Abstract This is an action research thesis, which documents a reflexive process of change undergone by farmers in making transitions from conventional farming to alternative farming. I achieve this through the process of answering the central research question for this thesis: How can the capacity of farmers be developed in the best way to assist them in making the transition from conventional to alternate farming systems? The original starting point for this study was concerned with addressing the problems of conventional farming. The consequences of which are arguably the continued risks to farmers’ lives and natural resources as witnessed in India. However, as the study progressed I realized that changing from conventional farming to alternative farming like organics, biodynamics, permaculture and natural farming involved more than simply a change in farmers’ practices. It was also closely intertwined with broader issues such as farmers’ epistemological relation to the soil and the ontological construction of theories and concepts based on their values and beliefs that influenced their methodological practices. In order to examine the wider issues around transitions to alternative farming, this study was conducted in two regions. Namely, Australia, as an example of the western world practicing modern agriculture and India, as an example of the developing world utilising indigenous farming practices. The early cycles of my study occurred through immersion. This included my firsthand experience as an extension scientist in India and my direct involvement in a series of events in Australia, which assisted in framing the research question. To document the reflexive process of change undergone by farmers in transitions from conventional farming to alternative farming, I conducted convergent interviews with 20 participants in Australia and 18 participants in India. The results of these interviews elicited six major themes as follows: 1. Enriching soil health through perceptional change 2. Knowledge sharing through networking 3. Diversifying through biophysical and socio-cultural processes 4. Learning through experience 5. Indigenous knowledge built through accumulated experiences 6. Self sufficiency through recycling farm resources. Having identified these six themes, I proceeded to construct a tool for each theme so as to merge theory and practice and to address the fact that there are currently inadequate tools available for practitioners seeking to facilitate the change to alternative farming systems. The tools for the respective themes are as follows: 1. Typology on perception of soil in relation to practice 2. Dynamics of knowledge sharing influencing transition 3. Key components for diversity 4. Conditions that facilitate experiential learning for transition 5. Conceptual tool to capture beliefs and faiths around the practice 6. Farm sufficiency assessment tool. Finally, I develop and present an overarching tool, Assessing transition process based on themes, which combines all six of the themes and aims to deepen our understanding of the barriers present in the transition process on a larger scale. I also present these tools to six key people in Australia, who were able to confirm or refute their application in practice. Among the seven tools developed, the Typology on perception of soil in relation to practice is viewed as the most significant tool by the majority of the key people consulted for the following reasons: • This tool has the features of inquiry and action. This statement was supported by the key people who observed that the tool both informs the group of participants where they sit (inquiry) and allows them to see where they want to be, which makes them think about their actions. • This tool also has high practitioner relevance and is trans-disciplinary. Importantly, key people from different fields of specialization were able to identify the benefits of the tool in common. • Having said that the tool has a common application it may be used for diverse purposes. For instance, the tool may be used by an engineer or an architect to understand the epistemological relation of a land owner to their land and how this will influence their plans for land use. • The heterogeneous and diverse nature of the tool allows it to be used in any culture. • The tool, in itself, is reflexive in nature as it helps the user to reflect on own actions. It also has the capacity to remind the user of their accountability to the land resource being utilized. • The tool helps participants to think about the most appropriate or best actions for producing actionable knowledge. • The tool is transparent in exhibiting the different possible types of perceptions in relation to the soil, thereby providing the user with the opportunity for future action. Finally, this thesis examines and illustrates the transformational learning of farmers through an analysis of their epistemology and a reconstruction of their epistemology through ontology, which will result in continued transition for transitional agriculture.

Diploma thesis on the topic of possibilities of marketing orientation on the organic market deals with organic farming and organic food. The first part is to get familiar with this issue. There are characterized differences between organic and conventional farming, the advantages and disadvantages of organic farming, animal and plant specifications of production, conditions that must be met if the transition from conventional to organic farming, the follow-up compliance with the conditions laid down by law. Another section is devoted to organic food and their characterization, organic certification and marketing. The practical part includes its own investigation with an awareness of consumers about organic food. The conclusion gives the specifics of organic farming and organic food, and based on the analysis and possible recommendations on marketing orientation.

Sheep husbandry has been rising for a long time in the Czech Republic. The number of flocks of sheep has been increasing gradually, which is an evidence of their popularity among breeders. Thanks to the hardiness of sheep, their breeding is mostly concentrated in the mountaneous an submontaneous areas where they are utilized not only for prime meat or milk production but also for mainaining the landscape. The goal of my thesis is to evaluate sheep husbandry at two farms managed under conventional and ecological conditions respectively, in the submontaneous area of Southern Bohemia. The distance between the two farms is approximately 1.5 km. The same indicators ( ewe reproduction, flock management, nutrition, pasture methods and system of breeding) were examined at both farms. The data were observed during the period of two years ? 2011 and 1012.

In 2009, there was an experiment with strains of potatos conducted in the region of Soběslav, at an altitude of 614 m. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate production costs, revenues and internal tuber quality in terms of organic and conventional farming system. The work observed dry matter, starch, reducing sugar, chlorogenic acid, vitamin C, nitrates and solanine. An attempt was made on two different strains of potatoes which have different growing season (Impala - very early, Adela - early). Adela variant showed an average of 7.51 t / ha higher yield than the Impala. Higher costs per tonne of potato production were in the conventional way of cultivation. From the evaluation of the internal quality of tubers, there was an apparent influence of the strain and cultivation method on the content of controlled substances. The executed test showed the health of potatoes grown in an organic and conventional way.

No description available.

No description available.

Organic products have become more and more talked- about in today’s industrial world. The demand for organic products is increasing and the market is continuing to grow bigger. It is important to maintain what these products stand for, being environmental friendly, and to do so strict certification policies are needed. EU has today an international certification body called Regulation (EC) 834/2007 that needs to be followed for export to and within EU. Parts of Tanzania today have certification of some organic products but not in Babati, that lies in the northern of Tanzania in Manyara region where this case study was done. In Babati most of the farmers are smallholder farmers and many of them, founds it difficult to afford an international certification. For the smallholder farmers to get a certification there are two alternatives. One is to go together with other smallholder farmers and apply for a certification like EUs Regulation (EC) 834/2007 as a group and then get to pay lower fees. The other alternative is to go together and start local certification bodies that have fees that are adjusted to local farmers’ income. This case study was conducted between February and March of 2010 in villages around Babati and Babati town. Interviews were held with both organic- and non organic farmers. My goal was to find out if it was possible for Babati to develop the organic agriculture and have an organic market in the future. My conclusion ends up by perceiving that Babati has a very good chance of fulfilling the Regulation (EC) 834/2007 standards. However the farmers’ economical status is an obstacle for the farmers to get an international certification, because of the high cost in inspections and reinspections.  But through a local certification body that is adjusted to the smallholder farmers and the environment the farmers can get their certificate and the organic market can be developed in Babati.

Research objective. To investigate the effects of organic and conventional farming types on antioxidant activity of potato tubers and on the amounts of accumulated amino acids (tyrosine and tryptophan) and phenolic compounds. Research tasks 1. To develop and validate the HPLC method for quantification of phenolic compounds, tyrosine and tryptophan, accumulated by potatoes. 2. To investigate the effects of organic and conventional farming types, properties of a variety, and tuber time of maturity on the amounts of tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenolic compounds accumulated in potato tubers. 3. To evaluate the impacts of organic and conventional farming types on total antioxidant activity of potato tubers. 4. To determine the prevailing compounds with antioxidant activity accumulated in potato tubers, and quantify of their antioxidant activity. 5. To evaluate the influence of storage time on the amount of the accumulated phenolic compounds in organically and conventionally grown potato tubers. Research subject. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers of several varieties with different time of maturity: • Very early: ‘VB Venta’, ‘Fresco’, ‘Acapella’ • Early: ‘Santa’, ‘Goda’, ‘VB Liepa’ • Medium: ‘Lady Rosetta’, ‘Red Lady’, ‘Courage’ • Late: ‘VB Rasa’, ‘VB Aista’, ‘Saturna’ Originality of the research work. The effects of organic and conventional farming types, tuber time of maturity, and properties of a potato variety on the amount of antioxidant compounds accumulated in potato... [to full text] / Darbo tikslas. Ištirti ekologinės ir intensyviosios žemdirbystės sistemų įtaką bulvių gumbų antioksidaciniam aktyvumui ir jų kaupiamų amino rūgščių (tirozino ir triptofano) ir fenolinių junginių kiekiui. Uždaviniai 1. Sukurti ir validuoti ESC metodiką bulvių kaupiamų fenolinių junginių, tirozino ir triptofano kiekybiniam įvertinimui. 2. Ištirti ekologinės ir intensyviosios žemdirbystės sistemų, veislės savybių ir gumbų subrendimo laiko įtaką bulvių gumbų kaupiamų tirozino, triptofano ir fenolinių junginių kiekiui. 3. Įvertinti ekologinės ir intensyviosios žemdirbystės sistemų įtaką suminiam bulvių gumbų antioksidaciniam aktyvumui. 4. Nustatyti dominuojančius bulvių gumbų kaupiamus antioksidaciniu aktyvumu pasižyminčius junginius ir kiekybiškai įvertinti jų antioksidacinį aktyvumą. 5. Įvertinti sandėliavimo trukmės įtaką ekologiškai ir intensyviai augintų bulvių gumbų kaupiamų fenolinių junginių kiekiui. Tyrimo objektas. Skirtingo subrendimo laiko įvairių veislių valgomųjų bulvių (lot. Solanum tuberosum L.) gumbai: • Labai ankstyvos: ‘VB Venta’, ‘Fresco’, ‘Acapella’ • Ankstyvos: ‘Sante’, ‘Goda’, ‘VB Liepa’ • Vidutinio ankstyvumo: ‘Lady Rosetta’, ‘Red Lady’, ‘Courage’ • Vėlyvos: ‘VB Rasa’, ‘VB Aista’, ‘Saturna’ Mokslinio darbo naujumas. Ištirta ekologinės ir intensyviosios žemdirbystės sistemos, gumbų subrendimo laiko ir veislės įtaka bulvių gumbų kaupiamų antioksidacinių junginių kiekiui. Įvertintas bulvių gumbų antioksidacinis aktyvumas ekologiškai ir intensyviai augintuose... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The topic of this thesis deals with effects of different farming management on diversity and abundance of butterfly fauna in České středohoří and neighbouring areas. It shows that ecological management is more friendly to endangered species of butterflies.

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2018-06-06T23:01:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila_Santos_2018.pdf: 1490357 bytes, checksum: 51ef5bf6ae6ed45d1e8d3337275493fb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-06T23:01:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila_Santos_2018.pdf: 1490357 bytes, checksum: 51ef5bf6ae6ed45d1e8d3337275493fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In the conventional and hydroponic cultivation of lettuce, agricultural defensives and fertilizers are used, which presents concentrations of toxic elements in its composition and may alter the aliment’s quality. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the content of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb in soil, nutritive solution and lettuce leaves in the region of Toledo – PR. Samples of lettuce and its substrates were collected from five hydroponic and five conventional proprieties, which were submitted to nitroperchloric digestion for the determination of metal contents through spectrophotometry of atomic adsorption AAS/6300. The experimental delimitation was entirely randomized, with ten treatments and three repetitions, and the results were submitted to variance analysis and to Turkey’s test at 5% significance level; also, the Pearson’s correlation (r) was performed between the variables substrate and lettuce leaves. It was observed that the lettuce studied, in general, presented higher contents of Cd and Cr in the hydroponic cultivation - in which 5 of the hydroponic proprieties, 4 of them presented significantly superior than the conventional ones - according to the Turkey’s test; for the element Cu, significant difference also occurred between the farming methods, however there was significant variance in the cultivation of each property; and for Pb, it was observed that the majority of the samples collected presented higher concentrations than the tolerable limits established by ANVISA - whereas the conventional method presented itself statistically similar between each property, for the hydroponic method, two properties presented themselves significantly superior to the others, and statistically different between each other. When the metal concentrations in the lettuce leaves was compared with the substrate, in general, for both conventional and hydroponic methods the contents in the lettuce didn’t show correlation to the contents in the substrate, which indicate that the contamination may be occurring through the use of agrochemicals and agricultural inputs, used for the control of plagues and diseases, aside from inappropriate management. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the variation in metal concentrations in the same cultivation method is due to the fact that the use of different agrochemicals and fertilizes is allowed, which contain different compositions. Furthermore, the pulverization date previous to sampling of the lettuce may have caused some variations to the composition of the vegetable, as well as inappropriate handling of the aliment. / Nos cultivos de alface convencional e hidropônica são utilizados defensivos agrícolas e fertilizantes, que apresentam concentrações de elementos tóxicos em sua composição e podem alterar a qualidade do alimento. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar os teores dos metais pesados Cd, Cr, Cu e Pb em solo, solução nutritiva e folhas de alfaces na região de Toledo – PR. Foram coletadas amostras de alfaces e de seus substratos em cinco propriedades hidropônicas e cinco convencionais, cujas amostras foram submetidas à digestão nítrico-perclórica para determinação dos teores de metais por meio de espectrofotômetro de absorção atômica AAS/6300. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com dez tratamentos e três repetições e os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e ao teste Tukey ao nível de 5% de significância; ainda foi realizada a correlação de Pearson (r) entre as variáveis substrato e folhas de alface. Observou-se que as alfaces estudadas em geral apresentaram maiores concentrações de Cd e Cr no cultivo hidropônico, sendo que dos 5 cultivos hidropônicos, 4 deles mostraram-se significativamente superiores ao cultivo convencional pelo teste de Tukey; para o elemento Cu, também ocorreu diferença significativa entre os cultivos, no entanto houve uma grande variação entre as culturas e para o Pb, observou-se que a maioria das amostras coletadas apresentavam concentrações superiores ao limite tolerável estabelecido pela ANVISA, sendo que o cultivo convencional mostrou-se estatisticamente semelhante entre si; quanto aos cultivos hidropônicos, dois cultivos mostraram-se significativamente superiores aos demais, e estatisticamente diferentes entre si. Quando comparadas as concentrações de metais nas folhas de alface com o substrato, de forma geral, tanto para o cultivo convencional, quanto para o cultivo hidropônico os teores na alface não apresentaram correlação com os teores no substrato, o que indica que a contaminação pode estar ocorrendo através do uso de agrotóxicos e insumos utilizados para o controle de pragas e doenças, além do manejo inadequado. Assim, pode-se dizer que a variação nas concentrações de metais na mesma cultura deve-se ao fato de ser permitido o uso de diferentes agrotóxicos e fertilizantes, os quais possuem composições distintas. Além disso, a data de pulverização previamente à coleta das alfaces pode ter ocasionado algumas variações na composição da hortaliça, bem como o manejo inadequado do alimento.