Pub Date : 2025-02-27DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104289
Jonas Schmitt , Frank Offermann , Robert Finger
The subsidisation of agricultural weather insurance is gaining momentum in European agriculture, with the aim of increasing farmers' self-responsibility and eliminating the need for ad hoc disaster payments. The implementation and design of agricultural weather insurance subsidies vary considerably from country to country. We show here that in Germany there are even fundamental differences within the country due to the different weather insurance subsidy schemes of the federal states. For example, some federal states do not subsidise weather insurance, and other federal states that do subsidise weather insurance, differ in which crops or perils are supported. This insurance subsidy mosaic increases inequality across farms and is likely to increase the cost of insurance. In addition, small federal-state-specific insurance markets are less attractive to insurance companies, which has a negative impact on competition among insurance companies and innovation in insurance products. We conclude that harmonised approaches to insurance support that incentivise on-farm risk management and adaptation to climate change are needed.
{"title":"The subsidy-mosaic for agricultural weather insurance in Germany","authors":"Jonas Schmitt , Frank Offermann , Robert Finger","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The subsidisation of agricultural weather insurance is gaining momentum in European agriculture, with the aim of increasing farmers' self-responsibility and eliminating the need for ad hoc disaster payments. The implementation and design of agricultural weather insurance subsidies vary considerably from country to country. We show here that in Germany there are even fundamental differences within the country due to the different weather insurance subsidy schemes of the federal states. For example, some federal states do not subsidise weather insurance, and other federal states that do subsidise weather insurance, differ in which crops or perils are supported. This insurance subsidy mosaic increases inequality across farms and is likely to increase the cost of insurance. In addition, small federal-state-specific insurance markets are less attractive to insurance companies, which has a negative impact on competition among insurance companies and innovation in insurance products. We conclude that harmonised approaches to insurance support that incentivise on-farm risk management and adaptation to climate change are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104289"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104292
Colin R. Tosh , Jo Smith
CONTEXT
Trees growing in and around the field (agroforestry) attract a range of organisms and empirical studies indicate that these are overall beneficial to the arable crop. A recently modelling study of English organic silvoarable using a new approach based on Boolean regulatory network modelling supported this conclusion.
OBJECTIVE
Here we develop this model further to consider the impact of pesticide use on the benefits trees can bring to crops through living interactions.
METHODS
Pests in the model agroecosystem are selectively and non-selectively removed from the agroecosystem under a range of intervention thresholds to simulate pesticide use, and the benefits of trees quantified and compared to benefits accrued under a baseline treatment of no pesticide use.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Selective interventions for crop disease and crop insects (pests and non-target natural enemies) dramatically reduce the benefits of trees, even at relatively high intervention thresholds. Intervention for crop weeds increases the benefits of trees, as weeds are often considered a burden associated with tree understories. Less selective, double interventions (weed-disease, weed-pest-natural enemy, disease-pest-natural enemy) all reduce the benefits of trees, but the weed-pest-natural enemy intervention least so. Unsurprisingly, removing all living associates of trees renders trees of no benefit to crop yield through biotic mechanisms but, more surprisingly, this conclusion applies when intervention thresholds are high and delayed to late in the growing season.
SIGNIFICANCE
Caution is urged in the interpretation of model findings but this study provides a first guide to how pesticide use in agroforestry systems modulates the benefits of trees. These findings may be particularly useful to growers in the increasingly popular area of regenerative agriculture which permits restrained and selective use of pesticides.
{"title":"Can trees and their associated organisms still benefit arable crops in the presence of pesticide use?","authors":"Colin R. Tosh , Jo Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Trees growing in and around the field (agroforestry) attract a range of organisms and empirical studies indicate that these are overall beneficial to the arable crop. A recently modelling study of English organic silvoarable using a new approach based on Boolean regulatory network modelling supported this conclusion.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Here we develop this model further to consider the impact of pesticide use on the benefits trees can bring to crops through living interactions.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Pests in the model agroecosystem are selectively and non-selectively removed from the agroecosystem under a range of intervention thresholds to simulate pesticide use, and the benefits of trees quantified and compared to benefits accrued under a baseline treatment of no pesticide use.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Selective interventions for crop disease and crop insects (pests and non-target natural enemies) dramatically reduce the benefits of trees, even at relatively high intervention thresholds. Intervention for crop weeds increases the benefits of trees, as weeds are often considered a burden associated with tree understories. Less selective, double interventions (weed-disease, weed-pest-natural enemy, disease-pest-natural enemy) all reduce the benefits of trees, but the weed-pest-natural enemy intervention least so. Unsurprisingly, removing all living associates of trees renders trees of no benefit to crop yield through biotic mechanisms but, more surprisingly, this conclusion applies when intervention thresholds are high and delayed to late in the growing season.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Caution is urged in the interpretation of model findings but this study provides a first guide to how pesticide use in agroforestry systems modulates the benefits of trees. These findings may be particularly useful to growers in the increasingly popular area of regenerative agriculture which permits restrained and selective use of pesticides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104292"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143487695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-25DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104276
Pascal Genest-Richard , Caroline Halde , Isabelle Breune , Patrick Mundler , Nicolas Devillers
CONTEXT
Worldwide, the livestock sector was found to be an important contributor to climate change, resource use, health, and pollution issues. In the Global North, the growing interest in alternative food networks and short supply chains has reached the livestock sector, within which we find an increasing number of farms raising multi-species herds on pasture and marketing their products directly to the end consumer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the economic performance and environmental impacts of multispecies pastured livestock farms using direct marketing, a farm model that can be considered novel and alternative when compared to large-scale specialized livestock operations.
METHOD
From a sample of 15 multispecies pastured livestock farms using direct marketing in Québec, we conducted a principal component analysis according to farm structure, economic and environmental indicators. We subsequently divided the farms in three groups using hierarchical clustering and compared them through an analysis of variance.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Farms grouped in the Intensive cluster had a high animal load and high proportion of monogastric animals to which they fed purchased grain feed. This reliance on imported feed had negative economic and environmental impacts. Farms in the Extensive cluster supplemented a traditional cow-calf farming model with purchased weaners for seasonal finishing, thus presenting low animal densities and low environmental impacts. Other animal species were added to the herd to serve their direct-marketing clients, making for overall strong economic performances. Some farms in the Thrifty cluster produced crops, which helped lower their environmental impacts through manure cycling and economically diversify their activities. These farms had better resource optimization strategies and added value to their products though some level of processing on the farm.
SIGNIFICANCE
While all farms dedicated a certain amount of land to pasture or forage production, multispecies pastured livestock systems using direct marketing in Québec are not fully integrated crop-livestock systems. Farms with crop production activities, even when unrelated to their livestock operation, appeared to benefit from some level of integration between their crop and livestock productions in the form of a reduction of their environmental impacts through nutrient cycling by manure disposal on pasture. Farms with a higher animal density and higher proportion of monogastric animals fed purchased grain feed ran the risk of both causing negative environmental impacts and reducing their economic performances.
{"title":"Multivariate analysis of economic performance and environmental impacts of multispecies pastured livestock farms using direct marketing","authors":"Pascal Genest-Richard , Caroline Halde , Isabelle Breune , Patrick Mundler , Nicolas Devillers","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Worldwide, the livestock sector was found to be an important contributor to climate change, resource use, health, and pollution issues. In the Global North, the growing interest in alternative food networks and short supply chains has reached the livestock sector, within which we find an increasing number of farms raising multi-species herds on pasture and marketing their products directly to the end consumer.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The objective of this study was to assess the economic performance and environmental impacts of multispecies pastured livestock farms using direct marketing, a farm model that can be considered novel and alternative when compared to large-scale specialized livestock operations.</div></div><div><h3>METHOD</h3><div>From a sample of 15 multispecies pastured livestock farms using direct marketing in Québec, we conducted a principal component analysis according to farm structure, economic and environmental indicators. We subsequently divided the farms in three groups using hierarchical clustering and compared them through an analysis of variance.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Farms grouped in the Intensive cluster had a high animal load and high proportion of monogastric animals to which they fed purchased grain feed. This reliance on imported feed had negative economic and environmental impacts. Farms in the Extensive cluster supplemented a traditional cow-calf farming model with purchased weaners for seasonal finishing, thus presenting low animal densities and low environmental impacts. Other animal species were added to the herd to serve their direct-marketing clients, making for overall strong economic performances. Some farms in the Thrifty cluster produced crops, which helped lower their environmental impacts through manure cycling and economically diversify their activities. These farms had better resource optimization strategies and added value to their products though some level of processing on the farm.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>While all farms dedicated a certain amount of land to pasture or forage production, multispecies pastured livestock systems using direct marketing in Québec are not fully integrated crop-livestock systems. Farms with crop production activities, even when unrelated to their livestock operation, appeared to benefit from some level of integration between their crop and livestock productions in the form of a reduction of their environmental impacts through nutrient cycling by manure disposal on pasture. Farms with a higher animal density and higher proportion of monogastric animals fed purchased grain feed ran the risk of both causing negative environmental impacts and reducing their economic performances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104276"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-24DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104294
Bazyli Czyżewski, Agnieszka Poczta-Wajda, Anna Matuszczak, Katarzyna Smędzik-Ambroży, Marta Guth
CONTEXT
The European Union actively supports and promotes the development of more sustainable and resilient farming systems and contributes to the significant expansion of organic farming. Despite the considerable growth of the organic agricultural sector, this process faces several structural challenges, especially in countries with fragmented agriculture, such as Romania, where small-scale farming dominates. Small-scale farmers are quite reluctant to transition to organic farming even despite financial incentives.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to understand small-scale farmers' reluctance to adopt organic farming by combining embeddedness theory, which links economic activities to social structures, with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).
METHODS
A survey of 150 small-scale farms in Romania's Centru region was conducted in 2023 using semi-structured face-to-face questionnaires. The research framework combines embeddedness theory and the extended TPB using structural equation modelling and simultaneous confirmatory factor analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
It was demonstrated that network embeddedness exerts the most significant influence on pro-environmental behavioural intentions when considered in the context of other TPB constructs. However, this positive impact is partially offset by the negative impact of embeddedness at the farm level. Our research results suggest that changing the approach of small-scale farmers to organic farming requires strengthening network embeddedness through workshops, training sessions, rallies, and meetings that would highlight the benefits of organic farming.
SIGNIFICANCE
We shed more light on the behavioural drivers of adopting organic practices in small-scale framing and argue that the relational embeddedness construct represents a significant extension of the TPB framework for agri-environmental studies. Hence, our study highlights the necessity of relational and behavioural insights in understanding and transforming agricultural systems.
{"title":"Exploring intentions to convert into organic farming in small-scale agriculture: Social embeddedness in extended theory of planned behaviour framework","authors":"Bazyli Czyżewski, Agnieszka Poczta-Wajda, Anna Matuszczak, Katarzyna Smędzik-Ambroży, Marta Guth","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The European Union actively supports and promotes the development of more sustainable and resilient farming systems and contributes to the significant expansion of organic farming. Despite the considerable growth of the organic agricultural sector, this process faces several structural challenges, especially in countries with fragmented agriculture, such as Romania, where small-scale farming dominates. Small-scale farmers are quite reluctant to transition to organic farming even despite financial incentives.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study aims to understand small-scale farmers' reluctance to adopt organic farming by combining embeddedness theory, which links economic activities to social structures, with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>A survey of 150 small-scale farms in Romania's Centru region was conducted in 2023 using semi-structured face-to-face questionnaires. The research framework combines embeddedness theory and the extended TPB using structural equation modelling and simultaneous confirmatory factor analysis.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>It was demonstrated that network embeddedness exerts the most significant influence on pro-environmental behavioural intentions when considered in the context of other TPB constructs. However, this positive impact is partially offset by the negative impact of embeddedness at the farm level. Our research results suggest that changing the approach of small-scale farmers to organic farming requires strengthening network embeddedness through workshops, training sessions, rallies, and meetings that would highlight the benefits of organic farming.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>We shed more light on the behavioural drivers of adopting organic practices in small-scale framing and argue that the relational embeddedness construct represents a significant extension of the TPB framework for agri-environmental studies. Hence, our study highlights the necessity of relational and behavioural insights in understanding and transforming agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104294"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-19DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104272
Nicole A. Cameron, Rebecca A.M. Peer
CONTEXT
In New Zealand, the dairy sector is a critical food system, contributing substantially to the nation's economy and supplying about 3 % of the world's dairy products. Despite this, a detailed assessment of water use across the sector has yet to be completed.
OBJECTIVE
This study addresses this gap by systematically quantifying blue (consumptive) and green (effective rainfall) water use in New Zealand's dairy sector up to primary processing.
METHODS
Using a regionally-specific approach, publicly available data were collected to calculate consented and actual water use for irrigation on dairy farms, and processing facilities nationwide. On-farm water use for stock drinking and milking sheds was calculated using region-specific values for irrigated and non-irrigated farms combined with the latest stock numbers. High-resolution climate data and land use data were combined to calculate green water use.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
In total, the dairy sector is responsible for approximately 20 % (2.46 billion m3 per year) of total consumptive (blue) water use in the country, over 90 % of which is driven by irrigation, and 80 % is sourced from surface water. Effective rainfall represents almost 80 % of total water use in the system (9.63 billion m3). Water use varies substantially across core dairy regions with consumptive water intensities ranging from 7.5 L/ha of dairy land in Canterbury to 0.15 L/ha in Waikato, despite both regions contributing majorly to the dairy sector.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding current water consumption and anticipating climate-induced changes are crucial for addressing the water supply-demand imbalance in New Zealand's dairy industry and ensuring the continued resilience of the food system. This work provides the most recent detailed estimate of the water quantity account, providing a platform for further analysis of the water dependence for the primary sector, comparison with other dairy-intensive countries, and more precise estimates for global studies on the water use of food systems and trade.
{"title":"Quantifying water use in New Zealand's dairy food system: A baseline for future sustainability","authors":"Nicole A. Cameron, Rebecca A.M. Peer","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>In New Zealand, the dairy sector is a critical food system, contributing substantially to the nation's economy and supplying about 3 % of the world's dairy products. Despite this, a detailed assessment of water use across the sector has yet to be completed.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study addresses this gap by systematically quantifying blue (consumptive) and green (effective rainfall) water use in New Zealand's dairy sector up to primary processing.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Using a regionally-specific approach, publicly available data were collected to calculate consented and actual water use for irrigation on dairy farms, and processing facilities nationwide. On-farm water use for stock drinking and milking sheds was calculated using region-specific values for irrigated and non-irrigated farms combined with the latest stock numbers. High-resolution climate data and land use data were combined to calculate green water use.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>In total, the dairy sector is responsible for approximately 20 % (2.46 billion m<sup>3</sup> per year) of total consumptive (blue) water use in the country, over 90 % of which is driven by irrigation, and 80 % is sourced from surface water. Effective rainfall represents almost 80 % of total water use in the system (9.63 billion m<sup>3</sup>). Water use varies substantially across core dairy regions with consumptive water intensities ranging from 7.5 L/ha of dairy land in Canterbury to 0.15 L/ha in Waikato, despite both regions contributing majorly to the dairy sector.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Understanding current water consumption and anticipating climate-induced changes are crucial for addressing the water supply-demand imbalance in New Zealand's dairy industry and ensuring the continued resilience of the food system. This work provides the most recent detailed estimate of the water quantity account, providing a platform for further analysis of the water dependence for the primary sector, comparison with other dairy-intensive countries, and more precise estimates for global studies on the water use of food systems and trade.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104272"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143436798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Climate change, volatile markets, and local resource variability pose significant challenges to sustainable agricultural development, particularly in soil health management. Despite extensive scientific research, the adoption of soil health solutions (SHS) among smallholder farmers in Africa remains low, highlighting a gap between research and practical implementation.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of farmer agency in enhancing the effectiveness of agricultural extension models, with a focus on soil health management. The paper aims to demonstrate how empowering farmers to innovate and adapt both local and scientific knowledge can lead to more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.
METHODS
This paper presents a review and perspective on the importance of farmer agency in sustainable soil management and agriculture extension more generally. It examines current limitations in research and extension systems, discusses the need for hyper-localisation of soil health practices, and proposes solutions for integrating farmer agency into agricultural development programmes.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The review identifies several factors that enhance farmer agency, including education, economic opportunities, social networks, and supportive policies. It concludes that fostering farmer agency is crucial for improving soil health outcomes and driving sustainable agricultural transformation. The paper proposes guiding principles for policies and programmes aimed at elevating farmer decision-making power, including farmer-centred learning platforms, digital tools, and initiatives that strengthen social capital within farming communities.
SIGNIFICANCE
This perspective highlights the critical role of farmer agency in bridging the gap between scientific research and practical implementation of sustainable soil management practices. By emphasising the importance of empowering farmers as autonomous decision-makers, the paper provides a framework for more effective agricultural extension and development programming. This approach has the potential to significantly improve the adoption and adaptation of SHS, leading to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Africa.
{"title":"Enhancing farmers' agency is a more effective extension paradigm: The case of soil health management in Africa","authors":"Chima Rickards , Paswel Marenya , Mazvita Chiduwa , Anton Eitzinger , Monica Fisher , Sieglinde Snapp","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Climate change, volatile markets, and local resource variability pose significant challenges to sustainable agricultural development, particularly in soil health management. Despite extensive scientific research, the adoption of soil health solutions (SHS) among smallholder farmers in Africa remains low, highlighting a gap between research and practical implementation.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>To explore the role of farmer agency in enhancing the effectiveness of agricultural extension models, with a focus on soil health management. The paper aims to demonstrate how empowering farmers to innovate and adapt both local and scientific knowledge can lead to more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>This paper presents a review and perspective on the importance of farmer agency in sustainable soil management and agriculture extension more generally. It examines current limitations in research and extension systems, discusses the need for hyper-localisation of soil health practices, and proposes solutions for integrating farmer agency into agricultural development programmes.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The review identifies several factors that enhance farmer agency, including education, economic opportunities, social networks, and supportive policies. It concludes that fostering farmer agency is crucial for improving soil health outcomes and driving sustainable agricultural transformation. The paper proposes guiding principles for policies and programmes aimed at elevating farmer decision-making power, including farmer-centred learning platforms, digital tools, and initiatives that strengthen social capital within farming communities.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This perspective highlights the critical role of farmer agency in bridging the gap between scientific research and practical implementation of sustainable soil management practices. By emphasising the importance of empowering farmers as autonomous decision-makers, the paper provides a framework for more effective agricultural extension and development programming. This approach has the potential to significantly improve the adoption and adaptation of SHS, leading to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104267"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143436799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-17DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104270
Anton Riera, Océane Duluins, Clémentine Antier, Philippe V. Baret
CONTEXT
Quantitative scenarios have become common tools to explore the evolution of agricultural and food systems and their necessary transition towards greater sustainability. Yet, despite the diversity in methods and questions explored, a notable gap remains in methodically categorizing such scenarios.
OBJECTIVES
Through reviewing a broad range of studies, this paper aims to address this gap. It pursues two main objectives: (1) proposing a comprehensive typology classification of distinctive scenario types; (2) delving into the practical implications that diverse scenario designs bring to the forefront.
METHODS
Based on a snowball sampling method, 36 quantitative food system scenario studies were included in the sample and reviewed. A coding process allowed to characterize each scenario based on a set of variables focused on the scenarios' design process (e.g. purpose of the scenarios, number of scenarios tested, scale of analysis, consideration of production systems, sectors of interest, considered sustainability dimensions, etc.). Typology identification involved two iterative rounds of discussion among the authors, based on variables deemed pivotal for distinguishing scenario types.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The paper proposes four scenario types of quantitative food system scenarios, centered on the scenarios' purpose and design process. Scenario types A and B are more normative as they seek to demonstrate the feasibility of a specific scenario or frame the conditions for its feasibility, differing in the number of scenarios tested (respectively one and many). Scenario types C and D are more exploratory as they aim to assess the consequences of different scenarios, differing in the number of scenario variables being explored (respectively one and many). Besides the proposed classification, the paper discusses important methodological considerations related to scenario design (e.g. the consideration of multiple sustainability dimensions, the adoption of participatory approaches, etc.).
SIGNIFICANCE
This paper contributes to enhancing coherence across food system foresight studies and helps to ensure that quantitative scenarios are utilized effectively for their intended purposes, such as assessing the feasibility of achieving a goal or evaluating different options.
{"title":"Which types of quantitative foresight scenarios to frame the future of food systems? A review","authors":"Anton Riera, Océane Duluins, Clémentine Antier, Philippe V. Baret","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Quantitative scenarios have become common tools to explore the evolution of agricultural and food systems and their necessary transition towards greater sustainability. Yet, despite the diversity in methods and questions explored, a notable gap remains in methodically categorizing such scenarios.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVES</h3><div>Through reviewing a broad range of studies, this paper aims to address this gap. It pursues two main objectives: (1) proposing a comprehensive typology classification of distinctive scenario types; (2) delving into the practical implications that diverse scenario designs bring to the forefront.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Based on a snowball sampling method, 36 quantitative food system scenario studies were included in the sample and reviewed. A coding process allowed to characterize each scenario based on a set of variables focused on the scenarios' design process (e.g. purpose of the scenarios, number of scenarios tested, scale of analysis, consideration of production systems, sectors of interest, considered sustainability dimensions, etc.). Typology identification involved two iterative rounds of discussion among the authors, based on variables deemed pivotal for distinguishing scenario types.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The paper proposes four scenario types of quantitative food system scenarios, centered on the scenarios' purpose and design process. Scenario types A and B are more normative as they seek to demonstrate the feasibility of a specific scenario or frame the conditions for its feasibility, differing in the number of scenarios tested (respectively one and many). Scenario types C and D are more exploratory as they aim to assess the consequences of different scenarios, differing in the number of scenario variables being explored (respectively one and many). Besides the proposed classification, the paper discusses important methodological considerations related to scenario design (e.g. the consideration of multiple sustainability dimensions, the adoption of participatory approaches, etc.).</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This paper contributes to enhancing coherence across food system foresight studies and helps to ensure that quantitative scenarios are utilized effectively for their intended purposes, such as assessing the feasibility of achieving a goal or evaluating different options.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104270"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are essential for pig health, they also represent an environmental risk. A better understanding of the influence of feeding and manure management practices on Cu and Zn flows is required to optimise the whole pig farming system.
OBJECTIVE
For this purpose, a model was built to predict Cu and Zn flows from the feed to the spread products to be able to account for the influence of swine production and manure management.
METHODS
The parameters used to model Cu and Zn flows during the treatments were mainly obtained from the literature and, when not available, based on expert knowledge. A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify critical parameters and to select sets of parameters to quantify uncertainty of the results.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
The use of feed containing only 15 and 80 mg/kg feed of Cu and Zn, respectively, would allow to reduce Cu and Zn contents in stored raw manure of 41 and 36 %, respectively, compared to the use of feed with current EU regulations. However, concentrations of Cu and Zn relative to DM in effluents increase with the application of effluent treatments. Feed is therefore the most effective lever for reducing Cu and Zn concentrations in organic fertilisers from swine systems, and will directly influence manure concentrations before and after treatments.
SIGNIFICANCE
This work will allow to better understand and control the flows and concentrations of Cu and Zn in organic fertilisers and to develop strategies that improve manure management and use of pig manure.
{"title":"A mass balance model to predict the fate of copper and zinc in pig farming systems to reduce environmental impacts: Application to French context","authors":"Emma Gourlez , Christine Baratte , Francine de Quelen , Jean-Yves Dourmad , Alessandra Rigo Monteiro , Florence Garcia-Launay , Ludovic Brossard , Fabrice Beline","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Although copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are essential for pig health, they also represent an environmental risk. A better understanding of the influence of feeding and manure management practices on Cu and Zn flows is required to optimise the whole pig farming system.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>For this purpose, a model was built to predict Cu and Zn flows from the feed to the spread products to be able to account for the influence of swine production and manure management.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>The parameters used to model Cu and Zn flows during the treatments were mainly obtained from the literature and, when not available, based on expert knowledge. A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify critical parameters and to select sets of parameters to quantify uncertainty of the results.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>The use of feed containing only 15 and 80 mg/kg feed of Cu and Zn, respectively, would allow to reduce Cu and Zn contents in stored raw manure of 41 and 36 %, respectively, compared to the use of feed with current EU regulations. However, concentrations of Cu and Zn relative to DM in effluents increase with the application of effluent treatments. Feed is therefore the most effective lever for reducing Cu and Zn concentrations in organic fertilisers from swine systems, and will directly influence manure concentrations before and after treatments.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This work will allow to better understand and control the flows and concentrations of Cu and Zn in organic fertilisers and to develop strategies that improve manure management and use of pig manure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104274"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104271
Puck J.A.M. Mulders , Menno J.T.C. van Zutphen , Arie P.P. Ravensbergen (Paul) , A.T.J.R. Cobbenhagen (Roy) , Edwin R. van den Heuvel , M.J.G. van de Molengraft (René) , Pytrik Reidsma , Duarte Guerreiro Tomé Antunes , W.P.M.H. Heemels (Maurice)
Context
Managing large farms with many different heterogeneous fields is a complex task. To maximize profits, farmers have to make trade-offs in their management strategy that take into account costs, constraints and the expected yield. A particularly challenging management task is planning the potato planting period, because the decisions within this period highly influence potato yield. These decisions pertain to the planting distance, seed size and the planting date, among other variables. However, it is not straightforward to determine how large the influence of these decisions actually is, especially given the diversity in soil conditions within a farm.
Objective
With an increasing number of farmers that collect data, opportunities arise to optimize the decisions in the planting period: the effect of these decisions can be quantified under farmer's conditions, which can then be used to provide farm-specific guidance for this specific challenge. In this paper we propose a flexible data-driven approach to optimize decisions in the planting period such that farmer's profit is maximized.
Methods
This approach is tailored to an important case study of a large potato farm in The Netherlands, comprising a total of 600 ha, and its main principles can be transferred to other use cases. The approach consists of three steps: (i) formulation of the initial optimization problem by identifying function parameters and constraints, and using these to construct an objective function, (ii) estimation of objective function parameters by first identifying knowledge and data gaps due to selection bias in the on-farm collected data. Based on this identification, field experiments are set up and analyzed, and on-farm collected data are analyzed to obtain estimates of the parameters, and (iii) optimize the farm management task, which is the planting period. From the data analysis we conclude that the cost function for the optimization in (iii) can be simplified and, accordingly, the proposed optimization takes such a simplified cost into account.
Results and conclusions
When using the optimized strategy for the planting period, the farmer can gain an additional profit in a dry year and in a wet year compared to the farmer's strategy.
Significance
This indicates that using optimization techniques combined with data science and agronomic knowledge can result in locally relevant and practical guidance for farmer, illustrating the scientific and practical potential of this cooperation between these different domains.
{"title":"Spatial and temporal optimization of potato planting based on on-farm collected data and field experiments","authors":"Puck J.A.M. Mulders , Menno J.T.C. van Zutphen , Arie P.P. Ravensbergen (Paul) , A.T.J.R. Cobbenhagen (Roy) , Edwin R. van den Heuvel , M.J.G. van de Molengraft (René) , Pytrik Reidsma , Duarte Guerreiro Tomé Antunes , W.P.M.H. Heemels (Maurice)","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Managing large farms with many different heterogeneous fields is a complex task. To maximize profits, farmers have to make trade-offs in their management strategy that take into account costs, constraints and the expected yield. A particularly challenging management task is planning the potato planting period, because the decisions within this period highly influence potato yield. These decisions pertain to the planting distance, seed size and the planting date, among other variables. However, it is not straightforward to determine how large the influence of these decisions actually is, especially given the diversity in soil conditions within a farm.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>With an increasing number of farmers that collect data, opportunities arise to optimize the decisions in the planting period: the effect of these decisions can be quantified under farmer's conditions, which can then be used to provide farm-specific guidance for this specific challenge. In this paper we propose a flexible data-driven approach to optimize decisions in the planting period such that farmer's profit is maximized.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This approach is tailored to an important case study of a large potato farm in The Netherlands, comprising a total of 600 ha, and its main principles can be transferred to other use cases. The approach consists of three steps: (i) formulation of the initial optimization problem by identifying function parameters and constraints, and using these to construct an objective function, (ii) estimation of objective function parameters by first identifying knowledge and data gaps due to selection bias in the on-farm collected data. Based on this identification, field experiments are set up and analyzed, and on-farm collected data are analyzed to obtain estimates of the parameters, and (iii) optimize the farm management task, which is the planting period. From the data analysis we conclude that the cost function for the optimization in (iii) can be simplified and, accordingly, the proposed optimization takes such a simplified cost into account.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>When using the optimized strategy for the planting period, the farmer can gain an additional <span><math><mn>1.5</mn><mo>%</mo></math></span> profit in a dry year and <span><math><mn>2.5</mn><mo>%</mo></math></span> in a wet year compared to the farmer's strategy.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This indicates that using optimization techniques combined with data science and agronomic knowledge can result in locally relevant and practical guidance for farmer, illustrating the scientific and practical potential of this cooperation between these different domains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104271"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pollution of water resources by substances emitted by agriculture, such as nitrate, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, fecal microorganisms and microplastics, remains a crucial issue. To assess the effectiveness of pollution-mitigation projects, water quality is usually monitored at the watershed scale. In parallel, farmers and agricultural advisors use mainly means-based indicators to assess farm sustainability. In Brittany, France, the Terres de Sources project addresses the following issues: (i) individual farmers cannot assess effects of changes in their practices using result-based water-quality indicators at the watershed outlet and (ii) means-based indicators provide little information about local water quality.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this project was to gather together researchers, farmers and advisors to build operational result-based indicators that would allow farmers to estimate on-farm emissions of pollutants to water. This article highlights the implementation and outputs of a collective design process to create such indicators.
METHODS
The Knowledge-Concepts-Proposals design method was implemented to explore ideas around the initial concept of “result-based water-quality indicators at the farm scale”. The method's design process has four steps, from initiation to outputs. Emerging ideas of indicators were classified in four categories and we finally selected scientifically relevant and achievable indicators. The methods for measuring these indicators were worked during the final phase of the design process.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The main results of the design process were (i) a set of result-based indicators focused on nitrate and pesticides and related to chemical measurements and bioindicators, (ii) the development of phases of “farm characterization” and “on-farm monitoring strategy” to understand water circulation, the relevant “types of water” to sample and suitable on-farm monitoring locations. In addition, breakthrough ideas have emerged but not exploited in this project; they were related to indicators based on senses and on exposure of livestock to pollutants. Despite fixation effects, the group was actively involved in the design process and in the proposal of subsequent prototype testing on farms.
SIGNIFICANCE
Most of the indicators selected had already been developed at the watershed scale, but attempting to adapt them to the farm scale was an originality. Farm-scale studies help understand sources of pollutant emissions that decrease water quality. Farmers' use of comprehensive assessment tools would help encourage them to pursue their efforts in agroecological transition.
{"title":"On-farm water quality: Co-design of result-based indicators","authors":"Perrine Branchet , Olivier Godinot , Nouraya Akkal-Corfini , Matthieu Carof , Christophe Jaeger , Bénédicte Roche , Françoise Vertès , Virginie Parnaudeau","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Pollution of water resources by substances emitted by agriculture, such as nitrate, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, fecal microorganisms and microplastics, remains a crucial issue. To assess the effectiveness of pollution-mitigation projects, water quality is usually monitored at the watershed scale. In parallel, farmers and agricultural advisors use mainly means-based indicators to assess farm sustainability. In Brittany, France, the <em>Terres de Sources</em> project addresses the following issues: (i) individual farmers cannot assess effects of changes in their practices using result-based water-quality indicators at the watershed outlet and (ii) means-based indicators provide little information about local water quality.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The aim of this project was to gather together researchers, farmers and advisors to build operational result-based indicators that would allow farmers to estimate on-farm emissions of pollutants to water. This article highlights the implementation and outputs of a collective design process to create such indicators.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>The Knowledge-Concepts-Proposals design method was implemented to explore ideas around the initial concept of “result-based water-quality indicators at the farm scale”. The method's design process has four steps, from initiation to outputs. Emerging ideas of indicators were classified in four categories and we finally selected scientifically relevant and achievable indicators. The methods for measuring these indicators were worked during the final phase of the design process.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The main results of the design process were (i) a set of result-based indicators focused on nitrate and pesticides and related to chemical measurements and bioindicators, (ii) the development of phases of “farm characterization” and “on-farm monitoring strategy” to understand water circulation, the relevant “types of water” to sample and suitable on-farm monitoring locations. In addition, breakthrough ideas have emerged but not exploited in this project; they were related to indicators based on senses and on exposure of livestock to pollutants. Despite fixation effects, the group was actively involved in the design process and in the proposal of subsequent prototype testing on farms.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Most of the indicators selected had already been developed at the watershed scale, but attempting to adapt them to the farm scale was an originality. Farm-scale studies help understand sources of pollutant emissions that decrease water quality. Farmers' use of comprehensive assessment tools would help encourage them to pursue their efforts in agroecological transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 104275"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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