Dairy Sheep Farms in Less-Favoured Areas of Greece: A Comparative Analysis Based on Flock Size and Farming System

Dairy sheep farming is a significant agricultural sector in Mediterranean countries, providing income and employment opportunities in less-favoured areas (LFAs). The economic performance of dairy sheep farms is of significant interest to LFAs. However, relevant literature is scarce. The objectives here were to evaluate the economic performance of dairy sheep farms in LFAs of Greece and perform a comparative analysis based on flock size and farming system. In total, 19 and 26 dairy sheep farms for two production periods were used. Farm technical (flock size, production, grazing and nutritional management) and economic (income and variable costs) data were collected. The economic performance of farms was estimated using Happy Goats, a decision support tool for small ruminant farming. Estimated economic parameters were analysed by flock size (≤150 ewes vs. >150 ewes) and farming system (intensive/semi-intensive vs. semi-extensive). Results showed that 37% and 31% of farms were operating with losses in each production period, respectively. Based on nutritional management, ewes produced about 50 kg less milk per milking period. Smaller and semi-extensive farms had significantly (p < 0.05) lower incomes and variable costs. A significantly (p < 0.05) lower average gross margin was reported for smaller compared to larger farms. Results suggest a better economic perspective for larger flock sizes.

SPECIAL MARKETS FOR LOCAL AGRO FOOD PRODUCTS

In recent years, the European Union's rural policies have focused on balanced rural development and, in particular, significant support for less-favored areas. This can be achieved through diversification strategies that focus on supporting and promoting local products in each region. The aim is to create synergies between local producers and various distributors to create and increase added value in the final local product. The importance of product quality has created a global trend in nutrition by helping to create a highly competitive food market. The quality and place of production aspect is a unique asset for maintaining global competitiveness. Consumers, in recent years, are increasingly interested in the origin of food not only for health reasons but also for an internal need to satisfy the lack of "original" and "traditional" flavors and flavors of their daily lives (Theodossiou, Goulas, Duquenne, 2017) and secondarily to support the protection of the environment and the conservation of biodiversity at the place of production.The global trend that has prevailed around the standardization of agricultural products has created an alternative trend of valuing and consuming typical products of an area. In these typical products, social participation and their quality are considered to enhance economic activity and can be a competitive advantage in domestic and international markets (Goodman 2003; Bowen & Mutersbaugh, 2014).Concerns about the environmental, economic, social and health risks inherent in global food systems have attracted both public and scientific attention to sustainability and food security. In this way, it is considered that sustainable development of food systems will be achieved. Thus, in recent decades, an increasing number of people in high-income countries, mainly, have turned to "alternative food networks".In the present research paper an attempt to study and present the categories of markets created by the global tendency of citizens to be interested in the origin and place of production of the food they consume will be reviewed in the existing literature. Mainly, the inhabitants of the big urban centers show a special interest in the way and the place of production of their food. Thus, the creation of various citizen movements was the expected development of this trend. In fact, according to Hinrichs (2000), specific citizen movements, such as Socially Supported Agriculture and Community-Based Agricultural Production have conquered many countries in Europe, America and Asia. However, in addition to these, the international literature mentions other markets of agricultural products, such as urban agriculture, specific and specialized delicatessens on agro - products, as well as short food supply chains.

Can the Sorghum Planting Industry in Less-Favoured Areas Promote the Income Increase of Farmers? An Empirical Study of Survey Data from 901 Samples in Luquan County

Poverty alleviation is the basic requirement of human social development. However, there is still a lack of quantitative research on the poverty alleviation effect of regional, characteristic industries. Few studies have focused on the increase of micro individual income and used more advanced policy evaluation tools for comparative analysis based on a quasi-experimental perspective. In addition, the existing research ignores the critical question: can characteristic industries really achieve sustainable development goals while bringing poverty alleviation results? We studied regional, characteristic industries from a new perspective, taking into account the poverty alleviation effect and regional sustainable development. Based on the survey data of 901 households of representative village committees of Tanglang and Dache in Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County, this study quantitatively analyzed the poverty alleviation effect of the sorghum planting industry by using the Propensity Score Matching Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) model. The adoption of the industrial alleviation policy has significantly increased the per capita net income of rural households in Tanglang and Dache village committees, by 2171.64 CNY and 1945.06 CNY, respectively. The estimation results of the whole sample show that the effect of the policy to the per capita net income of households is 1726.87 CNY. The development of the sorghum planting poverty alleviation industry in Luquan County has promoted income increase of households significantly, creating economic, social and ecological sustainability, and can provide a reference for less-favoured areas.

Uneven Distribution of Ecosystem Services along the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin in Tibet Reveals the Quest for Multi-Target Policies of Rural Development in Less-Favored Areas

This study was conducted in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau which is a typical less-favored ecologically fragile area. First, we constructed a GIS-based spatial gridding structure over the study area, the Yarlung Zangbo river basin in China’s Tibet, and used a value-assessment model to measure supply, support, regulation, and culture ecosystem services in each study grid. We then analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of different ecosystem services in the region from 2000 to 2020. In addition, we conducted a spatial visualized analysis of the trade-off and synergies of multiple ecosystem services in each study grid. We found that: (1) On the temporal scale, from 2000 to 2020, the values of the four ecosystem services for supply, support, regulation, and culture along the basin demonstrated an upward trend. (2) On the spatial scale, the values of ecosystem services showed an uneven distribution, with a decline trend from east to west along the basin. (3) From the perspective of land use types, due to the large areas of water, grassland, and forest along the river basin, the ecosystem service values of the three types of land use ranked among the top levels. (4) The trade-offs and synergies between different ecosystem services and their spatial distribution along the river basin showed an uneven distribution pattern. The ecosystem services zoning revealed that the policies in guiding rural sustainability in the less-favored areas should adjust the measures to local conditions, it’s necessary to establish multiple targets across the entire region.

The Impact of Subsidies on Persistent and Transient Technical Inefficiency: Evidence from Polish Dairy Farms

AbstractWe investigate the impact of five types of subsidies granted under the European Union Common Agricultural Policy on the persistent and transient inefficiency of Polish dairy farms. Our research shows that coupled and environmental subsidies reduce transient technical inefficiency, while the opposite is true for Less Favoured Areas (LFA) and other rural subsidies. Simultaneously, environmental, LFA, and other rural subsidies increase persistent technical inefficiency. These results imply that the impact of each type of subsidy on technical efficiency can be different and that the effect of the particular type of subsidy can vary between transient and persistent technical inefficiency.

The role of family life‐cycle events on persistent and transient inefficiencies in less favoured areas

AbstractFamily farms dominate less favoured areas (LFAs) within Europe, and family life‐cycle conditions, such as succession and retirement, affects how these farms adapt to changing circumstances. Past studies of on‐farm technical efficiency have not directly addressed these conditions, but they may explain why some farms are more efficient than others, especially as the farm family model dominates most farming systems. Motivated by the UK's withdrawal from the EU and the debate around establishing replacement support policies, we apply a multi‐step model to measure both transient and persistent inefficiencies using a panel of LFA cattle and sheep farms in Scotland over the period 2003–2020. We find a greater prevalence of persistent compared to transient inefficiency, which suggests that structural problems still exist. Farms with planned succession are found to have higher persistent efficiencies, whereas farmers nearing retirement have lower levels. Other factors, such as dependence on subsidy, off‐farm activity and classification as severely disadvantaged tend to compound these lower efficiencies. We argue that life‐cycle conditions should not be ignored in studies of farm technical efficiency. Within the scope of framing a new agricultural policy for UK administrations, these results inform the debate on support for LFAs, as well as the promotion of support towards generational renewal to ease transition across farm family life‐cycle events.

Evaluation of agricultural policies implemented with respect to less favoured area’s: evidence from Turkey

There have been many different agricultural support tools varying by countries. These agricultural support tools are determined according to different indicators such as the policies, expectations, regions, and economic levels of the countries and may differ from each other. One of these agricultural support tools is Less Favoured Area (LFAs) that has been applied for a long time. Turkey has many geographically different regions and many different agricultural support tools like those in the other counties However, considering the EU full membership process policies, a specified support tool for the LFAs, which are widely used in the EU, has not been implemented in Turkey. Mersin province is one of the areas where that is an issue and so was selected for this study. The province has a dual structure, with high mountains (Taurus) and wide plains. People in the mountainous areas make a living from animal production, especially goat breeding. The study framework was based on the logistic regression model, which was compared farmers' descriptive statistics and socio-economic features in villages in the mountainous/semi-mountainous areas and on the plains of Mersin province. Farmers’ intentions for land allocation and livestock and their migration tendencies were analysed in different scenarios. Age, experience, number of small ruminants, land size and credit usage were found to have a statistically significant effect on farmers’ decisions about continuing farming. Their decisions changed across the policy scenarios provided, and a policy that considers regional differences was found to be significant in their decisions. The paper shows agricultural support policies should consider regional differences to compensate for income losses due to physical conditions.

Assessment of Concept between Rural Development Challenges and Local Food Systems: A Combination between Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and Econometric Modelling Approach

This study investigates the influence of social, economic, and environmental impacts on the promotion and marketing systems of local food products from mountain areas in Slovenia. These impacts were assessed using an econometric modelling approach. Two econometric models were developed (one for production and one for marketing). The case studies of local food products were selected from Slovenian mountain regions, most of which were from less-favored areas (LFAs). A majority of the selected food commodities were of high quality, with or without protected designations. Data collection was carried out via interviews. Due to production limitation on mountain areas in Slovenia and other constraints in LFAs, the socio-economic and environmental impacts on success of production and marketing systems need to be clarified. These relations present a potential impact on the wider socio-economic development in the region. The empirical results, obtained using an econometric modelling approach, clearly show the importance of encouraging the socio-economic and environmental impacts in ensuring the marketing and production potentials of local food products. The result express good relationships, and cooperation between the actors in the food supply chains contributing to a successful marketing system and production system of local food products (small, average, large) is dependent on the available local labour in mountain rural areas.

Livestock Management for the Delivery of Ecosystem Services in Fire-Prone Shrublands of Atlantic Iberia

In the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by its humid climate, large rural areas are being abandoned, mostly in less-favoured areas covered by heathlands, which present a low nutritive quality for livestock production. The high combustibility of these shrublands is driving a high wildfire incidence with negative environmental and economic effects. In this review, some aspects on wildfire occurrence and the potential of grazing livestock to reduce woody phytomass and fire risk in heathland-dominated areas whilst maintaining quality production and preserving biodiversity are summarized. Heathlands may be partially improved—converted to grassland—to better meet animals’ nutritional requirements while acting as ‘natural’ firebreaks. The specific grazing behaviour offers the opportunity to combine different domestic herbivores (mixed grazing) to achieve sustainable systems utilizing heterogeneous resources. Cattle, sheep, goats, and horses may have a role in the provision of different ecosystem services such as food production and biodiversity conservation. Genotype x environment interactions shape the ability of animals to cope with poor vegetation conditions, with smaller species and breeds performing better than larger animals. Goats and horses are indicated to arrest woody encroachment. Sustainable grazing systems are affordable in heathland–grassland mosaics by selecting appropriate livestock species and breeds for quality production, thus favouring rural economies and lowering fire risk.

Possibilities and concerns of implementing precision agriculture technologies on small farms in Slovenia

Precision agriculture (PA) through the use and utilization of innovative technologies is a concept in agricultural management that enables long-term efficiency gains, control of unforeseen changes, and a reduction of negative impacts on the environment. However, there are even more reasons and benefits to using precision agriculture technologies (PATs) on farms, but the actual use on small farms is often questionable. The main objective of this research was to evaluate and analyze the current state of PA and its potential on a set of small farms. In addition, a comparison was made between small farms located in less favored areas (LFAs) and more favored areas (MFAs) to find if specific characteristics of the surrounding environment affect the (non-) implementation of these technologies by farm owners, with respect to the given regional possibilities. The result shows that 57.5% of respondents on these farms have never implemented PATs before and 20% are beginners in their respective fields. It was found that there were no statistically significant differences in the integration between fewer LFAs and MFAs technologies and their use in this study. The majority of respondents believe that the main changes need to occur on the level of politics. The results show that the level of cost or initial investment is the main reason and the main obstacle in the implementation of PATs on the surveyed farms. Keywords: precision agriculture, small farm, technological innovations, implementation, situation overview, survey, ICT DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20221503.6111 Citation: Rakun J, Rihter E, Kelc D, Denis S, Vindiš P, Berk P, et al. Possibilities and concerns of implementing precision agriculture technologies on small farms in Slovenia. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2022; 15(3): 16–21.

Community Business in Less-Favoured Areas in Japan: A Review focusing on Japanese Literature

Community Business in Less-Favoured Areas in Japan: A Review focusing on Japanese Literature

Highlighting the Drivers of Italian Diversified Farms Efficiency: A Two-Stage DEA-Panel Tobit Analysis

Farm diversification is an important phenomenon in agricultural systems and rural development in Europe, pursuing economic, social and environmental goals. For the sustainability of diversified farms, it is important to analyse some drivers affecting farm efficiency, for instance, socio-economic, technical and policy drivers. The efficiency performance of a panel of Italian farms practising other gainful activities in the period 2012–2017 was investigated and regressed against the drivers that mostly affects farm performances. FADN data and a two-step approach were used. An output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis was applied; in the second step, efficiency scores were used as a dependent variable in a panel Tobit regression analysis used to determine differences in the significance of drivers. Social, economic, technical and policy drivers were considered as explanatory variables. Results show margins for improving farms performances. The incidence of the output from other gainful activities has been proven to positively affect farms efficiencies, while intermediate costs are the most negatively impacting factor. As regards policy variables and implications, the significance of localization in mountain disadvantaged territories further supports the relevance of EU subsidies in less-favoured areas. Managerial implications in terms of technical, structural and economic indicators can be drawn from study findings.

Optimising the Spatial and Production Input Features to Improve Efficiency of Hill Farm Production Systems

Integration of crop and livestock production systems (ICLS) represents a method for enhancing the sustainability of agricultural systems. Introducing more diversified farm production plans increases profitability and resilience by minimising the negative environmental impacts of agricultural production. Examining farm businesses located in Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) of England, we investigate how conversion into more integrated systems impacts on profitability. Thus, providing knowledge that can enable structural changes on the farm level towards enhancing financial performance and the sustainable intensification of the production system. Through Linear Programming (LP), four distinct optimisation scenarios are estimated, demonstrating the different dynamics between more specialised and more integrated-diversified (intensified) production systems. Data regarding physical and financial performances of 139 farm businesses were derived from the Farm Business Survey (FBS) for the accounting year of 2013–2014. Our findings suggest that there is a lot of potential for increasing profitability of hill farms through optimisation of ICLS. Policy interventions may accommodate productivity challenges within the LFAs via the construction of networks of transferrable knowledge to enable farmers gain knowledge on benefits emerging from ICLS. Hence, promote strategies and risk mitigation practises that could allow hill farmers to develop a sustainably intensified production system that is maximising the production capacity of the available natural resources.

Economic performance of agritourism: an analysis of farms located in a less favoured area in Italy

Farms that operate in less favoured areas (LFAs) often suffer in achieving adequate profits. Diversification strategies, such as direct selling and offering recreational services, can play an important role in integrating earning sources and, as a consequence, increasing farm profitability. Such opportunities would depend on the efficient distribution and use of farm resources among different activities as well as the added value creation of farm output. However, achieving positive results is not obvious in LFAs due to different types of inherent constraints (geographical, social, economic). The paper aims to evaluate the role of agritourism in affecting the economic performance of multifunctional farms located in a less favoured area of Sardinia (Italy). To be more precise, using so-called working farm income as the main indicator resulting from balance sheet analysis, production factor rewards are determined for 15 agritourism farms. The results show controversial performance but basically highlight the difficulty agritourist farmers have both remunerating their work at market price levels and being profitable. This research contributes to the debate on LFAs and offers useful reflections for policy-makers and practitioners about the potential and critical aspects of agritourism in LFAs.

Effect of Fertilization on the Energy Profit of Tall Wheatgrass and Reed Canary Grass

Cultivation of energy crops is a part of modern agriculture. In particular, maize (Zea mays L.) is widely grown in central Europe. However, in terms of erosion risk and high demands on fertilization and protection against diseases and pests, its growing is not environmentally friendly. Therefore, possibilities of utilization of other more environmentally friendly energy crops have been examined at present. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of various fertilization (mineral, digestate, control) on the yields of tall wheatgrass (TWG) (Elymus elongatus subsp. ponticus) and reed canary grass (RCG) (Phalaris arundinacea L.) cultivated in a long-term field experiment on the experimental site in Czech Republic. The energy profit from cultivation of these crops and its protective anti-erosion effect were evaluated. The average yields ranged from 4.6 (RCG, mineral fertilization) to 7.4 t/ha (TWG, digestate fertilization). The more profitable species was tall wheatgrass, the biomass of which also had the higher heating value. The energy profit ranged from 80 GJ/ha (RCG, control variant and mineral fertilization) to 133 GJ/ha (TWG, digestate and mineral fertilization). It has been found that the tested plants excel in anti-erosion effect and could therefore be a suitable alternative to maize, especially in less-favored areas.

中山間地域における広域集落営農法人の形成・発展過程と地元組織の役割:広島県の「全戸参加型集落法人」を対象に

中山間地域における広域集落営農法人の形成・発展過程と地元組織の役割:広島県の「全戸参加型集落法人」を対象に

Are Farms Located in Less-Favoured Areas Financially Sustainable? Empirical Evidence from Polish Farm Households

The topic of farms that deal with environmental constraints is an ongoing agricultural policy issue, including within the Common Agricultural Policy. We propose empirical evidence based on a sample of Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) farm households, evaluate the influence of chosen factors on financially sustainable farm development and verify less-favoured area (LFA) farms’ growth compared with non-LFA households. To specify farm households, we use the Sustainable Growth Challenge (SGC) model and DuPont decomposition based on financial measures and indicators that were adopted from corporate finance. It is concluded that the differences in SGC and revenue growth values between LFA and non-LFA farms mainly results from the system of subsidising LFA farms that receive compensation for farming in areas with adverse environmental conditions. Generally, the impact of agricultural policies on LFA and non-LFA farms is significant and may weaken the effect on LFA. With the exception of education, other sociodemographic factors do not highly influence farm efficiency. Along with improvements in the quality of human capital (e.g., higher education level), awareness of subsidies, and debt and innovative solutions increases. The interest in precision agriculture and agriculture 4.0 is also growing, which directly translates into better technological and financial efficiency of farms.