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Through interviews, participant observation, and a collective dialogue meeting among women, the results of an investigation into the challenges, difficulties, and forms of violence faced by young rural women who are studying or have graduated from the Sustainable Agricultural Innovation Engineering program in Cuquío, Jalisco, are gathered and presented. Since their early years, these young women have confronted various forms of violence within the agro-industrial context in which they are situated. Some of these forms of violence are linked to sexist dynamics surrounding monoculture maize production, compounded by others associated with their rural youth and gender condition. These challenges are interdependently reproduced, accumulated, and intensified within their university experiences, leading to psychosocial distress, academic dropout, and hindrances in accessing career-related opportunities. This article aims to shed light on these situations -prior to, during, and after their university studiesanalyzing them through a feminist lens to enable the recognition, focus, and analysis of the patriarchal facet within the agro-industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The article explores the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) food security landscape amid challenges intensified by the COVID‐19 pandemic. It underscores the imperative of providing sufficient, affordable, and nutritious sustenance for the growing ASEAN population, advocating for an integrated and comprehensive approach. This approach addresses climate change impacts, prioritises investments in rural infrastructure and agricultural innovation, and champions sustainable, inclusive farming practices. The research emphasises the significance of collaborative efforts with international partners and other regional stakeholders to fortify ASEAN's food security initiatives. This collaborative model serves as an exemplar for other developing regions with significant agricultural sectors and rural populations. The pandemic has prompted governments and the private sector to collaborate and address multifaceted food security issues, revealing the need for collective regional action. ASEAN can leverage partnerships, knowledge exchange, and resource‐sharing to navigate and overcome food security challenges, catalysing regional and global solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding nine billion people by 2050 will be a challenge due to climate change. There is a significant portion of abandoned and unused marginal lands across the nation and in the Puglia region, in Southern Italy. Innovative techniques and practices in the frame of climate-smart agriculture can help rehabilitate marginal lands into productive and profitable areas. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on marginal areas in Puglia, responding to the lack of information in this context and evaluate their revitalization potential. We systematically reviewed the literature on unused/marginal areas and identified related studies dealing with different types of marginal areas and their potential for sustainable rural development. Marginal areas in Puglia represent a range of historical rural landscapes that support biodiversity, the economy, and ecological services. However, the analysis of the current situation in Puglia's marginal areas indicates a lack of infrastructure and scarce resources, which led to land abandonment and the migration of local residents, resulting in the deterioration of the ecological system. Therefore, establishing a sustainable policy is crucial for preserving the local heritage and economy of the region. However, policymakers should carefully study the challenges and opportunities arising from local contexts before embarking on ambitious place-based innovation strategies. The analysis indicates that both biophysical and socio-economic factors are strategic elements for improving the revitalization potential of marginal areas for sustainable development. This review provides useful information regarding the revitalization potential of marginal areas for food, feed, and non-food production, which is crucial in the implementation of a sustainable development strategy for rural communities in Puglia but can also be applied to similar areas in other countries. However, the success of the sustainable development strategy in Puglia's marginal areas should consider the vital function of farmers' self-organization and social capital as key factors in the adoption of agricultural innovations for the revitalization of these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural farming, a recent agricultural innovation emphasizing minimal inputs, helps boost crop production. While strawberries are conventionally cultivated, their natural farming potential remains untapped. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of Subhash Palekar natural farming (SPNF) and conventional farming (CF) systems on the vegetative growth and yield performances of five different strawberry cultivars viz. Capri, Winter Star, Winter Dawn, Camarosa, and Nabila under field trials in the Doaba region of Punjab conditions. The experiment included ten treatments and was laid out in the factorial randomized block design employing five distinct strawberry cultivars (Capri, Winter Star, Winter Dawn, Camarosa, and Nabila) as factor I, and farming techniques - SPNF and CF - as factor II. The results confirmed the supremacy of CF for vegetative growth and SPNF system for yield and yield attributing characters. Under the CF, cultivar Capri greatly outgrew other cultivars in terms of increased plant height (5.60 and 12.10 cm) and plant spread (14.87 and 23.63 cm EW; 13.00 and 24.59 cm NS) at 45 and 90 DAP, respectively. Contrarily, under the same farming method, the cultivar Camarosa displayed larger numbers of trifoliate leaves (4.80 and 14.50 at 45 and 90 DAP, respectively), chlorophyll index (56.90 SPAD), leaf area (45.84 cm2), and stem girth (2.45 cm). However, cultivar Capri produced the maximum fruits per plant (26.14) and yield per plant (328.53 g), while cultivar Camarosa resulted in the maximum average berry weight (16.53 g) and the greater yield efficiency (0.77 kg/cm2) under the SPNF technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for sustainable agricultural technologies still lags behind the supply confirming the demand articulation failure of transformational innovation change agricultural policies. To understand the reasons for demand shortcomings, the evaluation of developed policies is required. In the literature, there is little evidence on this topic, henceforth, this paper conducts a systematic review of the primary methodological approaches used to assess the influence of policies on the dissemination of agricultural innovations. The results showed that there are two clusters of evaluation; the first investigates how policies affect agricultural innovation adoption, and the second studies how policies affect yields and profitability. For the first cluster, 70% of the studies analyzed adoption decisions using the Double-hurdle, Probit, or Tobit models or captured changes in adoption levels over time using the Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction Tool and discrete-time duration models. This cluster is related to the assessment of the input and output additionalities of innovation policies. In 58% of the studies related to the second cluster, the focus was the assessment of economic and environmental implications using mathematical programming models, particularly agent-based modeling. The purpose of evaluation in this cluster is more focused on behavioral additionality. There were no experimental or quasi-experimental methods among the methods utilized in this cluster. The majority of studies do not incorporate the evaluation of economic, social, and environmental aspects together; therefore, evaluation outlooks suggest increasing interest in sustainability impact. It is suggested that models from both clusters be used in combination to explore input, output, and behavioral additionalities simultaneously. Furthermore, including white-box evaluation approaches to evaluate demand-oriented innovation policy in the agricultural sector, in addition to usual black-box approaches, is a necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study the long-run effect of the Soviet shadow economy on attitudes toward the market economy and competition in Georgia—a former Soviet republic known for the high prevalence of the shadow economy. We use the density of Soviet-era organized crime as a proxy for the local prevalence of shadow economy and instrument it with agroclimatic suitability for citrus fruits, exploiting the fact that citrus and other subtropical agricultural products were an object of shortage and illicit trade during the Soviet era. We show that the citrus-suitable parts of Georgia have a higher density of Soviet-era thieves-in-law and that survey respondents living in these areas are more likely to report lower preference toward state ownership of businesses and higher appreciation of competition. Higher social legitimacy of private entrepreneurship is likely to be behind these findings: employed respondents in citrus-producing areas rate fairness of their compensation higher than in the rest of Georgia when they have their own business and rate it lower when they work in the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP's) Food Waste Index Report 2021 highlights a global annual food waste of 1 billion tons. The UNEP plays a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve per capita global food waste (FW) at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains globally by 2030. On the other hand, the agricultural sector faces the challenge of increasing productivity to feed the world's growing population while reducing the environmental impact on ecosystems and human health. In this context, the conversion of agri-food waste (AFW) into biocides, bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) and biostimulants could represent a successful approach to tackle all these issues. This review shows the latest findings on the different sources of AFW and the application of their bioactive compounds in agriculture. Increasing crop yields and improving plant physiology through the utilization of AFW-derived value products aligns with a circular economy approach, bolstering people's confidence in managing food waste for improved food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research conducts an analysis of the sustainability of urban agriculture in Shanghai over the period 2010 to 2020, employing the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept as a framework to evaluate sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions through the formulation and application of a comprehensive indicator system. Utilizing the Delphi method alongside the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for determining indicators and their respective weights, this study adopts a methodologically rigorous approach to analysis. The findings reveal an overall enhancement in agricultural sustainability, albeit accompanied by a decline in economic sustainability. Notably, environmental sustainability emerged as a paramount concern, underscoring the essentiality of incorporating environmental indicators within urban agricultural initiatives. The paper addresses significant challenges such as elevated land prices, demographic shifts, and the imperative for more stringent environmental regulations. It advocates for a multidimensional strategy integrating advanced agricultural technologies and cross-sectoral partnerships to bolster sustainability. Furthermore, the study accentuates the necessity of achieving equilibrium among economic feasibility, environmental stewardship, and social equity to pursue sustainable urban agriculture in Shanghai. Additionally, it highlights the critical role of strategic agricultural policy formulation in fostering sectoral resilience and ensuring enduring sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Innovation is a fundamental component of agricultural infrastructure, fostering the sector's development and productivity. Innovation indices tailored to the farm level are benchmarks for assessing innovation within this agricultural context. Therefore, this study aims to discover, localize, and validate comprehensive innovation measurement indices at the farm level. A distinguishing feature of this research is its endeavor to discover and validate a comprehensive tool for measuring innovation at the farm level. Notably, there has been no prior research on discovering comprehensive innovation indices at the farm level, marking a novel aspect of this study. Method and results: The current research is applied in terms of its purpose and falls into the category of mixed research (quantitative and qualitative), as well as exploratory and descriptive research. This study has been conducted in three stages: The first phase involved reviewing existing literature and extracting indices for measuring innovation. In the second phase, a tool was designed specifically to gauge innovation at the farm level. The third phase entailed face and content validation of the identified indices. This validation process was conducted quantitatively and qualitatively through surveys of subject-matter experts in Iran, and by calculating the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). To measure innovation at the farm level, 90 items across 7 dimensions (education, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, creative outputs, and innovative outputs) were extracted, localized, and developed. According to the results, dimensions such as innovative outputs (product innovation, process innovation, and marketing innovation), education (farmers' education status in technology and innovation), and infrastructure (familiarity, access, and application of Information and Communication Technology [ICT]) demonstrated high credibility based on CVR and CVI scores. Conclusion: The utilization of innovation assessment indices can help mitigate the challenges associated with evaluating innovation status on farms, thereby enhancing their condition and increasing farmers' profitability. Accurate and reliable data on innovation status empower farmers in market competition and improve economic performance. Attention to innovation and the use of assessment tools can facilitate the attraction of new investors to the agricultural industry. Furthermore, improving agricultural processes through innovative technologies can contribute to the preservation of natural resources and the reduction of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To advance understanding about the way endogenous knowledge on mangrove swamp rice (MSR) farming is transmitted, reinvented and negotiated between generations and highlight the implications this has for R4D. Long-term qualitative research using an ethnographic approach, technography and biographies of farmers. The endogenous Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) is dynamic but faces shortcomings owing to socio-environmental changes. This highlights the relevance of knowledge exchanges from multiple sources, eroding the divide between endogenous and exogenous from the farmers' point of view. For positive exogenously induced socio-technical change to occur, external actors must fully understand the conditions under which (a) endogenous knowledge is produced and reinvented and (b) endogenous innovations flow among farmers. This will then allow the co-production of innovations adapted to each specific agro-ecological, cultural and socio-economic context, leaving them to be further transformed and refashioned by smallholders to meet their individual 'dispositions' and generate the roots necessary for a strong AKIS. This paper highlights the importance of locally embedded processes of learning and innovation, the better understanding of which can provide a more solid basis for the co-production of technologies and the establishment of an AKIS. This paper improves understanding of socio-technological change in smallholder agriculture by focusing on endogenous processes of learning and innovation. This paper advances the knowledge on endogenous processes of learning and socio-technical change in smallholder agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of extension approaches is encouraged, but information on their impact on farmers' innovativeness is still not fully documented. This study aimed to analyze the impact of combining extension approaches on smallholder farmers' innovativeness in Sustainable Land Management practices adoption in Benin. Thus, we collected data through two focus group discussions with 20 farmers, and semi-structured interviews with 10 extension agents and 111 farmers. A seven-point Likert scale with 18 items was used to measure farmers' innovativeness composed of three dimensions (propensity to innovate, capacity to innovate, and innovation practice) drawn from current literature. The results show that a combination of extension approaches based on technical capacity building, awareness raising, knowledge sharing, farmer-to-farmer, and the provision of inputs strengthen farmers' innovation propensity, capacity, and practice. When farmers' innovativeness increases, they adopt the least resource-demanding innovations and adapt the resource-demanding ones. Therefore, combining extension approaches that strengthen farmers' innovativeness is a better way to increase innovation adoption. It improves farmers' capacity to overcome farming difficulties on their own. A key implication of this finding is that interventions that aim to enhance the adoption and appropriation of agricultural innovations should integrate the three components of innovativeness into their framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive agricultural development in China has given rise to a range of environmental issues that pose a significant hurdle to the country's "dual-carbon" goal. In order to tackle this challenge effectively, it becomes crucial to tap into the potential of green financial developments as means of reducing carbon emissions. To shed light on this matter, this study collates data from a total of 30 provinces in China from 2007 to 2019. And A two-way fixed-effects model was employed to examine the extent to which the advancement of green finance (GF) in China has effectively contributed to the decrease of carbon emissions in the agricultural sector. Furthermore, our research endeavors encompass the investigation of the specific mechanisms via which green finance has its influence on carbon emissions within the agricultural sector. The findings indicate that the implementation of green finance plays a crucial role in facilitating the reduction of carbon emissions within the agricultural sector in China. Technological advancements emerge as the primary mechanism through which green finance facilitates agricultural carbon emission reduction. Nevertheless, the impact of modernizing the regional industrial structure has been detrimental in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of agricultural development, the pursuit of sustainability stands as a paramount objective, necessitating an integration of multifaceted expertise from diverse disciplines. Amidst this pursuit, understanding the perspectives of professionals in both the realms of economy and biology becomes imperative, serving as a cornerstone for innovative strategies. This study examines the viewpoints of economy and biology professionals on multidisciplinary innovations for sustainable agricultural development. Through qualitative analysis of interviews and focus groups, the research identifies key themes and challenges. Participants recognise the need for integrating diverse disciplines to address agricultural sustainability, emphasising the importance of economic viability and technological innovation. However, barriers such as high costs and limited access to resources hinder widespread adoption. Policy recommendations include incentivising sustainable practices and fostering collaboration between stakeholders. The results underscore the significance of multidisciplinary approaches in advancing sustainable agriculture, with implications for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Farmers in rural areas are generally not well empowered with knowledge and innovations to solve their agricultural problems in spite of the growing presence of such knowledge resulting from research and innovation activities across the globe. This study aims to document approaches, impact and impediments of using village knowledge centers (VKCs) to transfer agricultural knowledge and innovations. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the objective of the study, a case study research design was used to investigate the impact of a selected VKC as institutional innovation in agricultural technology outreach and extension in rural Tanzania. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and observation methods. Besides, secondary sources such as reports were used to complement primary data during fieldwork. Findings: The study reveals that various approaches are used by the VKC to transfer knowledge and innovation to farmers. The use of the multi-actor platform (MAP) to run the VKC ensures inclusive knowledge production and sharing among different actors. The findings also suggest that knowledge and innovation co-creation is constructed with various knowledge systems actors to enhance the use of research generated. Accordingly, the findings show that the university efforts are an important catalyst for integrated knowledge, technology and innovation systems in rural settings. Research limitations/implications: The present study reveals different limitations associated with the use of a single case study design. The single-case design provided researchers with little basis for generalisation of the study findings and conclusions. Aside from that, the use of a cross-sectional design did not help the researchers to validate the findings and conclusions. To address these limitations, the study recommends similar studies that will adopt different types of longitudinal design such as cohort and diary methods. Apart from this, a future study to investigate the tangible impact of VKC on knowledge and innovation transfer is recommended. Originality/value: Considering the novelty of the MAP approach in Tanzania and the dearth of studies reporting on how the village knowledge center works and how effective it is, the present study provides insights on the approaches, impact and impediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the Indian inclusive sustainable development. India ranked third in global carbon emissions amidst its economic performance. This tells more about one-sided sustainable development policy of the country. With this trend of development anchored only on Indian economic activities, we consider it important to research the economy with instruments (such as technological innovation, foreign direct investment (FDI), and agriculture) that are unique to the country. India's data from 1980 to 2019 are applied to this study with two models for testing both economic and environmental developments. We utilized two scientific methods (non-linear autoregressive distributive lag (NARDL) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS)) to demonstrate both symmetric and asymmetric technical analyses. Findings from NARDL show that technological innovation and FDI are mitigating carbon emissions, while economic growth and agriculture are increasing carbon emissions thereby impacting negatively the environment. Also, the result from the economic model confirms that all variables are impacting favorably on economic development except carbon emission. The findings from DOLS support the findings from NARDL. The result confirmed that India is yet to attain inclusive sustainable development, however, it is evident that with the right policy framed on tech innovation and FDI, the country could attain balanced sustainable development. Having seen, the dual capacity of both technological innovation and FDI toward strengthening both the economy and environment, it is worthy to consider these instruments as among the sustainable policies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) within the agroclimatic domain is pivotal for addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change on agriculture. This paper embarks on a systematic review to dissect the current utilization of ML and DL in agricultural research, with a pronounced emphasis on agroclimatic impacts and adaptation strategies. Our investigation reveals a dominant reliance on conventional ML models and uncovers a critical gap in the documentation of methodologies. This constrains the replicability, scalability, and adaptability of these technologies in agroclimatic research. In response to these challenges, we advocate for a strategic pivot toward Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) frameworks. AutoML not only simplifies and standardizes the model development process but also democratizes ML expertise, thereby catalyzing the advancement in agroclimatic research. The incorporation of AutoML stands to significantly enhance research scalability, adaptability, and overall performance, ushering in a new era of innovation in agricultural practices tailored to mitigate and adapt to climate change. This paper underscores the untapped potential of AutoML in revolutionizing agroclimatic research, propelling forward the development of sustainable and efficient agricultural solutions that are responsive to the evolving climate dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agriculture, the intricate relationship between innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship is underexplored. Despite the widely recognized role of innovation in driving productivity, concrete indicators and comprehensive farm-level studies are lacking. This research aims to unravel this complexity by exploring the impact of innovation, specifically in agricultural entrepreneurship, on transformative changes in farm productivity. The work presented in this manuscript explores how farm-level data derived from the Farm Business Survey (FBS) for the period between 2003 and 2014 is used to identify innovators and to assesses changes in productivity, technical efficiency, and economic efficiency. Therefore, it aims to contribute to comprehensively exploring the role of innovation, particularly within the context of entrepreneurship in agriculture, and its influence on driving transformative changes in farm productivity. Results reveal significant productivity variation and a moderate overall improvement. Furthermore, investment in human resources, particularly managerial input, significantly enhances farm productivity across various models, indicating experienced managers utilize technology effectively. Notably, management and human capital innovation drive positive productivity changes in the UK cereal sector for the period 2003–2014, surpassing technological advancements. Efficient farmers leverage experience to benefit from operational scale changes, emphasizing the importance of accumulated knowledge. Hence, policy interventions should recognize these nuances; while promoting vocational training aids technology adoption, it may not spur management innovation. Thus, strategies must balance various aspects to effectively foster innovation in agriculture, considering both technological and managerial advancements for sustained productivity growth. The study advocates for a departure from the 'bigger is better' mentality, proposing educational programs and support services to encourage informed decision-making. This forward-looking approach aims to inform future policies and enhance understanding of the intricate dynamics between agricultural innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital twins are essential in Agriculture 5.0, providing an accurate digital representation of agricultural objects and processes, enabling data-driven decision-making, the simulation of future scenarios, and innovation for a more efficient and sustainable agriculture. The main objective of this article is to review and compare the main tools for the development of digital twins for Agriculture 5.0 applications using 3D point cloud models created from photogrammetry techniques. For this purpose, the most commonly used tools for the development of these 3D models are presented. As a methodological approach, a qualitative comparison of the main characteristics of these tools was carried out. Then, based on some images taken in an orange grove, a quality analysis of the 3D point cloud models obtained by each of the analyzed tools was carried out. We also obtained a synthetic quality index in order to have a way to categorize the different pieces of software. Finally, as a conclusion, we compared the performance of the different software tools and the point clouds obtained by considering objective metrics (from the 3D quality assessment) and qualitative metrics in the synthetic quality index. With this index, we found that OpenDroneMap was the best software in terms of quality-cost ratio. Also, the paper introduces the concept of Agriculture 6.0, exploring the integration of advancements from Agriculture 5.0 to envision the potential evolution of agricultural practices and technologies, considering their impact on social and economic aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing approaches in plant disease management and phytopathological research. This review analyzes current applications and future directions of AI in addressing evolving agricultural challenges. Plant diseases annually cause 10–16% yield losses in major crops, prompting urgent innovations. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows an aptitude for automated disease detection and diagnosis utilizing image recognition techniques, with reported accuracies exceeding 95% and surpassing human visual assessment. Forecasting models integrating weather, soil, and crop data enable preemptive interventions by predicting spatial-temporal outbreak risks weeks in advance at 81–95% precision, minimizing pesticide usage. Precision agriculture powered by AI optimizes data-driven, tailored crop protection strategies boosting resilience. Real-time monitoring leveraging AI discerns pre-symptomatic anomalies from plant and environmental data for early alerts. These applications highlight AI's proficiency in illuminating opaque disease patterns within increasingly complex agricultural data. Machine learning techniques overcome human cognitive constraints by discovering multivariate correlations unnoticed before. AI is poised to transform in-field decision-making around disease prevention and precision management. Overall, AI constitutes a strategic innovation pathway to strengthen ecological plant health management amidst climate change, globalization, and agricultural intensification pressures. With prudent and ethical implementation, AI-enabled tools promise to enable next-generation phytopathology, enhancing crop resilience worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of the research was to quantify the technical efficiency and to identify its causes in the production of turmeric production in Sheko and Yeki districts. Three hundred sixty sample household heads were chosen using a two-stage random sampling procedure. Descriptive statistics and econometrics models like, Cobb-Douglas and Tobit's models were used to examine efficiency and determination respectively. As a result, the average technical efficiency was 73.72. The average technical efficiency suggests that it is possible to raise turmeric production by 26.28 percent without utilizing additional inputs. Land, labor, oxen, seeds, herbicide, and urea all had a big impact on how much turmeric was produced. The Tobit model revealed that gender, age, household size, the number of plots, and market information substantially impacted technical efficiency. Policies aimed at motivating and strengthening the existing agricultural extension system, and providing appropriate marketing information, are required to improve turmeric growers' production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary world, science and technology are advancing swiftly to meet the growing human need for electricity. Within this framework, street lighting, serving as the most vital and ubiquitous element of urban lighting infrastructure, contributes significantly to public electricity consumption. Hence, enhancing the operational efficiency of street lamps becomes imperative to conserve energy. Nonetheless, traditional street lighting systems, being manually controlled, consuming excessive power, and entailing high installation expenses, present notable drawbacks and concerns. Leveraging the internet of things (IoT), advanced innovations automate various areas, including health monitoring, traffic management, agricultural irrigation, street lights, and classrooms. The current manual operation of street lights leads to substantial global energy waste. To address this, an integrated hardware and software solution is proposed. Practical implementation of the hardware devices employs a wireless sensor network, while the software focuses on developing an IoT application for data storage, analysis, and visualization. The proposed system enables effective monitoring of parameters such as ambient temperature, current, voltage, and energy consumption of photovoltaic street lights, which are used as an indicator of the lamp status. Using Xbee modules, a configuration by the X-CTU software is necessary to communicate between all street lights wirelessly. These Xbee modules are used as a leading technology for wireless sensor networks due to its low power and low cost. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system is energy-efficient and cost-effective, and further can be implemented in real street light systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of agricultural technologies is imperative in improving the performance of the local agriculture sector in the Philippines. Numerous technology-based development projects have been implemented across the country. The Mango ICM project was one of these interventions. It was carried out in the Island Garden of Samal, Davao del Norte (IGaCoS) with the objective of supporting the local mango industry through the promotion of environmentally sustainable technologies. Years since project completion, challenges have been raised in relation to technology adoption. To understand the adoption dynamics in IGaCoS, this study dissects the complex nature of the Mango ICM technologies and the perception and reception of the local producers towards them. This study is grounded on the narratives gathered through a series of in-depth interviews with key informants and local mango producers. Results show that although the potential benefits of the extended technologies were recognized, the existing local labor and market arrangements created barriers to technology adoption. The nature of technology, market arrangement, and financial constraints were the identified reasons for the non-adoption of the local mango producers

The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) has brought about transformative changes across diverse industries, and its application in agriculture, particularly in soil management, has become a focal point of research and innovation. This paper explores the paradigm shift enabled by IoT in detecting organic carbon in soil, with the overarching goal of advancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. Emphasizing the pivotal role of organic carbon in soil health, the research addresses the existing challenges associated with its detection and underscores the potential advantages offered by IoT-based solutions for precise and real-time monitoring. The study meticulously examines various IoT technologies, including sensors, data analytics, and wireless communication protocols, within the specific context of organic carbon detection. A thorough review of contemporary techniques, methodologies, and devices utilized in IoT-based organic carbon detection in soil is presented. The paper not only sheds light on the current state-of-the-art but also explores the advantages, limitations, and prospects inherent in the implementation of IoT-enabled systems in agriculture. The envisioned outcomes encompass enhanced soil management practices, heightened crop yields, and the simultaneous preservation of the environment. In essence, this research contributes to the expanding body of knowledge surrounding IoT applications in agriculture, specifically emphasizing the transformative potential of IoT-enabled organic carbon detection for revolutionizing farming practices and promoting sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the new challenges and crises facing agriculture, digitalization and green transformation have become important ways to solve the problems. This paper uses an international economics perspective to chart a new path for sustainable agricultural development. Specifically, it analyzes whether two-way international direct investment (FDI) can facilitate agricultural digital-green fusion(DGF)? Using a sample of 31 provinces (autonomous regions) from 2012 to 2021, this study finds: (1) Two-way FDI can significantly contribute to agriculture's DGF. (2) In the mechanism test, it is proved that two-way FDI can promote agriculture's DGF level by promoting green technology innovation capacity and overall regional technology innovation capacity. (3) The positive effects of two-way FDI are prominent in the eastern and central regions, coastal regions, and economically developed areas. (4) In the spatial Durbin model, the local two-way FDI growth improves agriculture's DGF level in the surrounding areas to a certain extent. The government is advised to prioritize openness, foster an environment for technological innovation, leverage spatial radiation for agricultural DGF, and advance digitally empowered agricultural modernization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The encounters between the immigrant populations of the Levant and the local communities of the south and east of the Iberian peninsula occurring from the beginning of the first millennium led to the transformation of diet and agricultural production. The arrival of new products such as chickpeas and different fruit trees, including in particular the vine, increased the variety and quality of the food consumed. It was at this specific moment that the so‐called 'Mediterranean agricultural model' was defined, upon which the identity of the different communities living in this territory was built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability in our food and fiber agriculture systems is inherently knowledge intensive. It is more likely to be achieved by using all the knowledge, technology, and resources available, including data-driven agricultural technology and precision agriculture methods, than by relying entirely on human powers of observation, analysis, and memory following practical experience. Data collected by sensors and digested by artificial intelligence (AI) can help farmers learn about synergies between the domains of natural systems that are key to simultaneously achieve sustainability and food security. In the quest for agricultural sustainability, some high-payoff research areas are suggested to resolve critical legal and technical barriers as well as economic and social constraints. These include: the development of holistic decision-making systems, automated animal intake measurement, low-cost environmental sensors, robot obstacle avoidance, integrating remote sensing with crop and pasture models, extension methods for data-driven agriculture, methods for exploiting naturally occurring Genotype x Environment x Management experiments, innovation in business models for data sharing and data regulation reinforcing trust. Public funding for research is needed in several critical areas identified in this paper to enable sustainable agriculture and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of rising global demand, energy is becoming a significant cost factor in industry and society. In addition to the global players China, India, and the USA, Africa will also become a driver of the world's primary energy demand in the future due to the rapidly growing developing countries. In addition to the armed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, global energy markets are tense and volatile due to inflation and higher borrowing costs. Because of society's desire to phase out the use of fossil fuels, the use of renewable energies is increasingly taking center stage worldwide and especially in Germany. Rural areas and agriculture, especially energy-intensive livestock farms, are particularly affected by this development and are therefore faced with additional economic challenges. Additional energy can be generated by using photovoltaic systems on the roofs of farm buildings or by utilizing the liquid manure from livestock farming in biogas plants. For these farms, such alternative sources of energy could open previously untapped potential and additional synergies for using their own inexpensive energy on the farm or supplying surplus electricity directly to the public grid as a market participant. Agriculture could thus serve as an actor in a decentralized energy supply and thus build up regional energy networks. However, intelligent electricity storage concepts and a corresponding energy management system (EMS) are essential to be able to utilize the potential for renewable energy generation at all, to coordinate both internal production processes and the varying energy demand and supply on the electricity grid. As agricultural production processes differ greatly from farm to farm and region to region, the introduction of an energy management system is strongly dependent on user acceptance. The purpose of this study is to use the web-based software tool ADOPT (CSIRO 2018) to predict the level of acceptance and the duration of the market launch of an EMS based on the region of Bavaria. Individual important influencing factors for the subsequent regional marketing concept are also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural development strategy of building a strong country with Chinese characteristics is based on Chinese national conditions and agricultural conditions. It is an innovative exploration that takes into account the unique characteristics of domestic agricultural development and the universal commonalities of international agricultural modernization. It is also an important support for building a socialist modernized country. In the new era, promoting the construction of a strong agricultural country with Chinese characteristics is conducive to achieving common prosperity among farmers and rural areas, improving the modern agricultural industry system, and creating a beautiful countryside where people and nature coexist harmoniously. Therefore, the article puts forward the following points. With the goal of achieving common prosperity, clarify the important direction of building a strong agricultural country with Chinese characteristics. Taking the promotion of rural industries as the foundation, consolidate the basic guarantee for building a strong agricultural country with Chinese characteristics. Taking the creation of rural ecological livable environment as the direction, clarify the specific ideas of building a strong agricultural country with Chinese characteristics. Taking innovation-driven development as the driving force, ensure the efficient promotion of the construction of a strong agricultural country with Chinese characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-designed Agricultural Extension System (AES) can facilitate transitions towards sustainable agriculture. However, in most developing countries, AES has failed to promote sustainable agricultural development. The New Agricultural Extension System (NAES) was initiated to facilitate agricultural development in Iran. However, there is still no definite reflection on the influences of NAES on agricultural development. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the performance of NAES. To ensure an integrative and holistic analysis of the NAES's performance, the Complexity Theory (CT) and Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) approaches were used. To gather data, survey research was conducted in Fars Province, southern Iran. A multi-stage random sampling was used to identify the designated extension agents. The findings indicated that effective implementation of the NAES needs facilitated interaction through network mediation (X = 71.6), creation of an enabling context for the delivery of extension services (X = 66.6), improved communication and marketing infrastructures (X = 72), development of a value chain (X = 71.4), acceptance of self-organization (X = 67.8) and adoption of complexity-aware management (X = 66). The results also identified the hindering effects of demographic, structural and psychological factors on the practical application of CT and AIS principles. Some recommendations and implications are offered to improve the effectiveness of NAES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digitalization of agriculture generates a new environment for the actors involved in agrifood production. In such a context, Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKISs) face the challenge of reconsidering their operational paradigms, redefining priorities, and designing strategies to achieve new aims. To do so, the actors participating in AKISs should develop and exploit a set of competencies known as dynamic capabilities, including the aptitude to sense the change in the external environment, the capacity to seize the opportunities that this change creates, and an ability to transform and adapt themselves to the new conditions that digitalization generates. In this study, using as examples the AKISs operating in Greece and Italy, we aimed to uncover if and how actors participating in these systems attempt and manage to deploy such capabilities. Based on a qualitative approach and drawing on data from two workshops, we discovered that seizing the opportunities sensed is a challenging task for AKIS actors. Our results also indicate that knowledge is a pivotal resource for AKISs, allowing actors to enhance their transformative capacity. However, to create a "collective" knowledge base, AKISs should ensure a functional connection between stakeholders and strengthen the roles of actors not actively engaged with the system, like public advisory organizations, universities, and technology providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling coordination of agricultural technology innovation with food security is of great significance for high-quality agricultural development. By identifying the coupling coordination relationship between the two systems and the influencing factors, this paper aims to promote the virtuous cycle of coordinated development between regional agriculture and technology, as well as accelerate the realisation of high-quality development of Chinese agriculture. Therefore, this paper explores the spatial and temporal coupling characteristics of the two using the entropy value method, coupling coordination degree model, and exploratory spatial data analysis, and it screens for important influencing factors using the grey correlation model. The main results show that ① the coupling coordination relationship between agricultural technology innovation and food security in China is at a dissonant stage, but the value of the coupling coordination degree increases from 0.2076 to 0.3437 during the period of study, and the level of coordination gradually improves. ② The degree of coupling coordination in the provincial space exhibits a distribution pattern of "high in the east and low in the west". The areas of high value are primarily situated in the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, and other provinces along the southeastern coast of China, while the areas of low value are mainly located in the provinces of Qinghai, Ningxia, and other provinces in inland northwest China. ③ The Moran's index of provincial coupling coordination is greater than 0, showing a certain positive correlation, and there is a significant pattern of spatial aggregation. ④ The correlation coefficients between the influencing factors and the degree of coupling coordination are all greater than 0.35, indicating a moderate or high correlation, but the significance of technological support capacity and food distribution security increased over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an alliance of science and civil society as well as the social, digital and agricultural sectors, the Alterperimentale (Age-Periphery Experiment) project brings together competences from different social sectors in order to meet the challenges of demographic structural change processes regionally and to enable good living in old age in rural areas. The focus is on the participatory design of socio-technical, socio-ecological and socio-spatial innovations in the areas of public services, health, care, agriculture and digitalisation. The basic idea of the alliance is to establish decentralised practical research centres as local places of knowledge transfer with and for older people for the design of sustainable living and working environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to investigate how different methods of delivering agricultural extension services influence the adoption of improved farming practices by cocoa farmers in the Bono Region. The study used data from 401 cocoa farmers selected through the multi-stage sampling technique. Generally, extension agents use farm visits and group meetings to facilitate the training of farmers on improved agronomic practices. Due to that, farmers perceived the use of farm visits and group meetings to be effective. We also found that farmers had a high level of knowledge of agronomic practices. The Tobit regression model was used to determine the effect of extension delivery methods on the adoption of improved practices. The significant relationship found in this study between farm visits, group meetings, and the adoption of improved agronomic practices underscores the importance of targeted extension strategies that incorporate personalised interactions and groupbased learning approaches to effectively promote agricultural innovation and sustainable farming practices. We recommend that the extension officers frequently pay visits to the farmers and organise group meetings to improve the adoption of improved agronomic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linkage among agricultural research, rural extension and farmers is key to promoting innovation and development processes. In general, works addressing problems in this linkage usually do so tangentially or from specific case studies. A systematic literature review of articles written in English, Spanish and Portuguese was conducted with the aim of identifying and organising the problems affecting the research-extension-farmer linkage. The identified problems were classified into central problems, and problems related to the institutional and management environments, the resources and staff, the epistemological-ideological structure organising the relationship, and attitudinal and subjective factors. The detected problems make up a complex causal network and cannot be addressed independently. Moreover, since they implicitly shape the interaction among research, extension and farmers, the problems related to formal and informal institutional structures, to the incentive systems and to the ways of understanding innovation have a strong incidence in the dynamics of the different linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of cultivated forages in smallholder dairy systems offers a cost-effective way to increase the productivity of livestock. The Kenyan and Ethiopian governments have both stated an ambition to increase the use of forages in their dairy sectors; however, policies have failed to produce widespread results. Existing research tends to focus on local barriers to forage adoption and not the wider innovation environment. To fill this literature gap, this study uses a Tobit model to analyse village-level data from Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015. A potentially important relationship between milk buyers and forage intensity in Ethiopia, which has not previously been addressed in the literature, is identified. As the Ethiopian government dominates the forage sector, the results of this study indicate that private milk buyers may offer an alternative source of information. In the Kenyan context, this paper finds that informal institutions and farmer-to-farmer information transmission are important in adoption decisions and should be considered when designing extension strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The different perceptions of food and agriculture stakeholders about the future is a key input to design future-oriented public policies and to build a shared vision of the future. By applying the futures triangle to the results of a qualitative study concerning the future of food and agriculture innovation system in Argentine, five archetypes of images of the future were inferred. The archetypes reflect a distinct combination between the weight of history, the pushes of the present and the pulls of the future, corresponding to the perception of the future of nine distinct stakeholders of the food and agriculture system in Argentine. The archetypes are named: stuck in the present, the future is not ours, the future never comes, the future is being built and the future is ours. The analysis show that the stakeholders can envision the future of the world's agriculture with a certain degree of creativity. However, they find it difficult to imagine the future of the Argentine agricultural industry in new ways: they repeat the old ideas or notions they have about it. All those visions lead to a demand for changes that are more connected to the present than to the future. This foresight study offers a first approach to explore the different views regarding the future of food and agriculture and it reveals how such views influence the type and characteristics of the new stakeholders demands to the public agriculture sector in Argentina to the year 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the factors that influence the extent of the use of fodder technologies in the Insiza District of Zimbabwe, as well as the reasons for their low adoption and the lower participation of women than men in fodder interventions. A mixed methods approach was used and data were collected using a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. The multi-stage sampling approach was used to generate a sample of 224 respondents who received training on fodder production from the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) intervention. Using the ordered probit regression model, factors such as gender, education level attained, cattle herd size, total livestock units, land size, willingness to invest more in fodder, engagement in farm enterprises, and intensity of collaborations were found to significantly influence the number of improved fodder technologies adopted. In addition, farmers perceived that fodder technologies are beneficial. The imposition of externally determined innovations, as well as the scarcity of seed for fodder crops, were cited as the primary reasons for the low adoption of fodder technologies promoted prior to the ZRBF intervention. Findings also suggested the existence of gender-specific constraints emanating from the prevalence of a powerful patriarchal culture as the major factor limiting women's participation in fodder interventions relative to men. Thus, the study recommends that the ZRBF and the government design well-packaged rural development policies, promote equitable gender participation and adopt participatory approaches when proffering solutions to local community problems. The study's original contributions include the use of a mixed methods approach, a focus on the extent of fodder technology adoption rather than the probability of adoption, and an investigation into the reasons for women's lower participation than men in fodder intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied innovation processes in agriculture and nutrition to discuss a scaling approach that encompasses the technical, institutional, and behavioral dimensions of change. To understand dynamics across these dimensions, we analyzed farmers' innovation processes through two analytical lenses: farmer-centered and structural. Focus group discussions in Kapchorwa, Uganda, and Teso South, Kenya, looked at farmers' choices of innovations. Individual interviews and stakeholder workshops at both study sites increased understanding of the local innovation system. To address local challenges, strive for livelihood aspirations, and fulfill personal taste preferences, farmers selected and adapted practices promoted by a research project. A wide range of additional support providers encouraged farmers to develop innovations in agriculture, marketing, and nutrition. By promoting innovation as a process rather than an outcome, it is possible to address context-specific needs and enhance farmers' adaptive capacities. Scaling these processes necessitates the involvement of innovation support service providers in order to create an enabling environment for experimentation. Analytical dualism highlights the different roles of human agency and structures in innovation processes needed to design successful scaling strategies. This paper sets out a novel approach to understanding the increasingly discussed dimensions of scaling by linking them with concepts from innovation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the relationship between innovation and performance in the agricultural industry by studying how a firm's patent portfolio position in the knowledge landscape moderates the relationship between three firm search dimensions (scope, specialisation, and commitment) and the firm's financial performance. To represent dynamism in the knowledge landscape, we apply topic modelling to 67,120 patent texts of 571 firms and introduce two complementary perspectives on how knowledge can be dynamically categorised. This allows us to create two representations of the knowledge structure to identify contested (scarce) clusters of high (low) recent inventive activity and emergent clusters where knowledge ambiguity has reduced. Our findings suggest that search scope and commitment prove more valuable near scarce clusters, whereas search specialisation is most valuable in contested clusters. In addition, we find that all three search dimensions are positively moderated by proximity to emergent clusters, but vary in their effectiveness. Our results explain an additional 1% in within-firm financial performance (EBITDA). We discuss implications for innovation and strategy research as well as for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture-based livelihoods, dominant in rural areas of developing countries, have been facing the challenges to cope up with climate change and extreme climatic events. Therefore, livelihood analysis along with vulnerability to climate change is an important aspect to address the climate change issues. Present research was contemplated to assess the livelihood status of dominant farm livelihood groups and their vulnerability in both coastal and non-coastal ecosystems of Odisha, an Indian state that suffers from climate-induced natural disasters. It also aimed to delineate livelihood assets determining climatic vulnerability of farm households. Sustainable livelihood framework was followed in analysing differential level of physical, social, human, financial and natural assets covering a random sample of 200 farm households representing three dominant farm livelihood groups, viz. farmers cultivating crops, rearing livestock and farmers occupied with both crop + livestock farming. The farmers under study were the beneficiaries of national innovations in climate-resilient agriculture programme launched by Indian council of agricultural research since 2011. Both crop and livestock farmers belonged to similar level of livelihood with no significant differences. Farmers engaged in crop + livestock farming had overall livelihood status at above average level and social assets contributing highest to it. However, farmers engaged in crop + livestock farming significantly differed from both crop and livestock farmers with livelihood status index values of 51.73 and 62.72 in coastal and non-coastal districts, respectively. The livelihood indicators delineated as determinants of vulnerability of farm households to climate change would help in climate policy advocacy regarding institutional innovations. Climate smart technological and institutional innovations, partnership between the stakeholders and diversified livelihood options provide farm households better resilience to climate change as reflected from lower vulnerability index values in coastal regions. This calls for policy advocacy to designing and deploying climate smart socio-technical innovations bundling in terms of both technological and institutional innovations through good partnership to provide farm households diversified livelihood options and better insulation against the vulnerability to climate change in a specific agro-ecosystem. Government support in terms of financial assistance, subsidies, insurance, extension advisories and adequate institutional infrastructure would enable farmers to adopting climate smart agriculture innovations, building sustainable livelihoods and improving resilience to climate change impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, securing the sensed data in the cloud server is one of the significant concerns in blockchain technology. Although different Machine Learning (ML) based security frameworks are developed, they face specific issues in confidentiality, time consumption, if the dataset is large, processing the data in an existing security system isn't easy, etc. Thus, a novel hybrid Recurrent Neural Elliptical Curve Blockchain (RNECB) was designed to securely store the sensed agricultural data in the cloud server. The dataset was gathered from a standard website. This model filters the input dataset in the pre-processing phase and enters it into the field monitoring module. The monitoring mechanism in the presented approach provides continuous monitoring and extracts meaningful features. In addition, crypto analysis was carried out to hide the extracted features from third parties. These encrypted data were then stored in the cloud server. Furthermore, security analysis was performed by launching attacks on the cloud server, and the results are estimated in two cases before and after the attack. The presented model was implemented in python software, and the accuracy attained about 97.7%, the confidential rate about 97.98%, encryption, decryption, and execution time taken were about 2.7 ms, 2.6 ms, and 11 ms, respectively. And also, the proposed model attained a lower error rate of about 0.0227%. The calculated results were compared with the existing security approaches. The comparative assessment verifies that the designed model earned better results than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow pace of the adoption of the latest innovations in agricultural technology innovations impedes sustainable farming practices and sustainable agriculture in developing countries. This study investigates the potential reasons that stop smallholder farming households from adopting genetically engineered seeds (Bt cotton and improved wheat seeds), herbicides resulting from cutting-edge technologies, and no-tillage farming. Utilizing original farm household-level data from 275 smallholder farming households in Pakistan, we employ multivariate probit models. The results show that the adoption of innovative technologies is not an isolated, separate process but a concoction of available technologies and cropping patterns. The estimates of the multivariate probit models show that farm machinery index, off-farm income sources, and farmers' education facilitate technology adoption. The observations and estimates indicate that a lack of agricultural extension service contacts is present, which slows down the farmers' adoption of agricultural technological inputs. Therefore, promoting the role of agricultural extension services (qualitatively and quantitatively) is likely to play a role in multiple technology adoption. Furthermore, the significant effect of off-farm employment shows that the lack of financial resources is another factor slowing the adoption of innovative technologies, which depends on liquidity for necessary expenditures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper firstly compares the structure of agricultural supply chain ecosystem from both internal members and external environment and analyzes the information transfer mechanism of information flow, capital flow, logistics and other energy and information in the supply chain. The importance of supply chain ecological coordination mechanism and its functional components are also discussed in depth. On this basis, the biosecurity strategy system of agricultural products supply chain management is constructed and the biosecurity strategy of supply chain management is proposed. Finally, the biosafety risk of agricultural products supply chain management in the e-commerce environment is assessed, and a multi-dimensional risk assessment index is proposed. Meanwhile, risk management theory is applied to provide a detailed analysis of the likelihood, loss, contagiousness, controllability and comprehensiveness of risks. The study showed that the risk indices were relatively high with the average values of 85% for transportation and storage technology risk, 76% for additive abuse risk, and 70% for agricultural input improper risk, respectively. The research in this paper provides new ideas and methods for biosafety management in the supply chain of agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued population growth and increasing food needs require more innovation in the agricultural sector to increase crop productivity sustainably. An interesting approach to this challenge is solar panel-based aquaponics systems. Solar panels are integrated as an energy source to drive water pumps, and other system components in aquaponics. Research was conducted on the production of electricity generated by solar panels in aquaponics in Building C of Pembangunan Panca Budi University. Data analysis was carried out to evaluate and provide innovations regarding the efficiency and reliability of solar panels in the environmental conditions of Pembangunan Panca Budi University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]