Pub Date : 2024-07-18DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad64d7
Neil Ward, Andy Atkins, Penny Atkins
Methane from livestock is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Annex I countries’ National Inventories report emissions from cattle as enteric or from manure management at ratios of between 3:1 and 9:1 depending on country and cattle type. Field research generally supports the inventories’ assumptions about enteric emissions, but these ratios have focused interest on enteric emissions and diverted attention away from manure management. Official calculations about manure management emissions factors are more varied than those for enteric emissions and evidence from field measurements suggests inventories may be underestimating manure management emissions especially in the dairy sector. This paper has three objectives. First, it reviews the science underpinning the international framework for estimating methane emissions from manure management. Second, it presents data from two dairy farms in south-west England where measured emissions of methane from slurry storage facilities are four to five times greater than the assumptions in the UK’s inventory. If these measurements were representative of the UK, the implication is that total methane emissions from the UK dairy herd would be over 40 per cent greater than the level reported to the UNFCCC and the proportion of total methane emissions from manure management would be almost a half rather than less than a quarter. Finally, the paper assesses the potential value if methane were captured from slurry storage facilities. Its value as a biogas is estimated to be £500 million per year for the UK dairy industry (at forecourt diesel prices). The paper concludes that the scale of emissions and the potential economic value of lost biogas are sufficient to warrant urgent research and action to reduce emissions from manure management with the beneficial prospect that a valuable new income stream for farm businesses could also be realised.
{"title":"Estimating methane emissions from manure: a suitable case for treatment?","authors":"Neil Ward, Andy Atkins, Penny Atkins","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad64d7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad64d7","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Methane from livestock is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Annex I countries’ National Inventories report emissions from cattle as enteric or from manure management at ratios of between 3:1 and 9:1 depending on country and cattle type. Field research generally supports the inventories’ assumptions about enteric emissions, but these ratios have focused interest on enteric emissions and diverted attention away from manure management. Official calculations about manure management emissions factors are more varied than those for enteric emissions and evidence from field measurements suggests inventories may be underestimating manure management emissions especially in the dairy sector. This paper has three objectives. First, it reviews the science underpinning the international framework for estimating methane emissions from manure management. Second, it presents data from two dairy farms in south-west England where measured emissions of methane from slurry storage facilities are four to five times greater than the assumptions in the UK’s inventory. If these measurements were representative of the UK, the implication is that total methane emissions from the UK dairy herd would be over 40 per cent greater than the level reported to the UNFCCC and the proportion of total methane emissions from manure management would be almost a half rather than less than a quarter. Finally, the paper assesses the potential value if methane were captured from slurry storage facilities. Its value as a biogas is estimated to be £500 million per year for the UK dairy industry (at forecourt diesel prices). The paper concludes that the scale of emissions and the potential economic value of lost biogas are sufficient to warrant urgent research and action to reduce emissions from manure management with the beneficial prospect that a valuable new income stream for farm businesses could also be realised.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":" 40","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141827166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-16DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ac
Nick Middleton
Sand and dust storms (SDS) are common in the world’s drylands, regions that are also critically important for global food production. Agriculture is the most prevalent land use resulting in anthropogenic SDS sources, resulting in impacts on cropland and rangeland, but food production is also affected by impacts from natural SDS sources. This review assesses our knowledge of SDS impacts on all the major types of food production in terrestrial and oceanic environments, impacts that occur in all three phases of the wind erosion system: during particle entrainment, during transport, and on deposition. These effects are short term and long term, direct and indirect. Wind erosion is a major cause of land degradation and there is good evidence to indicate that the deleterious effects of SDS can reduce food production via substantially diminished yields of crops, pastures and livestock. However, it is also clear that soil dust plays an important role in major biogeochemical cycles – especially phosphorus, nitrogen and iron – with implications for the valuable environmental services provided by numerous ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine. Ultimately, these nutrients have particular significance for soil formation, ecosystem productivity and food webs on land and at sea, and hence the provision of food for human societies. Efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of SDS on the sustainability of agriculture should be balanced with an appreciation of the significance of soil dust to the Earth system.
{"title":"Impacts of sand and dust storms on food production","authors":"Nick Middleton","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ac","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ac","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Sand and dust storms (SDS) are common in the world’s drylands, regions that are also critically important for global food production. Agriculture is the most prevalent land use resulting in anthropogenic SDS sources, resulting in impacts on cropland and rangeland, but food production is also affected by impacts from natural SDS sources. This review assesses our knowledge of SDS impacts on all the major types of food production in terrestrial and oceanic environments, impacts that occur in all three phases of the wind erosion system: during particle entrainment, during transport, and on deposition. These effects are short term and long term, direct and indirect. Wind erosion is a major cause of land degradation and there is good evidence to indicate that the deleterious effects of SDS can reduce food production via substantially diminished yields of crops, pastures and livestock. However, it is also clear that soil dust plays an important role in major biogeochemical cycles – especially phosphorus, nitrogen and iron – with implications for the valuable environmental services provided by numerous ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine. Ultimately, these nutrients have particular significance for soil formation, ecosystem productivity and food webs on land and at sea, and hence the provision of food for human societies. Efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of SDS on the sustainability of agriculture should be balanced with an appreciation of the significance of soil dust to the Earth system.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"30 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141643870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-16DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ab
R. Schattman, Jonathan Malacarne, Ellen B Mallory, C. Goossen
Temperate regions, where water supply has not historically been a limiting factor in agriculture or other industries, are expected to face new challenges related to water availability and use. It is important to investigate the gap between farmers’ need for professional support around water management and the services that agricultural advisors can provide. Needs assessments generally consider one of these topics or the other, though we suggest a deeper understanding of the two together is called for. Here, we report on a farmer survey conducted in the state of Maine in the United States (n = 174) and a survey of agricultural advisors conducted in twelve northeastern states (n = 381). By comparing two investigations, we find (a) opportunities for outreach programs both targeted towards the needs of specific agricultural sectors, and (b) professional development topics for agricultural advisors to close the gap between current capacity in the region and farmer needs. Based on these results, we suggest a framework informed by theories of social learning for targeted outreach. We propose that this approach can serve as a model for moving forward with program development in agricultural services into the future, both in the United States and around the world.
{"title":"Supporting farmers in coping with water extremes: Aligning farmer needs and advisor confidence, skills, and expertise","authors":"R. Schattman, Jonathan Malacarne, Ellen B Mallory, C. Goossen","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ab","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad63ab","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Temperate regions, where water supply has not historically been a limiting factor in agriculture or other industries, are expected to face new challenges related to water availability and use. It is important to investigate the gap between farmers’ need for professional support around water management and the services that agricultural advisors can provide. Needs assessments generally consider one of these topics or the other, though we suggest a deeper understanding of the two together is called for. Here, we report on a farmer survey conducted in the state of Maine in the United States (n = 174) and a survey of agricultural advisors conducted in twelve northeastern states (n = 381). By comparing two investigations, we find (a) opportunities for outreach programs both targeted towards the needs of specific agricultural sectors, and (b) professional development topics for agricultural advisors to close the gap between current capacity in the region and farmer needs. Based on these results, we suggest a framework informed by theories of social learning for targeted outreach. We propose that this approach can serve as a model for moving forward with program development in agricultural services into the future, both in the United States and around the world.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141644049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this study, we introduce an integrated modeling framework that combines a hydrologic model, a biophysical crop model, and a techno-economic model to assess solar irrigation potential in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) based on seven commonly grown food crops—maize, wheat, sorghum, potato, cassava, tomato, and onion. The study involves determining the irrigation requirements, location-specific capital investment costs, crop-specific profitability, and the cropland area under various cost scenarios (low and high) and soil fertility (low, moderate, near-optimal, and optimal) scenarios. Our research reveals considerable potential for solar irrigation, with profitability and viable cropland areas that vary according to crop type, irrigation system cost scenarios, and soil fertility levels. Our assessment shows that approximately 9.34 million ha of SSA's current rainfed cropland are hydrologically and economically feasible for solar irrigation. Specifically, maize and onion display the lowest and highest viability, spanning 1-4 million ha and 29-33 million ha, respectively, under optimal soil fertility conditions. In terms of profitability, maize and onion rank as the least and most economically viable crops for solar irrigation, yielding average annual returns of $50-$125/ha and $933-$1450/ha, respectively, under optimal soil fertility conditions. The lower and upper bounds of profitability and cropland range correspond to high-cost and low-cost scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, our study reveals distinct regional differences in the economic feasibility of solar irrigation. Eastern Africa is more economically favorable for maize, sorghum, tomato, and cassava. Central Africa stands out for onion cultivation, whereas West and Southern Africa are more profitable for potato and wheat, respectively. To realize the irrigation benefits highlighted, an energy input of 940-2,168 kWh/ha/yr is necessary, varying by crop and geographic sub-region of the SSA sub-continent. Our model and its results highlight the importance of selecting the right crops, applying fertilizers at the appropriate rates, and considering regional factors to maximize the benefits of solar irrigation in SSA. These insights are crucial for strategic planning and investment in the region's agricultural sector.
{"title":"Solar irrigation potential in Sub-Saharan Africa: A crop-specific techno-economic analysis","authors":"Fhazhil Wamalwa, Lefu Maqelepo, N.J. Williams, Giacomo Falchetta","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad5e82","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad5e82","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In this study, we introduce an integrated modeling framework that combines a hydrologic model, a biophysical crop model, and a techno-economic model to assess solar irrigation potential in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) based on seven commonly grown food crops—maize, wheat, sorghum, potato, cassava, tomato, and onion. The study involves determining the irrigation requirements, location-specific capital investment costs, crop-specific profitability, and the cropland area under various cost scenarios (low and high) and soil fertility (low, moderate, near-optimal, and optimal) scenarios. Our research reveals considerable potential for solar irrigation, with profitability and viable cropland areas that vary according to crop type, irrigation system cost scenarios, and soil fertility levels. Our assessment shows that approximately 9.34 million ha of SSA's current rainfed cropland are hydrologically and economically feasible for solar irrigation. Specifically, maize and onion display the lowest and highest viability, spanning 1-4 million ha and 29-33 million ha, respectively, under optimal soil fertility conditions. In terms of profitability, maize and onion rank as the least and most economically viable crops for solar irrigation, yielding average annual returns of $50-$125/ha and $933-$1450/ha, respectively, under optimal soil fertility conditions. The lower and upper bounds of profitability and cropland range correspond to high-cost and low-cost scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, our study reveals distinct regional differences in the economic feasibility of solar irrigation. Eastern Africa is more economically favorable for maize, sorghum, tomato, and cassava. Central Africa stands out for onion cultivation, whereas West and Southern Africa are more profitable for potato and wheat, respectively. To realize the irrigation benefits highlighted, an energy input of 940-2,168 kWh/ha/yr is necessary, varying by crop and geographic sub-region of the SSA sub-continent. Our model and its results highlight the importance of selecting the right crops, applying fertilizers at the appropriate rates, and considering regional factors to maximize the benefits of solar irrigation in SSA. These insights are crucial for strategic planning and investment in the region's agricultural sector.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":" 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141681082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-12DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad5727
Maanya Umashaanker, Divya Solomon, Preeti Rao, Sukhwinder Singh, Asif Ishtiaque, Balwinder Singh, S. Poonia, Arun Agrawal, Meha Jain
Warming temperatures are reducing wheat yields in India, and one way to reduce negative impacts is to sow wheat earlier. Yet farmers in Northeast India commonly sow wheat past the optimum time window. Previous studies have suggested this delay is driven by delays in the preceding rice growing season, which have cascading impacts on wheat sow date. It, however, remains unclear which specific rice management decisions are the most consequential for wheat sow date and what potential strategies may help advance the overall crop calendar. We used household survey data from 356 farmers in Bihar, India and structural equation modeling to identify the specific time points in the rice growing season that most impact wheat sow date. Our results suggest that late rice nursery establishment and rice harvest were associated with subsequent delays in the crop calendar. We also found that increasing groundwater irrigation access prior to the start of monsoon rains may be the most effective way to advance rice and wheat sowing. Our results provide insights into the specific time points in the crop calendar when interventions may be the most consequential, which is critical for developing interventions
{"title":"Groundwater irrigation is critical for adapting wheat systems to warming temperatures in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains in India","authors":"Maanya Umashaanker, Divya Solomon, Preeti Rao, Sukhwinder Singh, Asif Ishtiaque, Balwinder Singh, S. Poonia, Arun Agrawal, Meha Jain","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad5727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad5727","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Warming temperatures are reducing wheat yields in India, and one way to reduce negative impacts is to sow wheat earlier. Yet farmers in Northeast India commonly sow wheat past the optimum time window. Previous studies have suggested this delay is driven by delays in the preceding rice growing season, which have cascading impacts on wheat sow date. It, however, remains unclear which specific rice management decisions are the most consequential for wheat sow date and what potential strategies may help advance the overall crop calendar. We used household survey data from 356 farmers in Bihar, India and structural equation modeling to identify the specific time points in the rice growing season that most impact wheat sow date. Our results suggest that late rice nursery establishment and rice harvest were associated with subsequent delays in the crop calendar. We also found that increasing groundwater irrigation access prior to the start of monsoon rains may be the most effective way to advance rice and wheat sowing. Our results provide insights into the specific time points in the crop calendar when interventions may be the most consequential, which is critical for developing interventions","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"108 24","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141352153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-05DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad5449
R. Cuppari, A. S. Fernandez-Bou, Gregory Characklis, Marielena Ramirez, M. Nocco, Majdi Abou-Najm
The last decade has seen dramatic growth in solar power. In some regions, the most favorable land for solar panels is farmland, which is often flat and exposed to high levels of irradiance. At the same time, the agricultural sector is faced with growing challenges, notably changing water availability and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. The combination of these trends presents an opportunity for a synergistic relationship between the agriculture and solar sectors: agrivoltaic systems (AVS). In an AVS, solar panels are placed above and between crops, such that the same land produces both food and energy. This system has beneficial microclimate impacts, such as reduced evapotranspiration. Yet, despite these benefits there has been limited uptake of AVS. One reason may be hesitation on the part of farmers, whose perceptions of AVS have been explored little. This analysis seeks to address part of this gap by exploring the relationship between farmer perceptions and interest in AVS. A Likert scale survey was designed and distributed to farmers across two large, agriculturally productive states, North Carolina and California. Responses from the 41 participants who fully completed the survey suggest that farmers who perceive AVS as diversifying their income or whose goals include reducing water use are the most interested in installing an AVS. Respondents also identified financial viability as a major concern, agreeing that upfront cost is a major barrier to AVS and markets as the most influential driver of crop decisions. These findings provide insights for policymakers interested in expanding AVS, particularly in response to environmental stressors, such as water scarcity and extreme weather events. They also suggest the aspects of AVS that may be most important to farmers, and most effective in encouraging AVS uptake. This information can support efforts to promote AVS, contributing to sustainable agriculture.
{"title":"Drivers of agrivoltaic perception in California and North Carolina","authors":"R. Cuppari, A. S. Fernandez-Bou, Gregory Characklis, Marielena Ramirez, M. Nocco, Majdi Abou-Najm","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad5449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad5449","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The last decade has seen dramatic growth in solar power. In some regions, the most favorable land for solar panels is farmland, which is often flat and exposed to high levels of irradiance. At the same time, the agricultural sector is faced with growing challenges, notably changing water availability and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. The combination of these trends presents an opportunity for a synergistic relationship between the agriculture and solar sectors: agrivoltaic systems (AVS). In an AVS, solar panels are placed above and between crops, such that the same land produces both food and energy. This system has beneficial microclimate impacts, such as reduced evapotranspiration. Yet, despite these benefits there has been limited uptake of AVS. One reason may be hesitation on the part of farmers, whose perceptions of AVS have been explored little. This analysis seeks to address part of this gap by exploring the relationship between farmer perceptions and interest in AVS. A Likert scale survey was designed and distributed to farmers across two large, agriculturally productive states, North Carolina and California. Responses from the 41 participants who fully completed the survey suggest that farmers who perceive AVS as diversifying their income or whose goals include reducing water use are the most interested in installing an AVS. Respondents also identified financial viability as a major concern, agreeing that upfront cost is a major barrier to AVS and markets as the most influential driver of crop decisions. These findings provide insights for policymakers interested in expanding AVS, particularly in response to environmental stressors, such as water scarcity and extreme weather events. They also suggest the aspects of AVS that may be most important to farmers, and most effective in encouraging AVS uptake. This information can support efforts to promote AVS, contributing to sustainable agriculture.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"51 33","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141383867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-15DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad4be9
Marcus Horril, Rosanne Maguire, John Ingram
This paper takes a food systems perspective on the potential for increasing the consumption of locally-grown pulses to help achieve net zero UK agrifood. The UK agrifood sector is estimated to be responsible for a quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it a priority sector for the UK’s net zero commitments. Pulses have been commonly identified as significant in driving emissions reduction throughout the value chain, whilst also delivering multiple co-benefits for biodiversity, soils, local economy and human health. Pulses can rely on nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere, thereby significantly lowering the requirement for applied nitrogen in the agricultural rotation to reduce the carbon costs of nitrogen fertiliser. They also provide a lower-carbon feed alternative to soy and could significantly reduce dietary emissions by supplementing protein in reduced meat diets. However, there are significant social, economic and technological barriers to increasing the production and consumption of pulses in the UK. Knowledge of growing pulses has dwindled, yields are not economically competitive, the infrastructure to support processing lacks investment, and consumer behaviour and preferences have shifted away from pulse-centric eating. Increasing the consumption of locally-sourced pulses in the UK will need a coordinated shift across the agrifood system. This paper explores how pulses currently contribute toward net zero, as well as the current barriers and future opportunities to increase net zero impact for each of the key activities and their associated stakeholders in the agrifood system: growers, processors and manufacturers, distributors, transportation and storage operators, consumers, and waste handlers. In so doing, the paper contributes to a field which tends to focus on the two ends of the value chain (production and consumption), whilst neglecting the ‘missing middle’ (what happens between the farm gate and the plate). In order to achieve this, the paper provides a topical review of recent research outputs from several fields, including agronomy, human geography, food science, nutrition and behavioural studies.
{"title":"The contribution of pulses to net zero in the UK","authors":"Marcus Horril, Rosanne Maguire, John Ingram","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad4be9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad4be9","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This paper takes a food systems perspective on the potential for increasing the consumption of locally-grown pulses to help achieve net zero UK agrifood. The UK agrifood sector is estimated to be responsible for a quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it a priority sector for the UK’s net zero commitments. Pulses have been commonly identified as significant in driving emissions reduction throughout the value chain, whilst also delivering multiple co-benefits for biodiversity, soils, local economy and human health. Pulses can rely on nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere, thereby significantly lowering the requirement for applied nitrogen in the agricultural rotation to reduce the carbon costs of nitrogen fertiliser. They also provide a lower-carbon feed alternative to soy and could significantly reduce dietary emissions by supplementing protein in reduced meat diets. However, there are significant social, economic and technological barriers to increasing the production and consumption of pulses in the UK. Knowledge of growing pulses has dwindled, yields are not economically competitive, the infrastructure to support processing lacks investment, and consumer behaviour and preferences have shifted away from pulse-centric eating. Increasing the consumption of locally-sourced pulses in the UK will need a coordinated shift across the agrifood system. This paper explores how pulses currently contribute toward net zero, as well as the current barriers and future opportunities to increase net zero impact for each of the key activities and their associated stakeholders in the agrifood system: growers, processors and manufacturers, distributors, transportation and storage operators, consumers, and waste handlers. In so doing, the paper contributes to a field which tends to focus on the two ends of the value chain (production and consumption), whilst neglecting the ‘missing middle’ (what happens between the farm gate and the plate). In order to achieve this, the paper provides a topical review of recent research outputs from several fields, including agronomy, human geography, food science, nutrition and behavioural studies.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"16 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140976196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-01DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad4609
K. Murakami, T. Iizumi, Seiji Shimoda
Crop phenology and associated crop calendars are necessary for designing breeding goals and for developing effective management practices. Winter wheat is a representative biennial, the cultivation schedule of which is constrained by winter climate conditions, particularly the processes of vernalization and winter survival. Here, we present improvements to a rule-based crop calendar model by incorporating these factors so that it can be used to accurately estimate the phenological events of winter wheat from daily meteorological data. We tested the improved model in Hokkaido, the northernmost Japanese island, which is characterized by seasonal snow cover and a wet summer. The results confirmed that implementing these factors contributed to accurate estimates of peak occurrence dates of winter wheat phenological events. Furthermore, we applied the improved model to simulate wheat phenology under 2 K and 4 K warmer scenarios. The results showed a delayed sowing period up to approximately one month and slight advancements in both flowering and harvesting, leading to a shorter growth period. While this shortened period may be largely compensated by a decrease in the snow-covered period, the shifts in the vegetative and reproductive phases may modify sink-source balance of wheat. We also assessed the risks of pollination failure and preharvest sprouting, both of which are associated with the timing of precipitation, based on the number of rainy days around flowering, and the incidence of precipitation over two consecutive days around the time of harvesting. Our simulations suggested increased risk of pollination failure and reduced risk of preharvest sprouting, leading to an increase in the probability of crop failure. These findings underscore the importance of implementing adaptation measures to mitigate precipitation-related risk under future climates. Further, the findings provide valuable insights for winter wheat breeders and agronomists, thereby facilitating crop production adaptation.
{"title":"An improved crop calendar model for winter wheat incorporating vernalization and winter survival to project changes in phenology","authors":"K. Murakami, T. Iizumi, Seiji Shimoda","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad4609","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad4609","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Crop phenology and associated crop calendars are necessary for designing breeding goals and for developing effective management practices. Winter wheat is a representative biennial, the cultivation schedule of which is constrained by winter climate conditions, particularly the processes of vernalization and winter survival. Here, we present improvements to a rule-based crop calendar model by incorporating these factors so that it can be used to accurately estimate the phenological events of winter wheat from daily meteorological data. We tested the improved model in Hokkaido, the northernmost Japanese island, which is characterized by seasonal snow cover and a wet summer. The results confirmed that implementing these factors contributed to accurate estimates of peak occurrence dates of winter wheat phenological events. Furthermore, we applied the improved model to simulate wheat phenology under 2 K and 4 K warmer scenarios. The results showed a delayed sowing period up to approximately one month and slight advancements in both flowering and harvesting, leading to a shorter growth period. While this shortened period may be largely compensated by a decrease in the snow-covered period, the shifts in the vegetative and reproductive phases may modify sink-source balance of wheat. We also assessed the risks of pollination failure and preharvest sprouting, both of which are associated with the timing of precipitation, based on the number of rainy days around flowering, and the incidence of precipitation over two consecutive days around the time of harvesting. Our simulations suggested increased risk of pollination failure and reduced risk of preharvest sprouting, leading to an increase in the probability of crop failure. These findings underscore the importance of implementing adaptation measures to mitigate precipitation-related risk under future climates. Further, the findings provide valuable insights for winter wheat breeders and agronomists, thereby facilitating crop production adaptation.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"161 2‐3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141028486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-27DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad382e
Yvonne Socolar, Tucker Javier Matta, Melanie Rodríguez Fuentes, Bethany Andoko, James Cook, Cristóbal Cruz Hernández, Cole Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Verónica Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Joel Schirmer, Jacob B. Socolar, Claire Woodard, Darryl G Wong, Timothy M. Bowles
Changing climates are causing agricultural water shortages at unprecedented scales and magnitudes, especially in regions historically reliant on irrigation. Identifying and understanding systems of farming that allow continuity in agricultural operations in times of water scarcity are increasingly urgent needs. Vegetable dry farming relies on winter rains stored in soils to reduce irrigation to 0-2 events per season and has become prevalent on California’s Central Coast in recent decades. Until now, this system has been unexplored in scientific literature beyond extension publications, despite its promise as a model for low-water agriculture in arid regions. Dry farm management presents a unique challenge given that low water content restricts nutrient access in surface soils, which farmers typically target for fertility management. Managing soil nutrients at depth, as well as microorganisms that help plants access nutrients and alleviate water stress (e.g. arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or AMF) could be crucial to dry farm success. We engaged in a collaborative research design process with farmers managing seven commercial dry farm tomato fields to identify and answer three key management questions: 1. What are the depths at which nutrients influence harvest outcomes given low water content in surface soils?, 2. Are commercially available AMF inoculants effective at improving harvest outcomes?, and 3. How does the broader fungal community change in dry farm soils, and are those changes associated with harvest outcomes? Only soil nutrients below 60cm depth were correlated with tomato yield and fruit quality. We identified a fungal class, Sordariomycetes, as a “signature” fungal group in dry farm soils that distinguished them from irrigated management and correlated with positive fruit quality, while commercial AMF inoculation showed little benefit. These findings can inform management practices that optimize fruit yield and quality, and can guide farmers and policymakers alike in efforts to minimize agricultural water use.
{"title":"Deep nutrients and soil fungal communities support tomato fruit yield and quality in dry farm management systems.","authors":"Yvonne Socolar, Tucker Javier Matta, Melanie Rodríguez Fuentes, Bethany Andoko, James Cook, Cristóbal Cruz Hernández, Cole Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Verónica Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Joel Schirmer, Jacob B. Socolar, Claire Woodard, Darryl G Wong, Timothy M. Bowles","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad382e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad382e","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Changing climates are causing agricultural water shortages at unprecedented scales and magnitudes, especially in regions historically reliant on irrigation. Identifying and understanding systems of farming that allow continuity in agricultural operations in times of water scarcity are increasingly urgent needs. Vegetable dry farming relies on winter rains stored in soils to reduce irrigation to 0-2 events per season and has become prevalent on California’s Central Coast in recent decades. Until now, this system has been unexplored in scientific literature beyond extension publications, despite its promise as a model for low-water agriculture in arid regions. Dry farm management presents a unique challenge given that low water content restricts nutrient access in surface soils, which farmers typically target for fertility management. Managing soil nutrients at depth, as well as microorganisms that help plants access nutrients and alleviate water stress (e.g. arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or AMF) could be crucial to dry farm success. We engaged in a collaborative research design process with farmers managing seven commercial dry farm tomato fields to identify and answer three key management questions: 1. What are the depths at which nutrients influence harvest outcomes given low water content in surface soils?, 2. Are commercially available AMF inoculants effective at improving harvest outcomes?, and 3. How does the broader fungal community change in dry farm soils, and are those changes associated with harvest outcomes? Only soil nutrients below 60cm depth were correlated with tomato yield and fruit quality. We identified a fungal class, Sordariomycetes, as a “signature” fungal group in dry farm soils that distinguished them from irrigated management and correlated with positive fruit quality, while commercial AMF inoculation showed little benefit. These findings can inform management practices that optimize fruit yield and quality, and can guide farmers and policymakers alike in efforts to minimize agricultural water use.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"99 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140377351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-27DOI: 10.1088/2976-601x/ad382f
Claudio Gratton, John Strauser, Nicholas Jordan, Randy Jackson
Livestock agriculture must change to meet demand for food production while building soil, reducing flooding, retaining nutrients, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting thriving communities. Technological innovations, including those in digital and precision agriculture, are unlikely by themselves to create the magnitude and directionality of transformation of livestock production systems that are needed. We begin by comparing technological, ecological and social innovations in feedlot-finished and pasture-finished cattle production and propose that what is required is a more integrative “agroecological innovation” process that intentionally weaves these three forms of innovation to transition livestock agriculture to be genuinely regenerative and multifunctional. This integrated system emphasizes social innovations as essential components of the innovation system because of their capacity to address and influence the social context into which technological and ecological innovations occur. In particular, regional place-making can be especially useful as an interactive process of designing regional identities as people engage with one another and their environments to define landscape futures and the related social standards that normalize particular land management practices. Intentionally developing innovations can help communities engage in relational place-making processes to define desired outcomes for agricultural landscapes and develop ways to collaborate towards achieving them, including the creation of novel supply chains that support regenerative livestock systems. As social norms evolve through place-making they influence individual behaviors and agricultural practices on the ground and offer a pathway for more rapid scaling of regenerative practices in livestock agriculture. Regional place-making also can influence the ‘meta’ context of agricultural systems by engaging with public and private institutions responsible for management of natural resources, food systems, and the public good, further accelerating the scaling process. Emerging agroecological innovation systems for livestock agriculture must be designed and governed in ways that ensure responsible and diverse outcomes compatible with their social and ecological contexts, and with management approaches and technologies consistent with the values and goals of communities in a region.
{"title":"Agroecological innovation to scale livestock agriculture for positive economic, environmental, and social outcomes","authors":"Claudio Gratton, John Strauser, Nicholas Jordan, Randy Jackson","doi":"10.1088/2976-601x/ad382f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601x/ad382f","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Livestock agriculture must change to meet demand for food production while building soil, reducing flooding, retaining nutrients, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting thriving communities. Technological innovations, including those in digital and precision agriculture, are unlikely by themselves to create the magnitude and directionality of transformation of livestock production systems that are needed. We begin by comparing technological, ecological and social innovations in feedlot-finished and pasture-finished cattle production and propose that what is required is a more integrative “agroecological innovation” process that intentionally weaves these three forms of innovation to transition livestock agriculture to be genuinely regenerative and multifunctional. This integrated system emphasizes social innovations as essential components of the innovation system because of their capacity to address and influence the social context into which technological and ecological innovations occur. In particular, regional place-making can be especially useful as an interactive process of designing regional identities as people engage with one another and their environments to define landscape futures and the related social standards that normalize particular land management practices. Intentionally developing innovations can help communities engage in relational place-making processes to define desired outcomes for agricultural landscapes and develop ways to collaborate towards achieving them, including the creation of novel supply chains that support regenerative livestock systems. As social norms evolve through place-making they influence individual behaviors and agricultural practices on the ground and offer a pathway for more rapid scaling of regenerative practices in livestock agriculture. Regional place-making also can influence the ‘meta’ context of agricultural systems by engaging with public and private institutions responsible for management of natural resources, food systems, and the public good, further accelerating the scaling process. Emerging agroecological innovation systems for livestock agriculture must be designed and governed in ways that ensure responsible and diverse outcomes compatible with their social and ecological contexts, and with management approaches and technologies consistent with the values and goals of communities in a region.","PeriodicalId":517147,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research: Food Systems","volume":"11 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140374797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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