Modern Agricultural Methods Research Articles

Operational management of water quality to prevent physical, chemical, and microbial contaminations in hydroponic cultivation

ABSTRACT The overarching aim of the present research is to manage the quality of surface water and irrigation water in hydroponic cultivation, which is one of the sustainable modern agricultural methods. It fully covered the control of physical, chemical, and biological contamination within the recommended standard range from river water to irrigation water. Initially, to deal with the corresponding contamination levels, the performance of the combination of coagulation and flocculation, rapid sand filter, ultrafiltration, and ultimately reverse osmosis methods were examined. By optimizing the pre-treatment section of coagulation and flocculation with jar tests, more than 90% removal of colloidal materials was achieved. Following the optimization of pre-treatment section, an 18.7% reduction in water consumption was observed. Finally, through the examination of the irrigation system and monitoring of both physical and biological contaminations, alongside the optimization of the greenhouse's recycled water disinfection system, preventive measures inhibiting the irrigation system clogging were implemented. The findings of the current research exhibited the removal of over 99% of these contaminations yielding a 99% reduction in the occurrence of irrigation system clogging.

Airports for the genetic rescue of a former agricultural pest

The intensification of agricultural practices and urbanisation are widespread causes of biodiversity loss. However, the role of artificial habitats in genetic rescue is an aspect that is not well understood. Implementing genetic rescue measures to improve gene flow and maintain a viable population of keystone species is a crucial prerequisite for promoting diverse and resilient ecosystems. Landscape fragmentation and modern agricultural methods have caused the decline and the isolation of the remnant colonies of the endangered European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) throughout its range. However, the artificial habitat, such as airport fields with regular grass mowing, provides suitable conditions for this grassland specialist. We measured home range size and genetic variation of seven souslik colonies in western Slovakia. Based on the 6904 ddRAD SNPs, we found significantly higher individual heterozygosity in colonies on airports compared to colonies on pastures. This indicates a potential for higher fitness of individuals from airport colonies, which can serve as a source for evidence-based translocations. Such an intervention can preserve the genetic diversity of small and isolated populations in the region. We emphasize that conservation management strategies would be strengthened including a specific focus on human-made grassland habitats.

The Role of Local Knowledge in Natural Resources Conservation: An Environmental Anthropological Perspective in Traditional Agriculture

This article explores the pivotal role of local knowledge in the conservation of natural resources from the unique perspective of environmental anthropology within the context of traditional agriculture. Traditional agricultural practices have historically relied on indigenous knowledge systems, passed down through generations, to maintain a delicate balance between human livelihoods and the environment. This research endeavors to shed light on the invaluable insights offered by local communities and their practices in preserving ecological harmony. Through an interdisciplinary approach, combining anthropological fieldwork and environmental studies, we examine how local knowledge systems influence the sustainable use of natural resources, focusing on agricultural practices and their impact on ecosystems. We also analyze the transmission of this knowledge within communities and the adaptations made over time in response to changing environmental conditions. The findings of this study underscore the significance of local knowledge as a source of practical wisdom in addressing contemporary environmental challenges. Indigenous practices, such as agroforestry, crop rotation, and seed saving, have often proven to be more sustainable and resilient than modern agricultural methods. Moreover, these traditional practices reflect a deep understanding of the local environment and its ecological interdependencies. By understanding and respecting the indigenous knowledge held by traditional agricultural communities, policymakers, conservationists, and researchers can collaborate with local stakeholders to develop holistic and effective strategies for the conservation of natural resources. This research emphasizes the need for fostering partnerships that integrate scientific knowledge and local wisdom in order to achieve long-term sustainability and resilience in agriculture and environmental management. Ultimately, this article contributes to the growing body of literature highlighting the importance of acknowledging and incorporating local knowledge in efforts to address environmental issues and underscores the role of environmental anthropology as a bridge between traditional wisdom and contemporary conservation practices.

Relevancy of Modern Agriculture Education on Students’ Farming Practical Skills in Secondary Schools of Kabujogera Town Council, Kitagwenda District

Despite the importance of agriculture education, it has recently been approved that agriculture students still lack practical skills and this could be attributed to poor delivery of methods on modern agriculture education and other numerous challenge like retention rates of students, lack of interest from the learners, lack of practical time/opportunities, limited funding for agriculture practicals, and low passion by agriculture teachers. The study was about the relevancy of modern agriculture education on students’ farming practical skills in secondary schools in Kabujogera Town council, Kitagwenda district. It was guided by three specific objectives which were to; examine different methods of modern agriculture education taught in secondary schools, identify the challenges experienced in modern agriculture education in secondary schools, evaluate the strategies to enhance modern agriculture education in order to improve practical skills among secondary students. The study employed a cross-sectional study design that used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study used a sample size of 248. The study used questionnaires and interview guide to collect data. The data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists. The study concluded that modern agricultural education methods had significant relationship with improving students’ farming practical skills. These included; utilization of modern agricultural inputs (<i>x<sup>2</sup></i> = 8.305, p=0.005), Use of improved farm machines (<i>x<sup>2</sup></i> = 6.048, p=0.001), Pre and Post-harvest handling (<i>x<sup>2</sup></i> = 4.985, p= 0.026), and use of modern resistant crop varieties (<i>x<sup>2</sup></i> = 4.120, p=0.004). The study concluded that there were significant challenges experienced in modern agriculture education. These included; limited modern agricultural in puts at [p = 0.001], lack of resources to use [p = 0.005], poor motivation among students and teachers [p = 0.003], limited school farm size [p = 0.001] and poor learning environment [p = 0.004]. The study finally concluded that strategies to enhance modern agriculture education had significant association with improving student’s farming practical skills. Such as; agriculture tours and field trips (p=.027), class discussion student involvement (p=.029), use of practical demonstration method (p=.004) and recruitment of experienced agriculture teachers (p=.028). The study recommended that; there should be training and re-training among teachers and students of agricultural science on use of modern agricultural education technology. Secondary schools should ensure establishment of enough demonstration farms that students would constantly visit in order to copy much on how to do agriculture practical work to improve their skills and experience.

Influence of selected agricultural technologies on household food security in alego usonga sub county, siaya county, Kenya

This study investigates the impact of agricultural innovations, such as wood ash, irrigation, and hybrid crop varieties, on the food security of households in a region with high food insecurity. The study highlights the role of these technologies in improving food availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability amidst challenges like climate change and low productivity. By focusing on the application of traditional and modern agricultural methods, the study provides insights into how these practices can enhance agricultural output and alleviate poverty in rural areas. The findings underscore the need for region-specific agricultural policies, gender-inclusive extension services, and the integration of traditional and technological solutions to address food insecurity in developing regions.

Agroecology integrates science, practice, movement, and future food systems

Agroecology is an interdisciplinary field that brings together agricultural practice and ecological principles. This article explores agroecology's theoretical foundations, practical applications, and historical evolution, along with its impact on modern agricultural methods. Agroecology looks at how biophysical and social elements combine to produce food sustainably, promote social justice, and protect the environment. The first section of the article looks at how agroecology developed as a scientific field, discussing its fundamental ideas, practices, and objectives- all of which emphasize participatory, adaptive, and holistic methodologies. The inquiry also looks into how agroecology might support biodiversity, resilience to climate change, and sustainable livelihoods. This article also explores the rise of agroecology as a movement driven by social activism, environmental consciousness, and a search for alternative food systems. After that, the article dives further into the history of agroecology, emphasizing the pioneers' contributions and the development of agroecological principles over time. The text goes on to outline the fundamental principles of agroecology. Its main objectives are enhancing resource efficiency, strengthening resilience, and ensuring social equality. This article discusses the practical applications of agroecology in various agricultural settings, such as permaculture, agroforestry, and agroecological farming systems. A few agro-ecology case studies have been described. Finally, the article highlights the future of food systems. The article concludes by highlighting the necessity of combining scientific understanding with indigenous ecological and cultural knowledge and stating that agro-ecology is viable for a more just and sustainable future for agriculture and food security.

Resisting Modern Agricultural Practices and Urge to Practice Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Barbara Kingsolver’s Prodigal Summer

Long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability is the goal of sustainable agriculture, which aims to satisfy current and future agricultural demands. Having access to enough safe and nourishing food is essential to a healthy and active life. The novel Prodigal Summer revolves around multiple problems, such as environmental conservation, food security, human-nature interdependence, sustainable farming methods, and resistance to modern agricultural practices. The narrative skilfully blends the natural world with the lives of its characters to highlight the tension between conventional farming practices and the expanding movement toward sustainable agriculture. The actors discuss both traditional and contemporary farming practices in the first speech, focusing on how they understand sustainable farming and how they disagree with issues facing the industry today, such as monoculture and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The second point of contention is how to safeguard food from modern agricultural methods and pesticides. The characters in the novel—Deanna Wolfe, Lusa, and Walker in particular—emphasize the value of biodiversity, organic farming, and the preservation of natural ecosystems in order to maintain a balance between human requirements and environmental care. These characters are acting in unique ways and using their strength and deeds to oppose males and other community members.

The Optimal Use of Modern Agricultural Methods by Vegetable Crop Farmers in Nineveh Province, Iraq

Current research aims to know the perfect use modern of agricultural methods by vegetables farmers in general in Nineveh governorate, as well as the perfect way to use modern agricultural methods by vegetable farmers in association with research variables, to know the correlation between the perfect use of modern agricultural methods by vegetable farmers and independent variables of research. Research happened in Nineveh Governorate, Rabeaa and Hmedate Distract as place of research with their (400) farmers a simple random sample representing (20%) was taken, so final sample was (80) farmers. Survey questionnaire was made to collect data. Data collecting tool comprised two parts (the first part) including personal information of researchees. The second comprised (25) items regarding vegetable crops and used agricultural methods during stages of cultivation. Results showed that farmers using modern agricultural methods in cultivating vegetables is moderate tends to be low and research variables (age, years of experience in cultivating vegetables plays role developing ideas of vegetable farmers in using modern methods.

Estimation of technical efficiency levels using the Data Envelope method (DEA) for wheat crop cultivars farms in Diyala Governorate for the production season (2020-2021)

The research aims to estimate the technical and specialized efficiency and the economic efficiency of wheat crop varieties according to the data envelope analysis method (DEA) and according to the varieties in the research sample, which are (Bura, Adana, Iba 99), and the data was obtained by designing a questionnaire using the random sampling method for farms in the field. It determined the size of the samples for the studied items according to their percentage in the community for (150) farms by (50 for each item in the research sample. The results of the efficiency analysis were obtained according to the data envelope for production functions and costs with stability and change in capacity returns. The results of the analysis showed, depending on the variables of the production function, The results showed that the farms that achieved full efficiency (100%) were (11) farms, which were divided into (3) farms for the (Bura) variety, (6) farms for the (Adena) variety, and (2) farms for the (Ibaa 99) variety. These farms can be counted. References to the sample farms that did not reach full efficiency and the number of farms that achieved 100% efficiency in light of the change in yield were (18) farms, divided (6) farms for the (Bura) variety, (8) farms for the (Adena) and (4) farms for the variety (Ibaa 99), respectively, while the number of farms that did not reach 100% efficiency in light of the change in the field Lead (44, 42, 46) farms for varieties (Bura, Adana, Ibaa 99), respectively. Depending on the variables of the cost function, it turns out that the total of the farms that achieved 100% allocative efficiency (6) farms with one farm for the Pura variety (4) farms for the variety below and one farm for the Ibaa 99 variety. In this case, these farms do not have any surplus inputs because they consume all inputs. The optimum size to reach the optimum production and the results of estimating the economic efficiency of the wheat crop and the studied varieties were also shown, as the average economic efficiency was (0.51, 0.44, 0.41) for varieties (Bura, Aden, Iba 99), respectively. This level is low, which is the result of the product of each From technical efficiency and allocative efficiency, which shows that these farms can reduce costs by (49%, 56%, and 59%) and achieve the same production level or that these farms can get the current production using (51%, 44%, 41%) of resources to become economically efficient. In light of the results that have been reached, the research recommended encouraging farmers to use the seeds of modern varieties with high production to make the best Bionatura http://dx.doi.org/10.21931/RB/CSS/2023.08.04.67 2 use of agricultural areas in order to give the best production in addition to benefiting from the efficiency indicators obtained through the data envelope model, and the need to activate the role of the agricultural extension system in alerting farmers to the use of modern agricultural methods in line with the technical progress in this field, especially in the countries of the world. Keyword: Wheat; Cultivars; Data Envelope.

A review of climate change mitigation and agriculture sustainability through soil carbon sequestration

As a result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels, organic materials, and engaging in unsustainable land practices, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have been steadily rising, heightening worldwide concerns about climate change. It is expected concentrations to grow and changes in CO2 sequestration in agricultural soils as a result of the industrial revolution's acceleration of CO2 emissions. These emissions have been intensified by changes in land use, such as cutting down trees, burning biomass, altering farming operations, draining natural wetlands, and using the wrong methods for managing soil. The present study utilized the systematic literature review method to investigate soil carbon sequestration options as a possible means of reducing the impact of climate change and improving agriculture sustainability. As a result of soil degradation and poor management, soil organic carbon (SOC) levels have decreased, which in turn has increased atmospheric CO2 levels. But cutting-edge land application and modern agricultural management methods have the ability to reduce CO2 emissions. Several methods exist for replenishing depleted SOC, such as repurposing marginal lands for restoration purposes, advocating for reduced or zero-tillage methods in conjunction with cover as well as residue crops, and introducing nutrient cycling through composting, manure usage, and other environmentally friendly approaches to managing soil and water. One holistic approach to fighting climate change is long-term soil carbon sequestration. Soil carbon sequestration offers a comprehensive and efficient strategy for reducing the impact of climate change by recharging depleted soils, increasing biomass production, cleaning surface and underground water sources, and compensating for CO2 emissions through fossil fuels. Soil carbon sequestration presents an exciting opportunity for management of the problems caused by contemporary changes in the environment, and the adoption of these novel approaches is essential for meeting these issues.

Pengembangan Tanaman Hidroponik dan Kreativitas Anak di Taman RPTRA Petukangan Berseri

The development of hydroponic plants is one of the modern agricultural methods that is being promoted in Indonesia to increase agricultural production and reduce food imports. In Taman RPTRA Petukangan Berseri, hydroponic development is not only used as an agricultural activity, but also as a means to hone children's creativity. In this activity, children are invited to design and build a hydroponic system, choose the type of plant to be planted, and care for and harvest the harvest. This activity is expected to provide an understanding of the importance of agriculture, develop children's creativity, and provide valuable experience about responsibility in caring for the environment. The development of hydroponics and children's creative activities in Taman RPTRA Petukangan Berseri can also be an example for other regions to utilize hydroponic technology in increasing agricultural production and developing children's creativity. Through this activity, it is hoped that a young generation can be created who care about the environment and have the skills to develop agriculture sustainably.

Applied of Analytical Hierarchy Process and Fuzzy Time Series in Hybrid for Optimizing Smart Vertical Farming with Multi-Variety Plants

Vertical Farming is a kind of modern agricultural methods, where the structure of growing racks are arranged upwards. This method aims to optimize the use of agricultural space. There are many plants, which are suitable to be planted for vertical farming, such as Strawberry, Tomatoes, Celery, Chili, Mint, Chives, Kuchay, Spinach, and Water spinach. The problem, which is studied in this paper, is how to control the environments of vertical farming with multi-variety plants. This paper proposed a hybrid method of Analytical Hierarchy Process and Fuzzy Time Series AHP-FTS, that is, plants with similar characteristics are placed at the same block area determined by the method of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Furthermore, controlling the environments regarding the needs of appropriate growing parameters for multi-variety plants, the Fuzzy Time Series (FTS) method is used. Then, time variable for activating actuators could be adjusted as a multi-control system. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated with 365 record data in 12 months. The result shows that the AHP was successful to determine the multi-criteria to determine the zone and priority of plants. The second stage is that the FTS predicts the temperature to determine time variable for activating actuators, and the third stage is the implemented AHP-FTS as a hybrid system to evaluate the vertical Farming system. The results show that the proposed system works well as hybrid system of AHP-FTS

Enhancing the Yield Potential of Soybean after Magneto-Priming: Detailed Study on Its Relation to Underlying Physiological Processes

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important proteins and oilseed crops in the world due to a boom in its demand. In order to meet this demand, various modern agricultural methods are being employed, of which magneto-priming (treatment of seeds with magnetic field) is becoming the most popular technique owing to its efficiency and eco-friendly nature to improve seed vigour, growth and yield of soybean plants. Therefore, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate the impact of magneto-priming of seeds with static magnetic field on soybean var. JS-335 plants. We used static magnetic field (SMF) strengths of 150 mT (1 h) and 200 mT (1 h) for this study. Both the SMF treatments improved growth (shoot as well as root growth parameters), carbon fixation (PSII efficiency, gas exchange parameters, carbonic anhydrase activity) and nitrogen fixation (leghemoglobin content, total protein content, nitrate reductase activity). We observed an association between these parameters which contributed to biomass accumulation and hence to the enhanced crop yield. In addition, reduced levels of ASA (reduced form of ascorbate), MDA (malondialdehyde) and antioxidant enzymes suggest that magneto-priming alleviates oxidative stress in SMF-primed soybean plants. Field strength of 200 mT (1 h) proved to be more effective in improving all the parameters as compared to 150 mT. Our study suggested that pre-sowing SMF treatment can be efficaciously employed for improving the growth, development and production of soybean.

Camphor-Soothed Banana Stem Biowaste in the Productivity and Sustainability of Solar-Powered Desalination

The increasing need for clean water can be attributed to a number of reasons, such as population growth, industrial development, and climate change. As a result of modern industrial and agricultural methods, the amount of trash generated daily is also on the rise. Waste management and increasing demand for freshwater are two of the most pressing problems facing the human race today and in the future. This study makes an attempt to strike a balance between these two concerns by repurposing a common biowaste, the banana stem, to collect solar energy for a desalination application. Banana stems work well for interfacial solar desalination because of their capillarity and the fact that they float. Camphor-soothed banana stems were placed in a solar still to collect solar thermal energy and to transfer it to the water surrounding them, speeding up the evaporation process and resulting in more freshwater. Over the course of three days, measurements were taken with the water level held constant and the stem thickness of the bananas varied between 0.5 and 1.5 cm. Enviro-economic studies and water quality analysis were used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide mitigation, and the carbon credits obtained. Compared to a standard still, a maximum yield of 934 mL was achieved at an efficiency of 36.35 percent. The CPLs (costs per liter) for the MSS (modified solar still) and the CSS (conventional solar still) were USD 0.0503 and USD 0.0665. In comparison to its CSS counterpart, the MSS had a CPL that was 32.21 percent lower. The treated water retained a 95.77% reduction in TDS compared to salt water. The MSS is predicted to release 219.62 kg of carbon dioxide, 1.67 kg of sulfur dioxide, and 0.69 kg of nitrous oxide over its lifetime. In addition, the MSS saved USD 20.94 in carbon credits after avoiding the emission of 2.09 tonnes of CO2.

“Ciudad Escolar de los Mayas” in the context of the educational reform of Salvador Alvarado in the state of Yucatan in 1915-1918

This article deals with the problem of creating a “new society” in the state of Yucatan (Mexico) during the period of Salvador Alvarado, which marked the beginning of revolutionary changes in the region. The central element of the educational reform of S. Alvarado was the spread of the rationalist school, which was based on the principles of demonstrativeness, scientific character and harmonious development of the individual. The complex ethnosocial structure of the region, in which more than half of the population were Indigenous peasants, set the new revolutionary government the task of integrating the Mayan population of Yucatan into the modern civilizational space. It was the main purpose of the “Ciudad Escolar de los Mayas”, which was opened in 1917 - a boarding school destinated exclusively for the education of the Maya. The functions of “Ciudad Escolar de los Mayas” were to combat illiteracy, teach basic hygiene rules, modern agricultural methods and small trades, as well as to prepare the future rural teachers. An analysis of archival documents relating to the functioning of the “Ciudad Escolar de los Mayas” made it possible to determine the main factors that influenced the failure of this educational project, namely: dramatic change in the habitat and habitual way of life, which caused an epidemic of diseases among boarding school students, the resistance of parents and owners of haciendas, as well as insufficient material equipment of the educational institution. The main results of the educational policy of S. Alvarado were the creation of a legislative framework that guarantees the availability of school education, the development of pedagogical thought, and the designation of Indigenous education as a special sphere of state policy.

THE IMPACTS OF LONG-TERM INTENSIVE FARMING APPLICATIONS ON THE HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN SOILS

Intensive farming applications have been increasingly employed to balance the increasing world population and decreasing farming lands in the last half-century. The main purpose of these efforts is to obtain greater amounts of yield per area using modern agricultural methods. However, uncontrolled intensive farming applications (fertilization, irrigation, disinfection, etc.) disturb certain physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Especially the uncontrolled chemical fertilization applications increase the heavy metal concentrations in farming lands. The study compares certain properties of the soils from an active farming land (A-FL) in which intensive farming activities have been carried out since 1996 to those of the soils from a passive farming land (P-FL) with no farming activities. For this purpose, the study examines the changes caused by 25-year-long agricultural activities in the soils. The results revealed that the soils from the A-FL had higher levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), lime, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) than the soils from the P-FL. The negative impact of intensive agricultural activities on the soils is of great importance in terms of soil management and food safety. The uncontrolled agricultural applications indirectly and negatively affect human and animal health worldwide.

Optimization-assisted water supplement mechanism with energy efficiency in IoT based greenhouse

Remarkable resource management and energy efficiency improvements can be achieved in greenhouses using innovative technological advancements and modern agricultural methods. Deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) and optimization algorithms in greenhouse farming is highly desirable for real-time monitoring and controlling various parameters with optimal solutions. However, IoT based greenhouses require more energy as compared to traditional farming. This paper proposes an optimal greenhouse water supplement mechanism with efficient energy consumption based on IoT and optimization techniques. The first contribution of this study is to gather the actual water and soil moisture levels from the greenhouse and tank using IoT devices. Secondly, the formulation and deployment of an objective function to compute the optimal water and soil moisture levels for greenhouse and tank based on user-desired settings, the system constraints and actual sensing values. We applied a rule-based expert system to activate water pumps with the required flow rate and operational duration to achieve efficient energy consumption. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed concept, embedded IoT devices and objective function for optimization are deployed as well as, a number of experiments are conducted to provide the optimal water and soil moisture levels in a real greenhouse and water tank environment.

UMURBEY ÇAYI HAVZASI’NDA (ÇANAKKALE-LAPSEKİ) TARIMI ETKİLEYEN FAKTÖRLERİN COĞRAFİ ANALİZİ

Tarım, insanın beslenme ihtiyacının karşılanmasında temel besin maddelerini üretmesi, diğer sektörlere girdi sağlaması, istihdam yaratması, ihracata doğrudan veya dolaylı katkıları sebebiyle ekonominin vazgeçilmez bir sektörüdür. Teknolojik gelişmeler ve modern tarım yöntemlerinin uygulanması, beraberinde tarımsal etkinliklerin yürütüldüğü havzaların doğal ve beşeri potansiyelinin belirlenmesini zorunlu hale getirmektedir. Bu çalışmada; Umurbey Çayı Havzası’nda tarım üzerinde etkili olan doğal ve beşeri çevre faktörlerini ortaya koymak ve dolayısıyla havzada tarımın gelişmesine katkı sağlamak amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla, havzaya ait topografik haritalar ve çeşitli istatistikler kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sahasının mekânsal özelliklerini daha net açıklayabilmek için ArcGIS10 programından yararlanılmıştır. Çalışma süresince yapılan arazi çalışmaları havzanın tarımsal etkinliklerinin mevcut durum analizi, bunlara etki eden fiziki ve beşeri faktörlerin ve sorunların belirlenmesinde büyük bir katkı sağlamıştır. Umurbey Çayı Havzası tarım açısından büyük bir potansiyele sahiptir. 2018 yılı itibari ile havzanın 339.354 dekar olan toplam alanının 81.549 dekarını tarım alanları oluştururken 86.670 ton bitkisel üretim yapılmıştır. 19.247 dekar tarım alanı ise 2018 yılında tarımsal faaliyetlerde değerlendirilmemiştir. Havzada yazın azalan yağışlar, ormanlık alanlar, dağlık ve engebeli topografya tarım alanlarını sınırlandırmaktadır. Tarımsal potansiyelin verimli kullanılamaması, sulama sorunları, toprak problemleri ve erozyon yanı sıra tarım alanlarının yerleşme tehdidi altında kalması ve yanlış arazi kullanımı, değerlendirilmeyen tarım alanları, hayvancılıkta yaşanan sıkıntılar, tarımsal ürünlerin ekonomik getirisinin düşmesi, genç nüfusun göç etmesi, tarım konusunda bilgi ve eğitim eksikliği, pazarlama ve markalaşma konusundaki yetersizlikler vb. Umurbey Çayı Havzası’ndaki başlıca problemleri oluşturur. Havzada tarımsal faaliyetlerin gelişmesine katkı sunacak çalışmaların sınırlı olması bu çalışmanın saha açısından önemini artırmaktadır.

Local perspectives on food security in Nigeria's Niger delta

This paper surveys local perceptions of oil exploitation on household food security in Nigeria's Niger Delta. It explores what should be done to improve local people's access to sufficient supplies of safe and culturally-acceptable food. Drawing on field data, the paper argues that food security is not just about availability and accessibility. The impact of oil pollution on farmlands, crops, vegetation and water is so devastating that people can no longer engage in productive farming and fishing. The limited access to modern agricultural methods means that fishing and farming are carried out using mostly crude implements and traditional methods. This paper offers insight into the negative implications of the activities of oil multinationals for environmental and livelihood sustainability, and household food security in the Niger Delta, through active engagement with local people.

The dependency of rural livelihood on forest resources in Northern Pakistan’s Chaprote Valley

Overexploitation of forest resources continues to pose a severe threat to the environment in Chaprote Valley, Northern Pakistan. Therefore, this study investigates the main determinants of household dependency on forest resources for livelihoods in Chaprote Valley. We collected data randomly from 193 household heads through semi-structured questionnaires. To investigate the dependence of rural households on forest resources, we employed a Logistic regression model. The findings reveal that household’s education level, household size, livestock income and agriculture income significantly affect the dependency of households on forest resources, while other variables seem to be insignificant. The share of forest income to the total household income was 32%, while off-farm income, agriculture income and livestock income were 44%, 13% and 9% respectively. Among all forest products, firewood contributes more to forest income with a share of 47%. Moreover, the study found that an increase in household head’s education, livestock income, agriculture income, off-farm income and own landholding will result in reducing forest dependency. The study concludes that alternate sources of energy, modern agricultural methods, access to higher education, and public awareness about biodiversity are essential for creating a balance between forest dependency and biodiversity conservation.