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1 – 10 of 590Robert T. F. Ah King, Bhimsen Rajkumarsingh, Pratima Jeetah, Geeta Somaroo and Deejaysing Jogee
There is an urgent need to develop climate-smart agrosystems capable of mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. Conventional agricultural practices prevail in…
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop climate-smart agrosystems capable of mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. Conventional agricultural practices prevail in Mauritius, whereby synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides are used. It should be noted that Mauritius remains a net-food importing developing country of staple food such as cereals and products, roots and tubers, pulses, oil crops, vegetables, fruits and meat (FAO, 2011). In Mauritius, the agricultural sector faces extreme weather conditions like drought or heavy rainfall. Moreover, to increase the crop yields, farmers tend to use 2.5 times the prescribed amount of fertilizers in their fields. These excess fertilizers are washed away during heavy rainfall and contaminate lakes and river waters. By using smart irrigation and fertilization system, a better management of soil water reserves for improved agricultural production can be implemented. Soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) content, humidity, pH, conductivity and moisture data can be monitored through the cloud platform. The data will be processed at the level of the cloud and an appropriate mix of NPK and irrigation will be used to optimise the growth of the crops. Machine learning algorithms will be used for the control of the land drainage, fertilization and irrigation systems and real time data will be available through a mobile application for the whole system. This will contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 2 (Zero Hunger), 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and 15 (Life on Land). With this project, the yield of crops will be boosted, thus reducing the hunger rate (SDG 2). On top of that, this will encourage farmers to collect the waters and reduce fertilizer consumption thereafter sustaining the quality of the soil on which they are cultivating the crops, thereby increasing their yields (SDG 15).
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Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured…
Abstract
Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.
The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.
The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.
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Chin How (Norman) Goh, Michael D. Short, Nanthi S. Bolan and Christopher P. Saint
Biosolids, the residual solids from wastewater treatment operations and once considered a waste product by the industry, are now becoming increasingly recognised as a…
Abstract
Biosolids, the residual solids from wastewater treatment operations and once considered a waste product by the industry, are now becoming increasingly recognised as a multifunctional resource with growing opportunities for marketable use. This shift in attitude towards biosolids management is spurred on by increasing volatility in energy, fertilizer and commodity markets as well as moves by the global community towards mitigating global warming and the effects of climate change. This chapter will provide an overview of current global biosolids practices (paired with a number of Australian examples) as well as discuss potential future uses of biosolids. Additionally, present and future risks and opportunities of biosolids use are highlighted, including potential policy implications.
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Farhod Ahrorov and Ilkhomjon Niyazov
Agriculture accounts for most of the land use in Uzbekistan, and is consequently the main determinant of environmental quality. As a result, due to the excessive use of production…
Abstract
Agriculture accounts for most of the land use in Uzbekistan, and is consequently the main determinant of environmental quality. As a result, due to the excessive use of production inputs and irrigation, land is widely degraded in Uzbekistan. This chapter explores characteristics and changes in land use, agricultural production, soil ecosystems, and water availability, and their effects on both soil degradation and limits on sustainable development in different agro-ecological zones of Uzbekistan. Secondary data from various sources was collected and processed, and descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze trends, causes, and effects of land degradation. Zones with lower land quality have higher water-use indicators. There is a positive correlation between the land grade and fertilizer application coefficients. Agriculture from the east zone showed sustainable water consumption, the highest average land-quality grade, and has the highest fertilizer-use coefficient. The downstream west zone has the highest water-use and the lowest fertilizer-use indicators. The analysis revealed a great potential for water saving in the west and southeast agricultural zones of Uzbekistan.
Sneha Kumari, Vidya Kumbhar and K. K. Tripathy
The major component of agriculture production includes the type of seed, soil, climatic conditions, irrigation pattern, fertilizer, weed control, and technology used. Soil is one…
Abstract
The major component of agriculture production includes the type of seed, soil, climatic conditions, irrigation pattern, fertilizer, weed control, and technology used. Soil is one of the prime elements in modern times for agriculture. Soil is also one of the primary and important factors for crop production. The available soil nutrient status and external applications of fertilizers decide the growth of crop productivity (Annoymous, 2017). The upcoming research question that needs to be addressed is What is the application of soil data on soil health management for sustaining agriculture? Driven by the need, the aim of the present study is (a) to explore the soil parameters of a district, (b) compare the values with the standards, and (c) pave a way for mapping the crops with suitability of soil health. This study will not only be beneficial for the district to take appropriate steps to improve the soil health but also would help in understanding the causal relationship among soil health parameters, cropping pattern, and crop productivity.
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Justus Wesseler, Sara Scatasta and El Hadji Fall
The widespread introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops may change the effect of agriculture on the environment. The magnitude and direction of expected effects are still…
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The widespread introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops may change the effect of agriculture on the environment. The magnitude and direction of expected effects are still being hotly debated, and the interests served in this discussion arena are often far from those of science and social welfare maximization. This chapter proposes that GM crops have net positive environmental effects, while regulatory responses focus mainly on environmental concerns, giving an unbalanced picture of the regulatory context. This unbalance supports the hypothesis that environmental concerns about GM crops have been politically instrumentalized and that more attention should be paid to regulatory responses considering the environmental benefits of this technology. It is also argued that a number of environmental effects have not yet been quantified and more research is needed in this direction.
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This case highlights the green agriculture initiative of the Honliv High Tech Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. towards agriculture environmental protection and better life. In…
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This case highlights the green agriculture initiative of the Honliv High Tech Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. towards agriculture environmental protection and better life. In this process, the Honliv Company confronted many difficulties, such as addressing the green transformation concerns of the team, identifying the sustainable agriculture target, the project selection of red globe grape products, the planning of a demonstration vineyard and green marketing. Nevertheless, with the Red Globe Grape of the “Honliv brand” had won the certification of China’s “Grade A” green food mark, and its green marketing initiatives, such as the “picking and demonstration model” had won people’s identification. The company was awarded the honorary titles of “Red Globe grape planting demonstration base with the Chinese characteristics” and “pollution-free science and technology demonstration unit of Chinese fruits and vegetables.” By discussing the Honliv Company’s experience and difficulties during the sustainable agriculture transformation process, one can realize the importance of green agriculture initiatives for creating a better life for humans.
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This paper compares the agrarian development of two indigenous communities in the highlands of Ecuador who specialize in nontraditional agricultural exports (NTAE). It brings…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper compares the agrarian development of two indigenous communities in the highlands of Ecuador who specialize in nontraditional agricultural exports (NTAE). It brings together the peasant theory with literature on the environmental impact of globalization.
Methodology/approach
Through a comparative ethnography, based on six months of participant observation and interviewers, I illustrate the differences in production processes and explain the divergent trajectories of agrarian modernization.
Findings
I found that NTAE impacted the two communities differently: one became more ecologically sustainable and the other became more environmentally exploitative. However, neither case fits squarely within the framework of modern/traditional or peasant/capitalist. Instead of traditional environmentalism and individualistic exploitation, we see the reverse: individualistic environmentalism and traditional exploitation. That is, ecological methods are paired with individualistic competition, and environmental exploitation takes place within a system of communal solidarity.
Practical implications
With buyer-driven organic certification standards, global integration does not always lead to ecological degradation. For quinoa growers, traditional production practices persist not as resistance to global capitalism but as a strategy to access high-value export markets. Broccoli farmers, although exploitative of local natural resources and their own health, do so within communal institutions that buffer against individualistic risk-taking.
Originality/value
This comparative case presents an alternative depiction of modernization as complex and nonlinear.
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Cordelia Mason and Wan Mohd Hilmi Wan Ahmad
This is a case study about the green agenda of Urban Hijau, a social enterprise which promotes urban farming as a way to a foster sustainability. It narrates how it started and…
Abstract
This is a case study about the green agenda of Urban Hijau, a social enterprise which promotes urban farming as a way to a foster sustainability. It narrates how it started and progressed through the introduction of various sustainable farming systems. The landscape of farming with its opportunities and challenges such as embracing permaculture as a farming philosophy, and food security are presented. The case ends with questions which Urban Hijau has to address in order to sustain its social enterprise. Can a small urban farm contribute significantly to the food industry? If so, how? Is Urban Hijau on the right track?
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