Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture Research Articles

Implementation of LEISA Concept through composting rice straw waste in Subak Telun Ayah, Tegallalang

In general, many farmers tend to still regard rice straw as waste material that is burned. Burning rice straw is a bad habit because it removes organic matter that contains nutrients needed by plants. As a result, farmers require higher fertilizer costs in the next planting period which is contrary to the concept of Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA). Community Service in Subak Telun Ayah aims to increase farmers' knowledge related to the use of compost in rice cultivation and as an effort to reduce inorganic fertilization. The methods used are surveys, interviews, discussions, counseling, and plot demonstrations. Farmers claim to burn rice straw because it is based on the knowledge passed down from generation to generation and it is believed that straw waste is quickly returned to the soil. Farmers do not do composting because they do not know how to compost rice straw. Based on farmers' problems, assistance is carried out by providing training and making demonstration plots. After the mentoring program, farmers are willing to do composting, moreover, it takes 30-35 days and is repeated every 7 days. Farmers' interest in composting is also triggered by the difficulty of obtaining inorganic fertilizers and the rising price of inorganic fertilizers.

TOWARDS GREEN ECONOMY : THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, THE CASE ON UPPER CITARUM RIVER BASIN WEST JAVA PROVINCE INDONESIA

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development on Upper Citarum River Basin has important role in increasing local economic growth, social equity and environmental quality. It is essential to reduce population pressure on rural resources. A quantitative model on population pressure and its potential for development planning can help to achieve a more holistic regional planning since agricultural development, the creation of employment in the non-agricultural sector and population growth are tied together. By providing local input (resources), agropolitan, training, credit, marketing, ecoretail, ecotourism, bio-energy, bio- industries, and their job & income multiplier effects can be expected to increase value added creating additional income and new employment both on-farm and off-farm as well as non-farm sectors. A model used to develop sustainable agriaquaculture on the following area is agriecobussiness with low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA) amongs land use patterns covering ricefield, horticulture, fish capture and aquaculture, drawdown area, agroforestry, husbandry, and farm estate management.

Ethnoecology of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium by local communities around Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract. Nurlaeni Y, Iskandar J, Junaedi DI. 2021. Ethnoecology of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium by local communities around Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 1806-1818. Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC., locally known as andaliman, is a typical spice of traditional cuisine of communities living around Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Despite the extensive uses, the ethnoecological study on this plant is relatively scarce. This study aims to conduct ethnoecological studies of the management and cultivation of andaliman plants based on Traditional Ecological Knowledge of local communities of Salaon Dolok Village, a village nearby Lake Toba which has close relationship and intensively cultivated/utilized andaliman in their daily life. This study applied qualitative methods using the combination of direct observation and interviews with 46 selected respondents using snowball sampling. The results of this study showed that the cultivation of andaliman in Salaon Dolok Village was carried out using traditional ways with simple farming practices. These traditional farming models relied on manual farming practices in all farming aspects. The community has local knowledge related to the management of reliable agricultural systems from generation to generation. Andaliman cultivation in Salaon Dolok Village does not need maintenance costs for fertilizers and pesticides. In general, andaliman planting is mostly done in the forest. In general, the people of this village only recognize two kinds of andaliman cultivars, namely Andaliman 'Simanuk' and Andaliman 'Sihorbo'. The planting is usually carried out during the rainy season to reduce the mortality rate of the planted seedlings. The activity of seedling preparation is carried out in two simple ways. First, most farmers were collected andaliman seeds that grow wild around the existing andaliman plants. The second method is by collecting the seedling that grows from the burning land with some remains of old andaliman plants collected at the edge of the land. Sustainable agriculture should minimize the external input from outside of the agro-ecosystem. Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) emphasizes the efficient use of existing production factors to create sustainable agriculture, including for andaliman agriculture system.

Investigation of Pathogenic Bacterial Transport by Waterbirds: A Case Study of Flooded and Non-Flooded Rice Systems in Mississippi

Waterbirds may facilitate pathogen transport in rice fields from autumn to winter. This study investigated pathogen dynamics in two types of rice fields, those considered conventionally managed and a low-external-input-sustainable-agriculture (LEISA) rice system in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, winter 2017–2018. In each system, fields were (1) left unflooded or (2) flooded from November to March. Fecal indicator and pathogenic bacteria (enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp.) were quantified in soil before and after winter flooding, and bird fecal matter estimated on both farm types. Water samples were tested for enterococci, C. perfringens and E. coli before fields were drained. The LEISA flooded fields had greater detections of C. perfringens in the soil than conventional non-flooded fields. There was an observed decreasing trend of C. perfringens detection associated with lower bird abundances among treatment groups. All observed pathogen levels in both systems were below EPA standards. Results suggest that long-term waterbird stopovers can influence pathogen indicators in soil, but not at levels to threaten human and environmental health standards. Future studies should focus on long-term monitoring of pathogen introduction in rice fields that harbor wintering waterfowl or other waterbirds.

Low external input sustainable agriculture: Winter flooding in rice fields increases bird use, fecal matter and soil health, reducing fertilizer requirements

This study investigated a low-external-input sustainable-agriculture (LEISA) rice production system in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) that applied ecological principles to create waterbird habitat and enhance soil fertility. Two production sites were selected for this study (LEISA and conventional). Each production site applied a flooded treatment and a fallow treatment to select fields during the non-growing season (November 2017- March 2018). Bird fecal matter inputs and soil microbial bacteria/activity and nutrient content were quantified and compared between fields. Significantly more % total nitrogen, % total carbon, microbial richness and activity (P < 0.05) were found in flooded LEISA than other study fields. Bird fecal matter inputs on LEISA flooded fields contributed an estimated 6.1–48.9 kg N/ha/season, whereas 1.9–14.8 kg N/ha/season were added to conventionally flooded fields. Long-term application of the unique LEISA rice farming system can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizer application by > 13 %, while increasing soil organic carbon. This case study provides a foundation for future research into the agronomic benefits of creating bird habitat in rice fields, while documenting how conservation strategies support agronomic production and sustainability to foster conservation adoption.

Integration Food, Feed, Fuel and Fertilizer Systems in Kolaka Regency

Integration provides relationships between sub-systems with other sub-systems in an area that can be called agro industry. With the development of the integration method model in the main production process, side and waste make and encourage agro industry can be low external input sustainable agriculture. So that with the approach of developing the integration method the system model gets a model to synchronize the sub-systems of agriculture, plantations and livestock into an integration of food, feed, fuel, fertilizer in increasing the productivity of Islamic Farmers in Kolaka and Kolaka Timur. A number of actors involved in the integration system of food, feed, fuel and fertilizer: 1). Cattle Breeders, require availability of feed raw materials, controlled volume of waste. 2). Rice farmers, need superior seeds, good irrigation systems, and fertilizers. 3). Cocoa farmers, need superior seeds, good irrigation systems, and fertilizers. 4). Clove farmers, need superior seeds, good irrigation systems, and fertilizers. 5). Local people, need animal and biological food, need a beautiful environment, no pollution / pollution to the soil, water and air.

ANALISIS LOW EXTERNAL INPUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (LEISA) PADA TERNAK DOMBA DI KAWASAN AGRIBISNIS DESA TERNAK, DESA CINTALAKSANA KECAMATAN TEGALWARU, KABUPATEN KARAWANG

The purpose of the research is to analyze regional carrying capacity to keep sheep in agribusiness zone at Cintalaksana village through the concept of Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA). The village is dominated by forest and paddy land that indicate forage availabality to develop sheep commodity. The result research showed that forage availability that can be produced approaximately 4.316,93 ton dry matter per year. The amount of sheep can be kept approaximately 29 . 563 animal units. The analysis of carrying capacity index showed that Cintalaksana village had the carrying capacity index is 1,0002 which means that the value is in a critical category. Therefore the sheep development in Desa Cintalaksana could not support to LEISA concept because the index value is a critical category.

Potency and Carrying Capacity of Rice Straw for Beef Cattle Feed in East Kalimantan

Rice straw is a very potential feedstuff to meet livestock needs during lack of green forage in dry season. Some treatments can be adjusted to deal with the characteristics of rice straw i.e. low nutrient content and bulky. Optimum utilization of rice straw indicates zero waste production conceptsin accordance with low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA). This research was conducted in two steps: 1) survey based on purposive sampling technique to determine the potency of rice straw quantity in three regencies; and 2) laboratory experiment to determine the nutrient quality of rice straw. Survey was carried out to collect data related with wet paddy field harvested area and beef cattle population to determine the carrying capacity of rice straw used for beef cattle’s feed. In laboratory experiment, rice straw samples were chopped and dried and then followed by analyzing the dry matter content and conducted proximate analysis. Result showed that the average production of rice straw in last five years found in research locations were +9.799; +8.302; +7.079; +8.714; and +6.432 tons. The average populations reached up to 1,264 AU; 1,616 AU; 1,842 AU; 1,683 AU and 1,919 AU. The average demand of beef cattle per year was 44.609 tons/y; 23.719 tons/y; 20.225 tons/y; 24.897 tons/y and 18.377 tons/y. The average carrying capacity was 54.07 AU/y; 78.91 AU/y; 20.16 AU/y; 65.91 AU/y; and 16.58 AU/y. The nutrient contents of rice straw based on proximate analysis was DM=87.85%; CP=4.86%; CFa=0.91%; CFi=41.07%; NFE=36.98%; and TDN=46.65%. According to the result, it is concluded that the quantity and quality of rice strawis potential to meet the needs of beef cattle on feed in North Penajam Paser, Kutai Kartanegara and Berau Regency.

Ecological sustainability of smallholder dairy farm with Leisa pattern

This study was conducted to determine the sustainability status of smallholder dairy farms applying Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) pattern, and to formulate sustainable model. Eight smallholder dairy farms located in livestock business area (KUNAK) were purposive selectedwith criteria was they had 11 heads dairy cows, planted an elephant grass, dispose the manure to grassland, did not use chemicals fertilizer, 4250 m2 land area of dairy farming. Data were analyzed by: 1) attribute determination, 2) ordinal scale determination based on sustainability criteria;3) data analysis (Rap Dairy software);4) assessment of index and sustainability status;5) review sensitive attributes (leverage analysis)and 6) validation model (Monte Carloand Square Correlation (SQR) analysis). Attributes and ordinal scale on ecological sustainability weredensityof dairy cow, carrying capacity, supply water, drainage cages, soil fertility, topography, rainfall, humidity, temperature and altitude. Results of Rap Dairy analysis showed that smallholder dairy farms who apply LEISA pattern ecologically was quite sustainable with index of 57.95.The index could be increased to 88.39 (sustainable) through model simulation with respect to sensitive attributes. The results of Leverage analysis showedthat topography, densityof dairy cow, carrying capacity, supply water availability were sensitive attributes.Analysis Monte Carlo and SQR showedthat model could explain data well.

Prospek Pengembangan Integrasi Usaha Peternakan di Indonesia

Growth of animal husbandry require to be supported by various production equipment, one of them is feed availability. Feed material source of energy come from corn, cassava, paddy bran, grist bran, sago and others, while feed materials source of protein come from soybeans by product, fish meal, leaf leguminous, blood flour and others. Feed materials contain fibrous are grass, paddy hay, sugar cane sprout, husk of cacao and by-product from agriculture food crop represent the feed materials which is exploited for the livestock of ruminants, like cattle, sheep or goat. Opportunity to use agriculture by-product as feed in livestock will represent the challenge and at the same time also to optimize local resources which during the time not yet been exploited efficiently. On the other side, animal husbandry has the constraint in the case of supplying the demand of meat and animal stock. Through the approach of LEISA (low external input sustainable agriculture), every hectare agriculture field can produce feed material for feeding 2-3 cattle. In this case, livestock personating as compost factory, together with crop by product, which is finally the compost utilized as organic fertilizer for crop. In the effort improving livestock population with the low production cost, pattern of integration between livestock with the plantation and forest, needs to be developed through technical, social and also economic. One of the success key from this pattern in there no materials which unused, and also exploiting innovate correctly and efficient. Through pattern applying integration crop and livestock by external approach of low input, will be provide a livestock product that have a competitive value. For the reason, in the future livestock production through the integration system with crop become enough to draw and have good enough opportunity to be achieved.

Pemanfaatan Kotoran Hewan di Kelompok Tani Tunas Harapan Desa Pasawahan Kidul Kecamatan Pasawahan Kabupaten Purwakarta

The development of organic rice has been implemented in recent years in Pasawahan District, Purwakarta Regency. Philosophically, organic agriculture breaks away from its dependence on external inputs such as the LEISA (Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture) concept, therefore the availability of materials (such as organic fertilizers) provided at the local level is imperative. Consider the potential of livestock in KecamatanPasawahan, so far the utilization of animal waste to become inputs of organic farming production and other uses, such as as an energy source, is still not optimal. This community service activity aims to re-introduce the knowledge of organic fertilizer and introduce biogas/biodigester technology. In particular, this program seeks to apply that knowledge in the form of piloting the manufacture of organic fertilizers and installation of portable biogas installations at the site of community work activities. To achieve this, this program applied participatory approaches to the entire empowerment process, including workshop activities, training, monitoring and evaluation, and mentoring and consultancy, all of which are conducted in a participatory way. Related to the limited facilities and budgeting, for biodigester installations was conducted at one farmer's stall location, which is expected to become a model, while for the pilot of organic fertilizer making is done at several locations of farmer's land.

The Strategy of Developing Sweet Potato Cultivation in Tidal Land

&lt;p&gt;The development of sweet potato cultivation in tidal land has begun. These activities require an appropriate invention in agricultural technology. An integrated management in physical, chemical and biological aspect also needs to be done. The content of soil microbes in tidal land is low, but it’s fairly high diversity can be used to improve the soil fertility. This paper describes some success of microbiological studies on tidal land. Further attempt is by integrate the potential of soil microbes utilization which supported by LEISA (Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture) technology.The success of this activity supports the national food security program and realizing sustainable agricultural system in the utilization of tidal land.&lt;/p&gt;

Developing Cattle Agribusiness in an Intergrated Coconut Plantation Area

Developing an integrated coconut beef cattle system could be prospective in view of both technical and economical aspects. The present agribusiness of coconut plantation as monoculture, has not met sufficient farmer’s income, because each hectare of land, only produces equivalent to 2,500,000 rupiahs per year. Constraints such as plant disease, fluctuation price of coconut and the large areas of old plants need to be solved seriously. Integrated coconut-cattle system (CCS) in small holding scale region with Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) approach is considered to be economically potential. Additional income is estimated increase 2 – 3 times than traditionally monoculture-based coconut production. About one percent (approximately 30,000 hectare) of total coconut plantation can support 30,000 until 100,000 cattle per year. This will contribute mostly (90%) of the national requirement of meat. Theoritically, when 10% of whole areas of coconut crop is integrated with cattle production, Indonesia could even export the meat.This program of CCS -based on coconut farming can be made posible, when it is supoported by sufficient fund, technology, supervision and condusive policy. Key words: Development, agribusiness, cattle, coconut farm

Organic Farming

Organic Farming is recognized by FAO as suitable for sustainable agriculture. The reasons for adopting Organic Farming world wide are discussed in the paper. It is explained how in the Indian context Organic Farming is most suited for small and marginal farmers. A brief description is also given of the various Organic Farming protocols. Economic implications and export potentials are also discussed. Exponents of Organic Farming have given it various names such as Biological Farming, Regenerative Farming, Low Input Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA). Steiner's Biodynamic Farming. Mollison's ‘Permaculture’, Fukouka's Natural Farming and late Prof D. Dabholkar's ‘Paryag Pariwar’ and the Vedic based Homa Farming. The Underlying principle behind all of them is providing integrated efforts to maintain the agro eco-system in a sustainable manner. The FAO's Codex Alimentarius Commission (June 1999) stated “Organic Agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil, biological activity’ The founder of Cuba's Organic Farming Association has beautifully described Organic Farming. ’Many people think that farming is a simple and mundane act, but they are wrong. It is the soul of any great culture, because it requires not only a great deal of accumulated knowledge but also putting this knowledge to use every single day. Knowledge of the weather, the soil, plants, animals, the cycles of nature: all of this is used everyday by a farmer to make decisions that have to be made in order to produce the food that we eat. To us it may seem like food comes from a factory, but in reality it comes from a culture that generations have created to produce that food”.

New approach in research education to solve problems of dryland farming in Africa

For quite some time now, Africa has faced food shortages that are largely due to deterioration of agricultural environments and high population growth rates, leading to a combination of production pressures. The agricultural problems are particularly pronounced in dryland farming, and the means to mitigate them have to be mainly of a low external input nature. A case study from Kenya of an integrated research education approach holds much promise for contributions to solve such food production problems in the drylands of Africa and other low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA). The approach emphasizes interdisciplinary research education of local scientists by problem‐oriented research in tackling environmental hazards facing the farmers. Six primary sequential steps, from problem identification via field quantification to the contributions to solutions, are distinguished as essential. In the Kenyan example, it was possible to give a “weather advisory,”; that is, an extension message with strong agroclimatological components, on the biophysical and economic limits of alley cropping Cassia siamea with maize in a semiarid environment. Adaptation requirements of some commercial instruments under tropical conditions were also covered. Such a range of subjects is essential if research education is to contribute to protection from environmental hazards in dryland farming.

Low external input sustainable agriculture: expectations and realities

Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) is receiving increased attention, both as a sustainable alternative to Green Revolution-like strategies making intensive use of external inputs, and as a strategy of sustainable agriculture in resource-poor environments where no or very few external inputs are used. The evaluation of LEISA field-experiences in the Philippines and in Ghana shows that the potential of LEISA to improve ecological and/or socioeconomic sustainability depends on site-specific factors in the first place. In areas with a high production potential, LEISA can simultaneously improve ecological sustainability and farmers' socioeconomic conditions by reduced use of external inputs. In areas with a low production potential, LEISA can stabilize and restore the carrying capacity, but generally has limited potential to improve socioeconomic conditions for growing populations, and an increased production may also result from a further depletion of natural resources, and by a limited number of farmers. Other factors that can influence the potential and the applicability of LEISA are the production dip and the rehabilitation period involved, high labour requirements, land ownership aspects, gender issues, constraints to implement a participatory technology development approach, macroeconomic aspects, government influences and information dissemination. Together with the site-specific conditions, these aspects should be considered in planning and evaluation of LEISA techniques.

European features for sustainable development: a contribution to the dialogue

Within the framework of agricultural policy-making, the world-wide demands for sustainable development in general are related to the sustainable development of rural areas in particular. According to the definitions of sustainability, four fundamental aspects are considered: (1) food security; (2) employment and income generation; (3) environmental and natural resource conservation; (4) people's participation and empowerment. Different priorities may be set in the implementation of these aspects, expressing different attitudes toward nature, society and the ethical decisions involved. In line with these differences, different strategies for agricultural development are favoured, each with specific consequences for rural development. In this paper, we consider some of the basic features of the above-mentioned problems, focusing on technical aspects but touching upon some underlying social and ethical issues as well. We compare basic requirements of sustainable development with some features of recent strategies, such as integrated agriculture (integrated pest management and integrated plant nutrition systems) and low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA). Special attention is given to the principles underlying autonomous ecosystem management (AEM), as applied in organic types of agriculture (OA). By aiming for the multi-purpose efficiency of the agro-ecosystem and its subsystems, OA complies with the requirements for a sustainable use of natural resources. Its impact on the environment, nature and landscape meet the requirements of European Community (EC) and national policies. Its economic performance is remarkably similar to that of comparable conventional farms. Yields tend to be somewhat lower than those of high external input agriculture (HEIA), but enough to meet the EC's efforts to diminish overproduction, and OA seems to meet society's need for sufficient good-quality food. Also, higher labour demands in organic agriculture, labour diversification and upgrading at the farm, and the social networks between farmers and consumers make a significant contribution to sustainable social development. This presentation of various development perspectives can widen the options for choices. Far from offering a blueprint or turnkey solution, these considerations are meant as a contribution to a challenging dialogue on agriculture's role in sustainable rural development.