Livelihood Of Farming Communities Research Articles

Predicting wheat yield gap and its determinants combining remote sensing, machine learning, and survey approaches in rainfed Mediterranean regions of Morocco

Wheat plays a crucial role in Morocco’s food security, economic stability, and livelihoods of farming communities. Assessing key vegetation indices (as yield predictors), along with understanding potential yield, yield gap, and major determinants for this gap at regional and national scales, is vital for improving food security with resilience in variable climatic conditions. Analysing the yield gap and its causes during drought and optimal weather conditions can reduce crop failure risks and enhance productivity specially in variable rainfed production systems. This study aimed to develop scalable methodology to predict field- and landscape-level yield and yield gaps for wheat and their underlying causes examplifying Morocco’s rainfed production environment combining remote sensing, machine learning, and ground information. By analysing six vegetation indices (EVI2, CGVI, MSR, NDVI, OSAVI, and RVI) derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (10 m resolution) over three successive growing seasons (2018–2019, 2019–2020, and 2020–2021), the study employed advanced vegetation index models for accurate prediction of wheat yields and yield gaps at plot and on a larger regional scale within the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region. To identify the determinants of yield gap, climate and soil datasets were merged with crop management information and the random forest model was fine-tuned and assessed for each season and cumulatively. The findings highlighted that RVI, GCVI, and NDVI vegetation indices were particularly effective in predicting wheat yields, showing the highest R2 and the lowest prediction errors (RMSE). Such predictive methodologies are crucial for policymakers to proactively plan and mitigate risk minimization and adaption plans at regional and national levels. The models predicted rainfed potential yields of 5.99, 1.53, and 4.66 t ha−1, with corresponding yield gap of 3.38, 0.73, and 1.58 t ha−1 for the seasons of 2018/2019 (favorable); 2019/2020 (drought) and 2020/2021 (favorable), respectively. Across three periods, critical factors determining yield include soil moisture, total rainfall during the crop growing period, evapotranspiration, and soil texture and carbon content. To minimize drought risks and maximize benefits during variable rainfall conditions, it is essential to implement pre-season drought forecasts, customize seeding dates based on soil moisture, adopt technologies that enhance soil moisture retention, and utilize climate-adapted farming practices in the semi-arid and arid rainfed regions.

Climate change and its impact on agriculture

Climate change is a global phenomenon that poses significant challenges to various sectors including agriculture. As the Earth's climate undergoes unprecedented changes due to human activities, the implications for agricultural systems and food production are profound. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather events are transforming the agricultural landscape and posing risks to global food security. In this context, this discussion will delve into the impact of climate change on agriculture, focusing on how changing climatic conditions affect crop production, food availability and the livelihoods of farming communities. We will explore the specific challenges posed by climate change, the vulnerabilities of agricultural systems and the measures needed to build resilience and ensure sustainable food production in the face of a changing climate. By comprehending the intricacies of climate change and its impact on agriculture, we can foster awareness, drive policy changes and promote practices that promote the long-term sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems. Through collective action and innovative approaches, it is possible to navigate the challenges posed by climate change and secure a future where agriculture can thrive amidst a changing climate.

Effect of foliar spray of water- soluble fertilizer on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum)

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of foliar application of water soluble fertilizers on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) during 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18 at Bharatpur, Rajasthan. The application of recommended dose of fertilizers-NPK @ 70:48:50) + water-soluble fertilizers (polyfeed NPK-19:19:19) @1% at 45 and 75 days after transplanting recorded higher yield of green chilli (93 q/ha) as compared to the control (84 q/ha). There was 10.71% increase in yield over the control.The technology gap in productivity (7 q/ha) was computed. The technology index value (7.53%) was recorded. The results indicated the gap existed in the potential yield and demonstration yield is due to soil fertility and weather conditions. By conducting on-farm testing of proven technology of nutrient management, yield potential of chilli can be increased. This will substantially increase the income as well as the livelihood of farming community.

Interventions to sustain dairy production and productivity in changing climate of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu

Dairy animals play a major role in livelihood of farming community in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. But continuous reduction in average rainfall of 854.95 mm between 1995-2005, 777.47mm between 2006-2014 and 708.04mm between 2015-2019 due to climate change causes severe drought and drought results in scarcity of available pasture and fodder and decline in dairy animal population from 2.85lakhs in 18th livestock census, 2009 to 2.49 in 19th livestock census, 2014 in Namakkal district. Also, dairy animals become susceptible for heat stress, prone to vector borne diseases and affect the reproductive performances. Hence, suitable interventions to improve the performance of dairy animals in summer and hot humid seasons were introduced. It was found that though the temperature humidity index persisted almost similar over the years (2012 – 2018) and induced moderate heat stress ranged between 80 – 83, the productivity of animal increased from 4.1lt to 6.15lt in summer and 4.15lt to 6.59lt in hot humid season by adopting the climate resilient interventions. The productive and reproductive performance of the dairy animals indicated that housing, feeding and health management interventions improved the lactation yield from 945 lts to 2103 lts with 7.41 to 9.85 months lactation length though the average maximum temperature in summer from 2012 – 2018 was 39.170c. Even in drought and crop failure times, farmers could get stable income of Rs.2270/month/animal through milk and manure of cow by adopting scientific dairy housing and feeding management practices like thatched roof sheds, trees around the sheds for good ventilation, green fodder cultivation and feeding (15-20kg/day/animal), balanced low cost concentrate feed, mineral mixture (40gms/day/animal) along with Sodium bicarbonate (50gms/day/animal) feeding and adlibitum good quality drinking water (70lt – 90lt/day/animal).

Urban sprawl and its implications on the livelihoods of Agricultural Communities in the vicinities of Dire Dawa city, eastern Ethiopia

The study aimed at analysing the impacts of urban expansion on the livelihoods of farming communities adjoining Dire Dawa City, Ethiopia. Data were generated from key informants and heads of households that were dispossessed of their agricultural land and displaced due to urban expansion, 1985 to 2015. The findings revealed that built-up area of the city increased by 5.7-fold from 1985 to 2015, and much of that increase was induced by population growth and the associated proliferation of informal settlements. This resulted in reduction of size of per capital landholdings and livestock of agricultural households. The expansion led 92.8 per cent of the agricultural households to turn to non-farm activities, casual labour or joblessness. Drawing on the findings, the authors recommend the urgent need of regulating informal settlements and supporting affected residents to intensify and diversify agricultural pursuits.Keywords: Urban sprawl, livelihoods, displaced/dispossessed persons, informal settlement, Ethiopia

Smallholder farmers adoption of technologies for adaptation to climate change in Northern Ghana

Climate change introduces numerous uncertainties in the livelihoods of farming communities that depend heavily on the weather and climate. Technologies have been developed to help smallholder farmers better adapt to the changing climatic conditions. This study seeks to determine the factors that influence the adoption of climate related technologies introduced by research institutions. A Multinomial Logit Model was estimated using data from 320 households in Northern Ghana. The empirical results reveal that sex, age, farm size, access to formal agricultural extension, agro ecology and noticing of unpredictable temperatures were the factors influencing farmers’ adoption of a climate related strategies introduced by research institutions. The empirical results imply that targeting females, increasing access to agricultural extension services and creating more awareness about changes in temperatures are important in promoting the adoption of climate related technologies introduced by research. Key words: Adoption, climate change, technologies, multinomial logit, Northern Ghana.

Rice (Oryza sativa)-based farming systems for livelihood improvement of Indian farmers

Farming system research is a multi-disciplinary holistic approach to solve the problems of small and marginal farms. Small and marginal farmers are the core of the Indian rural economy constituting 80% of the total farming community but possessing only 36% of the total operational land. The declining trend of per caput land availability poses a serious challenge to the sustainability and profitability of farming. Under such conditions, it is appropriate to integrate land-based enterprises, viz. dairy, fishery, poultry, duckery, apiary, field and horticultural crops within the farm, with the objective of generating adequate income and employment for these small and marginal farmers and thereby improved livelihoods. The production system adopted during Green Revolution has been explorative and the natural resources like soil and water were subjected to immense pressure beyond carrying capacity. As a result sustainability of agricultural production system and the farming system is in crises. This suggests the urgent need of integrated farming system development where the various components of the farming system may be in- tegrated to improve productivity and profitability as well as resource conservation along with maintenance of the environment. Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) occupies a position of overwhelming importance in Asian agriculture and it constitutes the bulk of the Asian diet. For many people in the poor countries, rice is the main source of energy, and it plays an important role in providing livelihood to the Asian population. It is largely grown in Asia (90% area) under diverse conditions of soil, climate, hydrology and topography. Rice farming is the single most important source of employment and income for the majority of rural people in these regions. Among the various farming system options in rice ecologies, rice fish farming has great potential particularly in eastern India in view of the resources, food habits and other socio-economic conditions. Ricefish diversified farming system with the integra- tion of compatible components, such as improved varieties of rice, fish, prawn, pulses, oilseeds, horticultural crops, agroforestry, mushroom, poultry, duckery, goatery, floriculture, apiculture etc. can increase the farm pro- ductivity, besides farm employment over traditional rice farming. There exist chain of interactions and flow of re- sources among the different enterprises in a integrated farming system. To make farming profitable and improve resource use efficiency at the farm level, the synergy among interacting components of farming system needs to be exploited. In this paper focus is on different aspect of rice-based farming system involving methodology, deter- minants, and forms of rice-based farming systems and their impact on livelihood of farming communities.