Search

Agricultural production and technology are crucial in supplying agricultural commodities and ensuring food security. Farmers are pivotal in this process. However, there is a noticeable gap in research: While numerous researchers focus on the national perspective, there is a relative scarcity of research conducted at the regional level. This lack of regional-scale studies highlights the need for more localized research to understand and address the unique agricultural challenges and opportunities in specific areas. We aimed to analyze wheat and maize production in a county in Eastern Hungary. We also aimed to delve into farmers' perspectives regarding the agricultural sector and research. Key findings included the average maize, with a yield at 5,896.2 ± 1,624.2kg/hectare (2000–2020), which appeared to be superior to wheat, which had a mean yield of 4,135.7 kg/hectare with a standard deviation of 788.4. The Tukey test confirmed significant differences between wheat and maize in terms of harvested area, production, and yield, highlighting distinct performance variations of these crops in the region. Moreover, we identified a weak but significant correlation between the value of the golden crown and aspects such as cost-effective crop protection, reduced tillage costs, and increased production value and income. A similar weak significant relationship was found between farmers' age and research topics related to increasing sales revenue. We aimed to analyze wheat and maize production in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in Eastern Hungary. We found that 58% of farmers did not maintain accurate records of production-related costs and income, which could have significant implications for revenue calculation and decision-making. The outcomes of this research are instrumental for decision-makers, providing insights that could guide the development and implementation of agricultural policies and practices at a regional scale.

The field of urban agriculture has seen an increase in development and attention in recent years, with a large share of literature addressing whether urban agriculture may pose a solution for food insecurity and combat environmental impacts. However, few studies have examined the many sustainability claims of urban agriculture systems, especially for urban farms intended for larger output and commercial ends. In this study, we analyze sustainability assessments of urban agriculture for commercial implementation. We do this by exploring the methods employed for conducting sustainability analyses, outlining the different urban agriculture cultivation systems, analyzing which sustainability aspects are considered, looking into what the sustainability analyses conclude, and studying how authors anticipate the knowledge gained from their sustainability assessments can be used. Environmental aspects of sustainability were more often assessed than other sustainability aspects, and LCA research practice was used for the majority of environmental assessments. Some studies compared the environmental benefits of different types of urban agriculture systems, but this was not conclusive overall as to what systems would be more environmentally beneficial. This suggests that urban agriculture's sustainability cannot be universally categorized but should be assessed in relation to specific environmental conditions and urban contexts. Future research should aim to develop more nuanced frameworks for evaluating the environmental, social, economic and governance impacts of urban agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic Agriculture and Agroecology are production systems considered relevant for building up sustainable food systems at an environmental, social and economic level. In recent years there has been a growing interest in considering which processes can contribute to upscaling these systems. At a global level Agroecological Local Agri-food Systems and Bio-districts are becoming beacons for that purpose. This paper presents a case study of an organic and agroecological group of producers in the Argentinian Pampa Region where we used the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach in implementing three interconnected methodologies: (i) Sustainability assessment using the FAO Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), (ii) Participatory Value chain Development and (iii) Stakeholder Analysis. This was done to verify if the combination of methodologies can be useful to (i) evaluate the current situation of the group in terms of LAFS development and (ii) identify which possible activities would be required for upscaling organic and agroecological practices at a regional level with a neo-endogenous approach. We conclude that the participative assessment implemented was useful to identify the group stage in terms of LAFS development and also to identify the activation requirements for upscaling the system at the same time that the participatory process addressed and organized a set of procedures in the hands of the group for implementing that process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matching relationship between water and land resources in the karst mountains is closely related to regional ecological and environmental security, human well-being, and high-quality socio-economic development. Based on a massive literature review, this review systematically summarizes the research overview, development process, and matching mechanism of karst water and land resources. The results show the following: (1) Since 1990, the number of publications on karst water and land resources has shown a steady upward trend, with the journals covering multiple fields, characterized by multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary features. (2) The matching relationship between water and land resources in karst mountainous areas has experienced three stages: "single element–binary matching–multiple coupling". It reveals the evolutionary process from focusing on the single internal system of water and land resources to focusing on the mutual matching relationship between water and land resources, and then to the study of multiple coupling between water and land resources system and other external systems. (3) The internal coordinated development of the water and land resources system in karst mountainous areas depends on the joint interactions of natural, economic, and social factors, while the external matching mainly focuses on the mechanism around the three aspects of water and land resources and agricultural production, ecological environment, and economic and social development. Furthermore, the review proposes that future research should explore the matching of water and land resources in karst mountainous areas through theoretical framework construction, model innovation, scale refinement, and mechanism analysis. The expected results will provide a scientific reference for advancing theoretical research on karst water and land resources and optimizing their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating carbon footprints into the production efficiency framework to construct a standardized technology model for cleaner production in black soil regions is of great significance for improving the soil environment and the sustainable development of agriculture. This study used an orthogonal experimental design and the DEA–Malmquist method to calculate the carbon footprint and total factor productivity of orthogonal experimental groups of cleaner production technologies for maize cultivation in China's black soil region and then identified integrated models of cleaner production technology in the black soil region. The results showed that the carbon footprint of maize cultivation and total factor productivity were generally higher in the experimental group using cleaner production techniques than in the control group. Still, none of them reached the optimum. In the future, the synergistic effect of technological progress and technological efficiency enhancement should be brought into play, and the integrated models of "Soil testing and formulation + Full mobile sprinkler irrigation + Straw tilling and field return" and "No tillage in spring + Soil testing and formulation + Straw tilling and field return" should be promoted in semi-arid and semi-humid black soil regions, which can improve the low carbon productivity of maize by 20.3% and 15.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.K. food system exhibits strong unsustainability indicators across multiple dimensions, both in terms of food and nutritional insecurity and in terms of adverse climate change, biodiversity, and physical resource impacts. These indices of an unsustainable and inequitable social metabolism are the result of capitalist agriculture and society in general and, more specifically, of neoliberal and austerity policies adopted with vigour since the global financial crisis. The causal, capitalistic, and, latterly, more neoliberal bases of the U.K. food system are delineated in the first section of the paper. These bases are then detailed in terms of their impacts in exacerbating climate change, biodiversity (and resource) decline and loss, and food and nutritional insecurity. The political narratives and policy frameworks available to dissemble, mitigate, or, more rarely, to address (resolve) these impacts are then delineated. It is argued that the only policy framework available that strongly integrates food security (social equity) with ecological sustainability is political agroecology and an accompanying degrowth strategy. The final section of the paper details what political agroecology and degrowth might entail for the U.K. food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural policies play a critical role in determining the availability and stability of food supplies for individuals and communities. This study underscores the importance of incorporating social, economic, environmental, and political dimensions of food security when developing agricultural policy reforms. The study has two main objectives: (1) to disentangle the complexity surrounding food security by mapping policy reform decisions onto a suggested framework, and (2) to provide an empirical basis for analyzing food security using frame package analysis. To achieve these objectives, this study conducted an inductive frame analysis of agricultural policy reforms, using the theoretical framework of the "fractured consensus" regarding the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). The case of Israel was chosen as an empirical example for the frame package analysis. The extended suggested theoretical framework can contribute to enhancing the research literature on the nexus between agricultural policy reforms and food security from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. Additionally, the proposed framework and its application can serve as a benchmark for evaluating agricultural policy reforms in the context of food security and developing practical strategies in the agri-food sector, considering the involvement of multiple players and interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production and technology are crucial in supplying agricultural commodities and ensuring food security. Farmers are pivotal in this process. However, there is a noticeable gap in research: While numerous researchers focus on the national perspective, there is a relative scarcity of research conducted at the regional level. This lack of regional-scale studies highlights the need for more localized research to understand and address the unique agricultural challenges and opportunities in specific areas. We aimed to analyze wheat and maize production in a county in Eastern Hungary. We also aimed to delve into farmers’ perspectives regarding the agricultural sector and research. Key findings included the average maize, with a yield at 5,896.2 ± 1,624.2kg/hectare (2000–2020), which appeared to be superior to wheat, which had a mean yield of 4,135.7 kg/hectare with a standard deviation of 788.4. The Tukey test confirmed significant differences between wheat and maize in terms of harvested area, production, and yield, highlighting distinct performance variations of these crops in the region. Moreover, we identified a weak but significant correlation between the value of the golden crown and aspects such as cost-effective crop protection, reduced tillage costs, and increased production value and income. A similar weak significant relationship was found between farmers’ age and research topics related to increasing sales revenue. We aimed to analyze wheat and maize production in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in Eastern Hungary. We found that 58% of farmers did not maintain accurate records of production-related costs and income, which could have significant implications for revenue calculation and decision-making. The outcomes of this research are instrumental for decision-makers, providing insights that could guide the development and implementation of agricultural policies and practices at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population decline of American Eels (Anguilla rostrata) in North America represents multiple crises: ecosystem destruction, industrial impact, forced relocation, cultural disenfranchisement, water degradation, and biodiversity loss. Once a key component of Indigenous societies, trade routes, economies, and ceremonial cycles, today Eels experience migration barriers and habitat degradation stemming from waterway abuse and land use alteration. The development of agricultural and industrial social norms has led to dramatic reductions in Eel populations across North America. Fishery agencies familiar with Eel life cycles often list species as depleted, and disappearance of Eels is well-accepted in all sectors. Related species of Anguillid Eels are in decline globally. Yet, in some areas, American Eels continue to migrate, grow, and even thrive. This article proposes Eel continuity as powerful survivorship in troubled times, a counter-narrative to overwhelming stories of environmental pessimism. Although Eels are often discredited, reviled, and disrespected by Americans and Canadians alike, their contributions to marine and aquatic zones are underestimated and poorly understood. This article employs a reflexive method of dialogue and commentary from two Eel advocates with interdisciplinary training and backgrounds, who envision relational, wisdom-based practices that meaningfully integrate Indigenous, community, academic, and other forms of knowledge about Eels and about water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural credit is the most significant factor in the Indian agricultural sector. The paper discusses the access of institutional credit to agriculture, and helps understand the challenges faced by the tribal farmers to obtain agricultural credit, and the determinants of institutional agricultural credit at households' (HHs) level in the backward region of Odi:sha. The study used primary data collected from 475 farm tribal HHs of Kalahandi, Bolangiri and Koraput (KBK) districts in Odisha. The study found that increasing agricultural credit is greater in indirect finance than direct finance; in the same manner, a greater amount of credit is disbursed for the short term than the long term. Collateral issues, less awareness due to less education among farmers, low density of financial institutions in village areas, lack of finance as per demand, diversifying the loans from productive purpose to consumption purpose, and non-repayment of loan due to crop loss are different constraints faced by the farmers in Odisha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural transition and specialization in PUAs have reshaped the ecological landscape, economic structure, and rural cultural values worldwide. There is a gap in how to analyze the linkages of ecosystem services (ES) and human well-being (HWB) and how to clearly identify the differences on the dimension (primary concerns) of HWB from a comprehensive perspective. Thus, we selected three typical agricultural transformation modes in the Xi'an metropolitan zone in China, employing social surveys, field mapping, ecosystem service assessment methods, and qualitative analysis methods, and proposed an analytical framework from a comprehensive perspective of "ecological-social-cultural" contexts to examine the changes and mechanism between ES and HWB. The results indicated the following: (1) Agricultural transition has driven the changes not only in ecological landscape, agricultural structure planting and practice modes, and rural economic structure, but also the shift in rural social relationships and cultural values together restructured rural society during agricultural specialization. (2) Due to triggering by the agricultural transition and specialization, great changes occurred in "ecological-social-cultural" contexts in PUAs, the changes of HWB not only reflected in its degree (level), but more importantly, in its dimension (primary concerns). (3) With agricultural transition and specialization, the total value of ES increased, while the HWB rose in three transition modes. (4) The analytical frameworks proposed in the study are suitable to analyze the mechanisms of ES and HWB, and helpful to address the issues on the relation of ES to HWB inevitably being combined with the nature–land system. The approach proposed in the study on distinguishing the differences among the dimensions of well-being based on grounded theory could clearly identify the differences among different "ecological- social-cultural" contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural expansion is the main driver of deforestation in Myanmar. We analyzed the effectiveness of a national policy intervention on agricultural encroachment in state forests in Taungoo District in Myanmar from 2010 to 2020. The policy aims to stop agricultural encroachment and reforest encroached areas through farmers' participation in an agroforestry community forestry. We applied an integrated approach that involved a land cover change analysis together with a household survey about encroachment behavior. The remote sensing analysis for the years 2010, 2015 and 2020 showed the land cover change pattern and an increase in agricultural encroachment from 9.5% to 18.5%, while forests declined from 62.8% to 51.9%. The survey showed that most farmers (91%) believed that the policy intervention did not lead to a change in their encroachment behavior or farm size. The main reasons that incentivized encroachment were stated to be livelihood needs, immigration due to marriage and increased accessibility due to road construction. The main reason for reducing encroachment was plantation establishment, leading to a loss of land for encroaching farmers. In conclusion, the integrated approach showed that the policy intervention did not decrease encroachment, whereas other factors influenced encroachment behavior. We recommend solving interministerial conflicts of interest related to encroachment in Myanmar and using an integrated approach for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socio-ecological crisis is an issue that has become crucial today. The predominant agro-food model has led to the homogenization of food production practices. This has had repercussions on the health of the hydrological cycle and the soil, caused by deforestation, intensive agriculture, grazing, extensive cattle ranching, depletion of fossil fuels and excessive water use. The transition to agroecology is essential to address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, which requires deep reflection and a change in the way food is produced and consumed. The synergy between agriculture and biodiversity requires policy frameworks that prioritize the communal and the health of the land, as well as the participation of communities in territorial decision-making. Collective awareness of the importance of food for the health of humanity and the earth's life system must be recovered, and agroecological restoration can be an encouraging scenario for reorganizing agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence suggests that Indigenous farmers in the North American Southwest began canal irrigation in the second millennium BC, marking an important change in food production technology. Early canal systems are preserved in alluvial floodplains of the US-Mexico Borderlands region, tend to be deeply buried, and can appear as natural fluvial features. Here I discuss some of the challenges in identifying early canals and associated fields and present case studies from the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona where buried channels dating as early as 1600-1400 BC were likely human constructed. These small channels share several stratigraphic properties and are consistent with hypotheses of early canal irrigation practiced by small family groups reliant on mixed farming and foraging. Through time, irrigation canal systems expanded in size, resulting in increased labor investment, sedentism, and productivity and facilitating the development of larger irrigation communities. Stratigraphic and geomorphic properties of early canal systems thus far identified along the Santa Cruz River provide a framework for identifying potential early canal evidence in other fine-grained floodplains of the Southwest, thereby improving our understanding of Indigenous agricultural intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is an obituary that reports on the death of Alfonso Ortí Benlloch in November 2023. Ortí was a renowned sociologist and historian in Spain for the past seventy years, standing out for his analysis of agriculture, the rural world, rural Spain, and social classes in the country. He also contributed to the study of consumption and consumer society in Spain and participated in the Critical Qualitativism School of Madrid. Although he did not receive much academic recognition, his legacy has been crucial in sociology and the social sciences. The Editorial Board of Revista Empiria expresses their sorrow for the loss of this important person in their perspective. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To analyze ethnoagronomy as a discipline that re-values, rescues, and builds upon agroecological principles, knowledge, experiences, and productive practices of peasants and indigenous people, laying the foundations for rural development alternatives. Methodology: Hermeneutic in nature. Discussions on these topics with leading experts in the field aim to foster a discussion that enables a fresh perspective on the primary sector. Results: Discussions of the Green Revolution process promoted by the Mexican state introduced technological options distinct from the majority of productive strategies implemented by the producers. Alongside the neoliberal model, which has accentuated economic and social polarization over the years, agriculture has continued to experience a clear process of neglect and a departure from policies aimed at the primary sector. Worth noting, however, is the fact that a small group has been subsidized within this model. Conclusions: Given pressing national issues, including social and food crises, there is potential for generating dialogue and agreements, driven by both progressive governments and public educational institutions, to pave the way for a new productive scenario with social participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaginaries of empty, verdant lands have long motivated agricultural frontier expansion. Today, climate change, food insecurity, and economic promise are invigorating new agricultural frontiers across the circumpolar north. In this article, I draw on extensive archival and ethnographic evidence to analyze mid‐twentieth‐century and recent twenty‐first‐century narratives of agricultural development in the Northwest Territories, Canada. I argue that the early frontier imaginary is relatively intact in its present lifecycle. It is not simply climactic forces that are driving an emergent northern agricultural frontier, but rather the more diffuse and structural forces of capitalism, governmental power, settler colonialism, and resistance to those forces. I also show how social, political, and infrastructural limits continue to impede agricultural development in the Northwest Territories and discuss how smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities differently situate agricultural production within their local food systems. This paper contributes to critical debates in frontiers and northern agriculture literature by foregrounding the contested space between the state‐driven and dominant public narratives underpinning frontier imaginaries, and the social, cultural, and material realities that constrain them on a Northwest Territories agricultural frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaginaries of empty, verdant lands have long motivated agricultural frontier expansion. Today, climate change, food insecurity, and economic promise are invigorating new agricultural frontiers across the circumpolar north. In this article, I draw on extensive archival and ethnographic evidence to analyze mid‐twentieth‐century and recent twenty‐first‐century narratives of agricultural development in the Northwest Territories, Canada. I argue that the early frontier imaginary is relatively intact in its present lifecycle. It is not simply climactic forces that are driving an emergent northern agricultural frontier, but rather the more diffuse and structural forces of capitalism, governmental power, settler colonialism, and resistance to those forces. I also show how social, political, and infrastructural limits continue to impede agricultural development in the Northwest Territories and discuss how smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities differently situate agricultural production within their local food systems. This paper contributes to critical debates in frontiers and northern agriculture literature by foregrounding the contested space between the state‐driven and dominant public narratives underpinning frontier imaginaries, and the social, cultural, and material realities that constrain them on a Northwest Territories agricultural frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farm advisors are recognised as playing an increasingly central role in facilitating interactions between scientists and farmers to improve local implementation of sustainable soil management practices and agricultural innovations more broadly. However, there has been limited scrutiny of what farm advisors do when faced with conflicting interpretations among actors over techniques or approaches for facilitating agricultural innovation. This article advances knowledge in this area by investigating the role of farm advisors in aligning different frames on agricultural soil research and extension across seven Australian mixed farming regions. Drawing upon theoretical work on frame alignment, we argue that farm advisors use three types of strategies to align conflicting frames—frame bridging, frame amplification and frame transformation. These strategies seek to frame local soil research and extension priorities in ways that are assumed to resonate more closely with the frames of multiple constituents, such as farmers and soil scientists. Through our analysis, we argue that the application of a frame alignment approach enables greater precision in identifying which (a) interactive and social learning processes, (b) key local influencers and communities of practice and (c) resourcing and governance arrangements are most likely to be effective in facilitating soil research and extension that is locally useful and useable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: Climate change is a shift in the climate's condition that lasts for an extended period, usually decades or longer, and that may be detected by changes in the mean and variability of its parameters. The full spectrum of players and their related value-adding activities, that are a part of the food supply chain, including the disposal of food items derived from agriculture, forestry, or fisheries, are collectively called food systems. Food systems are a component of their larger economic, social, and environmental contexts. Finally, food security is the condition in which all individuals consistently have physical and financial access to adequate safe, nutritious food that satisfies their dietary needs and food choices for an active and healthy life. Climate change and its relationships with food systems and security are complex since food systems significantly contribute to climate change. However, climate change impacts food systems unpredictably, leading to food insecurity through adverse impacts on the four dimensions of food security: utilization, access, food availability, and stability. Climate change adaptation plans are urgent and include measures such as flood and climate protection, waste management and recycling, climate-smart agriculture, and analytical climatic conditions innovation equipment on agricultural processes and activities. Nevertheless, addressing the climate crisis and its adverse impacts on food security through the activation and promotion of innovation needs reliable information and intervention in many different but interconnected fields, such as institutional design, philanthropy, novel partnerships, finance, and international cooperation. In this context, this paper analyses the relationship between climate change, agriculture, and global–local strategies to ensure food security and also discusses policies' role in fostering innovation for supporting local agro-food systems and their capacity to sustain societal needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how isolation and the seasonality of employment both constrain and enable agricultural guest workers' contact with outsiders. While the H-2A visa program can render foreign workers invisible and immobile—and thus more easily exploited and mistreated—a group of temporary Mexican apple pickers in northwest Virginia generated resources, transportation, and assistance well beyond what was provided by the company or mandated by visa protocol. The conditions and processes highlighted in this study provide a framework for identifying factors that may diminish—or enhance—the relative autonomy of guest workers. In this case, a history of return migration and the presence of co-ethnics in the settled population generated an unexpected flow of activity in and out of the remote camp. While not automatic or without limitations, these connections provided a more open and dynamic guest-worker experience than what a singular focus on isolation and exclusion would otherwise suggest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the College Of Basic Education is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Spatiotemporal studies of landscape pattern evolution in traditional villages are beneficial for addressing complex urbanization and global climate change. Using the traditional villages of Jiaxian and Linxian in the Jinshaan Gorge of the Yellow River Basin, this study employed a three-dimensional (3D) analysis involving three spatial scales (macro, meso, and micro), temporal scales (past, present, and future), and variables (humanity, society, and nature) based on the methods of spatiotemporal data analysis (SDA), geographic information system, remote sensing, and landscape pattern index (LPI) by Fragstats. On the macro scale, a significant turning point in ecological conservation awareness was indicated by LPI and SDA. Urban and rural construction land continuously increased because of urbanization. Plowland, grassland, and woodland were the main influencing factors in the evolution of rural settlements, with a 0.42% cumulative transformation rate. On the meso scale, the interactions and mutual promotion of mountain and aquatic environments, aquatic facilities, agricultural production, and cultural heritage have shaped the socioeconomic dimensions of evolution. On the micro scale, with urbanization, some traditional humanistic spaces have lost their original functions. A novel spatiotemporal-variable quantitative model explored the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of human–land coupling, which can be used for the sustainable development of river basins worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of societal wellbeing has moved beyond gross domestic product and has emerged as an important factor within the paradigm of holistic sustainability assessment, including agricultural sustainability. At this juncture, knowledge gaps exist between agricultural policy priorities and data infrastructure to evaluate social sustainability issues, particularly regarding farmer sustainability. This study aims to address this gap through the development of a Farmer Sustainability Index (FSI), a composite index comprising three dimensions: farm continuity, community and social connections and farmer comfort. Socio‐demographic data were extracted from both core and supplementary EU Farm Accountancy Data Network data from the 2018 Teagasc National Farm Survey in Ireland. Statistical analysis was undertaken to compare the distribution of FSI and the individual dimension scores for farms across three socio‐demographic variables: farm system, farmer age cohort and region. The FSI results demonstrate that cattle farmers, farmers over 60 years of age and those residing in regions with poorer infrastructure experience lower levels of sustainability in comparison to other farmers, while the variation in FSI dimension scores identifies numerous sustainability risks to farms with differing socio‐demographic constructs. It is important for agricultural policy to be cognisant of these differences and the relational nature of these risks, to meaningfully address matters pertaining to sustainability, and the FSI provides an effective tool to assist policy in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the Soviet legacy in relation to contemporary cotton production in south-western Tajikistan and asks why farmers are still locked in to Soviet cotton production policies and practices despite post-Soviet regulatory, societal and environmental changes. With hindsight on Soviet agricultural production policies in Central Asia, this contribution scrutinises the perception of smallholder dehkhan farmers towards continued cotton production as a primary crop choice, which continues to occupy most of the irrigated land in the Khatlon region. For the analyses of the post-Soviet agricultural developments, the paper applies a path dependence conceptual framework by positing the significance of historical and social contexts in policymaking and socio-economic development in cotton production. Fieldwork data collected in two districts of Khatlon region are used to explain that despite post-independence land reforms and the abolishment of Soviet authority over cotton production, smallholder dehkhan farmers are still cultivating cotton as a primary crop under deteriorating land and irrigation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arid Land Geography is the property of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Noble and commoner in the medieval China capital of Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an) engaged in an intricately intertwined agricultural and pastoral economy. The period represents the peak of the integration of nomadic and agricultural populations in early China. Here we firstly reported human collagen δ13C and δ15N values for eight middle age nobles whose lifespans cover roughly a century (AD 503–604) and who include a Northern Zhou, Emperor Wu (北周武帝) and his consort, Empress A'shina (阿史那皇后). We also consider stable isotopic evidence from nine individuals in commoner burials in the Chang'an region, likewise dating to the sixth century. This century-long dietary profile provides direct archeological evidence for dietary variability at this core metropolitan population. Constructing a comparative model using existing historical human isotopic data (n = 1233) from northern China and its northern Steppe, we find a marked regional divergence in noble and commoner dietary patterns. We trace this back to the considerable variety of agricultural and pastoral dietary practices, likely pointing to different economic and geographic backgrounds of the individuals under study. We argue that a two-way relationship between shifting pastoral and agricultural practices was reflected to separate degrees at the elite and commoner level. This study offers an improved understanding of the multiplicity of dietary patterns and associated lifeways for the metropolitan societies of medieval northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural water management is important to the development and success of agricultural production. The economies of many rural communities in Saskatchewan, Canada, rely on agricultural production, so agricultural water management and local rural economies are linked. However, the economy is not the only dimension of agricultural water management. Moving water off agricultural lands can result in habitat destruction, decreased biodiversity, increased flood risks, and decreased water quality, so physical and socioeconomic factors influence agricultural water management as well. Many of these factors are locationally unique and linked to place. This paper explores the role of place in agricultural water management policy in Saskatchewan, Canada, by investigating the environmental, economic, and social manifestations of place and considering how they are reflected within existing agricultural water management policies. We find that policies governing agricultural water management in Saskatchewan, Canada, lack explicit consideration for the human dimension of place. Our findings highlight a policy gap between place-based development concepts from the literature and the management of natural resources. There is a need for vertical and horizontal integration and coordination between different levels of government and actors to make the human dimension of place part of natural resource policy. This is especially true when policy makers (often in urban centres) are removed from the impacted setting (often rural). Designing and implementing policy based on the broad engagement of diverse stakeholders across rural communities is necessary to account for place. Specific recommendations for incorporating the human dimension into place-based agricultural water management policies are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korea's late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Chosŏn Dynasty is marked by evidence of climate change. A distinctive feature of this period was the frequent outbreak of plagues such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, especially among the less privileged. There was, consequently, a large-scale discontentment among the poor. In this milieu, some local Confucian scholars, dismayed by the prevailing corruption in the central government, withdrew themselves from government business, focused on studying imported Catholic texts from China, and converted to Catholicism. The emergence of indigenous religious movements also reflected this social reality. This paper explores the correlation among climate anomalies, decline in agricultural productivity, competition for limited common resources, heightened social inequality, and frequent plagues, and how Catholicism, an indigenous religious movement, and Protestant Christianity impacted and were impacted by these processes in Korea's late Chosŏn Dynasty. It also suggests missional implications of this in the post-Covid-19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Society & Social Work is the property of Journal of Society and Social Work and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Every year, some of the best agricultural lands in the country are changed for various reasons and converted into non-agricultural uses, and the departure of such lands from the field of agricultural and horticultural production causes irreparable damage. In this regard, the present study was conducted qualitatively, using the fundamental theory method with the aim of investigating the causes of land use change in Dashtestan City of Bushehr province. Participants in this study were 16 experts from agricultural centers in the city who were selected for the study through targeted snowball sampling (chain reference). The criterion for the number of samples was theoretical saturation. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Finally, the collected data were coded and analyzed in the form of 55 concepts and 18 categories. Finally, the extracted factors based on their nature in 8 mechanisms (economic (13 factors), social (7 factors), environmental (9 factors), welfare (8 factors), legal (7 factors), human (4), supportive (2 factors) and psychological (5 factors) were placed in the model of Strauss and Corbin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a continuation of research under the theme of “Sustainable Community Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” this study focuses on Multi-stakeholder partnerships as a means to achieve all the SDGs. Its findings reveal the partnerships to be associated with citizen and government collaboration at the level of local municipalities and communities. To further examine these mutual relationships, this current study discusses the possibility of so-called “voluntary partnerships” being created when civic groups, NPOs, individuals, and other parties actively addressing regional challenges look to governments for shared goals and equal partnerships. Such voluntary partnerships are embodied by local self-governing associations, or what the Japanese government calls a region management organization (RMO). As an example, the study introduces the Aba Village Management Council in the Japanese city of Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture. This organization manages a range of environmental, economic and social programs using city government subsidies for residents to establish various businesses and community groups, in order to address the declining population and socioeconomic conditions in what used to be Aba Village, which was incorporated into Tsuyama City amid Japan’s wave of municipal mergers in the 2000s. The organization’s efforts have produced many positive outcomes, including launching a renewable energy project, developing agricultural processing and tourism businesses, attracting new residents, and improving welfare services for the elderly. However, the city government’s cancellation of the subsidies has forced the organization to operate independently through external funding, and the voluntary partnership is now at risk of falling apart. With the Aba Village Management Council presenting a successful model, attention is focused on how this organization will deal with these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agriculture offers numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits. However, it is often hampered by limited engagement in cities of the global South. This article offers bottom-up perspectives on how to increase the uptake of urban agriculture activities. It draws on urban gardeners' perspectives in the low-income neighbourhood of Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. The mixed-methods approach combined a questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews with urban gardeners, and interviews with civil society actors and a state official. The results indicate that climate and soil conditions are major deterrents to urban agriculture. However, community dialogues about urban agriculture's social and environmental benefits could play a crucial role in increasing uptake and in facilitating conversations about urban agriculture and food more generally. The paper offers recommendations for future interventions seeking to promote urban agriculture and support actors in low-income neighbourhoods in Cape Town and other African cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary EU agricultural policies place a significant emphasis on current and future societal issues, e.g. climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and air and water quality amongst others. The governance of farming practices has changed in order to deliver on these expectations resulting in increasingly specific regulations to ensure their delivery. For male farmers these developments have the potential to undermine their autonomy as a 'good farmer', their gendered sense of mastery and ultimately their conception of what it is to be a 'man' in rural Ireland. This qualitative study explores how changes in agricultural policy are being received by farming communities, how they impact on gendered roles, and what the collateral impacts are on wellbeing and mental health. Eleven focus groups were conducted with male farmers (n = 3) and key informants (n = 8). Utilizing Thematic Content Analysis, all transcripts were coded iteratively using open and comparative coding techniques. Themes were grouped into primary and sub‐themes. Theme memos and conceptual maps were used to track evolving relationships between themes. Our analysis identified two interrelated themes. (i) 'Resistance or submission': negotiating farming masculinities in response to changing agri‐governance and (ii) 'Advancement or abandonment': reconfiguring 'the good farmer' in the wake of contemporary challenges in the dairy sector. We explore these issues by drawing out how contemporary regulation of farming practices gives rise to tensions associated with a perceived loss of autonomy and mastery, as well as ripple effects for farmer wellbeing. Findings highlight the tensions that permeate the construction of farming identities and masculinities in the wake of changes to agricultural policy and governance, and unpack the ripple effects for farmers' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study long-term and intergenerational effects of the 1970s Indonesian school construction program. Exploiting variation across birth cohorts and districts in the number of schools built suggests that 43 years later men are more likely to work formally, outside agriculture, and migrate, and that men and women have better marriage market outcomes. Households with exposed women have higher living standards and pay more taxes. The mother's program exposure leads to increased schooling for her children, with larger effects in secondary and tertiary education. Cost-benefit analyses indicate that school construction leads to higher tax revenues and improved living standards, offsetting construction costs within 18–54 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With population increase, environmental changes and socio-economic development, the demand for water and foods continues to increase and the water sector began to face many challenges worldwide. Sri Lanka has faced those challenges adequately in the last few decades but in 2019 - 2023 we can see a sudden setback in agriculture and hydropower sectors due to poor strategic policies and short-sighted political decisions taken by the government in the wake of the Covid19 pandemic. According to the warnings of Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program in 2022, Sri Lanka's food insecurity worsens mainly due to weak agricultural production. As the issue of food security is directly related to agricultural production and its irrigation systems, it is worthwhile to study the primary challenges and threats to achieve the achievements in the irrigation sector. Through a literature review and case study, this paper recognized few primary challenges and factors affecting current irrigated agriculture in Sri Lanka and how to mitigate them. i.e. "inappropriate deviation from subsistence irrigation system", "lack of motivation, inadequate knowledge & organization/collaboration among farmers" which requires Partnering approach, "water scarcity" and "non-utilization of modern irrigation engineering technology" etc. "Non-utilization of modern irrigation engineering technology" is includes examining the applicability of emerging irrigation engineering theories such as "Canal automation", "Contingency theory", "Value Engineering approach" and "Block chain agriculture" etc, as adaptation strategies in the context of assessing water security, water conservation and absorbing environmental changes. Under performance of the case project (Mahaweli-MS) mainly due to socio-economics-cultural influence and the Supremacy of technical issues are reviewed. Furthermore, the sample case study selected using the Sri Lankan and world largest agricultural development program of "Mahaweli System (MS)". Primary data collection through interviews of farmers and officials, and secondary statistical data collection from the MS database have been done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of GIS-based analyses of legacy survey data to inform discussions of settlement patterning, demographic change and the social organisation of agricultural production in the ancient Mediterranean. Legacy survey data represent an important body of evidence for understanding the development of past settlement systems, while their digitisation presents opportunities for novel quantitative and spatial analyses. By combining data from three contiguous intensive surveys from the Mirabello area of eastern Crete, this study investigates trajectories of demographic change and subsistence practice in the Early Iron Age (EIA) and Archaic periods (ca. 1200–550 BC), utilising GIS-based modelling of minimal agricultural catchments, and considering the relationships between communities over multiple geographic scales. This analysis highlights a transition away from clusters of small, demographically interdependent hamlets and villages in the earlier part of the EIA, toward the consolidation of nucleated population centres by the Archaic. The investigation of these developments contributes to our understanding of the scale, territorial control and management of agricultural hinterlands in the formative stages of the Greek poleis. The methods employed have wider relevance for the study of agricultural systems in the ancient Mediterranean, and highlight the important ongoing contributions of legacy survey data to theorising ancient subsistence economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the pressure of population and the expansion of agricultural production space, China’s modern agricultural production compressed the production space of forest and grassland animal husbandry, and emerged ecological and environmental problems such as low vegetation coverage, soil fertility loss, and unreasonable agricultural composition. Based on the agricultural surveys, Buck advocates planning or repairing the development chain of agricultural ecosystems according to the laws of nature. And divides the agricultural production into eight major agricultural areas in the two major agricultural belts, puts forward suggestions such as diversifying agricultural operations, developing forestry and pasture industry, improving the agricultural water environment and rationally adjust the land use structure. Buck’s quest for the development of Modern Agricultural Ecology in China follows the principle of adapting to local conditions and the theory of circular economy, and strives to form a virtuous circle model to achieve the purpose of improving agricultural economic and social benefits and improve people’s livelihood. Buck’s concept of modern Agricultural Development in China is very forward-looking and long-term; But due to the limitations of social conditions, his thinking has certain limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filipino women farmers have displayed their indispensable contribution to the Philippine agricultural economy for a long part of history, yet there remains a dearth of knowledge concerning how these women use literacy to effectively perform their roles in society. This research looked into Filipino women farmers' literacy experiences and practices. Through an ideological literacy perspective, feminist framework, and ethnographic research approach, it was revealed that the literacy practices of the Filipino women farmers of a rice-planting community in Northern Philippines are deeply rooted in their social and economic environment. Their literacy events vary according to what they want to achieve and what roles they play in the different domains of practicing literacy. Furthermore, it was found that these literacy practices and the women's experiences with literacy are patterned after long established sociocultural practices and existing patriarchal structures within Philippine agricultural societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Música, Artes Visuales y Artes Escénicas is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sustainability transitions are inevitable if we are to address the multiple crises in and caused by industrial agriculture. Despite the intent, there are few analyses of policy changes that enable sustainable agriculture; of the policy processes in particular. This paper analyses two cases of transition from the Union Government supported green revolution to biodiverse local and sustainable agriculture; cases of policy change evident in millet based agricultural programmes by two State Governments (Andhra Pradesh and Odisha) in India. A Laswellian in-context policy analysis reveals how the adverse social and ecological consequences of the green revolution in rainfed agriculture tracts in the country, was a key driver of these policy changes initiated by the State governments. The emergence of new and dispersed sub-national policy makers and regionally differentiated policy processes to address these consequences, mark significant institutional change. The re-definition of the policy problem by these new policy communities, led by civil society organizations and State Governments is enabled by new deliberative practices, a result of the substantive understanding of and the agency of rainfed agriculture and millets in these local agri-food systems. The new territorial identities forged within policy communities continue to confront the institutional rigidity of centralized consolidated agricultural knowledge and policy making. These decentralized policy processes and knowledge of and in the process are necessary for the transition to sustainable agri-food systems. They demand more academic and public engagement with institutional reform for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Model of Agriculture has been developed based on multifunctional agriculture that plays an essential role in increasing the vitality of rural areas in Europe. The agroecological approach is strongly related to multifunctional agriculture as well as social farming that is unique for visualising the social aspect of sustainability in agriculture. This paper aims to explore and evaluate the awareness and attitude of Hungarian farmers, based on indicators derived from in-depth interviews focused on agroecological transition, in order to identify possible spaces for social farming initiatives. For this purpose, the indicators are analysed using the existing 10 elements of agroecology created by FAO as a reference point. The aim of this analysis is to understand which basic element-related practices are preferred, whether social elements are included or not, and to determine which areas need to be strengthened in education in order to encourage farmers to be open to addressing social issues. The results of the research confirm indicators which are present in the daily practices of those farms that do not necessarily identify themselves as social farms. In addition to their willingness to potentially transition to agroecological systems, they have the basic elements and attitude to adopt social farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Trashumante. Revista Americana de Historia Social is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article assesses palm oil farmers' succession planning in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. A multi-stage procedure was used to select 169 farmers in Delta, Edo, Rivers and Cross River states. Data analysis presents descriptive and inferential statistics. Results further prior research showing most African farmers are male, with women excluded due to economic land inheritance practices. Medium-scale agricultural entrepreneurs operated as sole proprietors. The majority were full-time palm oil farmers, and most chose and engaged their successors. Plantation farm ownership status, farming status, level of formal education, farm size, farming experience, monthly farm income, ownership of palm processing facilities, level of motivation, notably intrinsic motivation to farm, and perceptions of succession planning affected farmers' decision to embark on succession planning. Findings are contextualised in global research literature and recommendations to guide future agriculture policymaking are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agriculture is developing rapidly in the world, paying significant, often primary attention not only to the economic but also to the social and environmental functions of the practice. Urban agriculture in Latvia is relatively underdeveloped, most of the practice is carried out in small amounts by households for self-consumption. Besides, an analysis of the volumes produced and results in the context of commercial practice and community and public projects revealed that it was at a developmental stage. Urban agriculture in Latvia has also been little researched so far, and the practice does not have a specific legal status that would enable precise determination of the scope of the practice, as well as financial and trend analysis. However, the practice is developing, especially in the form of community gardens. The aim of this study is to determine and describe economic and social aspects of urban agriculture in Latvia. In order to achieve the aim, a systematic theoretical review was performed to determine the definition and boundaries of the practice of urban agriculture, the analysis and synthesis methods were used to identify and describe the trends, and a case study was used to summarize the economic and social aspects of the practice specific to Latvia. Results of the research confirm that social aspects dominate in urban agriculture in Latvia - in aims, motivation, functions and advantages of the practice. But in terms of risks, the most important are economic aspects, which are also the main hindering factors in the development of urban agriculture in Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is written for Professor Michael Cernea’ 90th birthday. However, I did not perform an in-depth analysis of his work as a sociologist of development because his contributions are worldwide known. What is less known is his activity before his employment at the World Bank, in 1974. He did his studies during a period when sociology was banned in Romania. Despite this, he became one of the pioneers of the process of rehabilitation of sociological field research in Romania. First, he dealt with industrial and urban sociology. Then, under the influence of interwar sociological traditions, he turned to rural sociology. The activity after 1974 cannot be fully understood without knowing the Romanian background of this sociologist who has recently turned 90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]