Sustainability Of Agricultural Activities Research Articles

Sustainable rural development supported by beekeeping in Fernades Pinheiro, Paraná

The Association of Beekeepers and Meliponiculturists of Fernandes Pinheiro was founded on May 1, 2007, with the initial objective of uniting family farmers and local beekeeping and meliponiculture enthusiasts through associations. In addition to obtaining income through honey production, AMFEPI was concerned with the dissemination of bee species, aiming to repopulate the region, due to existing concerns about the extinction of bees and the resulting environmental consequences. Therefore, the aim of this manuscript is to analyze the process of gradual change and incorporation of the Beekeeping activity in the rural areas of the municipality of Fernandes Pinheiro, Paraná. During a period of ten years, Association of Beekeepers and Meliponicultors of Fernandes Pinheiro (AMFEPI) acted on several fronts promoting the incorporation of this activity, thus diversifying the income of the associated families. The beekeeping activity is based on the three pillars of sustainability: economic because it generates income, social because it uses family labor, involving mainly young people and women in the activity, and ecological because it depends on the maintenance and conservation of natural forests. The Central-South region of Paraná, where the municipality of Fernandes Pinheiro is located, has a vocation for the development of beekeeping activities, where the market in bee products is expanding. Herein we demonstrate that through the incorporation of beekeeping activities on their properties, family farmers associated with AMFEPI were able to diversify their income and, consequently, obtain an improvement in their living conditions, generating profit and innovation with socio-environmental concerns, indicating that beekeeping, in addition to Being a sustainable agricultural activity can bring income to the producer.

Sustainable cultivation of red chili plants (Capsicum annuum L.) through a composition of NPK and biological organics fertilizers

One form of sustainable agricultural activity that can be carried out is by implementing environmentally friendly agriculture, such as applying inorganic and biological organic fertilizers. The research aims to obtain a composition of NPK doses and biological organic fertilizer on red chili plants in reducing use of NPK fertilizer to support sustainable chili farming. The fertilizer provided is in the form of palm oil processing waste (sludge) and biofertilizer based on a bacterial consortium. The experimental design used in this research was a completely randomized design (CRD) with six treatments and four replications. The treatment given consisted of a composition of 100% NPK added petroganics (P1), added sludge compost (P2), a composition of 75% NPK added sludge compost (P3), added sludge compost + biofertilizer (P4), a composition of 50% NPK added sludge compost and biofertilizer (P5), and a composition of 25% NPK added sludge compost and biofertilizer (P6). Based on the results, the composition of 75% NPK added sludge compost + biofertilizer gave results relatively the same as the composition of 100% NPK + petroganic fertilizer in several parameters. This shows that sludge compost + biofertilizer can reduce the use of inorganic fertilizer by as much as 25%.

АНАЛИЗ СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ СЕЛЬСКИХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ КРАСНОДАРСКОГО КРАЯ

This article analyzes the socio-economic development of rural areas using multidimensional clustering methods. The main attention is paid to the assessment of factors affecting food security and the sustainability of agricultural activities. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive analysis of statistical data obtained from several national and regional sources, and includes the use of cluster analysis methods to group rural areas according to various parameters of economic and social development, allowing rural areas to be classified according to their degree of sustainability and growth potential, which is an innovative approach in the study of regional economics. The article contributes to the theory of regional development by providing methodological tools for planning economic policy in the field of sustainable rural development. The results of the study can be used by government agencies, investors and stakeholders to optimize solutions in the field of agricultural economics and resource management.

Evaluating the role of credit facilities as drivers to small scale rice farmers’ productivity in Wukari local government area, Taraba state, Nigeria

The role played by credit for sustainable agricultural activities cannot be overemphasized. The study evaluated the role of credit facilities as drivers to small scale rice farmers’ productivity in Wukari Local Government Area Taraba State, Nigeria. A multi stage sampling procedure was used to sample 250 respondents from the study area. The study found that seed (p = 0.03), fertilizer (p = 0.01), and farm size (p = 0.01) were the key determinants of productivity for the rice farmers who had access to credit facilities while labour (p = 0.056) and seed (p = 0.01) were the determinants of productivity for the non-access to credit facilities counterparts. The finding show that years in school, farm size and age are the factors that influenced access to credit facilities. Finally, interest rate (92.8%), lack of collateral security (89.6%), lending criteria (72%) and government regulations (70.8%) are the major problem associated with access to credit facilities. It was therefore recommended that Public and private partnerships should be encouraged to develop innovative financial products and services tailored farmer’s activities with a goal of offering competitive interest rates. Continuous review and policies adaptation related to interest rates in agricultural lending to ensure they remain effective and responsive to changing economic conditions and the needs of farmers.

Current state and priorities of sustainable development of agricultural enterprises

It has been proven that the peculiarity of agriculture is the close connection with the environment and the mutual influence between them, which led to the increased interest of scientists and practitioners in the implementation of the principles of sustainable development. It is argued that agriculture is the most vulnerable to climate change, as well as non-observance of scientific requirements in agricultural production can cause a negative impact on the environment. It has been determined that the largest share in the production of agricultural products is held by the corporate sector of the agrarian sphere, the development of which was studied on the basis of their resource provision and economic results of activity. It was concluded that in the current conditions, complex and even contradictory processes are taking place in the environment of agricultural enterprises, which are characterized by the following: significant changes in the number of economic entities and the area of agricultural land currently under cultivation; noticeable losses due to the war in the field of crop production, the strengthening of negative processes in the reduction of the number of agricultural animals in animal husbandry, etc. were revealed. It is calculated that agricultural enterprises in the conditions of martial law obtained a positive financial result, in particular, in 2022, they ensured the profitability of the operating room at the level of 20,3 % and of the entire activity – 13,6 %. Problems of a natural and ecological nature, caused by the manifestation of a number of negative factors in the development of agricultural production, have been identified. It is substantiated that the sustainability of the system manifests itself as a form of equilibrium of the socio-economic system, as a result of which, under the influence of external and internal changes, its properties of integrity are manifested, which allow to comprehensively form and rationally use resource potential, as well as to have the opportunity for expanded reproduction and minimize the negative impact on the environment. Sustainable agriculture involves achieving a balance of ecological, social and economic factors in agriculture in order to create opportunities to meet the needs of future generations. The existing practices of sustainable agricultural activity are summarized, namely: thrifty agriculture, best agricultural practices, organic agriculture, sustainable intensive agriculture, the model of «permanent agriculture» assumes harmony with natural processes, minimizes labor costs. Factors that affect the transition to new models of agricultural production based on sustainability are systematized, among which the following groups are distinguished: personal characteristics of the owner of the agricultural enterprise and his management, individual characteristics of the agricultural enterprise, behavioral characteristics of the owner and management of the enterprise, as well as external factors. Key words: sustainable agriculture, resource provision, agricultural enterprise, managers (owners), management, influencing factors.

ADDRESSING THE RURAL LENDING GAP: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ACCESS TO CREDIT FOR URBAN AND RURAL FARMERS IN ODISHA

Access to credit is a critical factor in the growth and sustainability of agricultural activities, especially for farmers in both urban and rural areas. However, a persistent gap in lending practices between urban and rural farmers has been observed, hindering the potential of rural farmers for economic development. This research seeks to understand and analyse the factors contributing to the rural lending gap and explore potential solutions to bridge this divide. For the purpose of this research a questioner was prepared and distributed among a sample of 130 farmers hailing from the state of Odisha, India. These questionnaires were administered through one-on-one interactions as well as in focus group discussions, allowing for a diverse range of responses. The data collected from these questionnaires and interviews was analysed. The study revealed that collateral constraints, information asymmetry, geographical isolation, risk perception, lack of financial literacy, and inadequate infrastructure collectively contribute to the disparity in credit access. By identifying the challenges faced by rural farmers, this research will provide valuable recommendations to financial institutions and policymakers on how to design more inclusive and effective lending policies. KEYWORDS- Urban, Rural, Farmers, Lending Gap

Different soil textures can interfere with phosphorus availability and acid phosphatase activity in soybean

To achieve sustainable agricultural activity, phosphatase determination is an important practice for improving the efficiency of phosphorus (P) management in tropical agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate acid phosphatase activity in different soil textures and P stress levels affecting the nutritional, chemical, biochemical, and agronomic aspects of soybean. Treatments resulted from factorial combination in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme, consisting of three soil textures (clay, medium, and sandy) and three P stress levels (severe, moderate, and control) with four replications. Three different soil textures were used in the research: Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico (LVd) with clay texture, collected in the native forest, equivalent Oxisol (Soil Taxonomy); Cambissolo Háplico Tb Distrófico (CXbd) with medium texture collected in the natural field equivalent Inceptisols (Soil Taxonomy); and Latossolo Amarelo Distrófico (LAd) with sandy texture collected in the natural field equivalent Oxisol (Soil Taxonomy). Soil electrical conductivity, P available (method Mehlich-1), and acid phosphatase activity (ρ-nitrophenol released) (μg h−1 g−1 soil) were analyzed and the samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm. Also evaluated were the height of plants, number of leave and branches, dry mass (root, leave, and stem), P total concentration in leaf, and P translocation (transport from root to shoot) of soybean plants 45 days after sowing. Results showed the clayey textured soil provided the best results for plant growth, root, stem, and leaf dry matter content, P total concentration of P in leaf, P translocation (transport from root to shoot), P available in the soil, and higher acid phosphatase activity of under P stress. Results showed that the Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico (LVd) provided the best results in managing P in different soil textures. However, based on growth and development results, a reduction in phosphate fertilization (P stress moderate) may favor acid phosphatase activity. Acid phosphatase activity can be used as an option in the management of P soluble activity in different soil textures. However, in front of the complexity of soil–plant–P–environment interactions, further research needs to be conducted to investigate better these effects of the da acid phosphatase on different soil textures.

Farmers’ motivations and behaviour regarding the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices and activities

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Decision support systems in irrigation management: Irrigation Facilities Spatial Information System

AbstractAgricultural production and food are strategically important for nutrition, which is the basic requirement of living. Adequate supply of food depends on the sustainability of agricultural activities. Despite the proportional increase in other sectors in water use on a global scale, agriculture is still the largest user. Since Türkiye is located in a semi‐arid climate region, most of the year is dry. Apart from the rainy period, there is not enough water in our streams, especially in periods when irrigation water is needed. For this reason, the water stored in the months when there is a lot of precipitation is used in the months when it is needed for irrigation. The main purpose of irrigation management is to ensure that irrigation water demands within the irrigated area are shared fairly from the spring to the downstream areas in the desired time and amount, in accordance with the current water potential, the capacity of the irrigation system and the actual needs. Although the initial establishment and facility costs of automation and related decision support systems are high, the benefits and added value provided in the medium‐ and long‐term result in the irrigation facilities being preferred more during the operation and maintenance process. Automation applications, especially in closed irrigation systems, can prevent external intervention and water can be supplied to the network according to the real needs. The web‐based application, the Irrigation Facilities Spatial Information System (SUTEM), is designed to monitor, evaluate and report on the operation, maintenance and management activities of the facilities operated by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works or whose operation, maintenance and management responsibilities are transferred. The requirements are met through a single application that saves time and labour, facilitates control and supervision, standardizes reports and enables transition to a centralized data security structure.

Impact of land use types on soil moisture dynamics of loamy soils

In the last decades, drought has been a significant climate hazard in the Carpathian Basin. In this study, we investigated the soil moisture dynamics (SM) of three different land use types (pasture, ploughland, and orchard) in the Transdanubian Hills (SW Hungary). The soil moisture, matric potential and rainfall were measured between January 1, 2019 and February 28, 2023. Two monitoring stations were installed at each study site on the shoulder and at the toeslope positions. The study has revealed that the textural types of the study sites were silt loam, clay loam, and silt. The pasture had the most positive water balance, whereas the orchard had the most negative, especially in 2022 when trees were removed. The mean soil moisture values were 0.26, 0.21, and 0.21 for the pasture, ploughland and orchard for 10 cm, and 0.3, 0.22, and 0.22 for the pasture, ploughland and orchard for 30 cm, respectively. Moisture differences were relatively minor between the three sites, however, soil moisture dynamics were influenced by farming practices. Hence, site-specific mapping and analyses of factors responsible for efficient moisture retention are indispensable for the maximization of agricultural productivity and the optimization of the efficiency of ecosystem services. Our results could be used for the promotion of sustainable agricultural activities where loamy soils and subhumid continental climates prevail.

The Ilima-Letsema programme's contribution to poverty alleviation in Gauteng Province, South Africa

The South African government initiated the Ilima-Letsema programme to promote sustainable agricultural activities and improve the livelihoods of households in farming communities. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the Ilima-Letsema programme's contribution to job creation and poverty alleviation in the Midvaal Local Municipality of Gauteng Province, South Africa. The quantitative research approach and survey design were used to conduct the study. Data were collected from 196 beneficiaries of the programme through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. Primary data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, T-test, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Correlation, Cochran's Q and McNemar tests. The results indicated that the Ilima-Letsema programme significantly increased farmers' income and created jobs. Net farm income was positively and significantly influenced by education level, farmland size and jobs created. Net farm income was a significant predictor of jobs created in the post-support era, whereas education level and farmland size had negative impact. In addition, the programme significantly uplifted the elite beneficiaries from the upper-bound poverty line (UPBL); however, it did not uplift poor farmers from the food poverty line (FPL) and lower bound poverty line (LBPL). Education, farmland size and income had a positive and significant correlation (p < 0.05) with the programme's ability to uplift the beneficiaries from FPL, UBPL and UPBL amounts. It is recommended that Ilima-Letsema's rollout and budget should be expanded to enable more farmers to generate income and create employment opportunities for unskilled laborers in the agricultural sector. Again, the criteria for the programme should be changed in favor of less educated and resource-poor smallholder farmers, and producers with low net income.

From Polanyi to policy: A tool for measuring embeddedness and designing sustainable agricultural policies

Agricultural systems are deeply enmeshed in complex social processes and institutions, something Polanyi called embeddedness. Designing policy for sustainable agricultural activity requires understanding and measuring such embeddedness. Due to the difficulty of measuring complex social dynamics, however, most policy is aimed at measurable metrics such as price and production. The focus on these metrics imports the rational actor conceptualization of economic activity and fails to incorporate the values, motivations, and socio-cultural components of agricultural decision-making. This paper develops a tool for measuring embeddedness called the Embeddedness Type Matrix (ETM). The tool utilizes survey responses to elucidate economic actors' instrumentalism (decisions motivated by self-interest) and marketness (decisions motivated by market factors). Instrumentalism and marketness are considered together along perpendicular axes to determine the embeddedness quadrant of economic actors. The ETM allows researchers and policy-makers to better understand producers and consumers and design sustainability policies that are aligned with their values and motivations.

5. South America

This document contains aspects related to regulation issued in Colombia in the past year in regard to environmental protection within the view of sustainable development, international treaties, and international soft law instruments. The following presents laws, decrees, and resolutions issued by the Colombian Congress and by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development that extend from the introduction of new crimes against the environment, such as deforestation and ecocide in the Colombian Criminal Code, to the issuance of guidelines for the development of low-impact and environmentally sustainable agricultural activities in páramos. Similarly, reference is made to decisions of the Constitutional Court regarding the right of communities living close to projects of national interest to participate in said projects and to be considered within project decisions. Many relevant laws were adopted this year. Law 2099 declares green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, and geothermal energy projects as non-conventional renewable energy projects. It establishes tax incentives for electricity generation projects based on non-conventional renewable energy sources such as green hydrogen, blue hydrogen, and geothermal energy. Law 2099 adopts measures for the energy transition and the dynamization of the energy market through the use, development, and promotion of non-conventional energy sources.

Evaluation of Automatic Irrigation System for Rice Cultivation and Sustainable Agriculture Water Management

The water-resource policy of South Korea has been changing from that of securing water to that of saving water through sustainable water management. Moreover, population aging in rural areas is leading to agricultural water-management problems. In this study, an automatic irrigation system for rice crops was investigated and compared with conventional irrigation, and changes in water productivity and required labor power were quantified. The effect of the proposed system on economic feasibility was verified on farmland by monitoring irrigation water and rice yields for three years. Under the automatic irrigation system, on-site water productivity improved by an average of 12.7% and the labor power required for paddy water management decreased by an average of 21.8% compared to the conventional irrigation system. The internal rate of return was 8.6% higher than the discount rate of 4.5%. The net present value was 406,411 KRW, and the benefit-cost ratio was 1.23. The results can serve as a reference for the on-site introduction of irrigation water-supply automation for sustainable water management and are expected to benefit farmers in saving water and reducing labor demands through sustainable agricultural activities.

Mango Agribusiness Development Strategy For Sustainable Agriculture In Karanganyar

An agrarian country prioritizes the agricultural sector as its resource because it provides a high and influential contribution to the community, Indonesia is one of a country that has abundant natural resources and its economy depends on the agricultural sector. One of the industries that have the potential to be developed in the plantation sector and can be an aspect of sustainable agriculture is the mango fruit industry. It is necessary to analyze network factors affecting the production of mangoes in Indonesia and provide recommendations and priorities for strategies with the Analytic Network Process to develop sustainable agriculture. Informants are people who come from research locations and are considered the most competent. Priority Alternative strategies obtained by in-depth interviews with experts and processed through the super decision application are Developing Production through Postharvest Training and Improving Facilities (0.331522). These priorities are directly proportional to sustainable agricultural activities, pre-and post-harvest activities that are expected to support and contribute to increasing agricultural productivity profits in the long term, improving environmental quality (not damaging the environment), and as well as welfare of farmers with adequate facilities.

Soil Order-Land Use Index Using Field-Satellite Spectroradiometry in the Ecuadorian Andean Territory for Modeling Soil Quality

Land use conversion is the main cause for soil degradation, influencing the sustainability of agricultural activities in the Ecuadorian Andean region. The possibility to identify the quality based on the spectral properties allows remote sensing methods to offer an alternative form of monitoring the environment. This study used laboratory spectroscopy and multi-spectral images (Sentinel 2) with environmental covariates (physicochemical parameters) to find an affordable method that can be used to present spatial prediction models as a tool for the evaluation of the quality of Andean soils. The models were developed using statistical techniques of logistic regression and linear discriminant analysis to generate an index based on soil order and three indexes based on the combination of soil order and land use. This combined approach offers an effective method, relative to traditional laboratory methods, to derive estimates of the content and composition of soil constituents, such as electrical conductivity (CE), organic matter (OM), pH, and soil moisture (HU). For Mollisol index.3 with Páramo land use, a value of organic matter (OM) ≥8.6% was obtained, whereas for Mollisol index.4 with Shrub land use, OM was ≥6.1%. These results reveal good predictive (estimation) capabilities for these soil order–land use groups. This provides a new way to monitor soil quality using remote sensing techniques, opening promising prospects for operational applications in land use planning.

Endemic Plants Can Be Resources for Mountain Agro-Ecosystems: The Case of Sanguisorba dodecandra Moretti

Sanguisorba dodecandra Moretti is an endemic plant of the Alps of the Lombardy region (Northern Italy). Differently from most endemic species, this plant grows in diverse environments, and it is often very abundant and a distinctive element of some mountain and sub-alpine agro-ecosystems. The ecological features and the role of this species in some mountain agricultural activities are poorly investigated. This article shows the results of a synecological analysis of S. dodecandra and the evaluation of its functional strategy. Furthermore, its forage value was investigated and melissopalynological analysis was used to characterize the honey produced in an area where this species grows. The ecological analysis defined this plant as euriecious and ruderal/competitive-ruderal strategist. Bromatological analysis showed a good forage value, confirming the ethnobotanical knowledge concerning this species. In fact, it has good protein content (12.92 ± 1.89%) and non-fiber carbohydrates (47.12 ± 3.62%) in pre-flowering. S. dodecandra pollen was identified as a “frequent pollen” in the honey, showing that this plant is attractive to honeybees. This research allowed a deeper knowledge of S. dodecandra ecology and showed that this species is a resource for traditional and sustainable agricultural activities of the Lombardy Alps such as pastoralism and beekeeping.

GIScience and Historical Cartography for Evaluating Land Use Changes and Resulting Effects on Carbon Balance

Multi-chronological examination of territory using GIScience and historical cartography may reveal a strategic tool for investigating changes in land use and the surrounding landscape structure. In this framework, the soil plays a key role in ecosystem evolution, since it governs all the mechanisms at the basis of vegetal growth, as well as all components of the total environment contributing to the formation of a rural landscape, including the balance of carbon dioxide. The present study was developed using a GIS approach applied to historical maps and aims to assess the environmental impact of land-use change, with particular attention to its effects on agricultural soil and atmospheric carbon dioxide balance. Thanks to a comparison between historical cartographic maps of different periods, this geospatial approach has enabled the assessment of the evolution of the rural land of the study area in the municipality of Ruoti (Basilicata Region—Southern Italy). This area, indeed, has been affected by deep land-use transformations, mainly caused by agricultural activities, with a resulting impact on the atmospheric CO2 balance. These transformations have been analyzed and quantified in order to contribute to the understanding on how the changes in land use for agricultural purposes have led to unforeseen changes in the rural landscape, ecosystems and the environment. The results showed that the greatest changes in land use were caused by the abandonment of large rural areas, resulting in the expansion of urban areas, a decrease in orchard and arable land (about less 25%), and an increase in woodland (more than 30%). These changes have resulted in a doubling in soil carbon fixation value. The final results have therefore confirmed that historical cartography within a GIS approach may decisively offer information useful for more sustainable agricultural activities, so as to reduce their negative contribution to climate change.

Contribution of cropland expansion to regional carbon stocks in an arid area of China: a case study in Xinjiang

There has been an increasing number of studies on the potential effects of land-use change on the carbon (C) balance. However, few of these studies have focused on arid regions. Cropland in Xinjiang, a typical arid region in China, has expanded dramatically over the last 40 years. This study applied the Carbon Bookkeeping Model to estimate the changes in C stocks resulting from cropland expansion in Xinjiang from 1975 to 2015. The results showed that the area of cropland increased by a factor of ∼1.6. This increase was driven by advancements in agricultural technology and favorable agricultural policies. The increase in cropland area of 2.03 Mha (M = 106) was the result of the clearing of ∼4.09 Mha land for cropland and the conversion of 2.06 Mha cropland to other land cover types. The expansion in cropland resulted in substantial sequestration of C, with that in Xinjiang amounting to 94.24 Tg C (1Tg = 1012g), accounting for 1.4% of the regional C stocks. Land clearing for cropland (LCC) had the greatest contribution to C sequestration in Xinjiang. The rate of increase in C density through LCC was 0.61 Mg C ha−1a−1 and 1.54 Mg C ha−1a−1 from 1975 to 2004 and 2005 to 2015, respectively. C sequestration due to cropland loss (CLO) of 29.40 Tg C was attributed to the expansion of built-up land and afforestation. Sustainable agricultural activities represented by large-scale clearing for cropland were a major C sink in Xinjiang. Therefore, sustainable management of cropland is essential for maintaining a high C density and preventing loss of C to the atmosphere through cropland abandonment in the future.

Marine seaweeds (biofertilizer) significance in sustainable agricultural activities: A review

The marine environment provides adaptive conditions for many organisms, such as algae, shellfish, mussels, sponges, corals, and barnacles. There is a range of algae in Pakistan’s coastal waters, but, unfortunately, they are not used and are wasted. Efficient use of a valuable natural resource that can increase the efficiency of agricultural operations. Algae are abundant and easily found in a wet environment, either in seawater or freshwater. The seaweed and its products are extensively used in crops cultivation to enhance production systems due to many plant-growth-promoting compounds. It has been traditionally used for the fertilization of the fields since the ancient world. Some seaweeds and auxins, a plant hormone responsible for the vegetative growth and auxin-like compounds, have been found. Algae and their associated compounds can support the onset of seed germination and plant root growth, which applies to temperature, resistance to abiotic stress, and improves plants’ ability to absorb nutrients.