This open access book is about understanding the processes involved in the transformation of smallholder rice farming in the Lower Mekong Basin from a low-yielding subsistence activity to one ...producing the surpluses needed for national self-sufficiency and a high-value export industry. For centuries, farmers in the Basin have regarded rice as “white gold”, reflecting its centrality to their food security and well-being. In the past four decades, rice has also become a commercial crop of great importance to Mekong farmers, augmenting but not replacing its role in securing their subsistence. This book is based on collaborative research to (a) compare the current situation and trajectories of rice farmers within and between different regions of the Lower Mekong, (b) explore the value chains linking rice farmers with new technologies and input and output markets within and across national borders, and (c) understand the changing role of government policies in facilitating the on-going evolution of commercial rice farming. An introductory section places the research in geographical and historical context. Four major sections deal in turn with studies of rice farming, value chains, and policies in Northeast Thailand, Central Laos, Southeastern Cambodia, and the Mekong Delta. The final section examines the implications for rice policy in the region as a whole.
The productivist model implemented after the second world war has succeeded in improving production to meet growing demands for food, but it has also deeply affected soil physicochemical properties, ...as well as of aboveground and belowground biodiversity. Alternative farming systems such as organic farming, biodynamic farming and soil conservation farming are actually developing to enhance the sustainability of farming systems. Although the impact of agricultural practices on soil ecological quality is well known, there is little knowledge on the impact of the different farming systems as a whole. Here, we analysed the impact of the main farming systems on soil biodiversity and functioning, reported in about 100 scientific publications. We found that conventional, organic, and biodynamic systems are the most widely studied, whereas soil conservation farming is poorly documented. Soil biological indicators are improved by
ca
. 70% in organic farming and biodynamic farming relative to conventional farming. 43% of soil bioindicators are improved in biodynamic farming relatively to organic farming. Soil conservation farming scores better than conventional farming for 57% of the indicators. Therefore, biodynamic farming displays the highest soil ecological quality, followed by organic farming, soil conservation farming and, last, conventional farming. Organic fertilisation and longer crop rotations are the most favourable practices, whereas pesticides and soil tillage are the most deleterious ones. The review also evidences a lack of studies on soil conservation farming and on bioindicators of the soil fauna.
This book provides a review of precision agriculture technology development, followed by a presentation of the state-of-the-art and future requirements of precision agriculture technology. It ...presents different styles of precision agriculture technologies suitable for large scale mechanized farming; highly automated community-based mechanized production; and fully mechanized farming practices commonly seen in emerging economic regions. The book emphasizes the introduction of core technical features of sensing, data processing and interpretation technologies, crop modeling and production control theory, intelligent machinery and field robots for precision agriculture production.
Digitalisation is an integral part of modern agriculture. Several digital technologies are available for different animal species and form the basis for precision livestock farming. However, there is ...a lack of clarity as to which digital technologies are currently used in agricultural practice. Thus, this work aims to present for the first time the status quo in Swiss livestock farming as an example of a highly developed, small-scale and diverse structured agriculture. In this context, the article focuses on the adoption of electronic sensors and measuring devices, electronic controls and electronic data-processing options and the usage of robotics in ruminant farming, namely, for dairy cattle, dairy goats, suckler cows, beef cattle and meat-sheep. Furthermore, the use of electronic ear tags for pigs and the smartphone usage for barn monitoring on poultry farms was assessed. To better understand the adoption process, farm and farmer’s characteristics associated with the adoption of (1) implemented and (2) new digital technologies in ruminant farming were assessed using regression analyses, which is classified at a 10% adoption hurdle. The results showed clear differences in the adoption rates between different agricultural enterprises, with both types of digital technologies tending to be used the most in dairy farming. Easy-to-use sensors and measuring devices such as those integrated in the milking parlour were more widespread than data processing technologies such as those used for disease detection. The husbandry system further determined the use of digital technologies, with the result that farmers with tie stall barns were less likely to use digital technologies than farmers with loose housing systems. Additional studies of farmers’ determinants and prospects of implementation can help identify barriers in the adoption of digital technologies.
Organic farming has potential for the conservation of global biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Despite this, knowledge of the effects of organic farming systems on farmland biodiversity ...is limited in Asia, the worldwide leader in rice production.
We conducted the first national‐scale study to investigate the effects of three different rice farming systems (conventional, low‐input and organic) and specific management practices (e.g. herbicide and insecticide applications, crop rotation and levee‐vegetation management) on species richness and abundance of multiple taxonomic groups (plants, invertebrates, Pelophylax and Hyla japonica frogs, cobitid loaches and birds) in Japan during 2013–2015.
Organic fields supported the highest richness and abundance of several taxonomic groups (native/Red List plants, Tetragnatha spiders, Sympetrum dragonflies and Pelophylax frogs), followed by low‐input and conventional fields. We also found taxon‐specific responses to specific management practices. For instance, plant richness and Tetragnatha and Sympetrum abundance increased with reduced herbicide and/or insecticide applications. Sympetrum and cobitid loach abundance increased in the absence of crop rotation, whereas H. japonica abundance increased with crop rotation. Pelophylax abundance increased with an increased height of levee vegetation.
At spatial scales larger than single fields, waterbird richness and abundance were positively correlated with the proportion of organic rice fields, presumably due to increased prey abundance. Meanwhile, landbird richness and abundance were positively associated with annual precipitation and annual mean temperature, suggesting that such climate increases food availability.
Synthesis and applications. We highlight the positive effects of organic and low‐input farming for biodiversity relative to conventional farming in rice paddies. We also provide the scientific basis of the current agri‐environmental schemes in Japan, subsidising organic and low‐input farming for biodiversity. The taxon‐specific associations with management practices indicate that avoiding crop rotation, maintaining levee vegetation and organic farming at large spatial scales can also be wildlife friendly. These practices may thus be incorporated into agri‐environment schemes for effective biodiversity conservation.
要旨
有機農業は、生物多様性と、それに関連する生態系サービスの保全に重要な役割を果たすと考えられている。しかし、有機農業が農地の生物多様性にもたらす影響は十分にわかっておらず、特に水稲の主要な生産地であるアジアにおいて知見が非常に少ない。
私たちは、日本の水田では初となる全国規模の野外調査を2013–2015年に行い、慣行、減農薬および有機栽培の3つの農法の違い、および、除草剤・殺虫剤の施用、輪作の有無、畦畔の植生管理等の管理手法の違いが複数の生物種群（植物、無脊椎動物、トノサマガエル属、ニホンアマガエル、ドジョウ科および鳥類）に与える影響を評価した。
在来／レッドリスト植物種数、アシナガグモ属、アカネ属およびトノサマガエル属の個体数は有機栽培の水田で最も多く、次いで減農薬栽培田、慣行栽培田となった。また、管理手法の違いに対する応答は分類群毎に異なることが明らかとなった。具体的には、植物種数、およびアシナガグモ属とアカネ属の個体数は除草剤もしくは殺虫剤施用の少ない水田に多かった。アカネ属とドジョウ科の個体数は輪作を実施しない水田に多かったが、一方でニホンアマガエルの個体数は輪作を実施する水田に多かった。トノサマガエル属の個体数は畦畔の植生高に比例して増加した。
水田団地のスケールでみると、水鳥類の種数・個体数は有機栽培田の面積率と正の相関を示しており、これは食物量の増加によるものと考えられた。一方、陸鳥類の種数・個体数は年降水量および年平均気温と正に相関しており、こうした気候が食物量を増加させる結果と示唆された。
総括および応用 慣行栽培と比較して、有機栽培および減農薬栽培が農地の生物多様性に正の影響をもたらすことが明らかになった。これにより、現在、日本で実施される農業環境政策（有機・減農薬栽培等に対する交付金制度）の効果について科学的な評価基盤を提供することができた。さらに、輪作を回避すること、畦畔植生を適当な高さに維持すること、および有機栽培を行う水田を空間的にまとめることも、特定の分類群の保全に有効であることがわかり、こうした取組の推進が望まれる。
We highlight the positive effects of organic and low‐input farming for biodiversity relative to conventional farming in rice paddies. We also provide the scientific basis of the current agri‐environmental schemes in Japan, subsidising organic and low‐input farming for biodiversity. The taxon‐specific associations with management practices indicate that avoiding crop rotation, maintaining levee vegetation and organic farming at large spatial scales can also be wildlife friendly. These practices may thus be incorporated into agri‐environment schemes for effective biodiversity conservation.
Organic agriculture world-wide allows farmers to produce healthy food with low levels of external inputs, and often shortens the value chains, giving farmers a higher share of the consumer dollar. ...This book reports on long-term comparative organic farming systems research trials carried out over the last four years in South Africa's Southern Cape, as well as research on the organic sector and the technical tools it requires in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania. The trials show how the yield gap between organic and conventional crops was closed over 3 years. Water use efficiency was also greater in the organic farming system, and pests and diseases were effectively controlled using biological products. Farmer training approaches, soil carbon analysis, participatory guarantee systems, the Zambian organic farming sector (agronomy) and Ugandan organic farmer training support, and a sector plan for southern African organic farming are examined.
The paper examines the revenue effects of certified organic contract farming for smallholders and of adoption of organic agricultural farming methods in a tropical African context. The comparison in ...both cases is with farming systems that are “organic by default.” Survey data from a large organic coffee contract farming scheme in Uganda are reported and analyzed using a standard OLS regression and a full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimate of the Heckman selection model. The analysis finds that, controlling for a range of factors, there are positive revenue effects both from participation in the scheme and, more modestly, from applying organic farming techniques.
Treating livestock as senseless production machines has led to rampant depletion of natural resources, enhanced greenhouse gas emissions, gross animal welfare violations, and other ethical issues. It ...has essentially instigated constant scrutiny of conventional meat production by various experts and scientists. Sustainably in the meat sector is a big challenge which requires a multifaced and holistic approach. Novel tools like digitalization of the farming system and livestock market, precision livestock farming, application of remote sensing and artificial intelligence to manage production and environmental impact/GHG emission, can help in attaining sustainability in this sector. Further, improving nutrient use efficiency and recycling in feed and animal production through integration with agroecology and industrial ecology, improving individual animal and herd health by ensuring proper biosecurity measures and selective breeding, and welfare by mitigating animal stress during production are also key elements in achieving sustainability in meat production. In addition, sustainability bears a direct relationship with various social dimensions of meat production efficiency such as non-market attributes, balance between demand and consumption, market and policy failures. The present review critically examines the various aspects that significantly impact the efficiency and sustainability of meat production.
•An immense number of heterogeneous and noisy smart farming data needs a comprehensive overview with proper categorization.•The use of smart farming data needs to be optimized sensibly and cost ...effectively.•Decision-making needs accurate predictions through proper analytical techniques with correct data types evaluated.•Over-fitting, data imbalance, and finding suitable algorithms for the specific data sets are some of the examples of data challenges.•The proper utilization of smart farming data will improve productivity, crop yield, food quality, and finally, a good profit for the farms.
Display omitted
The Internet of Things (IoT) and the relevant technologies have had a significant impact on smart farming as a major sub-domain within the field of agriculture. Modern technology supports data collection from IoT devices through several farming processes. The extensive amount of collected smart farming data can be utilized for daily decision making and analysis such as yield prediction, growth analysis, quality maintenance, animal and aquaculture, as well as farm management. This survey focuses on three major aspects of contemporary smart farming. First, it highlights various types of big data generated through smart farming and makes a broad categorization of such data. Second, this paper discusses a comprehensive set of typical applications of big data in smart farming. Third, it identifies and introduces the principal big data and machine learning techniques that are utilized in smart farming data analysis. In doing so, this survey also identifies some of the major, current challenges in smart farming big data analysis.This paper provides a discussion on potential pathways toward more effective smart farming through relevant analytics-guided decision making.
PDF
