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Climate change and soil fertility decline are major hurdles to agricultural ecosystems. Despite the importance of climate-resilient practices (CRPs) in enhancing food security, poverty alleviation and nutritional security, awareness and adoption remain low in most developing countries, including Kenya. We assessed the determinants of simultaneous awareness and adoption of CRPs and their intensity in Central Highlands of Kenya. The CRPs considered in this study were inorganic fertilizer and manure integration, manure, mulching, crop residues, cover crop, crop rotation and intercrop. The study used a cross-sectional survey design and collected data from 400 smallholders in Central Highlands of Kenya. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate probit and Poisson regression. Our findings showed that awareness and adoption of specific CRPs and their intensity were determined by occupation, age, farming experience, household size, soil fertility management, climate change adaptation, agricultural training, and geographical location. Smallholders’ agricultural training was an important determinant of awareness, adoption level, and intensity. Our findings underscored the need for agricultural policymakers and extension systems to design farmer-driven training programs for enhanced awareness and adoption of CRPs.

Agroecology is a sustainable farming method that has the potential to revolutionize the global agricultural sector by promoting cleaner and more environmentally friendly practices. However, the question of how to effectively transition to a sustainable agroecology system remains a topic of debate, particularly in developing economies. In many developing countries, subsistence farming plays a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of countless households. Therefore, it is essential to explore the connection between food self-provisioning and the shift towards agroecology. Using primary data from rural Nigeria and by applying an ordered logistic regression, the study demonstrates that when farmers are primarily dependent on their own produce for sustenance, there is a natural inclination towards methods ensuring long-term soil health and ecological balance. We observed that self-provisioning leads to a 10.9 % increase in agroecology transition, and this result was statistically significant (P-value 0.001). This paradigm not only promotes sustainable agricultural practices but also underscores a holistic approach where agriculture coexists harmoniously with nature. As the global challenges of climate change and increasing food demand loom large, understanding and supporting these farmer-driven solutions become paramount. The results beckon policymakers and stakeholders to frame strategies grounded in farmers' intrinsic motivations, ensuring a sustainable agricultural future that is ecologically viable, culturally resonant, and economically beneficial.

Food insecurity is one of the challenges the world has to do away with by 2030. However, to achieve a hunger-free world, the efficient use of allocated resources remains critical at both household and institutional level. The investments in climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural practices should cascade beyond the target farmers whereby longevity and sustainability of the interventions is embedded in the informal community networks as a spill-over effect to the non-targeted farming households. The paper analyzed the spillover effects of the climate-resilient program in Malawi and its effects on household resilience to food shocks among the participants and non-participants of the Sustainable Food Systems in Malawi (FoodMa) project. The main research questions were: (i) Are there any Direct and Spillover Effects of FoodMa on Sustained Adoption? And (ii) Is there any Spillover Effect of Sustained Adoption of SAPs on Resilience to Food Shocks? Analytically, the study used recursive bivariate probit (RBP) models and a two-stage predictor substitution model with instrumental variables to assess the effect of sustained adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) on household resilience to food shocks. The results showed that there was an increased probability of sustained adoption of mulching, organic farming, and pit planting by 45%, 66%, and 25%, respectively, by the project participants. On the other hand, the project has a strong spillover effect on promoting sustained mulching of non-project participants by 57%. Furthermore, the study found that sustained adoption of mulching by project non-participants significantly reduces the food insecurity levels of households by improving their resilience to food shocks. The sustainable adoption of SAPs has the potential to reduce food insecurity for both project participants and non-participants. However, the use of field demonstrations and training should be emphasized because they boost adoption probability and spillover effects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Indonesia is the second largest natural rubber producer, which it gets primarily from smallholders. However, smallholders are less and less competitive because of unsustainable agricultural practices, while there is huge potential for sustainable natural rubber. This study aimed to measure the effect of income and smallholder characteristics on cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest management.METHODS: Mixed methods with non-probability sampling were used for 100 natural rubber smallholders in Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, one of the regional centers of Indonesian natural rubber. Partial least square path modeling was used with SmartPLS software to estimate the complex cause-effect relationships of smallholder and farm factors for adopting sustainable agricultural practices.FINDINGS: The effect of the relationship between income and smallholder characteristics on cultivation and income on post-harvest management was not significant. Age and education affected some harvesting parameters, such as tapping knives, bamboo and clean latex collection, and latex stimulus risk, and some post-harvest parameters, such as a risk of acid coagulation and storage. The worker's income source, based on off-farm, on-farm, or non-farm activities, affected harvesting parameters, including tapping knives, bamboo and clean latex collection, and latex stimulus risk. CONCLUSION: This study offers empirical evidence for sustainable agriculture management. The acceptance of sustainable cultivation and management of rubber practices uses smallholder and farm factors as constraints since they do not form a homogenous group, and the theory of planned behavior failed to provide an effective way to explain the behaviors. Good agricultural practices must be used at all steps, including cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest management, to prevent problems.

The interaction of herbicides in the nitrogen cycle and their consequences on soil health and agricultural production are essential topics in agronomic research. In this systematic review article, we have synthesized recent studies on this subject. The results revealed that the indiscriminate use of herbicides can have negative effects on vital processes in the nitrogen cycle, such as reduced enzymatic activity and microbial respiration. Moreover, herbicides alter the soil microbial composition, affecting nitrogen cycling-related activities. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is also impaired, resulting in a reduction in the population of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and a decrease in the availability of this nutrient in the soil. These effects compromise soil fertility and the release of nitrogen to plants. Therefore, sustainable agricultural practices must be adopted, considering nitrogen cycling efficiency and the preservation of soil and natural resources. This understanding is crucial for guiding appropriate management strategies aimed at minimizing the negative effects of herbicides on the nitrogen cycle and ensuring soil health and agricultural productivity.

Growing crops on marginal lands is a promising solution to alleviate the increasing pressure on agricultural land in Europe. Such crops will however be at the same time exposed to increased drought and pathogen prevalence, on already challenging soil conditions. Some sustainable practices, such as Silicon (Si) foliar fertilization, have been proposed to alleviate these two stress factors, but have not been tested under controlled, future climate conditions. We hypothesized that Si foliar fertilization would be beneficial for crops under future climate, and would have cascading beneficial effects on ecosystem processes, as many of them are directly dependent on plant health. We tested this hypothesis by exposing spring barley growing on marginal soil macrocosms (three with, three without Si treatment) to 2070 climate projections in an ecotron facility. Using the high-capacity monitoring of the ecotron, we estimated C, water, and N budgets of every macrocosm. Additionally, we measured crop yield, the biomass of each plant organ, and characterized bacterial communities using metabarcoding. Despite being exposed to water stress conditions, plants did not produce more biomass with the foliar Si fertilization, whatever the organ considered. Evapotranspiration (ET) was unaffected, as well as water quality and bacterial communities. However, in the 10-day period following two of the three Si applications, we measured a significant increase in C sequestration, when climate conditions where significantly drier, while ET remained the same. We interpreted these results as a less significant effect of Si treatment than expected as compared with literature, which could be explained by the high CO2 levels under future climate, that reduces need for stomata opening, and therefore sensitivity to drought. We conclude that making marginal soils climate proof using foliar Si treatments may not be a sufficient strategy, at least in this type of nutrient-poor, dry, sandy soil.

Abstract Background Increasing agricultural productivity has long been touted as the main avenue to lifting the rural poor out of poverty and ensuring their sustainable development. The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) is vital for spurring agricultural productivity in a changing climate environment. This paper examines the factors (including long-term climate variability) influencing the adoption of multiple SAPs (improved seeds, organic and inorganic fertilizers, and legume intercropping) and their impact on crop productivity. Methodology This study uses a nationally representative, geo-referenced plot-level data from a household survey in Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select households for the survey. The multivariate and ordered probit models were employed to estimate the adoption and intensity of adoption respectively, while the instrumental variables approach was used to examine the impact of the technologies on productivity. Results The results provide evidence of interdependences between the SAPs, and that the factors that determine the initial adoption decisions are not necessarily the same factors that influence the intensity of use of the technologies. Climate risks in terms of high variability in temperature and rainfall affect SAPs adoption and their intensity of use. Access to agricultural extension, years of education and off-farm activities of the plot manager, and household wealth influence the use of improved seeds and inorganic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are used mainly by households with large livestock units and those that live in areas with low soil nutrients and greenness index. In general, the intensity of SAPs adoption is influenced by wage and off-farm activities, and access to agricultural extension services. On the productivity side, inorganic fertilizer is positively correlated with plot-level productivity. Conclusions These results have implications for rural development policies in Nigeria aimed at nudging farmers to adopt multiple technologies on their plots, while enhancing an outward shift of their crop production functions. Providing technical and financial resources to extension agents is crucial so they could better reach rural smallholder households with the knowledge and benefits of these SAPs. In addition, smallholder households should diversify their livelihood portfolios to include non-farm income generating activities. Agricultural Research and Development should target factors that respond to climate variabilities (such as drought resistant and early maturing varieties). There is a need for improved infrastructures (road networks to allow easy market access as well as access to credit) that will allow farmers to access these innovations.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulching films have an important function in crop cultivation; at the end of their life, however, their removal and disposal become both an economic and environmental problem. One possible alternative to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulch is provided by certified soil-biodegradable mulch films, such as those produced by Novamont and commercially available under the trade name MaterBi®. MaterBi is a biodegradable thermoplastic material made with starch and a biodegradable copolyester based on proprietary technology. In this study, we compared two biodegradable MaterBi®-based films (commercial and experimental films) with bare soil and a low-density polyethylene to evaluate their effect on yield and on a number of qualitative characteristics (organoleptic and nutraceutical composition) of eggplant fruits (cv Mirabelle F1) grown in two different regions in Southern Italy (Sicily and Campania). In our study, the use of biodegradable MaterBi® films improved not only yield and production parameters, such as the number and average weight of fruits, but also lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant activity and phenolic and ascorbic acid content. For many parameters, responses differed according to the cultivation environment and, in particular, the site’s pedoclimatic conditions. Our results suggest that biodegradable MaterBi®-based mulching films are a potentially valid alternative to traditional LDPEs, providing the production and quality benefits reported above and promoting environmental sustainability, thanks to their positive biodegradable properties.

ABSTRACT The global consumption of mineral fertilizers has increased in the last 60 years. However, these fertilizers can negatively affect the soil and the atmosphere. The application of soil amendments focusing on sustainable farming practices can reduce the effects of mineral fertilization. In this study, we investigated the effects of increasing the dose of a commercial amendment using poultry litter enriched with Bacillus (SMARTGRAN) in different types of soils in Brazil under microcosm conditions. These different types of soils were classified as Nitossolo, Argissolo arênico, Argissolo alumínico, Latossolo distroférrico, and Latossolo distrófico. The biological activity in the soil was quantified by measuring the enzymes arylsulfatase, beta-glucosidase, and acid phosphatase. Additionally, bacterial diversity was evaluated by amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and conducting phylogenetic analyses of three types of soils, which were selected because of their occurrence and fertility profiles. The results showed an increase in those enzyme activities under all conditions. The results of the analysis of the bacterial community in Nitossolo, Argissolo arênico, and Latossolo distrófico soil types showed a direct relationship between the bacterial composition in the soil and the increase in the amendment dosage. The alpha diversity indices decreased considerably because some plant-growth-promoting bacteria, such as Bacillus, Massilia, Paenibacillus, and Rhizobium, increased in relative abundance. The results indicated that an organic amendment enriched with Bacillus had a beneficial effect on different types of soil in Brazil.

ABSTRACTClimate change and public health emergencies have severely threatened world food security. In response, the Chinese government has actively promoted sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) and emphasized the importance of integrated packages to enhance the development of high-quality agriculture. However, due to information failure, farmers’ adoption rate of SAPs is still very low. Meanwhile, internet use can effectively reduce the cost of information barriers and catalyze farmers to promote the joint adoption of SAPs. This paper aims to theoretically elucidate the logic of how internet use impacts farmers’ joint adoption of SAPs. Empirical analysis based on data from 844 rice farmers in southern China reveals that internet use can significantly promote the joint adoption of SAPs, and adoption behaviours are complementary across multiple technologies. Furthermore, internet use in the group of rice farmers with more farmlands or those receiving subsidies is more inclined to adopt SAPs jointly. These findings suggest that developing countries should prioritize public investment in rural internet infrastructure to facilitate joint adoption of SAPs through farmers’ internet use. The moderate scale of farmland usage and targeted agricultural subsidy policies can further enhance the effectiveness of ICT-based joint adoption of SAPs.

The conversion of agricultural waste into organic fertilizer through vermicomposting is a sustainable waste management solution and an income source for organic fertilizer producers. Most of the agricultural waste in Iran is burned, triggering an array of negative consequences. Vermicompost production at the farm level is rarely practiced in Iran, and farmers play a central role. The study aimed to identify the factors influencing the adoption of on-farm vermicomposting and its level (number of cycles), barriers to it, and to provide adapted policy recommendations. The study used a mixed-method approach, with a survey on 142 farmers and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. The study showed that attitude (β = 0.515, sig. = 0.01), subjective norms (β = 1.745, sig. = 0.01), vermicomposting training (β = 2.160, sig. = 0.01), safe spraying (β = 2.915, sig. = 0.01), and integrated pest management (β = 1.793, sig. = 0.01) influenced the participation in vermicomposting. Some of the barriers to vermicomposting revealed by the qualitative research were the initial investment cost, farmers’ short-term vision, lack of necessary infrastructure, and lack of subsidies. The study complements the scant information on farmers’ vermicomposting behavior and proves that its understanding is essential to remove barriers and engage farmers in vermicomposting. Practical recommendations based on findings support sustainable agricultural waste management.

In order to improve transplanter performance and mat characteristics in mat-type paddy tray nurseries in paddy cultivation and to increase the paddy seedling quality and yield, a soil mix fertilizer with vermicompost and farmyard manure was optimized in different proportions. The investigation provides valuable insights for optimizing paddy cultivation practices, with emphasis on the potential of a specific treatment TC7, composed of 50% vermicompost, 30% farmyard manure, and 20% soil, to contribute to more robust and productive paddy cultivation systems. The TC7 treatment showed notable results, including highest average paddy seed germination (93.00 ​± ​2.24%), significant paddy seedling height (16.85 ​± ​1.72 ​cm), balanced root-to-shoot ratio (0.72 ​± ​0.013), robust seedling vigour index (1567.05 ​± ​121.45), substantial biomass production (0.481 ​± ​0.0010 ​g), and significant dry matter production (0.0422 ​± ​0.0029 ​g). The highest mat thickness of 28.10 ​± ​0.05 ​mm and the lowest mat weight per m2 area of 22.30 ​± ​1.56 ​kg/m2 was recorded in TC4 treatment containing 44% vermicompost, 44% farmyard manure, and 12% soil. The highest rolling quality of the mat with a rolling score of 10.00 ​± ​0.027 in TC8 treatment containing 30% vermicompost, 50% farmyard manure, and 20% soil, and the maximum mat strength of 54.90 ​± ​3.82 ​kg/m2 in TC10 treatment (soil alone). Mechanical transplanter performance exhibited superiority maximum planted hills per meter run (7 ​± ​1), optimum seedlings per hill (3), minimum occurrences of missing hills (1), and a maximum plant population per m2 (116 ​± ​5) utilizing seedling mats prepared with TC7 treatment. The highest grain yield of 4180 ​± ​449 ​kg/ha and grain straw ratio of 0.88 ​± ​0.0317 was recorded in the TC7 treatment. Thus, this study recommends fine-tuning and adopting the TC7 treatment combination to facilitate sustainable smart farming practices in India. Farmers are encouraged to consider implementing TC7 treatment combinations to elevate the quality and productivity of paddy cultivation.

The study assessed the impact of sustainably adopting Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) on household poverty, food and nutrition security. Different scholars have assessed the impact of adopting agricultural practices including SAPs on livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Nonetheless, through the focus on one-time survey season adoption decisions, the findings on potential impacts of SAPs which are aimed at informing policy direction remain inconclusive. The current study introduced the concept of sustainability in the adoption of SAPs to iron out inconsistences in the adoption of such practices, and hence assessed whether farmers were better off in terms of poverty status, food and nutrition security than their counterparts. Through the use of Selectivity-corrected Endogenous Switching Regression models on a sample of 2100 farmers, the study notes that gender of household head, education of the household head, natural log of household annual income, Tropical Livestock Units (TLU), farmer membership of farmer clubs and village savings and loan groups significantly influenced the probability of smallholder farmers sustaining their adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Furthermore, the study notes tangible evidence of an improvement in household food and nutrition security by farmers sustainably adopting SAPs as compared to their counterparts. Nevertheless, no evidence exists that sustained adoption of the practices would alleviate poverty of smallholder farming households. The study recommends the development of an agricultural productivity enhancement program that cuts across the gender divide and social barriers of smallholder farmers, further focusing on promoting farmer clubs and village savings groups to ensure sustained adoption of agricultural practices. Such a program should employ a clear targeting strategy with an aim of targeting food insecure as opposed to poor households in order to eradicate hunger.

Land use and land cover (LULC) change is a major driver of environmental change in District Bahawalnagar, Punjab. LULC change can lead to changes in soil quality, water availability, and climate, all of which can affect crop yields. LULC change can also lead to the loss of agricultural land, forest land, water bodies, and an increment in urban land that causes climate change and affects the agricultural sector. The study area showed that in the last thirty years, the population increased, built-up land increased, and agricultural land dropped by 30%. The present status of knowledge is reviewed in this paper on the impact of LULC on agricultural production in District Bahawalnagar. The conversion of agricultural land to urban development in District Bahawalnagar has led to a decline in crop yields of an average of 10%. The production of wheat and rice, the two major crops grown in District Bahawalnagar, is influenced by LULC changes. This study also found that the loss of agricultural land has resulted in an increase in soil salinity, which has further reduced crop yields. The detrimental effects of LULC change on agricultural output in District Bahawalnagar can be mitigated by adopting sustainable land management practices. These practices include reforestation, conservation agriculture, and water conservation. The government of Pakistan can also play a role in mitigating the negative impacts of LULC change on agricultural production by developing and implementing land use plans that protect agricultural land from conversion to other uses. More research is required to fully comprehend the effects of LULC and develop effective management strategies. However, LULC is a major challenge that must be addressed if we are to ensure food security in the future.

Sustainable agricultural development has been the policy priority for countries with limited natural resources. New farmers’ emergence and growth have not only helped to address the labor crisis in agriculture to some extent, but they have also improved, integrated, and expanded the agricultural sectors. However, less attention has been paid to the performance of new farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices and the related spatial effects. Also, few studies have combined the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices with the effects of various specific measures. Therefore, this study constructed the Tobit MLE spatial cross-section regression models to empirically study a sample of 174 farmers. We attempted to analyze the impact of the new farmers group on the diffusion of sustainable agricultural practices as well as farmers’ influence on various sorts of sustainable agricultural practices. The results show that new farmers greatly enhanced the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, as evidenced by the fact that their adoption level was 69.9% greater than that of traditional farmers. However, they had statistically significant negative spillover effects on their neighboring farmers. For the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices, there were also statistically significant negative spillover effects. Additionally, there were notable disparities among the factors influencing farmers’ decisions to adopt various types of sustainable agricultural practices and the spatial effects of those adoptions, particularly in the farm size, the number of plots, and the variety of marketing methods employed by farmers. Therefore, measures need to be proposed to address the barriers to the implementation and diffusion of various types of sustainable agricultural practices. This would increase farmers’ willingness to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and the effectiveness of their motivation to neighboring farmers.

Different scholars have modelled the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) with a goal of improving farmer's adaptive capacity to climate change. Nonetheless, through the conventional way of defining adoption decisions as one-time survey decisions, many scholars have failed to understand inconsistencies in adoption decisions and dis-adoption of such practices. Through a survey of 2100 maize farming households, the current study employed multivariate probit models to understand and compare one-time survey season adoption decisions and sustained (consistent) adoption decisions. The study notes that dis-adoption rates of SAPs range from 20 to 27 percent. As such, the determinants of dis-adoption were estimated to build a case for going beyond one-time adoption survey decisions. Furthermore, the study employed a Cox Proportional hazard model to understand the relative risk to adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices over time. The findings reveal the need for a modelling paradigm shift in understanding adoption decisions for sustainable benefits. Past research has focused on understanding whether farmers adopted SAPs in a previous survey season period. Nonetheless, efforts to ensure sustainable productivity and food security remains lacking amidst climate change. The current study reveals evidence of a need for a modelling shift towards sustained adoption of SAPs for sustainable development of agriculture. Lastly, the findings reveal the need for intensifying knowledge and information dissemination on SAPs through field demonstrations, extension visits, trainings and radio programs in order to reduce dis-adoption and ensure sustained adoption.

Mulching is a common practice for improving crop yield and obtaining an out-of-season production, but when made using plastic materials it can bring environmental problems due to the management and the disposal of films at the end of the cropping seasons. To increase the sustainability of this practice, recently, mulching films made with biodegradable organic materials have become more widely used. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of a biodegradable mulching film on yield and qualitative traits of the San Marzano tomato fruits over two years (2014 and 2015). Two different types of mulching were tested: (i) black biodegradable film (MB12) and (ii) black low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were compared to bare soil (BS). Both mulching films elicited a 25% increase in yield, mainly due to the significantly higher number of fruits per square meter, compared to BS. Both mulching films also elicited a 9.9% increase in total soluble solids and a 57% increase in carotenoid content, while firmness showed the highest value in BS fruits. MB12 determined the highest value of the Hunter color ratio a/b of tomato fruits, followed by LDPE, while the lowest value was recorded in BS fruits. Both mulching films elicited an increase of 9.6%, 26.0%, and 11.7% for flavonoids, polyphenols, and AsA, respectively. In 2014, the MB12 degradation started at 71 days after transplant (DAT); in 2015, at 104 DAT. Therefore, replacing polyethylene with biodegradable film would seem to be an agronomically efficient and environmentally sustainable practice.

Invasive plants can grow rampantly and spread fast in large amount, which can be economically invoked for generating value-added products. In this study, lignocellulosic fiber was extracted from the leaf waste of a luxuriant invasive plant, Mikania micrantha Kunth-ex H.B.K. by mercerization process. After the alkaline treatment, the lignocellulosic biomass remained at 38.54% resulting from the large removal of extractive impurities. The lignocellulosic fraction in the mercerized leaf fiber was improved from 56.59% to 83.96%. The chemical composition analysis showed the cellulose fraction was increased by 11.17% while the hemicellulose and lignin fractions were found to be decreased by 4.89% and 6.28%, respectively. The FT-IR and TGA results further affirmed the change in chemical composition of the lignocellulosic fiber. Furthermore, an increase in cellulose fraction raised the fiber crystallinity index from 11.0% to 36.7%. The SEM study revealed that the surface morphology of lignocellulosic fiber changed from smooth surface into rough corrugated ridges, which affirmed the increase in crystallinity, resulting from the removal of wrapped cementing materials. In subsequent, the lignocellulosic fiber exhibited more pervious to water attack with an increase in moisture absorption from 119.22% to 410.19%.

Tomato is a great source of bioactive compounds, is important for human health, and is cultivated worldwide. However, the high inputs required for its cultivation must be sustainably managed in order to limit yield losses, thus obtaining high-quality and environmentally friendly production. In this perspective, we compared four biostimulant treatments, i.e., Ascophyllum nodosum extract—Bio; microbial biostimulant containing the micro-organism Trichoderma afroharzianum—Mic; a combination of both—M-B; not treated—Control) and three mulch treatments (biodegradable film Ecovio—ECO; biodegradable film MaterBi®—NOV; bare soil—BS) and evaluated their effects on yield and quality traits in processing tomato. Both biodegradable films elicited a 27.0% yield increase compared to plants grown on bare soil, and biostimulants determined a 23.7% increase over the Control, with the best performance recorded for M-B (+24.8%). Biodegradable MaterBi® film (NOV) was associated with higher total soluble solids (TSS) and firmness values (average of 4.9 °Brix and 1.30 kg cm−2, respectively), even if a significant effect of biostimulants was observed only for the second element. Carotenoid content was higher in non-treated plants grown on bare soil as well as hydrophilic antioxidant activity (AA), but in this case, no differences between biostimulant treatments were recorded. The lipophilic AA in NOV-treated plants was about six and four times higher than observed in BS and ECO treatments, respectively; NOV also caused a 38.7% increase in ascorbic acid content over the Control but was not different from ECO. All biostimulant treatments elicited a 30% increase in phenol content compared to Control plants. Our findings highlight that microbial biostimulants based on A. nodosum extract and T. afroharzianum (both applied singularly and combined) can be considered a sustainable tool for increasing yield and improve some quality traits of processing tomato; in addition, we also confirmed the capability of biodegradable mulches, in particular, MaterBi®, to enhance the agronomic performance of tomato.

Soil fertility depletion is acknowledged to adversely influence agricultural productivity and welfare status of rural farming households. Studies have shown that organic fertilizer utilization tends to rejuvenate the soil, thereby enhancing its productive capacity. This study seeks to estimate the welfare impact of organic fertilizer adoption among agricultural households using the 2018/2019 Nigeria General Household Survey (GHS). The novelty of this study is in the use of propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous treatment regression (ETR) to address biases that may arise from both observed and unobserved factors. Results show that the adoption of organic fertilizers positively and significantly impacts the welfare of farmers, particularly when sources of unobserved characteristics of agricultural households are accounted for. The heterogeneity impact results show that female household heads, agricultural households that had access to credit, and farm household residents in the southern region of Nigeria significantly gained more from the adoption of organic fertilizers. In addition, a check for time effect reveals that the adoption of organic fertilizers does not result in an immediate welfare effect; the effect is, however, positive and significant over time. This suggests that adoption does not only improve soil and mitigate against climate impact, but it also has a higher likelihood of providing long-term and sustainable welfare impact for agricultural households. The results point to the need for policies and programs to promote and sustain the adoption of organic fertilizers among agricultural households through addressing existing institutional barriers such as extension and credit facilities.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) have been promoted over the years as a means of ensuring sustainable development in the agricultural sector. However, adoption has generally been low across countries. This paper explores the linkages among SAPs and adoption decisions of SAPs among smallholder maize farm households in Ghana. The study used a household-level data on 394 farmers collected by the second round of the intensification of food crops agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (AFRINT II) in Ghana. We employed a multivariate regression model to investigate the complementarity and the substitutability among the selected elements of SAPs as well as the simultaneous determinants of the SAPs components. We found out that some elements of the SAPs are complementary, while others are substitutes. The results also suggest that access to input credit, membership of farmer-based organizations, extension contact, and formal education, as well as intercropping, lead to the adoption of SAPs. The study recommends that SAP programmes that support the application of one technology (e.g., inorganic fertilizer) must provide simultaneous support for intercropping with nitrogen-fixing plants. Also, investment in public education is crucial in boosting farmers’ knowledge of agricultural practices. Lastly, the positive and significant policy variables such as FBO suggest that focusing on strengthening community social network institutions is one other way of improving adoption decisions of SAPs.

Lately, the Hill Pond Rice System (HPRS) is being promoted as a form of alternative farming systems in selected northern provinces of Thailand, in which the land conversion is designed to maximize rainwater harvesting in farmland consisting of forest trees, water reservoirs, paddy fields, and high-value crop cultivation to serve environmental and livelihood needs. This study employed the double-hurdle model and the tobit technique to investigate the farm-level factors associated with land conversion from maize monocropping to the HPRS using primary data collected from 253 households in Nan, Chiang Mai, Tak, and Lampang Provinces. It was found that education, farming knowledge, understanding benefits of the HPRS, access to water sources, access to advis, and workforce sharing raised the likelihood and extent of farmland conversion into the HPRS. In contrast, perceived complexity of the HPRS, experiences with negative shocks, and land tenure security lowered the likelihood and extent of land conversion. The findings suggest that on-farm collective action should be promoted to mitigate labor constraints in implementation and that access to equipment should be enhanced through HPRS advisors’ visits.

Sustainability of agricultural practices depends on economic, environmental, and social conditions. The Rajasthan state of India has arid climatic conditions where kharif crops are commonly grown. In this work, the four major criteria are considered such as the farm area, crop yield per unit area, the cost prices, and the market sales price. Merged analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy techniques have been employed to give reasonable weight coefficients for the objective and subjective weights to each criterion. Multiple attribute-based decision-making models (MADM) have been developed using three proven techniques, namely the Exprom2, the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), and the VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). The crop Pennisetum glaucum emerged as the most productive kharif crop in the arid climatic conditions of Rajasthan, India under the given criteria. The sensitivity analysis of the three methods identifies the most significant criteria and validates that Pennisetum glaucum is the first ranked crop despite the interchange of the weights. The methodology used in this study may be applied across the globe to select appropriate crops for maximizing the profit, optimizing the natural resources, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This study may be used to enhance the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) to make the agriculturalists self-sufficient and to help the state policymakers in making effective regional policies.

Sustainable supply of food and energy without posing any threat to environment is the current demand of our society in view of continuous increase in global human population and depletion of natural resources of energy. Cyanobacteria have recently emerged as potential candidates who can fulfill abovementioned needs due to their ability to efficiently harvest solar energy and convert it into biomass by simple utilization of CO2, water and nutrients. During conversion of radiant energy into chemical energy, these biological systems produce oxygen as a by-product. Cyanobacterial biomass can be used for the production of food, energy, biofertilizers, secondary metabolites of nutritional, cosmetics, and medicinal importance. Therefore, cyanobacterial farming is proposed as environment friendly sustainable agricultural practice which can produce biomass of very high value. Additionally, cyanobacterial farming helps in decreasing the level of greenhouse gas, i.e., CO2, and it can be also used for removing various contaminants from wastewater and soil. However, utilization of cyanobacteria for resolving the abovementioned problems is subjected to economic viability. In this review, we provide details on different aspects of cyanobacterial system that can help in developing sustainable agricultural practices. We also describe different large-scale cultivation systems for cyanobacterial farming and discuss their merits and demerits in terms of economic profitability.