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Journal articles on the topic 'Farming organisations'
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1
Ager, Charlie. "Addressing gender disparities through farming organisations in Malawi." Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy 9, no. 4 (October 12, 2015): 361–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jec-09-2013-0027.
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Purpose – This study aims to explore how Farming Organisations (FOs) have utilised collective action to overcome the barriers that undermine women farmers’ participation in the agrarian economy in Malawi. Design/methodology/approach – Key informant interviews were conducted with 17 stakeholders from across relevant governmental departments, non-governmental agencies, commercial agricultural organizations and FO officials. Focus groups discussions were conducted with women participants from five FOs. Findings – Analysis identified barriers to women farmer’s full participation in the agricultural sector in three domains: structural (concerning land ownership and control), material (concerning access to agricultural services and markets) and socio-cultural (regarding gender roles and responsibilities). Malawian FOs demonstrated strength in addressing material barriers and in fostering re-alignment of socio-cultural conventions, but have not, to date, effectively engaged in structural issues of land reform. Research limitations/implications – Research was conducted with a limited number of stakeholders and FOs identified through snowball sampling. There is potential for findings to be non-representative of the country as a whole, and more systematic study of FOs in Malawi is warranted to determine the generalisability of observed trends. Practical implications – The study draws attention to the crucial importance of action regarding land reform if women are to be more effectively and equitably engaged in the agrarian economy in Malawi. Originality/value – The paper is an examination of the experience of women farmers in Malawi and speaks to the potential contribution of FOs in addressing the challenges they face.
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Halloran, A., R. Caparros Megido, J. Oloo, T. Weigel, P. Nsevolo, and F. Francis. "Comparative aspects of cricket farming in Thailand, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 4, no. 2 (June 15, 2018): 101–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2017.0016.
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Cricket farming can have a positive impact on rural development and rural economy in low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, crickets have the potential to address food and nutrition insecurity and promote food sovereignty through the promotion of local production and consumption. This paper presents and discusses five complementary studies conducted in Thailand, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya. Cricket farming is being promoted in these countries under research projects, public-private partnerships, NGOs and international organisations. In the majority of the countries, cricket farming is still in its infancy and research into how to improve cricket farming systems is still on-going. Cricket farming in Cambodia, Lao PDR, DRC and Kenya remains relatively limited, and many farmers are still a part of pilot projects. In each of the five regions, different cricket species have been a part of traditional diets. As discussed in this paper, many of the potential benefits of the production and consumption of crickets have not yet been realised in many cases due to: (1) lack of adequate support and awareness from stakeholders (especially government agencies); (2) unknown trade volumes; (3) high costs of inputs; and (4) cultural taboos. The information presented in this paper will be especially useful to stakeholders from governmental institutions, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and research institutions.
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Ferneda, Edilson, Bernardo A. Mello, Janaína D. A. S. Diniz, and Adelaide S. Figueiredo. "An intelligent vehicle routing system for family farming collective organisations." International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems 4, no. 1/2 (2012): 108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijris.2012.046498.
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Beckie, Hugh J., Ken C. Flower, and Michael B. Ashworth. "Farming without Glyphosate?" Plants 9, no. 1 (January 11, 2020): 96. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants9010096.
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Recent statements from scientific organisations and court decisions have resulted in widespread public interest and concern over the safety of glyphosate, the most popular and effective herbicide used worldwide. Consequently, glyphosate-based products are under intense scrutiny from governments at all levels. Some jurisdictions have already banned or restricted its use, which will adversely impact international trade in bulk grain commmodities if glyphosate residues are detected. The possibility of farming without glyphosate is becoming an important issue facing the agri-food research and development sector. Contingency plans need to be formulated if that scenario becomes a reality. In this review, we briefly summarize international events that have led to this possible situation, describe current glyphosate usage in major agronomic field crops worldwide, outline possible alternatives to glyphosate in two agroregions and perform bioeconomic model scenarios of southern Australian broadacre cropping systems without the herbicide. Model predictions suggest that we can farm profitably without glyphosate by consistently utilizing key non-herbicidal weed management practices combined with robust pre-emergence soil residual herbicide treatments. However, maintaining low weed seed banks will be challenging. If the social license to use glyphosate is revoked, what other pesticides will soon follow?
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Chisita, Collence Takaingenhamo, and Madeleine Fombad. "Knowledge Management for Climate Change Adaptation to Enhance Urban Agriculture Among Selected Organisations in Zimbabwe." Journal of Information & Knowledge Management 19, no. 02 (May 21, 2020): 2050009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0219649220500094.
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Just like any other country in the world, Zimbabwe is vulnerable to climate change because of its position in a semi-arid exposed temperature variations among other vulnerabilities. The paper draws on various definitions, studies, policies and frameworks for knowledge management as the basis for recommending knowledge management strategy for climate change adaptation to enhance urban farming in Harare. It seeks to build on the existing knowledge management strategies for climate change adaptation to enhance urban farming in Harare. Currently, knowledge management strategies for climate change adaptation among selected environmental organisations and libraries in Zimbabwe are not being leveraged to actualise national development goals, however this paper seeks to examine these strategies in order to support urban farming. A well-coordinated national knowledge management strategy for climate change adaptation can contribute towards sustainable urban farming. The paper seeks to recommend knowledge management strategy for climate change adaptation among urban farmers in Harare.
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Drejeris, Rolandas, and Astrida Miceikienė. "Multi-Criteria Measurement of Sustainable Innovativeness in Farming Organisations: Evidence from Lithuania." Sustainability 10, no. 9 (September 19, 2018): 3347. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10093347.
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Measuring sustainable innovativeness of farms is a major challenge for both practitioners and academics. This article looks into the need for sustainable innovativeness assessment in agricultural business. To the best of our knowledge, farm sustainable innovativeness measurement has not been investigated in detail and no objective methodology for innovativeness assessment has yet been proposed. The objective of this article is to look into the possibility of using some methodology for measuring farm sustainable innovativeness and thus ranking farms based on this criterion. The article demonstrates the need for a multi-criteria method of innovativeness measurement and substantiates the complex proportional assessment method (COPRAS) as the most appropriate choice for addressing this challenge. The article presents the model of use of the proposed method and describes its practical application. The final result refutes the opinion that farm innovation depends only on possibilities of investing in a certain area. Indeed, staff creativity and the position of the management regarding certain areas of business make an essential contribution to the sustainable innovativeness level in the agricultural organisations.
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Schreer, Viola, and Martina Padmanabhan. "The many meanings of organic farming: framing food security and food sovereignty in Indonesia." Organic Agriculture 10, no. 3 (December 20, 2019): 327–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13165-019-00277-z.
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AbstractThis paper contributes to the discourse on food policy, particularly in relation to organic farming in Indonesia. Organic farming was first adopted by non-state actors in Indonesia, by faith-based organisations and then by small farmer associations, while the state support for organic agriculture followed at a later date. The three groups, represented in this study by three case studies, adopt different positions with regard to the definition of organic agriculture and its relevance to food self-sufficiency, food security and food sovereignty. For Bina Sarana Bhakti Foundation (BSB), organic farming is both a spiritual worldview and a practical philosophy. For the Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI), organic agriculture foremost is a political tool to resist global capitalist agriculture. Despite their very different outlooks, both these two civil society organisations see organic agriculture as a post-materialist enterprise directed towards explicitly social-political goals. By contrast, the government’s engagement in organic agriculture, although laced with evocative phrases such as “back to nature”, is driven primarily by visions of developing a new niche market for Indonesian exports. The Indonesian State adopts a one-dimensional productivist definition that excludes different meanings and traditions of organic farming. The reduction of the meaning of ‘organic’ to ‘organically certified products’ excludes farmers who consider that they are practicing organic agriculture. We conclude that there is a strong case to be made that the State should relax its regulatory grip on the organic sector, to create room for sorely needed innovation and cooperation among the different actors involved.
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Dimos, N., R. Schaefer, E. Leonard, and J. Koch. "Translational learnings from Australia: How SPAA plays a role in increasing the adoption of precision agriculture." Advances in Animal Biosciences 8, no. 2 (June 1, 2017): 694–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s2040470017000085.
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The Society of Precision Agriculture Australia Inc. (SPAA) is recognised as a leading, grower driven farming group in Australia. As an organisation it provides programs and services to its members and wider industry to promote the development and adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA) technologies as a means of enhancing the profitability and sustainability of agricultural production systems. This is achieved through publishing Australia’s only PA-dedicated magazine, delivering field days, seminars and conducting on-farm PA demonstrations and experiments. SPAA provides farmers with an independent source of advice on new concepts and equipment. The grains industry was the springboard for initial adoption, with winegrapes, horticulture and the sugar industry the focus sectors for further expansion. The purpose of this paper is to share the SPAA experience with a view to assisting the development of similar organisations in other countries
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Robertson, Michael, Andrew Bathgate, Andrew Moore, Roger Lawes, and Julianne Lilley. "Seeking simultaneous improvements in farm profit and natural resource indicators: a modelling analysis." Animal Production Science 49, no. 10 (2009): 826. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an09008.
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Natural resource indicators are used by catchment management organisations as targets for land use management. However, the nature of the trade-off function between natural resource management (NRM) outcomes and whole-farm profit is ill-defined, and varies between regions and according to the particular NRM indicator considered. Defining this function will assist catchment management organisations and farmers to evaluate the achievability of particular targets, and help determine the size of economic incentives required to offset any expected loss in farm profit associated with meeting targets. We addressed this issue by modelling representative farm businesses in two mixed farming regions (southern New South Wales and the central wheatbelt of Western Australia). The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) and GRAZPLAN farming systems models were linked and used to generate values of four NRM indicators (water leakage, nitrate leaching, groundcover and soil organic carbon change) for a wide range of crop–pasture rotations. The NRM indicator values were then incorporated into the Model of an Integrated Dryland System (MIDAS) whole-farm economic model to define the relationship with farm profit and farm cropping percentage. For some circumstances and indicators, the resulting trade-off functions were relatively flat; a wide range of enterprise mixes can lead to the same NRM outcomes but significant gains in the indicators may not be possible using current rotation options. For others, significant improvements could be achieved but at a substantial loss in whole-farm profit (through the selection of less profitable rotations). There were also examples where simultaneous gains in indicators and farm profit were possible. This analysis demonstrates an approach by which biophysical simulation models of the farming system can be linked to linear-programming representations of farming enterprises, and provides a method for deriving relationships between NRM targets and economic performance.
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Hassink, Jan, Herman Agricola, Esther J. Veen, Roald Pijpker, Simone R. de Bruin, Harold A. B. van der Meulen, and Lana B. Plug. "The Care Farming Sector in The Netherlands: A Reflection on Its Developments and Promising Innovations." Sustainability 12, no. 9 (May 7, 2020): 3811. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12093811.
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This paper describes the development of care farming in the Netherlands, one of the pioneering countries in this sector, where care farming has developed into a very diverse sector, with some farmers focussing primarily on agricultural production and others more specifically on providing care services. Care farms are increasingly open to a diversity of participants. The sector has become professionalised with the establishment of strong regional organisations and a steady growth increase in revenues, providing employment opportunities and boosting the economy of rural areas. In this paper, we highlight two promising innovations in care farming: education for school dropouts and the establishment of social farming activities in cities. These innovations face the challenge of connecting not only the agricultural and care sectors, but also the educational sector and the urban context. Initiators face a number of challenges, like trying to embed their activities in the educational sector, a mismatch in regulations and a lack of legitimacy in the case of education on care farms, as well as problems gaining access to land and a lack of recognition in the case of social farming in urban areas. However, the prospects are promising in both cases, because they match the changing demands in Dutch society and are able to integrate social, ecological and economic benefits.
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Duvaleix, Sabine, Marie Lassalas, Laure Latruffe, Vasilia Konstantidelli, and Irene Tzouramani. "Adopting Environmentally Friendly Farming Practices and the Role of Quality Labels and Producer Organisations: A Qualitative Analysis Based on Two European Case Studies." Sustainability 12, no. 24 (December 14, 2020): 10457. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su122410457.
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Various drivers behind the adoption of environmentally friendly practices have been investigated at the farm level in the literature, e.g., farmers’ motivations and attitudes, farms’ structure, and management or policies. Yet, the way in which quality labels and producer organisations influence the adoption of environmentally friendly practices by farmers is still under-researched. We contribute to this topic and present the results of qualitative interviews with producer organisations, conducted in 2019 in two contrasting case studies: the pig sector in Brittany (western France), and the olive oil sector in Crete (Greece). Our study shows that economic actors of food supply chains in these two case studies use European quality labels, a couple of national schemes, and a proliferation of private quality labels (in Brittany’s pig sector). Our interviews reveal that many quality labels, for which agricultural farming systems must comply with a set of rules, are not specifically aimed at improving environmental impacts. In the Cretan olive oil sector, we observe several European public labels. In the French pig sector, many quality labels do not include requirements for practices aiming at improving the environment, but instead focus on other practices that matter for society, namely improving animal welfare. However, advisory services provided by the producer organisations can play a key role in the adoption of environmentally friendly practices. They include research programmes and agronomic events. In Crete, producer organisations are able to offer technical assistance thanks to European support programmes.
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Rykovska, Oksana. "New market opportunities for farmers: state and community support." ED/2019/1, no. 1 (March 2019): 37–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.36742/2410-0919-2019-1-4.
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Introduction. The agrarian sector of most countries is developing with large state support. Its directions are different and depend on the priorities of intergovernmental policies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU and strategic goals that are in line with national interests. At the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, a Resolution United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) is approved. The importance of farming problems on the international level aims to provide the basis for promoting a more effective state policy in the field of family farming and contributing to the achievement of food security as the part of sustainable development goals. Methods. The monographic method (the analysis of Ukrainian scientific researches concerning the issues of increasing the efficiency of sales of agricultural products), scientific knowledge and logical generalization (as regards the harmonization of farmers' production capacities and the needs of budgetary organisations in agricultural products), expert assessments (to justify the mechanism of attracting farmers to public procurement systems), abstract and logical (theoretical generalizations and formulation of conclusions) are used in the process of research. Results. The direction of state support of farming through the improvement of the regulatory mechanism for the represent of farms agricultural products to the public procurement market is substantiated. The need of budget organisations in agricultural production is assessed, the mechanism of facilitating access of farmers to the system of public procurement is proposed. The potential opportunities of the united territorial communities in promoting the sale of farm products are substantiated. They are outlined the directions of application of non-price criteria for public procurements of food. It is proposed to establish preferences for farm products in trade networks (supermarkets). Discussion. Proposals on the organizational and economic mechanism of marketing of farm products through the public procurement market will contribute to the formation of additional stable channels for agricultural products sale. Centralized purchasing of food products for budget organizations will be a significant factor in the development of farming, as well as the direction of providing the population with quality accessible food products. Keywords: farms, public procurements, sale of agricultural products.
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Soomiyol, Mnguashima Valentina, and Olushola Fadairo. "Climate-induced conflicts and livelihoods of farming households in Nigeria: lessons from farmers-herdsmen conflict-ridden communities in Benue State." Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica 53, no. 2 (June 1, 2020): 93–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/ats-2020-0010.
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AbstractHelping conflict-affected persons requires an understanding of conflict impacts on their livelihoods. Hence, effects of farmers-herdsmen land-use conflict on livelihoods of farming households in Benue State were investigated. Data were collected from 110 farming households in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas (LGA) using interview schedule and focus group discussion. Most (56.4%) respondents were male, aged 51.6 ± 1.6 years, cultivated 9.14 ± 5.75 acres of farm size and had been involved in farming for 27.7 ± 14.16 years. The majority (>90%) experienced high degree of exposure to conflict incidences such as destruction of properties, homelessness and poor access to market. The respondents indicated a high effect of land-use conflict on farming households’ livelihoods (81.8%) and land availability/use (>50%) following conflict regime induced by climate change. All respondents perceived the anti-open grazing prohibition law as a right step to reducing conflict occurrence. There was no significant difference in the effects of farmers-herdsmen land-use conflict on livelihood of farming households in Guma and Logo LGA (t = 0.051). Farming households were highly vulnerable to the effects of farmers-herders conflict and are supportive of the current local authority’s prohibition of open grazing. A concerted effort involving religious institutions, government and non-governmental organisations including persuasion of herders to consider other options of livestock production such as ranching or settlement scheme would add impetus to the on-going efforts to resolve the conflict.
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Ridley, A. M. "The role of farming systems group approaches in achieving sustainability in Australian agriculture." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, no. 6 (2005): 603. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea03247.
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The concepts surrounding sustainability are outlined and economic, environmental and social sustainability are defined for Australian farming systems — including the issue of scale at which sustainability can be practically applied. Farming systems work in Australia is often a farmer–scientist partnership, with research mainly conducted at the paddock/farm scale, this being where management decisions are made. Farming systems research as conducted currently has concentrated on components of the ‘system’ and could be described as systems in name more than substance. Farming systems groups have primarily focused on issue of profitability and economic sustainability (soil resource). Some groups have focused on salinity and recharge related issues using perennial pastures, but work on biodiversity has been limited, despite its role as a key environmental sustainability issue, at least, in southern Australia. Several groups are addressing issues of social sustainability at scales larger (e.g. local community or region) than the farm. Farming systems groups need to progress towards more sustainable farming systems involving increased complexity and consideration of multiple values for a number of reasons outlined in this paper. Important factors in this evolution include investment in developing new technologies, the knowledge and learning environment, increased emphasis on environmental and social sustainability, progression to larger scales (e.g. catchment or region), and different relationships in view of changing institutional arrangements. Social learning and ‘soft systems’ approaches will become more important to provide skills to deal with complexity, conflict, and multiple values of people. Farming systems groups need to become more actively engaged with a wider group of stakeholders including catchment management organisations and other non-farming members of the community. Such engagement is occurring in some groups. However, there are large training needs, particularly for facilitators to effectively deal with the increasing complexity of work conducted by groups that are involving larger scales and using a multi-disciplinary approach.
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Price, Linda. "The Emergence of Rural Support Organisations in the UK and Canada: Providing Support for Patrilineal Family Farming." Sociologia Ruralis 52, no. 3 (June 14, 2012): 353–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2012.00568.x.
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Musolino, Dario, Alba Distaso, and Claudio Marcianò. "The Role of Social Farming in the Socio-Economic Development of Highly Marginal Regions: An Investigation in Calabria." Sustainability 12, no. 13 (June 30, 2020): 5285. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12135285.
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This paper focuses on social farming, a new “branch” which includes activities that make use of agricultural, rural and natural resources in order to produce food and social services. It investigates the case of Calabria, one of the least developed regions in Italy and in Europe, which suffers from several serious problems; for example, the low level of accessibility, and the presence of the Mafia organisations. We wondered whether in such a region social farming can make a significant contribution to its social and economic development. Using the data collected by means of a qualitative investigation of some of the most important Calabrian social farms, we studied their characteristics, their strategies, their social mission, and their role in the local socio-economic context. We found that most of them are successful, in both economic and social terms, and their role in the local community is positive. Moreover, they are making a valuable contribution to the cultural change required to overcome the predominance of the Mafia.
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Petheram, R. J., and R. A. Clark. "Farming systems research: relevance to Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38, no. 1 (1998): 101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea96055.
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Summary. Farming systems research was introduced into many international and national agricultural research institutes in lower income countries in the 1970s and 1980s with the purpose of improving the relevance of research for small-scale farmers. This review outlines the origin, context, goals, principles and process of farming systems research in these countries, and aims to enable agricultural professionals to assess the relevance and value of farming systems research to their work in particular situations in Australia and overseas. The key elements of farming systems research include a holistic approach, orientation towards the needs of defined target groups, high levels of farmer participation and hence co-learning by farmers and specialists. There is guidance by facilitators, continuous evaluation and linkage to policy makers. The goal of farming systems research is to improve the well-being of farmers through development of farming systems. It involves application of methods from various disciplines, first to define the constraints and opportunities for development and then to overcome these in a research process involving farmers, with specialists and policy makers. A generalised farming systems research procedure and various research activities are described. Initially in lower income countries, a fairly standard farming systems research procedure was used, but farming systems research has evolved to encompass a range of activities commonly regarded as the realm of agricultural extension or rural development. Basic science, applied science and farming systems research are compared in terms of the roles and relationships of the people involved in the research process. The implications of selecting farming systems research as a model for rural research and development are discussed. Achieving adequate levels of farmer participation can be a major issue in farming systems research so it is important that the principal notions of participation are understood. Success of farming systems research in Australia will depend on developing innovative ways of achieving high levels of participation. Current trends in the philosophy, practice and funding of agricultural research and extension in Australia make it timely to consider the wider adoption of farming systems research principles and practices. Farming systems research could provide a valuable philosophical and practical basis for the trend towards greater participation by researchers with end-users and extension practitioners in agricultural development programs. However, it seems unwise to adhere strictly to any one particular model of research and development from other places: farming systems research concepts are being combined successfully with those from other models, such as systems learning and computer modelling, to suit the needs of particular situations. Implications of a wider adoption of farming systems research in Australia for agricultural research and development organisations and professional bodies include, the establishment of multidisciplinary teams with shared goals, and the sourcing of funding for periods long enough to achieve outcomes. There is also a need for training in systems concepts and facilitation, for reputable channels of publication of the results of farming systems research and for greater recognition of participatory activities as valid forms of agricultural research.
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Leggett, Angela. "Bringing green food to the Chinese table: How civil society actors are changing consumer culture in China." Journal of Consumer Culture 20, no. 1 (September 4, 2017): 83–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1469540517729009.
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Environmental and health effects of China’s rapid economic growth since the 1980s have been especially tangible in the food sector, with ‘green’ products emerging as alternatives for consumption networks wishing to avoid ‘conventional’ foods produced using chemicals. Despite state support for increased sustainability in large-scale farming over the past decade, formal institutional voids remain, with regard to consumer trust and small-scale farmers. Green food consumption is increasing in China, as civil society actors work to fill voids and promote green purchasing behaviour. In this article, I investigate how civil society organisations are changing Chinese consumer culture around green food through two stages of empirical research. Qualitative content analysis of microblogs of four Chinese environmental non-governmental organisations was conducted in 2013, and insights were further explored through fieldwork interviews and participant observation in Beijing during 2016. Responding to previous consumer behaviour studies which over-emphasise individual rationality, marginalising contextual and collective aspects, this analysis adopts Bajde’s enrichment of Consumer Culture Theory with Actor Network Theory to explore microelements and macroelements, their interrelations and processes of change. Based on co-production of subject and object within Consumer Culture Theory with Actor Network Theory, this study analyses engagement with and re/creation of materials, discourse and social meanings by green food consumption networks, including non-governmental organisations, farmers, retailers and consumers. Although findings reflect particularities of the Beijing cultural context, themes parallel wider phenomena at the national and international levels.
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Dowsing, Miki, and Sarah Cardey. "Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia." Social Sciences 9, no. 9 (September 11, 2020): 159. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci9090159.
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This is a case study-based research project investigating the status of Advisory Extension Services in southern Ethiopia. The goal was to determine whether available service provisions meet the requirements of smallholder farmers and enabled them to improve their farming practices and livelihoods. A combination of an exploratory inductive approach and mixed methods was used (e.g., questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews). Participants included members of farming households, and agents, experts, and providers working in the agricultural rural sector. The key findings suggested that limited access to resources and unpredictable environmental conditions were stifling smallholder farmer innovation and livelihoods. Service provisions should be better tailored to local conditions, provide greater resource access, and work more closely with farmers. The development and implementation of service provision should involve a wide range of institutions and farmers throughout the process. Local community- and farmer-based organisations are especially important, and can work alongside innovative and talented farmers to enable more effective dissemination of information. Agricultural rural development and service provision should focus greater attention on the views and perspectives of farmers from a range of areas with differing socio-demographic and agro-ecological characteristics for comparative analysis.
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Jedik, Andrej, and Aldona Stalgienė. "THE LIKELIHOOD OF FARMS BANKRUPTCY: THE CASE OF LITHUANIAN FAMILY FARMS." Management Theory and Studies for Rural Business and Infrastructure Development 40, no. 2 (June 21, 2018): 198–205. http://dx.doi.org/10.15544/mts.2018.19.
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In developing the measures of agriculture policy and purposeful usage of EU funds, also for financial organisations, farmers, advisors and scientists it is important to predict farm bankruptcy. This makes it possible to formulate the scientific problem: what is the likelihood of bankruptcy of different kinds of family farms? The aim of the investigation is to present the likelihood of the Lithuanian family farms bankruptcy based on the economic size and type of farming by analysing financial indicators of farms. Farm-level panel data for the year 2014–2016 from Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) was used. The estimated distribution of farm groups based on farm economic size demonstrated that about 40–60% of small farms were in the low likelihood of bankruptcy area. The share of cereals, oilseeds and protein crop farms in the high likelihood of bankruptcy area fluctuated from 13% till 30% during the year 2014–2016. The farm distribution by economic size and type of farming showed that more than 40% of small dairy farms had the high likelihood of bankruptcy in the year 2015–2016, as well as 30% of medium and large cereals, oilseeds and protein crops farms in 2016.
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Chebrolu, Shambu Prasad, and Deborah Dutta. "Managing Sustainable Transitions: Institutional Innovations from India." Sustainability 13, no. 11 (May 28, 2021): 6076. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13116076.
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Despite the widespread disruptions of lives and livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it could also be seen as a gamechanger. The post-pandemic recovery should address fundamental questions concerning our food systems. Is it possible to reset existing ecologically unsustainable production systems towards healthier and more connected systems of conscious consumers and ecologically oriented farmers? Based on three illustrative cases from different parts of India, we show how managing transitions towards sustainability require institutional innovations and new intermediaries that build agency, change relations, and transform structures in food systems. Lessons from three diverse geographies and commodities in India are presented: urban farming initiatives in Mumbai, conscious consumer initiatives in semi-urban Gujarat for pesticide-free mangoes, and resource-poor arid regions of Andhra Pradesh. Through these examples, we show that, beyond the technological solutions, institutional innovations such as urban community-supported farming models, Participatory Guarantee Schemes, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can enable sustainable transitions. Sustainable lifestyles in a post COVID-19 world, as the cases show, require collective experimentation with producers that go beyond changed consumer behaviour to transform structures in food systems.
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Mahmood, Amir. "Economics of Barani (Rainfed) Farming and Farm Household Production Behaviour in Pakistan." Pakistan Development Review 34, no. 4III (December 1, 1995): 901–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.30541/v34i4iiipp.901-912.
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Agriculture research and development efforts in Pakistan have traditionally been focused on raising the farm productivity of irrigated areas. Among other factors, the underlying causes for this irrigated bias could be attributed to: the importance given to the irrigated areas in the overall planning framework; the dominance of the irrigated farm lobby at all levels of research, politics, and government; the relative progressiveness of irrigated farmers in terms of adoption of new technologies; and the presence of risk-reducing natural conditions prevailing on irrigated farms, e.g., certainty of subsidised water supply when it is most needed. Further, like other parts of Asia, the Green Revolution has helped the irrigated farmers in Pakistan to raise the productivity of their major crops, such as wheat, cotton, and rice. On the other hand, the rainfed I areas of Pakistan have drawn little benefit from the Green Revolution. The average yields achieved on the rainfed areas remain significantly lower than the yields derived by the traditional irrigated farmers. The rainfed farmers are also subject to subsistence farming conditions with per capita incomes well below the national average.2 Given the size of the area under rainfed conditions and the problems faced by the rainfed farmers, there have been attempts by the government, international donor agencies, and nongovernment organisations to come up with strategies to raise the productivity as well as income of the rainfed farmers. Such efforts, however, must take into account the production behaviour of the farm-households under rainfed conditions.
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Antille, Diogenes L., Silvia C. Imhoff, Carlos A. Alesso, William C. T. Chamen, and Jeff N. Tullberg. "Potential To Increase Productivity And Sustainability In Argentinean Agriculture With Controlled Traffic Farming: A Short Discussion." Acta Technologica Agriculturae 18, no. 3 (September 1, 2015): 83–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ata-2015-0016.
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Abstract Drivers for and potential barriers against adoption of controlled traffic farming (CTF) systems in Argentina are reviewed. Traffic compaction is one of the main factors affecting crop productivity within Argentinean agriculture, and has significant although less quantified impacts on the whole-of-farm system. This suggests that the benefits of no-tillage (NT), which represents the dominant form of cropping in Argentina, are not fully realised. Conservative estimates indicate that crop yields could be improved by at least 15% if NT is used in conjunction with CTF. Cost-benefit analyses of available options for compaction management are required. Despite this, and based on reported evidence internationally, a shift toward increased uptake of CTF within Argentinean agriculture is likely to: (1) improve productivity and farm profitability, (2) enhance environmental performance, and (3) maintain competitiveness of the agricultural sector. Appropriate technical advice and support is a key requirement to drive adoption of CTF. Therefore, the adoption process will benefit from collaboration developed with well-established research and extension organisations in Australia and the United Kingdom, and active engagement of machinery manufacturers.
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Nichols, P. G. H., M. J. Barbetti, G. A. Sandral, B. S. Dear, C. T. de Koning, D. L. Lloyd, P. M. Evans, A. D. Craig, P. Si, and M. P. You. "Urana subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. var. subterraneum)." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46, no. 8 (2006): 1105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea05083.
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Urana is a hardseeded, moderately early flowering F5-derived crossbred subterranean clover of var. subterraneum [(Katz. et Morley) Zohary and Heller] developed by the collaborating organisations of the National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program. It has been selected for release as a new cultivar on the basis of its high winter and spring herbage production and overall field performance relative to other subterranean clovers of similar maturity. Urana is recommended for sowing in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. It is best suited to well-drained, moderately acidic soils in areas with a growing season of 5–7 months, which extends into mid-October. Urana is suited to phase farming and crop rotations. It has been granted Plant Breeders Rights in Australia.
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Conferences, Congresses, Symposiums..., Abstracts,. "Abstracts of the 42nd Symposium on Cuniculture, ASESCU Murcia, Spain, 11th-12th May, 2017." World Rabbit Science 25, no. 3 (September 28, 2017): 289. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2017.7772.
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The 42<sup>nd</sup> Congress of the Spanish Association of Cuniculture (ASESCU) was held in Murcia from 11<sup>th</sup> to 12<sup>th</sup> May 2017, hosted by the University of Murcia’s Veterinary Faculty. The main papers focussed on analysing the situation of rabbit farming in the Murcia region, the demedicalisation of rabbit health management, a new law on farmers’ organisations and the main presentation forms of infections associated with <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. A specific session was devoted to explaining the objectives and progress of the research projects supported by the partnership between the Spanish Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) and the Rabbit Meat Marketing Board (INTERCUN). In addition, two round tables were held, one on the alternatives to massive use of antibiotics and the other on the farmers’ organisations. Moreover, a total of 28 communications were presented both in working sessions with oral communications and posters (reproduction and genetics, pathology, ethology and welfare, management and production, nutrition and feeding and meat quality). The meeting was attended by more than 160 participants, including researchers from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador, among other countries. Abstracts of the contributions presented are reported below.
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Thomas, G. A., G. W. Titmarsh, D. M. Freebairn, and B. J. Radford. "No-tillage and conservation farming practices in grain growing areas of Queensland - a review of 40 years of development." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, no. 8 (2007): 887. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea06204.
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Early agricultural practices in Queensland inadvertently led to accelerated soil erosion. During the 1940s, the Queensland Government initiated a soil conservation service that worked with the principles of matching land use with its capability, as well as runoff management using earth structures such as contour banks and grassed waterways. A concerted effort began in the 1960s to develop and adapt farming systems that maximised retention of crop residues to maintain surface cover to complement the earthworks. Investigation and promotion of farm machinery capable of dealing with high stubble levels commenced in the mid-1970s. Demonstrations of the benefits of reduced and no-tillage conservation farming practices for improved productivity and soil conservation also began at this time. The combined research, development and extension efforts of farmers, grower organisations, agribusiness and government agencies have contributed to an increase in the understanding of soil–water–crop interactions that have led to the adoption of no-tillage and conservation farming practices in Queensland. In 2005, the overall area under no-tillage was ~50% of the cropping land in the main grain growing areas of southern and central Queensland, but was potentially as high as 85% among some groups of farmers. Conservation farming practices, in their many forms, are now regarded as standard practice, and the agricultural advisory industry is involved considerably in providing advice on optimum herbicide application and crop rotation strategies for these practices. Factors hindering greater adoption of no-tillage include: farmer attitudes and aspirations, machinery conversion or replacement costs, buildup of soil and stubble-borne plant diseases, use of residual herbicides that may limit crop options, dual use of land for grazing and cropping, herbicide resistance, buildup of hard-to-kill weeds, the need for soil disturbance in some situations, and concerns by farmers about the effects of herbicides on the environment and human health. Developments that may aid further adoption of no-tillage systems include: ongoing machinery modifications that allow greater flexibility in the cropping systems, refinement of controlled traffic farming and precision agriculture, improved crop resistance or tolerance to plant diseases associated with stubble retention, availability of more crop options and rotations, development of a broader spectrum of effective herbicides and the use of genetic modification technologies to breed herbicide-resistant crops.
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Schulze, M., A. Risius, and A. Spiller. "Public perceptions of undercover investigations in livestock farming: An end that justifies the means?" Animal Welfare 30, no. 1 (February 1, 2021): 39–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.30.1.039.
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Secretly taken photographs of livestock production systems, representing animal welfare violations, regularly appear in the media and initiate discussions as to the legitimacy of overriding legal regulations in order to document animal welfare standards. This paper focuses on the public perspective and compares different forms of undercover investigation, weighing animal welfare against the invasion of farmers' privacy. For this purpose, an exploratory online survey was conducted in Germany (n = 292). Participants were carefully selected to ensure that age range, education level and sex reflected the distribution of the society as a whole. In a split-sample survey, each participant was confronted with three scenarios. The scenarios were mapped using pictures showing various levels of farm conditions combined with small information segments describing the invasion of farmers' privacy. Participants evaluated the scenarios for their perceived legitimacy and whether entering the premises should be punished. All forms of undercover investigation were perceived as legitimate by most respondents. Perceived legitimacy was considerably higher when obvious animal abuse was uncovered. Apart from where damage to property was involved, which was mostly considered as unacceptable, harsher punishment for animal welfare organisations generally obtained little social approval. The public's increasing awareness of farm animal welfare overruled social norms regarding farmers' privacy, and thereby demonstrated the importance of animal welfare in society. Approval of undercover investigations indicated that changes in housing and handling conditions as well as improvement in control mechanisms are necessary to increase animal welfare and thus public acceptance of livestock production.
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Halabi, Abdel K., and Brendan Carroll. "Increasing the usefulness of farm financial information and management." Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal 10, no. 3 (September 14, 2015): 227–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/qrom-07-2014-1240.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how farm management and farm accounting may be improved from the accountant’s perspective. Design/methodology/approach – There has been a dearth of qualitative studies examining accountant’s attitudes to financial reports. This study therefore interviews 13 rural accountants regarding their opinions on the usefulness of financial information they provide to farmers, and what types of financial information could aid farm management. Findings – Accountants generally agree that the present financial reports provided to farmers are of little decision-making value, since they are made for the purposes of compliance. In response, the accountants suggest a number of management accounting reports can better aid farmers. Practical implications – Accountants are important to the success of farms, yet in-depth responses have not previously been sought on the reports that accountants produce for farmers. This research provides accountants’ opinions on how reports could be more useful for farmers and how more focused management accounting reports can assist decision-making. Originality/value – The qualitative approach used in this research provides a fresh and richer perspective on the usefulness of accounting to farm management. Interviewing the adviser rather than the business owner is relatively uncommon in agricultural organisations. The interviews have allowed the thoughts and concerns of accountants to come to light in a manner not previously achieved in organisational studies which relate farming and accounting.
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Shimoda, T., M. H. Heine, R. C. Woodhouse, and P. Rowlinson. "From where do dairy farmers get their information?" Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) 1992 (March 1992): 124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0308229600022352.
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Dairy Farmers receive information from the whole range of the sector relating to the dairying industry, whether they actively seek information or not. The survey carried out attempted to identify British farmers’ perception of the information sources of greatest value to them. This survey was limited to a sample of dairy farmers in England and Wales.A postal survey was conducted with questionnaires being sent to 306 dairy farmers selected from the Public Register of the Milk Marketing Board of England and Wales. The sample size was 1.0% of registered dairy farmers from each of the eleven MMB regions. The questionnaire was in six parts. The first contained three questions on the farm itself (i.e. the MMB region, breed of cow, herd size). The remaining parts concerned five categories of potential information sources. These were: (1) hard copy (i.e. printed) publications from official or semi-official bodies, firms which provided agrochemicals, feedstuffs, machinery etc and their sales agencies, and the farming press; (2) broadcasting services on the radio and TV; (3) databases services from database producers or viewdata/teletext; (4) individual contacts which were precoded as MAFF/ADAS advisers, the MMB/Genus consultants, private consultants, other farmers, agrochemicals/fertilsers suppliers, feedstuffs suppliers, pharmaceutical suppliers, machinery suppliers and veterinary surgeons; and (5) other institutions which identified such remaining sources as educational institutes, research institutes, information centres, public libraries, and farming organisations.
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Nichols, P. G. H., M. J. Barbetti, G. A. Sandral, B. S. Dear, C. T. de Koning, D. L. Lloyd, P. M. Evans, A. D. Craig, P. Si, and M. P. You. "Coolamon subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. var. subterraneum)." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, no. 2 (2007): 223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea05282.
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Coolamon is a mid-season to late-season flowering F4-derived crossbred subterranean clover of var. subterraneum, developed by the collaborating organisations of the National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program. It is a replacement for Junee and has been selected for release on the basis of its greater herbage production and persistence, and its resistance to both known races of clover scorch. Coolamon is recommended for sowing in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. It is best suited to well-drained, moderately acidic soils in areas with a growing season of 6.5–8 months that extends into November. Coolamon is best suited to phase farming and permanent pasture systems. It can also be used in cropping rotations, but at least 2 years of pasture are required between crops. Coolamon has been granted Plant Breeders Rights in Australia.
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Mohamad Noor, Nur Hanis, Boon Kwee Ng, and Mohd Johaary Abdul Hamid. "Tapping the Potential of Rice Research for Sustainable Agricultural Development: Lessons from Malaysia’s Public Research Institutions." International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Strategic Studies 2, no. 1 (May 28, 2021): 104–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.47548/ijistra.2021.29.
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This paper explores the achievements, implications and future potential of rice research to achieve sustainable agricultural development in Malaysia according to the Quadruple Helix Innovation Model. The case study on Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) reveals that there are three elements that drive food security and sustainable rice research and development – quality research by Public Research Institutions (PRIs), cooperative private firms in supporting national agricultural agenda and productive farmers in delivering high-yields farming. This paper claims that the presence of public-driven objectives in rice research is the crucial pivot in achieving national food security. The study also found that the cooperation from private firms is key in steering national agricultural agenda towards self-sustaining. The study also found the potential of civil society organisations (CSOs) to transform farmers into more active key players in sustainable agricultural development.
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Njeru, Moses Kathuri. "Socioeconomic Determinants of Adoption of Eco-Friendly Farming Practices in Agroecosystems of Embu County, Kenya." East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology 2, no. 1 (February 6, 2020): 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.37284/eajab.2.1.112.
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A close relationship exists between the environment and agriculture. A change in either of them invariably affects the other. That is why environmentalists, the government and the non-governmental organisations have supported the development and adoption of Eco-friendly Farming Practices (EFFPs) by farming households. Earlier studies had indicated that adoption of EFFPs was low in some areas while other regions of Kenya and Embu County had successfully adopted these practices. However, even where there was a successful adoption of EFFPs, the type and number of EFFPs varied greatly. These inconsistencies in the type of EFFPs and the adoption of EFFPs necessitated this study. Therefore, this study carried out in Embu County sought to find out the influence of socioeconomic factors on the adoption of the EFFPs. Ex post facto research design was used in the study. Through multi-stage random sampling, 402 household heads were selected and all the 32 extension officers in the area were interviewed. Household head questionnaires, interview schedule and observation schedule were used for data collection. These research instruments were piloted, validated and their reliability established before data collection. Data was cleaned and entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 for analysis. Frequencies, Chi-square and regression model were used for analysis. Average income from agriculture, gender, farming experience, level of education, size of the farm and age were statistically significant (p<0.05) in influencing the adoption of EFFPs among households of Embu County. The study concluded that the socioeconomic factors were significant in influencing the adoption of EFFPs among households of Embu County. This implies that the household socioeconomic characteristics must be considered in designing effective environmental programmes in the County.
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Bottazzi, Patrick, Sébastien Boillat, Franziska Marfurt, and Sokhna Mbossé Seck. "Channels of Labour Control in Organic Farming: Toward a Just Agroecological Transition for Sub-Saharan Africa." Land 9, no. 6 (June 22, 2020): 205. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land9060205.
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Agroecological farming has long been described as more fulfilling than conventional agriculture, in terms of farmers’ labour and sense of autonomy. These assumptions must be reconsidered with adequate theoretical perspectives and with the empirical experience of recent studies. This paper introduces the concept of channels of labour control in agriculture based on four initiatives in Senegalese agroecological horticulture. We build on Bourdieu’s theory of social fields to elaborate a framework that articulates multiple channels of labour control with the type of capital or surplus values structuring power relations during labour processes. Although each of the four agroecological initiatives place a clear emphasis on improving farmers’ well-being, various top-down channels of labour control exist, maintaining most farmworkers as technical demonstrators rather than agents of transformation. These constraints stem from dependence on foreign funding, enforcement of uncoordinated organic standards, and farmers’ incorporation of cultural values through interplays of knowledge and symbolic power with initiative promotors. Pressure on agricultural workers is exacerbated by the context of the neo-liberalisation of Senegalese agriculture and increasingly difficult climatic conditions. A more holistic approach of agroecological initiatives is needed, including the institutionalisation of protected markets for their products, farmers’ inclusion in agroecosystem governance and inclusiveness in the co-production of agroecological knowledge, taking cultural patterns of local communities into account. Recent attempts to scale-up and politicise agroecology through farmers’ organisations, advocacy NGOs, and municipalities may offer new perspectives for a just agroecological transition in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Cunningham, J. M. M., and C. R. Groves. "The hills and uplands of the UK." BSAP Occasional Publication 10 (1985): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0263967x00030706.
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AbstractThe history of hill farming is traced from early times and the changes in practices described. The economic problems are analysed and the role of Government intervention has been outlined and assessed.Research has created a basket of methods to exploit the potential of the ‘upland’ areas and these are discussed in relation to their up-take in practice and the role of the extension services in promotion.The physical resources are briefly outlined and the contemporary economic development of the industry as influenced by the EEC and other agencies is discussed.The impact of the demand for recreation, the need to conserve habitats and wildlife and the importance of rural amenity are examined in relation to upland agriculture and the several official organisations involved and proposals are offered. The conflicts in land use and the socio-economic problems of remote areas are discussed and appropriate policy initiatives are proposed.
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Jona, Cecilie N., and Margareth N. Nghixulifwa. "Farmers involvement in farmer-based organization and perceived challenges: a case of Oshikoto region, Namibia." International Journal of Agricultural Extension 6, no. 2 (September 9, 2018): 61–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.33687/ijae.006.02.2255.
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Farmer-based organisations (FBOs) are formed in the communal farming communities, mostly by Agricultural Support Services (ASS) providers with the aim that rural communities will become sustainable and manage their own community development activities. However, too often these FBOs do not receive sufficient support and training from the ASS providers and do not advance from being mere participants to being self-reliant as organisations so that they can make their own decisions as a group. This paper will analyse farmer participation and involvement in FBOs and the challenges faced by FBOs. Using a random sampling technique, data were collected from 150 farmers from six constituencies in the Oshikoto region. The findings showed that only 65 out of 150 respondents belonged to an FBO. There were slightly more female respondents (52.3%) than male respondents (47.7%). Most FBO respondents participated at the constituency level (64.6%), while 44.6% participated at the village level. Only 12.3% participated at the regional level, while none participated at the national level. Eighty per cent (80%) of the respondents indicated that their main objective for joining the FBO was to obtain technical skills. However, 83.1% of the FBOs experienced the problem of members not attending meetings and 78.5% indicated that members do not pay registration fees and annual fees. The researcher concluded that the FBOs in the Oshikoto region need continuous training in various courses such as group dynamics, communication skills, and soft skills to run their FBOs successfully
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Diab, Ahmed, and Ahmed Aboud. "The interplay between ideological resistance and management control: an Egyptian case study." Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies 9, no. 2 (May 7, 2019): 208–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jaee-07-2017-0070.
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Purpose This study explores the relationship between institutional logics and workers’ agency in business organisations. The purpose of this paper is to explain management control in a complex setting of workers’ resistance and institutional multiplicity and complexity. Exploring the inherent political volatility at the macro level, the work also investigates the political aspects of economic organisations and the intermediary role of individuals who deal with these institutions. Design/methodology/approach Theoretically, the study triangulates institutional logics and labour process theories, linking higher-order institutions with mundane labour practices observed in the case study. Methodologically, the study adopts a post-positivistic case study approach. Empirical data were solicited in a village community, where sugar beet farming and processing constitutes the main economic activity underlying its livelihood. Data were collected through a triangulation of interviews, documents and observations. Findings The study concludes that, especially in LDCs agro-manufacturing settings, economic and societal institutions play a central role in the mobilisation of labour resistance. Control can be effectively practiced, and be resisted, through such economic and social systems. This study affirms the influence of institutional logics on individuals’ agency and subjectivity. Originality/value The study contributes to literature by investigating the relationship between subalterns’ agency and institutional logics in a traditional political and communal context, in contrast to the highly investigated western contexts; and providing a definition of management control based on the prevalent institutional logics in the field.
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Anang, Benjamin Tetteh, and Joseph A. Awuni. "Effect of Training on Small-Scale Rice Production in Northern Ghana." Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce 12, no. 3-4 (December 13, 2018): 13–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.19041/apstract/2018/3-4/2.
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Training in modern farming methods enables farm households in developing countries to improve agricultural productivity. Notwithstanding the efforts of governmental and non-governmental organisations to provide farmers with agricultural training, productivity remains low. The existing literature provides little empirical evidence of the effect of training on agricultural productivity in Ghana. This study therefore seeks to bridge this gap by investigating small scale rice farmers’ participation in agricultural training programmes and its effect on productivity in northern Ghana. A treatment effect model was used to account for sample selection bias. The results indicated that participation in training increased with the number of extension visits, group membership, access to credit and the degree of specialisation in rice production. Furthermore, total output and labour productivity both increased with participation in training but the relationship with land productivity (yield) was insignificant. On average, participation in training was associated with 797kg increase in rice output, while labour productivity increased by 7.3kg/man-day. With the exception of farm capital, all the production inputs had a positively significant relationship with output suggesting sub-optimal use of capital in production. The study concludes that farmers’ training needs are not adequately being met while inadequate capital is constraining farm output. Increasing access to extension service and involving farmer-based organisations in the design and implementation of training programmes will enhance participation and farm performance.
JEL Classification: C21, D24, Q12
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Croke, Barry, Wendy Merritt, Peter Cornish, Geoffrey J. Syme, and Christian H. Roth. "An integrated approach to improving rural livelihoods: examples from India and Bangladesh." Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences 376 (February 1, 2018): 45–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/piahs-376-45-2018.
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Abstract. This paper presents an overview of work in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and SW Bangladesh through a series of projects from 2005 to the present, considering the impact of farming systems, water shed development and/or agricultural intensification on livelihoods in selected rural areas of India and Bangladesh. The projects spanned a range of scales spanning from the village scale (∼ 1 km2) to the meso-scale (∼ 100 km2), and considered social as well as biophysical aspects. They focused mainly on the food and water part of the food-water-energy nexus. These projects were in collaboration with a range of organisations in India and Bangladesh, including NGOs, universities, and government research organisations and departments. The projects were part funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and built on other projects that have been undertaken within the region. An element of each of these projects was to understand how the hydrological cycle could be managed sustainably to improve agricultural systems and livelihoods of marginal groups. As such, they evaluated appropriate technology that is generally not dependent on high-energy inputs (mechanisation). This includes assessing the availability of water, and identifying potential water resources that have not been developed; understanding current agricultural systems and investigating ways of improving water use efficiency; and understanding social dynamics of the affected communities including the potential opportunities and negative impacts of watershed development and agricultural development.
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Yepez-Reyes, Veronica. "Connective Action for Global Fairness: Building Social Imaginaries." HERMES - Journal of Language and Communication in Business, no. 58 (December 22, 2018): 215–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.7146/hjlcb.v0i58.111686.
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Social imaginaries are frameworks within which people organise their collective world; where imagination, not simply reason, plays a part in the construction of social practices. Through a grounded theory approach, this article asks whether and how social imaginaries of global fairness are present in connective action, a type of digital interaction for advocacy. From January 2014 to June 2015, the study followed the Facebook accounts of five advocacy organisations: Hivos, Oxfam IBIS, Intermon-Oxfam, SSNC and Vredeseilanden. Connective action, more than just accomplishing an expressing function of posting and sharing – which could be considered as ‘slacktivism’– denotes cooperating and acting by means of dialogic learning involving reflection and action. The research suggests that current social imaginaries may be built in connective action involving topics of nature conservation, equality, eco-farming, among others. Thus, the field of connective action remains open to theorizing how these imaginaries could constitute a strong foundation upon which communication for social change (CFSC) strategies may be grounded.
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Bridle, Kerry, Margy Fitzgerald, David Green, Janet Smith, Peter McQuillan, and Ted Lefroy. "Relationships between site characteristics, farming system and biodiversity on Australian mixed farms." Animal Production Science 49, no. 10 (2009): 869. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an09042.
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A collaborative project between researchers, regional natural resource management organisations and landholders set out to explore three questions about the relationships between biodiversity and land use in Australia’s mixed-farming landscapes: (1) the extent to which farm-scale measures of biodiversity were related to agricultural production; (2) the influence of the type and intensity of agricultural production on native biodiversity on farms; and (3) the relative influence of site and farming system on selected measures of biodiversity. Four land-use types on 47 mixed farms across nine regions, derived from several of Australia’s 56 natural resource management regions, were surveyed in autumn and spring 2006 and 2007. Surveys of birds, surface invertebrates (beetles, ants, spiders), vegetation and soils were undertaken on four land classes on each farm; crop, ‘rotation’ (break crop/pasture phase), perennial pasture and remnant vegetation. Data were collected by participating regional staff, using a standard protocol, which were sent to a central collection point for collation, analysis and interpretation. Species richness, functional diversity and vegetation structure were assessed. This introductory paper focuses on results relating to species richness, which for most taxa was greater in remnant vegetation than other land-use classes and declined along a disturbance gradient (remnant, pasture, rotation, crop). Properties with a greater proportion of perennial pastures recorded higher species richness than properties that were dominated by crop. Properties that recorded high wheat yields (t/ha) also recorded lower species richness for spiders and birds. The presence of insectivorous birds and beneficial invertebrates (spiders, beetles and ants) in all land-use classes suggests the potential to apply integrated pest management approaches to mixed-farming systems across the country. Site and system features were found to be important determinants of biodiversity, with their relative importance varying with the scale of investigation and the taxa. At the landscape scale, bird species richness was correlated with the amount of remnant vegetation within a 5-km radius of the farm boundary, and with the condition of native vegetation on the farm. The average size of remnant vegetation patches was 5 ha or less on nearly half of the properties surveyed. At the farm scale, ant species richness was correlated with site features, while beetles were correlated with management/system features such as the presence and fertility of perennial pastures. Analyses at the functional group level will provide more detailed information on relationships between different land-use types. Further experimental work needs to be undertaken to qualify the suggested impact of land management practices on different taxa, while repeated surveys will allow for the collation of datasets over time, from which population dynamics may be determined.
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Parodi, Gabriela. "Agroecological transition and reconfiguration of horticultural work among family farmers in Buenos Aires, Argentina." Cahiers Agricultures 27, no. 3 (May 2018): 35003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/cagri/2018020.
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In Argentina, family farmers who engage in horticultural production have recently adopted the process of agroecological transition into their work. The process involves organisations, such as the Land Workers’ Union (UTT) cooperative, located in the horticultural belt in the province of Buenos Aires. The case study under analysis shows family farmers’ challenges with the agroecological transition process. These challenges include the reconfiguration of horticultural work, which impacts the skills needed to perform the work; the organisation of work; and the sustainability conditions involved in introducing agroecology as a social-productive model for growing vegetables. We examine start-up and development strategies for the agroecological transition process involving farmers and State agents. Our methodology is qualitative and we rely on semi-structured interviews and observations with family farmers belonging to the UTT cooperative. This paper explores how the process of agroecological transition that family farmers in Buenos Aires implement into their horticultural work affects their production and marketing practices. The primary goal is to explain the unequal evolution of this process. This inequality is particularly evident in the decision-making processes in which farmers engage prior to implementing the agroecological transition. They must consider a host of factors influencing their capacity to innovate and diversify production and sales through short food supply chains. These factors include their land tenure conditions (i.e., be a tenant or owner of the land), their level of economic capital (i.e., their access to greenhouses), and the size of their production. They largely account for the varying speeds at which farmers in this case study implement the process of agroecological transition into their farming.
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Jaffry, Shabbar, Yaseen Ghulam, Sean Pascoe, and Joe Cox. "Regulatory Changes and Productivity of the Banking Sector in the Indian Sub-continent." Pakistan Development Review 44, no. 4II (December 1, 2005): 1021–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.30541/v44i4iipp.1021-1047.
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Efficiency plays an important role in the operation of firms. If firms are pursing a policy of shareholder wealth maximisation, this implies that maximum efficiency is extracted from a firm’s resources during the production process, or that the minimum quantity of inputs is used to achieve a desired level of output. Studies on efficiency in firms have been relatively forthcoming and include work on technical efficiency in the Japanese manufacturing sector [Hitomi (2004)], the UKCS Petroleum Industry [Kashani (2005)] and labour efficiency of the Indian farming industry [Kumbhakar (1996)]. However, there is little in the way of research conducted on efficiency within the banking sector, and even less on the banking sectors of developing economies [Berger and Humphry (1997)]. This is unfortunate, as banks and financial institutions are the most important organisations in overall financial intermediation and economic acceleration of a country. Banks play a significant role in converting deposits into productive investment [Podder and Mamun (2004)]. For this reason, the study of banking in developing economies entails a greater significance.
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Ha, Tuan M., Tuyet Truong, Huong Hoang, and Bac Ho. "Drivers, Barriers and Success Factors in Climate Change Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers: A Case Study in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam." Current World Environment 15, no. 3 (December 30, 2020): 454–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/cwe.15.3.09.
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This paper aims to identify appropriate approaches and interventions of local governments and extension services through identifying the most potential adaptive measures in agricultural production of local farmers in Thai Nguyen province (Vietnam) and analyses of key drivers, barriers and success factors for climate change adaptation (CCA).The study was conducted during October 2019 – April 2020 in Thai Nguyen and two selected communes with 92 smallholder farmers and relevant stakeholders from the provincial to commune levels using both quantitative and qualitative methods.Results showed a highly vulnerable situation of the local farmers under the context of climate change with 60.9% and 44.6% of the interviewed farmers stating reduced crop/livestock productivity and crop losses, and reduced arable production land and number of crop seasons/year respectively.Ten most potential livelihood models and production practices were identified. For example, animal husbandry (pigs, cattle) combined with biogas digester installation; intercropping between fruit crops and annual crops; use of drought and disease resistant maize varieties; changes of crop patterns and calendars; water saving production techniques, etc. Driver, barriers and success factors for CCA suggestguiding actions for the local government and extension services to plan adequate approaches and interventions for embracing and upscalingthe CCA initiatives towards climate resilient farming communities.The guiding actions include:strengthening capacity of extension staff; providing update market information to farmers for their decisions of crops and livestock; disseminating new and locally appropriate CCA models and practices together with on-field demo-plots and farmer field schools; and building capacity for community organisations, production groups/cooperatives to promote community learning for wider adoption and thus sustainability of their farming systems in response to the changing environment.
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Bridle, K. L., and R. J. Price. "Undertaking participatory research at a national scale: the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze approach." Animal Production Science 49, no. 10 (2009): 916. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an09007.
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Limited information is available on the management and delivery of national-scale biodiversity projects. Even less information is available on such projects operating in agricultural matrices, particularly how they address the expectations of multiple stakeholders from paddock to farm, regional and national scales. This paper describes the approach taken to implement and deliver the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze project, which was national in focus, regional in operation and local in delivery. The project was instigated by four research and development corporation partners who were keen to connect the interests of mixed-farming producers to the environmental goals of nine collaborating regions across Australia. One aim of the project was to engage producers in participatory research on the biodiversity values of mixed-farming systems. This aim could not have been met without considerable effort building regional capacity in biodiversity research and developing a national network of researchers, regional extension staff and stakeholders. This national network was engaged primarily through program and project workshops, regular electronic communications and site visits. Levels of engagement were high, resulting in a sense of ownership by all stakeholders, counteracting to some degree the ill feeling associated with the late inclusion of the biodiversity project to regional activities. Issues relating to goal confusion were evident throughout the whole project, despite a concerted effort by the project team to address such tensions. Previous studies have indicated, and we concur, that biodiversity components need to be built into programs like Grain & Graze at the beginning, and need to be developed in consultation with farmers, regional agencies and research organisations to ensure that expectations are shared and the project is fully supported.
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Cowie, Annette, Richard Eckard, and Sandra Eady. "Greenhouse gas accounting for inventory, emissions trading and life cycle assessment in the land-based sector: a review." Crop and Pasture Science 63, no. 3 (2012): 284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp11188.
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Governments, organisations and individuals have recognised the need to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To identify where savings can be made, and to monitor progress in reducing emissions, we need methodologies to quantify GHG emissions and sequestration. Through the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) landholders may generate credits for reducing emissions and/or sequestering carbon (C). National GHG inventories for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and accounting under the Kyoto Protocol use a sectoral approach. For example, fuel use in agriculture is reported in the transport component of the energy sector; energy use in producing herbicide and fertiliser is included in the manufacturing section of the energy sector; sequestration in farm forestry is reported in the land use, land-use change and forestry sector, while emissions reported in the agriculture sector include methane (CH4) from ruminant livestock, nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils, and non-carbon dioxide (CO2) GHG from stubble and savannah burning. In contrast, project-level accounting for CFI includes land-use change, forestry and agricultural sector emissions, and significant direct inputs such as diesel and electricity. A C footprint calculation uses a life cycle approach, including all the emissions associated with an organisation, activity or product. The C footprint of a food product includes the upstream emissions from manufacturing fertiliser and other inputs, fuel use in farming operations, transport, processing and packaging, distribution to consumers, electricity use in refrigeration and food preparation, and waste disposal. Methods used to estimate emissions range from simple empirical emissions factors, to complex process-based models. Methods developed for inventory and emissions trading must balance the need for sufficient accuracy to give confidence to the market, with practical aspects such as ease and expense of data collection. Requirements for frequent on-ground monitoring and third party verification of soil C or livestock CH4 estimates, for example, may incur costs that would negate the financial benefit of credits earned, and could also generate additional GHG emissions. Research is required to develop practical on-farm measures of CH4 and N2O, and methods to quantify C in environmental plantings, agricultural soils and rangeland ecosystems, to improve models for estimation and prediction of GHG emissions, and enable baseline assessment. There is a need for whole-farm level estimation tools that accommodate regional and management differences in emissions and sequestration to support landholders in managing net emissions from their farming enterprises. These on-farm ‘bottom-up’ accounting tools must align with the ‘top-down’ national account. To facilitate assessment of C footprints for food and fibre products, Australia also needs a comprehensive life cycle inventory database. This paper reviews current methods and approaches used for quantifying GHG emissions for the land-based sectors in the context of emissions reporting, emissions trading and C footprinting, and proposes possible improvements. We emphasise that cost-effective yet credible GHG estimation methods are needed to encourage participation in voluntary offset schemes such as the CFI, and thereby achieve maximum mitigation in the land-based sector.
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Eastwood, C. R., J. G. Jago, J. P. Edwards, and J. K. Burke. "Getting the most out of advanced farm management technologies: roles of technology suppliers and dairy industry organisations in supporting precision dairy farmers." Animal Production Science 56, no. 10 (2016): 1752. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an141015.
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The use of advanced management technologies is increasing in pasture-based dairy systems, an evolution that has been termed precision dairying. This change has been driven, at least in part, by a continual increase in the scale of dairy farming and an associated drive for efficiencies, and technological advances in the area of sensors and automated devices for animal and resource management. In this paper, a survey of New Zealand precision dairy farmers is presented, highlighting lessons from farmers for technology developers and industry. Respondents indicated that they invested in technologies such as electronic identification, milk meters, automated cup removers, and automated drafting for labour saving and to make herd management easier. Most were positive about their investments, with perceived benefits from saved time during milking, decreased farm workforce requirement, and increased farm profitability. Farmers also felt there was unused functionality in their herd management systems and that they could benefit from increased support and training to get more from their technology. Technology suppliers need to refocus on after-sales service and tailor their support programs to stages of learning development, while creating a value proposition for farmers to pay for such services. Dairy industry organisations need to take the lead in building awareness of the opportunities such technologies offer, while facilitating access to independent information about technology capability and investment.
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Njiei, Achu Frida, and Niying Roger Mbihbiih. "Sustainability Implications of Stakeholders’ Perspectives in Agroforestry Management in Manyu Division, South West Region Cameroon." Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 8, no. 6 (July 2, 2021): 366–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10380.
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Agroforestry which focuses on the domestication and cultivation of Non-Traditional Forest Products (NTFP) has important sustainability implications for both livelihoods. Brundtland Report and subsequent international and regional instruments, sustainable development as epitomized in Agenda 2030 of the United Nations Organisation (UNO) has become the cornerstone of developmentalism. This study seeks to examine the interplay of sustainability from a stakeholders’ perspective. The findings of this qualitative method which was conducted in 11 villages in Manyu Division of the South West Region revealed that there was a plethora of stakeholders involved in the domain of agroforestry in the study area. These stakeholders were composed of state institutions (Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife-MINFOF, Program for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the South West Region-PSMNR-SWR), international organisations (World Agroforestry Center-ICRAF, the World Wildlife Fund-WWF) and local community based institutions (EFOKHOYU), among others. Agroforestry related programmes implemented by these stakeholders ranged from the creation of training centers, allocation of funds and seedlings to farmers as well as the dissemination of knowledge on land conservation and the development of partnerships among farming communities. The findings revealed that this could be felt at the level of household food security with increased cultivation of species such as Irvingia gabonensis and Irvingia wombulu by nearly 62%. Such high rates of domestication and commercialisation of these species implied that the livelihoods of local farmers were assured without endangering over-exploitation of scarce forest resources. In conclusion, some challenges such as issues related with accessibility, high cost associated with domestication among others complicate the activities of stakeholders in Manyu Division. That notwithstanding, the study recommends that tailor made policy interventions should be deployed to address the challenges raised.
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Prasad, C. Shambu. "Constructing Alternative Socio-technical Worlds: Re-imagining RRI through SRI in India." Science, Technology and Society 25, no. 2 (March 5, 2020): 291–307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0971721820903002.
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While Responsible Research and Innovation has the potential for democratising the governance of research and innovation, translating it in the Global South would need dialogues and engaging with the plural knowledge systems and ongoing experiments on innovation at the margins that seek to construct alternatives. Entrenched power relations in the South do not allow for public dialogues that allows for society to engage with, if not speak back, to scientists in co-creating newer knowledge. Through the case study of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an agroecological innovation that arose outside the formal research establishment, we show how vulnerable farming communities can proactively co-create alternatives to existing dilemmas in Indian agriculture. Re-imaging RRI in India, we suggest, requires closer attention to the role of civil society organisations in creating innovation spaces through informal and heterogeneous networks of social learning. Networks, we suggest, allow for better expression of creative dissent that could open newer vistas and alternative framing of knowledge. The RRI agenda is thus incomplete without an engagement with the politics of knowledge, and scientific controversies reveal technological lock-ins that hinders alternative framings and pathways.
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Gluszkowski, Michal. "Vershina – a Polish village in Siberia. Factors influencing language maintenance under changing social, cultural, economic and political conditions." Eesti ja soome-ugri keeleteaduse ajakiri. Journal of Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics 2, no. 1 (June 17, 2011): 157–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.12697/jeful.2011.2.1.10.
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The article discusses factors influencing language maintenance under changing social, cultural, economic and political conditions of Polish minority in Siberia. The village of Vershina was founded in 1910 by Polish voluntary settlers from Little Poland. During its first three decades Vershina preserved Polish language, traditions, farming methods and machines and also the Roman Catholic religion. The changes came to a village in taiga in the1930s. Vershina lost its ethnocultural homogeneity because of Russian and Buryat workers in the local kolkhoz. Nowadays the inhabitants of Vershina regained their minority rights: religious, educational and cultural. However, during the years of sovietization and ateization, their culture and customs became much more similar to other Siberian villages. Polish language in Vershina is under strong influence of Russian, which is the language of education, administration, and surrounding villages. Children from Polish-Russian families become monolingual and use Polish very rare, only as a school subject and in contacts with grandparents. The process of abandoning mother tongue in Vershina is growing rapidly. However, there are some factors which may hinder the actual changes:the activity of local Polish organisations and Roman Catholic parish as well as folk group “Jazhumbek”
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Sujakhu, Nani Maiya, Sailesh Ranjitkar, Hua Yang, Yufang Su, Jianchu Xu, and Jun He. "Quantifying farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies and the strategy determinants in Southwest China." International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management 12, no. 4 (July 20, 2020): 511–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijccsm-12-2019-0073.
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Purpose This paper aims to document the adaptation strategies developed by local farmers to adjust to climate change and related hazards in Lijiang Prefecture in Southwest China, and quantify the determinants of the adaptation measures. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a household survey with 433 respondents in Lijiang to documents adaptation measures. The authors used a multivariate probit model to quantify five categories of adaptation measures against a set of household features, extension and information, resources, social network, financial assets and perception variables. Findings The most significant determinants consisted of information on early climate warnings and impending hazards, ownership to land and livestock, irrigation membership in community-based organisations, household savings, cash crop farming and perceptions of climate change and its related hazards. Adaptation strategies and policies highlighting these determinants could help to improve climate change adaptation in the region. Originality/value This study quantified the determinants of adaptive strategies and mapped important determinants for the region that will provide farmers with the appropriate resources and information to implement the best practices for adapting to climatic changes. The method and findings could be useful and easily replicable for future agriculture policies.