The site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) strategy provides guidelines for effective nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium management to help farmers make better decisions on fertilizer input and ...output levels in rice (Oryza sativa) production. The SSNM fertilizer recommendations are based on the yield goal approach, which has been frequently cited in empirical studies. This study evaluates the assumptions underlying the SSNM strategy for rice in the top rice-producing countries around the world, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Using a generalized quadratic production function, I explore whether major nutrients are substitutes as inputs and if there are complementarities between inorganic fertilizer and soil organic matter (SOM). The results suggest the relationships among major nutrients vary across sites—some inputs are complements, some are substitutes, and some are independent. The SOM also significantly affects the nitrogen fertilizer uptake. I conclude by suggesting that the SSNM strategy can be made to be more adaptive to farmer’s fields if these relationships are accounted for in the fertilizer recommendation algorithm.
► Alternate wetting and drying reduces famers’ hours of irrigation use by about 38%. ► Alternate wetting and drying does not reduce yields and profits of rice farmers. ► Panel data is needed to ...better control for selection problems in future analysis.
This article evaluates the impacts of a controlled irrigation technique in rice production called alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Propensity score matching (PSM) and regression-based approaches applied to farm-level survey data are used to achieve the objective of the study. The PSM and regression-based approach accounts for the potential bias due to selection problems from observable variables. Results of the impact analysis using both empirical approaches indicate that AWD, particularly the “Safe AWD” variant, reduces the hours of irrigation use (by about 38%), without a statistically significant reduction in yields and profits. This reduction in irrigation time translates to corresponding savings in the amount of irrigation water and pumping energy used. However, further analysis of the impact estimates suggests that the potential magnitude of the selection bias based on
unobservable variables may still be able to eliminate the measured impact from the PSM and regression-based techniques that only control for selection based on
observable variables. Hence, the current impact results have to be interpreted with caution and further data collection is needed to construct a panel data that would allow one to account for selection problems due to unobservable variables and, consequently, better estimate the AWD impact.
Growing awareness of global challenges and increasing pressures on the farming sector, including the urgent requirement to rapidly cut greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, emphasize the need for ...sustainable production, which is particularly relevant for dairy production systems. Comparing dairy production systems across the three sustainability dimensions is a considerable challenge, notably due to the heterogeneity of production conditions in Europe. To overcome this, we developed an ex post multicriteria assessment tool that adopts a holistic approach across the three sustainability dimensions. This tool is based on the DEXi framework, which associates a hierarchical decision model with an expert perspective and follows a tree shaped structure; thus, we called it the DEXi-Dairy tool. For each dimension of sustainability, qualitative attributes were defined and organized in themes, sub-themes, and indicators. Their choice was guided by three objectives: (i) better describe main challenges faced by European dairy production systems, (ii) point out synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, and (iii) contribute to the identification of GHG mitigation strategies at the farm level. Qualitative scales for each theme, sub-theme, and indicator were defined together with weighting factors used to aggregate each level of the tree. Based on selected indicators, a list of farm data requirements was developed to populate the sustainability tree. The model was then tested on seven case study farms distributed across Europe. DEXi-Dairy presents a qualitative method that allows for the comparison of different inputs and the evaluation of the three sustainability dimensions in an integrated manner. By assessing synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, DEXi-Dairy is able to reflect the heterogeneity of dairy production systems. Results indicate that, while trade-offs occasionally exist among respective selected sub-themes, certain farming systems tend to achieve a higher sustainability score than others and hence could serve as benchmarks for further analyses.
We determine the production risk effects and welfare implications of single-trait Bt corn adoption in the Philippines. We use a stochastic production function estimation approach that allows for ...examining the skewness effects of Bt within a damage abatement specification. Our results indicate that Bt corn has a statistically significant yield increasing, risk-increasing (i.e., variance-increasing) and downside risk-reducing (i.e., skewness-increasing) effects. Based on risk premium, certainty equivalent, and loss probability welfare measures, Bt corn farmers in the Philippines are better-off (in absolute terms) relative to non-Bt farmers given Bt corn's dominant yield increasing effect and downside risk-reducing effect.
Core Ideas
We evaluate an old and widely accepted yield‐based N fertilizer management algorithm.
The algorithm, in itself, was a “ballpark” recommendation that served an important public function.
...The overconfidence in this algorithm may have harmed agriculture in a number of ways.
The algorithm’s empirical derivation was seriously flawed.
We examine the origins, implications, and consequences of yield‐based N fertilizer management. Yield‐based algorithms have dominated N fertilizer management of corn (Zea mays) in the United States for almost 50 yr, and similar algorithms have been used all over the world to make fertilizer recommendations for other crops. Beginning in the mid‐1990s, empirical research started to show that yield‐based rules‐of‐thumb in general are not a useful guide to fertilizer management. Yet yield‐based methods continue to be widely used, and are part of the principal algorithms of nearly all current “decision tool” software being sold to farmers for N management. We present details of the theoretical and empirical origins of yield‐based management algorithms, which were introduced by George Stanford (1966, 1973) as a way to make N fertilizer management less reliant on data. We show that Stanford’s derivation of his “1.2 Rule” was based on very little data, questionable data omissions, and negligible and faulty statistical analysis. We argue that, nonetheless, researchers, outreach personnel, and private‐sector crop management consultants were obliged to give some kind of N management guidance to farmers. Since data generation is costly, it is understandable that a broad, “ball park” rule‐of‐thumb was developed, loosely based on agronomic principles. We conclude by suggesting that technology changes now allow for exciting new possibilities in data‐intensive fertilizer management research, which may lead to more efficient N management possibilities in the near future.
The greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in the European Union (EU) are mainly caused by human activity from five sectors—power, industry, transport, buildings, and agriculture. To tackle all these ...challenges, the EU actions and policies have been encouraging initiatives focusing on a holistic approach but these initiatives are not enough coordinated and connected to reach the much needed impact. To strengthen the important role of regions in climate actions, and stimulate wide stakeholders' engagement including citizens, a conceptual framework for enabling rapid and far-reaching climate actions through multi-sectoral regional adaptation pathways is hereby developed. The target audience for this framework is composed by regional policy makers, developers and fellow scientists. The scale of the framework emphasizes the regional function as an important meeting point and delivery arena for European and national climate strategies and objectives both at urban and rural level. The framework is based on transformative and no-regret measures, prioritizing the Key Community Systems (KCS) that most urgently need to be protected from climate impacts and risks.
Using panel data econometric techniques and propensity score matching procedures, this study evaluates the impact of the MAUNLAD agricultural development program—a program designed to help alleviate ...poverty in Philippine coconut-producing communities. Our results indicate that the program had a significant positive mean effect on the recipients' total net farm income. Moreover, the probability of being in poverty is shown to decrease when a poor coconut producer participates in the program. The program's emphasis on training, intercropping, and livestock integration, as well as the more participatory approach taken, contributed to the strong positive impact of the program.
Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) provides guidelines for effective nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium management to help farmers make better decisions on fertilizer input and output levels in ...rice production. I evaluated the assumptions underlying the SSNM strategy for rice in the top rice producing countries in the world: India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Using a generalized quadratic production function, I explored whether major nutrients are substitutes as inputs, and if there are complementarities between inorganic fertilizer and soil organic matter (SOM). I also used non-nested hypothesis framework to contrast the quadratic model against the linear von Liebig model. Results showed that the relationships among major nutrients vary across sites – some inputs are complements, some are substitutes, and some are independent. In addition, I found that the SOM significantly affects the economic returns to nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Accounting for these relationships in the fertilizer recommendation algorithm can make the SSNM strategy more adaptive to farmer’s fields. In areas where soils have limiting organic matter content, fertilizer subsidy or distribution might not be appropriate means to support rice production. Increased rice productivity can be achieved through integrated soil fertility management and adoption of soil conservation technologies.
We evaluate an old and widely accepted rule of thumb for fertilizer management in corn production: apply 1.2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per bushel of corn expected. This “1.2 Rule” has dominated ...fertilizer management recommendations for almost fifty years, and similar algorithms have been used all over the world to make fertilizer recommendations for other crops. Here we show that the 1.2 Rule only makes economic sense if the production satisfies two restrictions: (1) to be of the von Liebig functional form, i.e. the function has a “kink” and a “plateau,” and (2) the kinks of the von Liebig response curves for different growing conditions lie on a ray out of the origin with slope 1.2. Non-linear estimation techniques and non-nested hypothesis framework are used to test if the 1.2 Rule satisfies these restrictions. We conclude that there exists little scientific justification of the 1.2 Rule, and that its long-term and widespread use basically resulted from its long-term and widespread use.
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