Browsing by Tema "Agriculture"

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A CSM-Based Procedure for Identifying Segments of Agricultural Drainage Ditches to Be Prioritized in Maintenance Work
(2023) Daniel Bernardo Aviles Ribera; Ingrid Wesström; Abraham Joel
Highlights Maintenance of agricultural ditches is important to secure food production. To reduce costs, ditch segments in most need of maintenance should be prioritized. CSM measurements can help prioritize maintenance of agricultural ditch segments. Abstract. Productive agricultural land is vital for food production. To help secure the productivity of drained agricultural soils, diches need to be intermittently maintained. Maintenance work is costly, however, so ditch segments in most need of maintenance should be prioritized. Here, we present a procedure for identifying drainage ditch segments likely to need maintenance based on susceptibility to soil erosion by water flowing in the ditch, evaluated using a cohesive strength meter (CSM). An important part of the procedure is to relate the pressure of the CSM jets to pressures acting on the soil. The relationship between CSM jet pressure and pressures at the soil surface was established based on measurements made with a pressure sensor plate and was applied to obtain several values for pressure at the surface, which were used in turn to estimate critical shear stress for erosion. The results showed that the CSM-based method was able to identify differences in critical shear stress for erosion for different field soils. This information can be useful in identifying drainage ditch segments that should be prioritized for maintenance work. Keywords: Drainage data acquisition, Drainage maintenance, Drainage performance evaluation, Soil erosion.
A quantitative and constraint-specific method to assess the potential impact of new agricultural technology: the case of frost resistant potato for the Altiplano (Peru and Bolivia)
(Elsevier BV, 2003) Robert J. Hijmans; Bruno Condori; R Carrillo; M.J. Kropff
Access and use of agricultural market information by smallholder farmers: Measuring informational capabilities
(Wiley, 2020) Mawazo Mwita Magesa; Michael Kisangiri; Jesuk Ko
Abstract While farmers sell their crops, middlemen provide a linkage between them, markets and buyers. Middlemen have good knowledge of working conditions of markets and have access to agricultural market information. Due to poor access to markets and agricultural market information by smallholders, there is a feeling that middlemen benefit more while farmers sell their crops. Good access to markets and market information may help farmers bypass middlemen while selling crops and thus benefit more. Thus, it is best to improve the informational capabilities (ICs) of farmers in agricultural marketing. Thus, this research measured ICs of farmers accessing market information, through a program NINAYO, while selling their crops. The research utilized the informational, psychological, social, and economic dimensions of the empowerment framework in identifying capability indicators to formulate survey questions. Data were collected from smallholders in six regions in Tanzania. The analysis utilized measures of life satisfaction and results showed that about half of the variation in the dependent variable, satisfaction with capabilities, was explained by the model. Backward elimination analysis confirmed that life satisfaction is multidimensional. Robustness test confirmed a positive relationship between satisfaction and capabilities. Overall, results confirmed ICs are multidimensions, their improvement empowers farmers in agricultural marketing.
AGRICULTURA FAMILIAR EN COLOMBIA: ANÁLISIS DE CASO DEL MUNICIPIO DE TRINIDAD, DEPARTAMENTO DE CASANARE FAMILY AGRICULTURE IN COLOMBIA: A CASE STUDY OF THE TRINIDAD COUNTY, CASANARE DEPARTMENT
(Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, 2015) Angela Patricia Avella O
Trabalho enviado em 18 de dezembro de 2014. Aceito em 22 de janeiro de 2015. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12957/rdc.2015.15198 Resumen En la actualidad el estado colombiano adelanta programas con el fin de disminuir la pobreza en todos los municipios del país; una de las aristas para hacerle frente a las necesidades es el trabajo en pro de la seguridad alimentaria definida como el suministro de alimentos de calidad y cantidad suficiente para todos los ciudadanos; la extensión de técnicas para la agricultura urbana haciendo uso de los recursos disponibles en los hogares y retomando la antigua vocación agrícola de las familias que han sido desplazadas desde el área rural a la urbana, constituye una herramienta para la transformación de los municipios mejorando las oportunidades de los más necesitados desde el acceso a una mejor alimentación. Palabras clave : Agricultura urbana, agricultura familiar, seguridad alimentaria. Abstract Today the State of Colombia promotes programs to reduce poverty in all municipalities in the country; one of the edges to cope with the needs is working towards food security is defined as the provision of food quality and sufficient quantity to all citizens; extending techniques for urban agriculture by making use of available resources in homes and retaking the ancient agricultural vocation of families who have been displaced from rural to urban areas, is a tool for transforming cities by improving opportunities the needy from access to better food. Keywords : Urban agriculture, family agriculture food security.
Agricultura por contrato: impactos económicos e institucionales en el municipio Rangel del estado Mérida, Venezuela
(2017) Juan Carlos Fonseca Sánchez; S Alejandro Gutiérrez
espanolLa agricultura por contrato o contrato agricola es un mecanismo de coordinacion vertical, que se sustenta en el marco teorico del neoinstitucionalismo economico. Es una modalidad de coordinacion de los mercados que puede coadyuvar al logro de los objetivos del desarrollo, siempre y cuando, se implementen politicas publicas coherentes. Se tiene como propo- sito en este articulo, analizar la percepcion de los actores sobre los beneficios de la relacion contractual y sobre los efectos economicos, institucionales y en el desarrollo local, derivados del contrato agricola entre los productores de papa para uso industrial del municipio Rangel del estado Merida y la empresa PepsiCo Alimentos S.C.A. Para alcanzar estos objetivos se aplico una entrevista estructurada a los productores bajo contrato y a la empresa contratante EnglishContract farming or agricultural contracts is a vertical coordination mechanism, which is based on the theoretical framework of economic neoinstitutionalism. It is a form of market coordination that can help to achieve development goals if consistent public policies are implemented. The main objectives of this paper is to know the perception of the involved actors and to analyze the economic, institutional and local development effects of the agricultural contract between producers of potatoes for industrial use, at Rangel Municipality of Merida state Venezuela and the company PepsiCo Foods SCA. To achieve these objectives a structured interview was applied to the producers under contract and the contracting company
Agricultural production amidst conflict : the effects of shocks, uncertainty and governance of non-state armed actors
(2012) Maria A. Arias; Ana María Ibáñez
This paper examines the effect of conflict on agricultural production of\nsmall-farmers. We use a unique household survey applied to 4.800\nhouseholds in four micro-regions of Colombia. The survey collects\ndetailed information on households’ economic conditions, incidence of\nviolent shocks, and presence of non-state armed actors. We separate the\neffects of conflict on direct impacts, measured through conflict-induced\nshocks, and indirect impacts, measured through years of presence of nonstate\narmed actors. The results show the association between lower\nagricultural production and conflict transmits through different channels.\nIn regions with an intense conflict, yearly agricultural revenues per\nhectare and investments are lower, and households concentrate production\non seasonal crops and pasture. Presence of non-state armed actors is\nassociated with an immediate increase in production costs, lower access\nto formal financial institutions, and lower investments. The results\nsuggest that households are affected by indirect and direct impacts that\nmay induce sub-optimal agricultural decisions. Although traditional\nreconstruction efforts are crucial, post-conflict policies should also aim to\nreduce uncertainty and improve the rule of law to foster increases in\nproduction.
Agricultural Productivity in the WANA Region
(Routledge, 2011) Roberto Tellería; Aden Aw‐Hassan
The interest of governments, international organizations, NGOs and the general public has recently been aroused by studies considering the use of existing agricultural technology, the use of innovations in such technology and the production of agricultural goods. The attention received by such studies has grown as a result of an unprecedented wave of trade liberalization in the world (involving bilateral, regional and multilateral trade-integration processes), coupled with concerns over food security, high rates of population growth and the use of limited and frequently degraded natural resources. In this context, the Malmquist Index, used to measure agricultural productivity, is a powerful tool, providing insights into whether or not a country is approaching what may be termed “best practice” by using and disseminating existing technology (efficiency change), and/or by innovating technology (technical change). Using the Malmquist Index on a sample of 12 countries within West Asia and North Africa (WANA) indicated that, between 1961 and 1997, Turkey, Tunisia, Syria and Algeria (in that order) were the “most productive” countries. Following them, in terms of agricultural productivity, were Iran, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, while Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen and Ethiopia were the “least productive” countries of the 12 considered. Recurring negative results, with respect to both technical change and efficiency change, in Ethiopia, Sudan, Pakistan and Yemen, suggest that governments and national and international organizations and research institutions should make greater efforts to strengthen agricultural research and extension services if food security and competitiveness are to be improved.
Agriculture as an unemployment buffer: the case of the tourism collapse in Andalusia
(2022) Olexandr Nekhay; Roberto Roson
The COVID19 pandemic has had a strong economic impact on the different productive sectors.. However, the effects have been very unevenly distributed. Some industries, most notably those related to tourism, suffered the most, whereas some others were only marginally affected, or even experienced some expansion. Focusing on the regional economy of Andalusia, this study employs a computable general equilibrium model, to investigate the structural adjustment process, triggered by the sudden drop in tourism demand, generated by the mobility restrictions introduced in 2020. The model highlights how variations in relative prices could have allowed the agricultural sector to partly compensate the macroeconomic shock, in particular by absorbing some of the additional unemployment.
Agriculture, knowledge and the ‘colonial matrix of power’: approaching sustainabilities from the Global South
(2015) Johannes M. Waldmueller
The proposed list of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) sets out to reframe development according to a more holistic perspective. Yet, drawing on the example of the need for sustainable, resilient and biodiverse agriculture, it is argued here that the SDGs remain essentially grounded within one cultural understanding of how to address poverty. At least with regard to agriculture, the SDGs thus remain mono-cultural, one-dimensional, overly technocratic, and are far from universal as they fail to acknowledge the stipulated alternative pluriverse, frequently understood in the Global South. The problem outlined is neither a technical nor political one: being essentially related to knowledge production it calls for the pluralization of approaches to both global ethics and sustainability.
Agrobiodiversidad, un camino hacia la soberanía alimentaria. Análisis desde la productividad y el autoconsumo
(2018) Georgina Catacora‐Vargas
This study characterizes agrobiodiversity’s contribution to food sovereignty through the comparisonof agroecological, indigenous and agroindustrial farming systems in the Departmentof Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The study parameters include productivity, the percentage of the crops’harvest destined for self-consumption, and the diversity of species produced and incorporatedinto the family diet. The agroecological system shows to be the most biodiverse and considerablythe most productive (15 times greater than the agroindustrial farms studied); allocates asignificant portion of the yield to self-consumption (26% compared to 4% in the agroindustrial);and it is an important source of nutrients in terms of the number of species included in thediet of the producing families (18 compared to seven in the indigenous system and one in theagroindustrial). These data reveal the ability of agroecology to effectively support the achievementof food sovereignty and nutritional security.
Agroclimatic constraints for rainfed agriculture in the Bolivian Altiplano
(Elsevier BV, 2007) María Cruz García-González; Dirk Raes; Sven‐Erik Jacobsen; Thibauld Michel
AgroEcoList 1.0: A checklist to improve reporting standards in ecological research in agriculture
(Public Library of Science, 2023) Georgia M. Daykin; Marcelo A. Aizen; Luke G. Barrett; Lewis J. Bartlett; Péter Batáry; Lucas A. Garibaldi; Ali Güncan; Sridhar Gutam; Bea Maas; Jayalakshmi Mitnala
Many publications lack sufficient background information (e.g. location) to be interpreted, replicated, or reused for synthesis. This impedes scientific progress and the application of science to practice. Reporting guidelines (e.g. checklists) improve reporting standards. They have been widely taken up in the medical sciences, but not in ecological and agricultural research. Here, we use a community-centred approach to develop a reporting checklist (AgroEcoList 1.0) through surveys and workshops with 23 experts and the wider agroecological community. To put AgroEcoList in context, we also assessed the agroecological community's perception of reporting standards in agroecology. A total of 345 researchers, reviewers, and editors, responded to our survey. Although only 32% of respondents had prior knowledge of reporting guidelines, 76% of those that had said guidelines improved reporting standards. Overall, respondents agreed on the need of AgroEcolist 1.0; only 24% of respondents had used reporting guidelines before, but 78% indicated they would use AgroEcoList 1.0. We updated AgroecoList 1.0 based on respondents' feedback and user-testing. AgroecoList 1.0 consists of 42 variables in seven groups: experimental/sampling set-up, study site, soil, livestock management, crop and grassland management, outputs, and finances. It is presented here, and is also available on github (https://github.com/AgroecoList/Agroecolist). AgroEcoList 1.0 can serve as a guide for authors, reviewers, and editors to improve reporting standards in agricultural ecology. Our community-centred approach is a replicable method that could be adapted to develop reporting checklists in other fields. Reporting guidelines such as AgroEcoList can improve reporting standards and therefore the application of research to practice, and we recommend that they are adopted more widely in agriculture and ecology.
Agroecosystem resilience and farmers’ perceptions of climate change impacts on cocoa farms in Alto Beni, Bolivia
(Cambridge University Press, 2013) Johanna Jacobi; Monika Schneider; Patrick Bottazzi; Maria Isabel Pillco; Patricia Calizaya; Stephan Rist
Abstract Cocoa-based small-scale agriculture is the most important source of income for most farming families in the region of Alto Beni in the sub-humid foothills of the Andes. Cocoa is grown in cultivation systems of varying ecological complexity. The plantations are highly susceptible to climate change impacts. Local cocoa producers mention heat waves, droughts, floods and plant diseases as the main impacts affecting plants and working conditions, and they associate these impacts with global climate change. From a sustainable regional development point of view, cocoa farms need to become more resilient in order to cope with the climate change related effects that are putting cocoa-based livelihoods at risk. This study assesses agroecosystem resilience under three different cocoa cultivation systems (successional agroforestry, simple agroforestry and common practice monocultures). In a first step, farmers’ perceptions of climate change impacts were assessed and eight indicators of agroecological resilience were derived in a transdisciplinary process (focus groups and workshop) based on farmers’ and scientists’ knowledge. These indicators (soil organic matter, depth of Ah horizon, soil bulk density, tree species diversity, crop varieties diversity, ant species diversity, cocoa yields and infestation of cocoa trees with Moniliophthora perniciosa ) were then surveyed on 15 cocoa farms and compared for the three different cultivation systems. Parts of the socio-economic aspects of resilience were covered by evaluating the role of cocoa cooperatives and organic certification in transitioning to more resilient cocoa farms (interviews with 15 cocoa farmers combined with five expert interviews). Agroecosystem resilience was higher under the two agroforestry systems than under common practice monoculture, especially under successional agroforestry. Both agroforestry systems achieved higher cocoa yields than common practice monoculture due to agroforestry farmers’ enhanced knowledge regarding cocoa cultivation. Knowledge sharing was promoted by local organizations facilitating organic certification. These organizations were thus found to enhance the social process of farmers’ integration into cooperatives and their reorientation toward organic principles and diversified agroforestry.
Agronomic and economic potential of manure in Bolivian valleys and highlands
(Elsevier BV, 1983) Franz Augstburger
An exploration of using large language models to integrate farmer behaviour into an agricultural systems model of the Peruvian Andes
(2024) Joy Singarayer; Richard Bailey; Patrick McGuire; Francisco Araujo- Ferreira; Nicholas Branch; Fernando González; Diana Santos Shupingahua; Douglas B. Walsh; Alexander Herrera; Andrew J. Wade
The implications of climate change on agro-pastoral farming systems in the Peruvian Andes are not fully understood. There is already a significant impact on agricultural productivity from current climate variability and extreme weather in the region. This is exacerbated by chronic poverty in many rural areas and the need for improved government-led strategic planning. Tools to assist with policy planning for climate change adaptations that achieve environmental and social resilience are vital, and these require collaboration with rural communities to incorporate the complexities of behavioural responses to climate change, market dynamics, and policy shifts in agricultural and water management.&#160;In this study we further develop a recent agricultural systems model (the TELLUS model; Pilditch et al., in review). The model is an agent-based simulation focussed on the behaviour of interacting populations of individual farming agents. TELLUS offers the opportunity to analyse the impact of interventions/policies in light of key scenarios and conditions of interest, with potential to uncover unforeseen emergent behaviours within farming systems (e.g., tipping points, amplifiers, system adaptations) and potential unintended consequences of scenarios and policies (e.g., increasing in equalities; increased system fragility). A difficulty in applying such models to specific case studies is in choosing valid parameter values, especially for model behaviour associated with human behaviour and decision-making.Our work over recent years includes extensive fieldwork in the Cordillera Negra and Cordillera Blanca, involving interviews and workshops with farming communities, and collaboration with regional NGOs. These interactions have been instrumental in understanding local challenges and priorities. The challenge in terms of modelling this system is turning information gained from qualitative methods (e.g. interviews) into parameter values for the model. Our novel approach is to assess the extent to which modern AI systems, specifically, Large Language Models (LLMs) can help perform this task. &#160;We leverage the reasoning abilities of LLMs to directly estimate relevant model parameters from automated interview transcription/translations. We will discuss the extent to which this integration has aided the creation of a TELLUS model tuned specifically to the Peruvian Andes context. Our approach will hopefully serve as a novel tool, combining empirical research, community involvement, and advanced computational modelling, to explore future climate scenarios and the potential effects of policy interventions.
Análisis de datos agro-meteorológicos en la gestión de actividades de producción de cultivos transitorios en el litoral ecuatoriano
(Rev. Inv. Cs. Agro. y Vet., 2024) Almeida, Oscar Xavier Bermeo; Vargas, William Jair Dávila; Arias, Verónica Isabel Guevara; Gamboa, Lissett Margarita Arevalo
La modificación del clima se expresa a través del incremento en cantidad e intensidad de fenómenos como sequías, lluvias y huracanes. Estas modificaciones climáticas tienen consecuencias importantes para la sociedad, principalmente para las poblaciones más vulnerables, caracterizadas por la pobreza y la exclusión de espacios de toma de decisiones. Con el objetivo de la investigación es la de analizar los datos agro-meteorológicos masivos aplicando metodologías adecuadas de tratamiento de información para mejorar las actividades en la producción de cultivos transitorios en el litoral ecuatoriano. La metodología empleada con enfoque inductivo que se nutrió principalmente de fuentes provenientes de plataformas académicas reconocidas como Science Direct y Springer, Scielo, Scopus y Redalyc con el empleo de la herramienta Google Académico, para lo que se seleccionaron estudios publicados entre los años 2016 y 2022 como marco temporal de referencia. La selección de literatura se rigió por un criterio de relevancia, priorizando aquellos estudios que proporcionaran una comprensión más profunda de la interrelación existente entre los datos agro-meteorológicos y rendimiento productivo de los cultivos transitorios en la zona costera del Ecuador. Se conoce según estudios, que la población rural en el Ecuador consta de un 50% en cuanto a actividad agronómica, donde se puede observar un mayor porcentaje en la Provincia de Los Ríos. Las empresas Facundo, Semvra Veconsa, Arrocera Portilla (PortiArroz), Arrocera SylviaMaria (AgroSylma) y ProArroz utilizan agro- meteorología para planificar la producción, con 14 estaciones climatológicas que brindan información actualizada para que se realicen correctamente la planeación estratégica de las siembras y cosechas. Se concluye que, se muestra como beneficia el uso de la agro-meteorología en la planeación de las diferentes actividades agrícolas, lo que las mismas realizan para la caracterización en tiempo y espacio de las relaciones entre el clima, para mejorar el rendimiento de los cultivos transitorios.
Análisis de la competitividad agroproductiva y resiliencia en caficultores de la selva de Huánuco, Perú
(Rev. Inv. Cs. Agro. y Vet., 2025) Flores Garay, Ines Tabita; Rios Trujillo, Juan; Gutiérrez-Collao, Jairo Edson; Figueroa Ramirez, Jose; Arbaizo Castañeda, Eliel Karl
La competitividad en la modernidad exige el aprovechamiento de las ventajas innovadoras, tecnológicas, el capital humano, las decisiones estratégicas vinculadas a mercados globales, el conocimiento y los recursos naturales. Objetivo. Relacionar la variable competitividad agroproductiva con la variable resiliencia en los caficultores del centro poblado Cayumba, distrito Mariano Dámaso Beraún, Huánuco. Materiales y Métodos. Se efectuó la investigación aplicando cuestionarios a 64 caficultores, acerca de la variable competitividad agroproductiva y sus tres dimensiones (capacidad estratégica, crecimiento agroproductivo y capacidad técnica) y sobre la variable resiliencia y sus cinco dimensiones (confianza en sí mismo, ecuanimidad, perseverancia, satisfacción personal y el sentirse bien solo). Los resultados indican que existe una moderada correlación positiva significativa entre las dos variables, y entre la variable resiliencia con las dimensiones crecimiento agroproductivo y capacidad técnica. Conclusiones. Es importante la elaboración de planes que fomenten el fortalecimiento de la competitividad de los caficultores, considerando además de la resiliencia, otras variables que determinen dicha competitividad.
Análisis de transiciones sistemáticas de la cobertura y uso de la tierra en Morona Santiago, durante el periodo 2000-2018
(2025) Karol Arellano Pérez; Santiago Bonilla‐Bedoya
INTRODUCTION. The analysis of systematic transitions using specific metrics allows the identification of causal and random patterns of change between land cover and land use categories in a study area. OBJECTIVE. To analyze changes and identify the most prevalent systematic transitions in land cover and land use in the province of Morona Santiago during the period 2000-2018. METHOD. This paper employs cross-tabulation matrix analysis that, by calculating metrics such as gains, losses, exchanges, net changes and total changes, allows the identification of systematic transitions in two periods: 1) 2000-2008 and 2) 2008-2018. RESULTS. The predominant systematic transitions for both periods of analysis correspond to the loss of “Forest” to be replaced by “Agricultural Land”, and the gain of “Agricultural Land” to replace “Forest”. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. These transitions are driven not by random exchanges but by a clear causal relationship, as shown by the classic “fishbone” pattern of deforestation, a well-documented phenomenon in the Ecuadorian Amazon, marked by shrinking forest cover and expanding agricultural land.
Ancient dog mitogenomes support the dual dispersal of dogs and agriculture into South America
(Royal Society, 2025) Aurélie Manin; Régis Debruyne; Audrey T. Lin; Ophélie Lebrasseur; Evangelos A. Dimopoulos; Lucio González Venanzi; Sophy Charlton; Lachie Scarsbrook; Andrew N. Hogan; Anna Linderholm
Archaeological and palaeogenomic data show that dogs were the only domestic animals introduced during the early peopling of the Americas. Hunter-gatherer groups spread quickly towards the south of the continent, but it is unclear when dogs reached Central and South America. To address this issue, we generated and analysed 70 complete mitochondrial genomes from archaeological and modern dogs ranging from Central Mexico to Central Chile and Argentina, revealing the dynamics of dog populations. Our results demonstrate that pre-contact Central and South American dogs are all assigned to a specific clade that diverged after dogs entered North America. Specifically, the divergence time between North, Central and South American dog clades is consistent with the spread of agriculture and the adoption of maize in South America between 7000 and 5000 years ago. An isolation-by-distance best characterizes how dogs expanded into South America. We identify the arrival of new lineages of dogs in post-contact South America, likely of European origin, and their legacy in modern village dogs. Interestingly, the pre-contact Mesoamerican maternal origin of the Chihuahua has persisted in some modern individuals.
Andean roots and tubers crops as sources of functional foods
(Elsevier BV, 2018) Eduardo O. Leidi; Álvaro Monteros Altamirano; Geovana Mercado; Juan Pablo Rodríguez; Alvaro Ramos; Gabriela Alandia; Marten Sørensen; Sven‐Erik Jacobsen