Promotion Of Organic Agriculture Research Articles

Driving factors for developing integrated farming: Multi-criteria decision-making analysis

Integrated farming (IF) by temporal and spatial mixing of crops, livestock, fishery, and allied activities in a single farm, is considered a critical multifunctional option for smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Indian agriculture, to ensure sustainable livelihoods, the productivity of agricultural enterprises, stability of farm income, food and nutritional security. However, the adoption of IF still remains low. To explore the critical factors of IF systems and prioritize them for stakeholders’ decision-making and development of strategies, the current research was undertaken to integrate SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) - AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) analysis. We used a multi-stage sampling to select 60 practicing IF adopters in West Bengal state of eastern India for the collection of pair-wise comparison data on 32 SWOT factors using a close-ended questionnaire and subjected to AHP analysis to understand the quantitative importance of each factor of SWOT. Results of the multi- criteria analysis showed the total priority weight of the opportunity component (0.450) was the highest, followed by strength (0.341), weakness (0.114), and threat components (0.095). Based on the global priority weight of all 32 SWOT factors, sustainable livelihood security” was the key driving factor (0.081) followed by promotion of organic farming (0.072), better risk management (0.063) and incorporation of high-value crops (0.063) of opportunity component. Increased farm production and productivity (0.058) and enhancement in income (0.055) of strength component also played as vital driving factors. There was no factor of weakness and threat components within the first 10 important factors. The insights of this study may help improve extension services to smallholder farmers for prioritizing strategies in the adoption process of IF. Additionally, it can also help policymakers to design targeted policies, remove barriers, foster innovation, and promote sustainable practices, contributing to food security and environmental sustainability.

Relationship between organic agriculture and export of olive oil in Tunisia via an ARDL model

This paper aims to study the presence of the relationship between the organic olive-growing area and the export of olive oil in the Tunisian economy; such as the producer price index for the case of olives and the exchange rate. A cointegration approach through an Auto Regressive Distributed Lag model (ARDL model) was mobilized for the period (2001-2021). The test results show the existence of a significant short and long-terms cointegration relationship between the olive area, the exchange rate and the export of olive oil. Similarly, unidirectional causal relationships have also been determined between the producer price index and the olive area on the one hand, a unidirectional causal relationship is caused by the exchange rate on the olive-growing area and this exerts unidirectional causality on the export of olive oil. The promotion of organic farming in Tunisia depends not only on the development of organic areas but also on the economic situation of the country. Thus, it can be concluded that limiting the depreciation of the national currency and improving the producer price index can improve the exchange rate and contribute positively to the development of organic olive areas and the export of olive oil in general

The Decoupling Effect in Italian Agricultural Waste: An Empirical Analysis

The environmental Kuznets curve has received widespread attention from scholars for its ability to vividly capture the dynamics between economic growth and waste generation. The so-called waste Kuznets curve (KWC) has been used in different fields (e.g., municipal waste, e-waste, construction waste, tourism waste, etc.); nonetheless, WKC studies into agricultural waste remain relatively scarce. Due to the impact of agriculture on socio-economic development and environmental protection, this study applied KWC to the Italian agricultural sector. The aim was to investigate whether a “decoupling effect” exists between agricultural production and waste generation and assess the effects of certain socio-economic variables. The analysis was based on a panel dataset, including geographical observations at a regional level and a time series of 14 years (2002–2015). Empirical results show that the delinking point has not yet been reached, but can be reached if specific policy instruments are applied. Our evidence suggests that public expenditure for environmental protection or the promotion of organic farming could help to achieve this goal. Future studies are recommended to further validate the waste Kuznets curve for agriculture using a wider set of economies and longer panel data.

Inventory of pesticides and their potential risk of contamination in the semi-arid region of Ceará (Cariri–CE, Brazil)

The present study deals with pesticides, and their potential risk of contamination in the municipalities of the Cariús River micro-watershed (Cariri – CE). In general terms, it aimed to analyze the environmental fragility to the use of pesticides and to identify the active principles used, their respective environmental risks and their process of accumulation, transport and contamination of soil and water, in the area that covers the municipalities of Santana do Cariri, Nova Olinda, Farias Brito and Cariús, located in the south of the state of Ceará. To carry it out, the GUS Index (Groundwater Ubiquity Score) was applied in the active principles of pesticides sold and applied in the region, as in a model suggested by Neves, Gomes and Spadotto (1998), which takes into account the leaching and resulting surface runoff variables, and the natural characteristics (Pedology, hydraulic conductivity, altitude and slope) in the delimitation of areas with natural susceptibility to environmental impacts resulting from the application of pesticides. The results indicated that the entire region is susceptible to contamination caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides, with great potential for contamination of groundwater and surface water. Due to their high leaching capacity, the following products should be abolished: Connect, Atrazine Nortox 500 SC, Calaris, Nicosulfuron Nortox 750 WG, DMA® 806 BR, Tucson, Quallis, U46, Artys, Aminol, Tordon and Disparo®. Glyphosate, Karate Zeon 50 CS, Klorpan, Pyrinex 480 EC, and Decis 25EC should be avoided or replaced with alternative techniques. It is recommended to diversify the production and promotion of organic agriculture through sustainable agricultural techniques/practices and with lower environmental impacts.

Analysis of Carbon Sequestration Capacity in Land Remediation Projects

This article aims to explore the carbon sequestration capacity in land remediation projects and study how to effectively increase soil and biological carbon sequestration through these projects to address the challenges of global climate change. It introduces the basic concept of carbon sequestration and its influencing factors, with particular attention to the impact of key factors such as soil quality and water resource management on carbon sequestration capacity. It assesses the potential of soil carbon sequestration in land remediation projects and emphasizes the significance of rational land use planning in enhancing carbon sequestration capacity. The strategies and measures to enhance carbon sequestration capacity in land remediation projects are discussed, including ecological engineering construction, wetland conservation and restoration, soil quality improvement, promotion of organic agriculture, soil conservation, and carbon incentive policies and social participation. By promoting the simultaneous development of carbon neutrality and ecological protection, the article aims to achieve a win-win situation for the economy and the environment, and drive sustainable rural development.

Rice Production Chain: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment—A Review

Rice is the most widely used cereal for human consumption, attributing its production as one of the most important activities for the global population. Therefore, given its economic and nutritional value, assessing the sustainability of this production process could be worth noting. In this regard, this research aims to investigate the most recent literature related to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of rice primary production, to clarify the extent to which Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) and thus the three pillars of sustainability have been applied in the rice sector, as well as to highlight possible research gaps. Thus, 40 articles (2012–2022) were analyzed. The main research gaps that were found were, firstly, that there was a lesser tendency to consider multiple functional units, highlighting how little multifunctionality is considered. As to be expected, there was also a great difference in methodological choices, which often leads to a great variability of results, making evaluations and comparisons of impacts uncertain. These were also highly dependent on soil and climate conditions in the various countries, which could in turn affect input utilization, and results. The study of the impacts of primary rice production was then addressed by a few countries, among which some of the largest producers were absent, while the least considered aspects were related to the depletion of abiotic resources and the promotion of organic farming. Finally, sustainability assessments in rice production had little focus on the socio-economic dimension, showing how little LCT is considered. Therefore, based on this consideration, a Social Life Cycle Assessment was integrated into the study, the results of which show that the countries with medium to high social impacts could be India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Bangladesh.

MIMERA: An online tool for the sustainable pesticide use at field scale

As echoed in the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy, the EU agricultural policy has clear objectives of improving the sustainability (environmental, economic and social) of farm productions. The environmental goals are supported by promotion of organic farming and the responsible management of inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides. In this framework, there is a need is to provide farmers with tools to evaluate the best options for reducing environmental impact and measure performances in improving the sustainability of their productions. This paper introduces MIMERA, a GIS easy-to-use tool for the sustainable use of pesticides at farm level. MIMERA was developed in the framework of the Train-Agro project funded by the Lombardia Region (Italy), in the framework of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development Programme (EAFRD). The main goal is to help professional pesticide users to identify the best pest management strategies by comparing the environmental risk of authorized commercial formulations of pesticides, identifying parcel most at risk within the farm boundaries and suggesting the most appropriate risk mitigation measures for the prevention of surface water contamination. Finally, MIMERA offers the opportunity to track the risk trend of the selected pest management strategies utilized during years. The proposed methodology and structure of MIMERA are described along with underlying data and algorithms are described. An example of its application by considering different pest management strategies adopted by farmers in an area characterized by the intensive presence of maize crop in Lombardia Region is presented.

AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Agricultural Supply Chain Management has become a topic of much deliberation among the researchers, for it has slowly strengthened its hold on how the supply-demand function of agricultural produce works in the modern setting. SCM entails managing the interactions between the entities in charge of the effective production and supply of agribusiness products from the farm to the consumer in order to consistently satisfy consumer demands for quantity, quality, and price. In actuality, this frequently involves overseeing both horizontal and vertical alliances. Traditionally, the agricultural business has been driven in a colloquial fashion by the wholesalers and they have done so without the supervision of a proper legal framework. The large number of players and long-standing traditional methods have had a negative impact on the efficiency of operations and have exacerbated the already plunging economy. Through our extensive research using tools like Mendeley Cite, VOS Viewer etc., we came to the conclusion that there’s been a dramatic rise in the importance of SCM due to the rising awareness about the environment, food safety concerns and social security etc. However, just a few farmers participate in actually making a difference especially in third-world countries like India. The backward farmers have negligible faith in marketing agreements and are reluctant to enter into them. The existing system still uses outdated supply and procurement procedures. Aspects like the problems with consumer packaging, branding, and the promotion of organic farming towards sustainable agriculture are lacking in the existing supply chain management. Therefore, it’s necessary to encourage farmers to sign production contracts and that requires the participation of both the public and commercial

Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations: The Case of Organic Farming in Uttarakhand State of India

Organic agriculture is an innovation among the agricultural production systems having its own unique characteristics thus making it distinct from traditional as well as conventional agricultural production systems. From India, organic food products exports grew by 51 per cent to US$1040 million in 2020-21. The rapid spread of organic agriculture makes an interesting case for analysis particularly in the context of developing countries. This paper has attempted to discuss the diffusion of organic farming in Uttarakhand state of India where promotion of organic farming is taking place systematically through Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board (UOCB). The various stages of innovation-decision in the process of adoption of organic farming i.e. from knowledge to confirmation by the registered organic farmers have been traced including the factors that played role at every stage. Characteristics like social participation, information access, training received, and experience in organic farming were found having significant association with adoption of organic farming.

Status and trends of urban organic agricultural policy in Japan: the survey on ordinance designated cities

Development of organic agriculture has been sluggish in contemporary Japanese society. To better understand and capture the status of policy implementation in both urban and semirural areas, this study examined ordinance designated cities (ODCs) by reviewing tendencies and their interests in organic agricultural policies. In concrete, this study reviews the status, trends, interests, and barriers of organic agricultural policies in Japan. This study compared ODCs covering largely urban areas and those ODCs including semirural areas. The quantitative element of comparisons is based on the population and economic size and then on semirural and agricultural characteristics through cluster analysis. As a result, urban ODCs were more concerned about the policies close to consumption. ODCs including semirural areas were more concerned about the ones on production. There are also ODCs in between to show diverse characteristics in the policy implementations and interests. To take this difference into consideration, all types of the ODCs would need to implement the policies for promotion of organic agriculture in future. The results showed the rural-urban difference at the ODCs in the policy tendency through the financial support for certifications, education, and organizing a marche. Further policy supports, such as accumulation of market information, mutual-learning among ODCs, and the information on the policy effect on the environment, economy, and society, can potentially support efficiency of policy. The general low policy interests among the ODCs could be improved by emphasizing the needs of locally sensitive policy with the effective participation of concerned farmers and other stakeholders including consumers.

The Use of Freshwater Sapropel in Agricultural Production: A New Frontier in Kenya

Opportunities for sustainable agriculture development in Kenya which heavily depends on healthy soil and soil microbial diversity can be found in the promotion of organic farming. The increasing populations, higher demands for animal and plant products, climate change impacts, and weather conditions necessitate novel ideas and technologies to try reverse the adverse effects of excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and to maximize the potential of the land. Sapropel, a promising biological deposit from freshwater lakes, has found its limelight in its use in agricultural crop production as a soil conditioner and biofertilizer. This could be an ultimate practice for sustainable food and energy production in Kenya. This review aims at presenting information in the literature about the potential use of the organic fertilizer based on sapropels in intensified crop production and their main effects on plant growth. It discusses soil fertility, the composition of sapropels, and their application and advantages in agricultural production. It is evident from the review that sapropel can be considered as a resource that is valuable with wide application possibilities in agriculture. Sapropel can present an important contribution to the solution of the conservation of the fertility of the soil for integrated nutrient management systems to maintain agricultural productivity and help in environmental conservation.

Integrated Hydrogeological and Hydrochemical Studies in an Agri-horticulture Intensive Watershed at Narkhed, Nagpur, Maharashtra and Pandhurna, Chindwara, Madhya Pradesh - A Case Study from Central India

The present study is an attempt to investigate the impact of intensive agriculture and horticulture activities on the hydrogeological and hydrochemical regime in a watershed in Central India. The study area covers 137 km2 and the land use land cover (LULC) study shows that 39.72% area is agrihorticulture land, and 29.78% of the land is covered with other vegetation. Groundwater budgeting is aimed to estimate stage of groundwater development and to examine the contribution of different competing users (domestic, agriculture and industries) on groundwater usage. The groundwater budgeting results show that the stage of groundwater development is 100.26%, thus the study area falls under the over-exploited category as per GEC 2015 norms. The groundwater quality indicates the elevated concentration of nitrate (>45 mg/L) in 41% samples of pre-monsoon season and 80% samples in the post-monsoon season. The elevated concentration of nitrate in groundwater samples of the post-monsoon season indicates the contamination due to the non-point sources like excessive use of fertilizers in horti-agriculture. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) values indicate that groundwater is suitable for irrigation. However, physico-chemical water quality results show that 74% samples of pre-monsoon and 85% samples of the post-monsoon season are found unsuitable for drinking as compared to acceptable limits of drinking water specification BIS 10500:2012. The study area needs intervention measures both on the supply side and demand side to bring the development stage and water quality to safer limits. Long term mitigation strategies for the revival of the natural streams should also be adopted to increase water availability in the study area. Precision agriculture, promotion of organic farming, minimization of water use, soil amendments for soil moisture retention and prevention of the runoff must be included in the management practices to improve the health of the watershed and for the long term sustainability.

A large-scale public programme to promote organic rice farming in Thailand: building solid foundations to enable farmers to engage?

In the 2010s, governments of newly industrialised economies in Asia took a proactive stance in the promotion of organic farming. In 2017, the government of Thailand launched a 4-year programme aimed at converting 160,000 ha to the production of certified organic rice, representing a five-fold increase. This article analyses to what extent the programme made certified organic farming accessible to a large number of farmers, and at the same time helped develop an organisationally and economically sustainable organic sector. Interviews were conducted with farmers, staff of public organisations and managers of rice mills that purchased organic rice. The programme provided training, subsidies to farmers and application for certification that was free of charge. The process through which farmers collectively shifted to organic farming involved requirements that were generally accessible to farmers. In terms of the surface area registered in the programme, the objective was rapidly reached. However, the programme used a national standard that is not widely recognised abroad, there were weaknesses in the inspections made as part of the certification process and the price premium received by farmers was lower than originally expected. Farmers who considered profitability was important received no support in getting certificates from other organic standards that could help them obtain higher premium prices. Whether these farmers will continue to practice organic farming once the programme ends is thus questionable.

Organic farming in Nepal: A viable option for food security and agricultural sustainability

Increasing use of agrochemicals, higher production cost and deterioration of ecosystem health have advocated the need to change the traditional and external input using agriculture towards safe and sustainable organic production. The article reviewed on general overview of organic agriculture in Nepal. The article aims to put light on the current scenario of the dawdling-paced organic agriculture and the options to revive the pesticide dominated conventional agriculture. Promotion of organic agriculture was first appeared as a priority in the10th Five Year Plan of the Government of Nepal. Now it has been embedded in the national agricultural policy. Organic agriculture provides benefits in terms of environmental protection, conservation of nonrenewable resources, improved food quality, improve health status and the reorientation of agriculture towards areas of market demand. Various institutions, individuals and farmers are engaging in organic farming. Nepal is exporting organic products to international markets. The adoption of organic agriculture increases agricultural production and improves soil health and consumer health and seems a better option in countries like ours where fortunately integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent. It is found to be viable option for better livelihood in the context of Nepal. Because the haphazard pesticide use has marred the conventional agriculture, all these contexts gesture this system to be scrutinize thoroughly and supplanted by organic farming system as a viable option towards food security and agricultural sustainability.

Los servicios de extensión agraria y su impacto en la promoción de la agricultura orgánica en la región de Puno

The objective of this study is to evaluate the intervention of agricultural extension services in the promotion of organic agriculture in the region of Puno using the quasi-experimental methodology of propensity score matching (PSM) for its estimation, the source of information is the database of the National Agricultural Census - 2012, in fact, agricultural extension services are considered as an indispensable instrument to promote a sustainable and responsible agricultural production system with the environment of the rural area. The results show a limited participation of the responsible bodies (Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, The National Service of Agrifood Health and Quality, Puno Regional Agricultural Directorate, National Institute of Agrarian Innovation, Non-Governmental Organizations, etc.) responsible for providing the services of agrarian extension At the level of the Puno region, only 0.47% of agricultural producers received business advice, 3.39% benefited from technical assistance and 8.93% participated in training related to crop management, among them being the most Representative training service, the impact of training in crop management in the provinces of Sandía, Lampa, Yunguyo, Puno and San Román was the increase in organic production by 12.3%, 7.3%, 7%, 6.1% and 5.1%, respectively, in this group of provinces the promotion of organic products such as quinoa, coffee, potatoes, etc. is clearly evidenced. However, in the provinces of San Antonio de Putina, Carabaya, Melgar and Chucuito, the results are not encouraging, organic agricultural practices are reduced by 2.6%, 3.6%, 8.6% and 20.7%, respectively, agricultural training should support that sustainable agriculture that helps to promote an environmentally responsible production system development, in addition agricultural extension services should be oriented to strengthen organic production with agro-export potential.

Nutrient release pattern of organic and inorganic resources used in cassava production (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The major constraint in the promotion of organic farming, a safe and sustainable alternative, is lack of availability of quality organic resources in sufficient quantities. The quality of resources can be ascertained by monitoring its nutrient release pattern, which has not yet been attempted. A controlled condition pot experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India, in completely randomized design to study the nutrient dynamics of various organic and inorganic resources, commonly used in cassava production, at monthly intervals up to six months. The release of almost all nutrients and activity of soil enzymes were higher at the middle (3 or 4 months) of the incubation period. The pH showed an increasing trend and electrical conductivity, organic C and Fe content declined from initial. Averaging over stages, organic practice favored the activity of soil enzymes and release of almost all nutrients over conventional system significantly, except N.

Are current EU policies on GMOs justified?

The European Court of Justice's recent ruling that the new techniques for crop development are to be considered as genetically modified organisms under the European Union's regulations exacerbates the need for a critical evaluation of those regulations. The paper analyzes the regulation from the perspective of moral and political philosophy. It considers whether influential arguments for restrictions of genetically modified organisms provide cogent justifications for the policies that are in place, in particular a pre-release authorization requirement, mandatory labelling, and de facto bans (in the form of withholding or opting out of authorizations). It is argued that arguments pertaining to risk can justify some form of pre-release authorization scheme, although not necessarily the current one, but that neither de facto bans nor mandatory labelling can be justified by reference to common arguments concerning naturalness, agricultural policy (in particular the promotion of organic farming), socio-economic effects, or consumers' right to choose.

Historical dynamics of ecosystem services and land management policies in Switzerland

Ecosystem services (ES) are dynamic over space and time. Understanding and quantifying spatio-temporal trade-offs and synergies among multiples ES, as well identifying the drivers of change provides an opportunity to make the link between ecosystems, policy and land management. We present an approach to understand the historical dynamics of ES and to analyze the regional diversity in ES changes in Switzerland. A spatio-temporal approach was used to examine changes of nine ES and their relationships from 1986 to 2015 across the twenty-six Swiss cantons. We found that ES supply was dependent on the spatial and temporal distribution of interacting factors. The relationships between ES shifted through time, and the correlation between the supply of ES and the distance between cantons was significant but remained almost constant through time. Each canton is providing a specific bundle (a set of positively correlated ES), dominated by just a few services. Trajectories in ES supply were related to changes in population density and the surface area of organic farming, reflecting trajectories in national strategies of land use planning and agriculture, respectively. Cantons with the lowest supply of ES had the highest population density, while the cantons with the greatest abundance of cultural ES had the lowest population density, which suggests that the densification trend in Switzerland could yield negative externalities. The promotion of organic farming and moderate population density was suitable to ensure sustainable supply of provisioning and regulating ES, but not cultural ES. We provide clear evidence of the dynamic nature of ES through time. Analyses of the relationships between the drivers and ES supply allows identifying the potential limits of national policies and new forms of land use planning based the ecosystem multifunctionality of territories.

To Examine Coping Adaptive Strategies Used by Households and Make Policy Recommendations for Addressing Future Climate Change Impacts on Livelihoods in Kapsokwony Division, Mt. Elgon Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya

Long and short term changes in climate are disproportionately affecting all parts of the world in equal measure. The most impacted by vagaries of climate change are the most vulnerable and the poor who live in the developing world. Climate change and climate variability impacts the smallholder farmers though they continue to apply traditional technologies in order to cope with climate change vulnerability. In most of the parts the world over, coping strategies are lacking especially in the African States. Trans-disciplinary research approach was used to analyze the perception of community’s’ responses to climate change and climate variability at the household level. The purpose of this study was to build new transformation knowledge by integrating the traditional and the modern adaptive technologies in order to transform lives of the indigenous communities in the study area. This paper therefore explores and highlights the existing and modern technologies which can be employed by farmers to counteract the impacts of climate change and climate variability. Primary data was collected through in-depth and informant interviews together with Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and a structured questionnaire administered to 384 household heads in twelve sub-locations in the study area (Kapsokwony Division) formed the basis of these policy recommendations. Secondary data constituting rainfall and temperature parameters was collected from Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD). The long and short term integrated adaptive strategies and policy recommendations generated and developed by all the actors including those from the academia and the traditional communities during the research are meant to build climate resilience and adaptive capacity at local and national levels. A framework that has been developed by this research will help support policy decisions in conservation agriculture and livestock rearing systems, water resource management, change in social behavior, accessing early warning information, promotion of organic farming and human health systems. If fully implemented these policy recommendations will go a long way to bring a paradigm shift that will improve livelihoods and social economic development in the region. These recommendations can be replicated in any other region of the world to bring about desired changes to a people impacted by climate change. The research study achieved capacity building, resilience, adaptive learning, change in attitude and behavior, community empowerment, application of transformation knowledge as well as climate change awareness amongst area residents. The new societal knowledge was used to elucidate long term policies and adaptive strategies to enhance climate resilience, help eliminate poverty levels, improve livelihoods and sustain social economic development. The study recommends collaboration among stakeholders and integration of various sources of knowledge in addressing climate change and climate variability among residents in Kapsokwony Sub-county. Further research should be carried out in the future to corroborate these findings.

農産物流通を通じた有機農業の推進( 一次産業の情報化・高付加価値化)

農産物流通を通じた有機農業の推進( 一次産業の情報化・高付加価値化)