The study was done in Adaa district which is one of the 12 districts in East Shoa zone in Oromia regional state of Ethiopia. It is located southeast of Addis Ababa at 38o51’ 43.63’’ to 39o04’ 58.59’’ E and 8o46’ 16.20’’ to 8o59’ 16.38’’ N, on the western margin of the Great East African Rift Valley. The altitude ranges from 1 500 to ≥ 2 000 meters above sea level. The district has a high potential for mixed livestock and crop production systems. The purpose of this study was to make up for the paucity of information on livestock and environment interaction by assessing the relationship of livestock, soil, water, land, climate and crops under mixed crop-livestock production systems in central Ethiopian highlands. The objectives of the study were: (a) to assess the effect of change in land management on carbon storage and the contribution of livestock to carbon storage; (b) to examine the impact of livestock on natural resources and the environment; (c) to assess the effects of the change in traditional agricultural practices, expansion of factories, slaughter houses, greenhouses and flower farms on water and soil quality; (d) to evaluate the effect of climate change on livestock production under small-scale agriculture; and (e) to recommend options for mitigation and adaptation to environmental changes. The research design was non-experimental and did not involve the manipulation of the situation, circumstances or experiences of the interviewees. The design was comparative research that compared two or more groups on one or more variables, such as the effect of agricultural land use management, tillage type etc. on carbon storage in the soil. This research also applied a longitudinal design that examined variables such as the performance exhibited by groups over time. Purposive sampling was often used to measure the effect of agricultural, industrial effluent and human interferences on the environment by measuring nutrient contents at sources in the soil, water and manure. Biological data were complemented by key socio-economic survey by interviewing individual farmers and focus groups from sampling sites. Secondary data were also reviewed to measure soil degradation and run-off attributed to livestock. Results showed that animal waste and farmyard manure had the highest contribution in the addition of carbon in the soil. This implied that for most of carbon inputs livestock products and by-products had a greater place in the carbon sink. Therefore, livestock production could be considered as one of the major agricultural production systems in soil carbon storage. Similarly, livestock production systems also play an important role in maintaining the eco-system balance through nutrient recycling. On the average, the number of livestock per household for most species increased during the Derge regime in the 1990s compared to the Haile Sellassie regime in the 1970s when people did not own land; and then the number declined in the 2000s except for equines, crossbreeds and oxen. The change to crop intensification led to the change in the purpose for livestock keeping. Farmers started keeping certain types of animals for specific purposes unlike before when livestock was kept for prestige and economic security. The major drive for the change of attitude towards the purpose of keeping livestock was scarcity of resources, mainly feed and water. Equine ownership has significantly increased due to their low off-take rate and their feeding habits which allowed them to survive in harsh environments where feed resources were extremely scarce. There was a significant difference in crop response to manure application. Vegetables produced higher yields with manure than chemical fertilizers. Cereals on the other hand responded more to chemical fertilizers than to manure. Therefore, combining manure and chemical fertilizers was the best option for the sustainability of crop production in the study area. Some of the limitations to the use of manure as an organic fertilizer were inadequate manure production, high labour cost, bulkiness and high cost of transport to the fields and weed infestation. Manure management systems in the study area were affected by livestock husbandry practices. Only crossbred cattle (5%) were zero-grazed and used; and manure was stored in pits as slurry. Indigenous cattle were grazed outdoors in the fields during the day and at night they were kept in kraals near homesteads. There was a substantial loss of nutrients during the day when animals were grazing in the fields through leaching and trampling of dung and urine patches. Indoor or zero grazing of livestock could reduce nutrient losses. The use of manure as fuel in the study area had no significant effect on CO2 emissions at household or local level, but had a negative impact on soil organic carbon storage and soil fertility. Therefore, for improved yield and balanced eco-systems manure burning has to be replaced by other alternative energy sources such as bio-gas and kerosene. The largest carbon equivalent emissions were from CH4 (72.6%), N2O (24%) and CO2 (3.4%) which indicated the need to improve livestock and manure management systems under smallholder agriculture. Overall, there was an indication of a decline in water resources on per capita basis. The major contributing factors were combined pressure of human and animal population on natural resources that led to excessive deforestation, loss of biological diversity, overgrazing, soil degradation and various forms of pollution and contamination. The global climate change also played a role in the decline in water resources due to the decrease in annual precipitation and increasing temperatures. Urbanization and economic growth increased the demand for milk and meat, which required additional water use for each unit of increased animal protein. The demand for milk and meat is expected to double in the next 20 years with an annual growth rate of between 2.5 to 4%. From the sixty-year meteorological data (1951-2009) there was an established increase in rainfall by 2% per annum; and maximum and minimum temperature by 0.08oC per decade, which amounted to a cumulative temperature increase of 0.5oC in the last decade. The increase in precipitation and temperature favoured the adaption of lowland crops like maize and sorghum to highland agro-ecology. Climate prediction models forecasted that most of the highlands in Ethiopia will remain suitable for cereals like wheat and Teff for the next 50 to100 years. However, the perception of farmers indicated that they felt more heat and warm weather than they have experienced before. They reported that rainfall is now more erratic or comes late and stops earlier before plants completed their vegetative growth. / Environmental Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Environmental Science)

[ES] Aunque la quinua (Chenopodium quinoa W.) se venía cultivando por los pueblos andinos desde la época preincaica, durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX, por diversas razones, fue postergado, siendo abandonado y casi olvidado en los lugares en los que se domesticó originalmente, originando así una serie de consecuencias sobre los sistemas productivos y comportamiento sociocultural de los pobladores andinos. Sin embargo, las cualidades intrínsecas de su grano como alimento, unido a cambios en los hábitos de consumo en países desarrollados, provocaron un interés creciente por su cultivo, pasando de ser un producto de autoconsumo, en un ámbito geográfico y cultural muy limitado, a ser un producto estrella de exportación; el rápido incremento de la demanda ha provocado un ajuste en los modelos productivos de la región y generando así impactos multidimensionales. En la presente investigación se ha analizado el impacto generado por el boom de quinua en los sistemas productivos agrarios de las zonas en las que su cultivo se había mantenido de forma tradicional. De acuerdo con los objetivos planteados, se ha realizado, en primer lugar, un diagnóstico y desarrollo de la importancia del cultivo sobre la población andina peruana y el papel desempeñado en los sistemas agrarios tradicionales del ande peruano. En segundo lugar, se ha realizado un análisis de la evolución de las variables que determinan la producción y distribución del grano en los últimos 70 años; se han identificado periodos de subutilización, recuperación y expansión en el contexto nacional y a nivel de los departamentos productores; hemos centrado nuestro análisis en dos escenarios extremos de superficie. Con las variables de comercialización se ha determinado la importancia económica de las zonas productoras, la penetración en nuevo mercados y su contribución sobre la economía nacional y, algunos cambios estructurales, para lo que hemos realizado un estudio de caso en las comunidades andinas de Cusco; los resultados de la encuesta nos han permitido observar la situación actual de los agricultores en el contexto del auge de quinua desde la dimensión social, tecnológica y económica; mostrando un panorama limitado y precario por las condiciones geográficas y medios productivos para el mantenimiento del cultivo en las condiciones que garanticen la sostenibilidad y el mantenimiento de la diversidad propia de los sistemas agrarios tradicionales de la zona andina del Perú. Así mismo, el indicador de sustentabilidad ambiental y social son similares y superiores al umbral, mientras que el económico es inferior, influyendo sobre el índice general de sustentabilidad. El análisis de los resultados económicos en términos absolutos de las distintas alternativas de tecnología productiva en diversos escenarios económicos muestra que, antes del boom de quinua, los agricultores prácticamente carecían de alicientes para introducir transformaciones tecnológicas importantes en sus procesos productivos tradicionales, conservando la tecnología productiva que permitía la sostenibilidad del cultivo, mientras que hoy en día los retornos de un sistema productivo basado en la productividad de variedades mejoradas genéticamente e insumos externos de las explotaciones son muy elevados y suponen un aliciente importante para el abandono de los sistemas productivos tradicionales, más o menos evolucionados, que corren el riesgo de ser abandonados, perdiéndose parte de la capacidad de estos sistemas tradicionales de ser sostenibles y adaptarse a los retos del cambio climático. El análisis de simulación efectuado sobre los resultados monetarios en diversos escenarios económicos y tecnológicos nos permite disponer de una base cuantitativa sobre la que estimar un modelo de compensación equilibrada que permita el mantenimiento de los sistemas tradicionales de producción con su demostrada capacidad para adaptarse a diversos escenarios agroclimáticos. / [CA] Encara que la quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa W.) s'havia cultivat pels pobles andins des de l'època preincaica, durant la segona meitat del segle XX, per diverses raons va ser postergat, sent abandonat i quasi oblidat als llocs en els quals es va domesticar originàriament, causant així una sèrie de conseqüències sobre els sistemes productius i comportament sociocultural dels pobladors andins. No obstant això, les qualitats intrínseques del seu gra com a aliment, unit a canvis en els hàbits de consum en països desenvolupats van provocar un interés creixent pel seu cultiu, passant de ser un producte d'autoconsum, en un àmbit geogràfic i cultural molt limitat, a ser un producte estrela d'exportació; el ràpid increment de la demanda ha provocat un ajust en els models productius de la regió i generant així impactes multidimensionals. En la present investigació s'ha analitzat l'impacte generat pel boom de quinoa en els sistemes productius agraris de les zones en les quals el seu cultiu s'havia mantingut de manera tradicional. D'acord els objectius plantejats, s'ha realitzat, en primer lloc, un diagnòstic i desenvolupament de la importància del cultiu sobre la població andina peruana i el paper exercit en els sistemes agraris tradicionals de la serralada dels Andes del Perú. En segon lloc s'ha elaborat una anàlisi de l'evolució de les variables que determinen la producció i distribució del gra en els últims 70 anys; s'han identificat períodes de subutilizació, recuperació i expansió en el context nacional i a escala dels departaments productors; hem centrat la nostra anàlisi en dos escenaris extrems de superfície. Amb les variables de comercialització s'ha determinat la importància econòmica de les zones productores, la penetració en nou mercats i la seua contribució sobre l'economia nacional i, alguns canvis estructurals, per al que hem realitzat un estudi de cas en les comunitats andines de Cusco; els resultats de l'enquesta ens han permés observar la situació actual dels agricultors en el context de l'auge de quinoa des de la dimensió social, tecnològica i econòmica; mostrant un panorama limitat i precari per les condicions geogràfiques i mitjans productius per al manteniment del cultiu en les condicions que garantisquen la sostenibilitat i el manteniment de la diversitat pròpia dels sistemes agraris tradicionals de la zona andina del Perú. Així mateix, l'indicador de sustentabilitat ambiental i social són similars i superiors al llindar, mentre que el d'econòmic és inferior, influint sobre l'índex general de sostenibilitat. L'anàlisi dels resultats econòmics en termes absoluts de les diferents alternatives de tecnologia productiva en diversos escenaris econòmics mostra que, abans del boom de quinoa, els agricultors pràcticament mancaven d'al·licients per a introduir transformacions tecnològiques importants en els seus processos productius tradicionals, conservant la tecnologia productiva que permetia la sostenibilitat del cultiu, mentre que hui dia els retorns d'un sistema productiu basat en la productivitat de varietats millorades genèticament i inputs externs de les explotacions són molt elevats i suposen un al·licient important per a l'abandó dels sistemes productius tradicionals, més o menys evolucionats, que corren el risc de ser abandonats, perdent-se part de la capacitat d'aquests sistemes tradicionals ser sostenibles i adaptar-se als reptes del canvi climàtic. L'anàlisi de simulació efectuada sobre els resultats monetaris en diversos escenaris econòmics i tecnològics ens permet disposar d'una base quantitativa sobre la qual estimar un model de compensació equilibrada que permeta el manteniment dels sistemes tradicionals de producció amb la seua demostrada capacitat per a adaptar-se a diversos escenaris agroclimàtics. / [EN] Although quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa W.) had been cultivated by the Andean Peoples since pre-Inca times, its farming was postponed during the second half of the 20th century for various reasons. In fact, it was abandoned and almost forgotten in the places where it was originally domesticated what has caused a series of consequences on the productive systems and sociocultural behaviour of the Andean inhabitants. Nevertheless, the intrinsic qualities of its grain as a food supply, together with changes in consumption habits in developed countries, has provoked a growing interest in its cultivation. From being a product of self-consumption in a very limited geographical and cultural scope to becoming a star product to export. The quick increase in its demand has caused an adjustment in the productive models of the region and that has generated multidimensional impacts. In the present research, the impact generated by the quinoa's boom on the agricultural production system of the traditionally-maintained cultivation areas has been analysed. According to the objectives considered on this work, a diagnosis and development of the importance of the crop on the Peruvian population has firstly been made, same with the role played in the traditional agrarian systems of the Peruvian Andes. Secondly, an analysis of the evolution of the variables that determine the production and distribution of the grain in the last 70 years has been carried out. The periods of underutilization, recovery and expansion have been also identified in both the national context and at the level of the producing departments. We have focused our analysis on two extreme surface scenarios. With the commercial variables, the economic importance of the producing areas has been determined, same with the penetration of new markets and their contribution to the national economy and some structural changes, for which we have conducted a case study in the Andean communities of Cusco. The results of the conducted survey have allowed us to observe the current farmers' situation in the context of the quinoa's boom. This has showed a limited and precarious panorama due to geographical conditions and productive means which keep the crop in the conditions that guarantee sustainability and maintenance of the diversity of the traditional agrarian systems of the Andes in Peru. Moreover, the environmental and social sustainability indicators are similar at the same time they both exceed the threshold whereas the economic indicator is lower influencing on the overall sustainability index. The analysis of the economic results in absolute terms of the different alternatives of productive technology in various economic scenarios shows that, before the quinoa's boom, farmers had virtually no incentive to introduce major technological transformations into their traditional production processes preserving the productive technology that allowed the sustainability of the crop whereas nowadays, the returns of a production system based on the productivity of genetically-improved varieties and external inputs from farms are really higher. They represent an important incentive for abandoning traditional production systems, more or less evolved, which run the risk of being abandoned what provokes a loss of some of the capacity of these traditional systems to be sustainable and to be adapted to the climate change. The simulation analysis carried out on the monetary results in various economic and technological scenarios allows us to have a quantitative basis on which estimate a balanced compensation model allowing the maintenance of traditional production systems with its proven ability to be adapted to various agroclimatic scenarios. / Huillca Quispe, J. (2022). Valoración socioeconómica del impacto de la expansión del cultivo de Quinua (Chenopodium quinoa W.) sobre la competitividad y sostenibilidad de la diversidad en las explotaciones tradicionales del Perú [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/181509 / TESIS

This dissertation is conducted in Gedeo, with the aim of revealing the dynamics of IK of agroforestry system of Gedeo. The dynamics were seen from the perspective of the intergenerational variation in IK acquisition and transmission. The study investigated drivers of IK changes and continuities and the implications to sustainability. The study employed an interdisciplinary approach whereby geographical concepts and approaches were supplemented by anthropological and developmental psychology approaches and concepts. Thus, an exploratory mixed research approach was used. The dynamics were seen by employing cross-sectional approach. Thus, synchronic data were collected from several sources, by employing ranges of qualitative and quantitative tools. The respondents were drawn from the local people and agricultural experts. Accordingly, 72key informants were chosen through purposive and snowball sampling. To determine the spatio-temporal variation of IK, 290 informants aged between 12 and 65 were chosen using multistage stratified sampling. For the household survey, 252 participants were selected using multistage stratified and systematic random sampling. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis and case summary while for quantitative data mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, chi-square, and t-test were employed. The analysis results have shown that the agroforestry system exhibits both indigenous and modern practices. The indigenous practices, which sustained for longer time through generational transfer, appear to be engulfed by modern practice. The study identified knowledge and skill gap between young people and adults. The gap is more significant in normative dimension of IK. This can be attributed to declining rate of IK transmission and acquisition among successive generations, which in turn is attributed to weak contact between young people and adults, and changes in the lifestyle of the young people. Besides, biodiversity loss, demographic pressure, modernization, introduction of market economy, and top-down development approach are among the drivers of the gradual loss of IK. The gradual loss of IK was to have an impact on sustainability of the system. This calls for concerted efforts to maintain the sustainability of IK through revitalization of IK transmission and acquisition. Finally, joint effort is required to document IK, include in school curriculum, and integrate with the modern practices. / Geography / Ph. D. (Geography)

No description available.

Soil health-based agricultural management practices are widely promoted to improve soil structure, infiltration and reduce erosion. This study was conducted at two locations in North-Central Mississippi to evaluate the influence of different cover crop species and poultry litter on soil health that can impact crop production, climate change, and resilience. The results indicated that the cover crops showed a little effect on some soil health indicators compared to control treatment. However, in one location, rye, and a mixture of cover crops decreased bulk density and increased available water content and organic matter. The poultry litter had a positive effect on most soil physical and chemical health indicators. The cover crop species at Pontotoc decreased bulk density, increased field capacity, CEC, and total carbon. However, there was no significant effect of cover crops on most soil chemical health indicators, and soil responses may take more than five years for the changes to appear.

This paper examined how Change Management and Transformational Leadership can be effective tools in transitioning towards sustainable agriculture in Europe. This paper starts with providing empirical evidence for climate change and shows that Northern and Southern Europe are impacted differently by climate change. Then this paper examined how climate change affects farmers in the different parts of Europe and what Societal, Environmental, Leadership and Organisational changes have to be made to transition towards sustainable agriculture in Europe. The qualitative analysis shows that, according to farmer associations, there is a need for a variety of options, a lack of communication and insufficient involvement of farmers on a policy making level. This paper ends with explaining how Change Management and Transformational Leadership can be used as tools to improve communication between stakeholders and improve the involvement of farmers in the co-creation process. Therefore, this paper concludes that Change Management and Transformational leadership will help the European Union in realising sustainable agriculture in Europe.

At my thesis’s core is the transformation of the agricultural industry based on the framework of food regimes established by Philip McMichael and Harriet Friedmann. The framework of food regimes will guide the analysis of recent agricultural developments towards sustainability. Due to the local nature of the food production system, I focused my thesis on one county in the South of Germany, Schwäbisch Hall, which allows me to look at local developments and how they affect our broader global food system. I will begin the thesis by analysing the effects of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on agricultural actors in Schwäbisch Hall. After that, I will thoroughly examine the term “sustainable agriculture” within the context of sustainability and how the term is perceived by agricultural actors in Schwäbisch Hall. I will then explore three crucial global sustainability issues in the agricultural sector and how these global issues are influencing and transforming the agricultural industry on a local level. The sustainability issues include Food Security, Environmental Issues and Climate Change, and Consumption Issues. The analysis will explore how these issues, along with the recent CAP reform, can shape and advance the agricultural industry in the future. To analyse the CAP and sustainable agriculture, the study will employ the Actor-Network Theory (ANT), which will provide insights into the operational dynamics and interplay of networks within the industry as they mutually influence each other. I also use interviews with agricultural actors and news articles to get a more profound knowledge of opinions on the developments within the agricultural sector. After analysing current sustainability issues and the most recent CAP reform, I will discuss the agricultural sector's future in Germany and how the agricultural industry could develop further in the upcoming years. I will also look more into the possibilities of organic farming and its importance in establishing a more sustainable agricultural sector. At the end of my thesis, I will examine if, with the recent developments in the agricultural industry, there is a chance that a new fourth food regime can be established soon in the broader prospect of our global food system.

La gestion efficace des champignons mycorhiziens arbusculaires (CMA) est largement considérée comme une stratégie prometteuse pour le développement de l’agriculture durable et de conservation. Or, la culture conventionnelle de Brassicaceae non-mycorhiziennes, un groupe qui comprend plusieurs cultures d’une grande importance économique en Amérique du Nord, telles que le chou régulier (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) et le brocoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), peut réduire la densité des CMA dans les agroécosystèmes. Dans le but de réduire l’impact négatif des cultures de brocoli et de chou sur l’abondance des CMA au champ, nous proposons de cultiver ces plants en compagnonnage persistant avec du trèfle blanc (Trifolium repens L.), une plante dépendant largement des CMA. Nous avons testé l’impact de la culture intercalaire de B. oleracea, sur (1) la colonisation des racines de Brassicaceae par les CMA et le rendement de ces cultures, et (2) la vitesse et l’intensité de colonisation d’une culture subséquente associée aux CMA, le maïs sucré, et son rendement. Dans cette étude, nous avons observé que les CMA pouvaient coloniser et former des vésicules dans les racines de cultures de B. oleracea, même lorsque cultivées sans culture mycorhizienne d’entre-rang, probablement via d’autres sources de carbone. Néanmoins, plus de brocolis étaient colonisés lorsqu’ils étaient cultivés dans les parcelles avec trèfle, mais ils étaient colonisés à une plus basse intensité. Comme escompté, l’adoption d’une culture de couverture intercalaire de trèfle persistant à travers les deux rotations a réduit le délai de colonisation de la culture de maïs et en a augmenté le rendement. / Efficient management of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) holds much potential in conservation and sustainable agriculture. Growing non-mycorrhizal Brassicaceae crops, including crops of great economic importance in North America such as regular cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica), has been associated with reduced AMF density in agroecosystem. In the hope of reducing the negative impact of broccoli and cabbage culture on AMF abundance in fields, we cultivated these crops alongside mycorrhizal white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in a persistent intercropping system. We tested the impact of B. oleracea intercropping on (1) AMF root colonization levels and crop yield, and on (2) the AMF colonization speed and level, as well as the yield of a following mycorrhiza-dependent crop rotation, sweet maize (Zea mays L.) In this study, we found that AMF could colonize and produce vesicles in B. oleracea crop roots, even when grown without a mycorrhizal intercrop, probably through other carbon sources. Intercropping with clover still led to more broccolis being colonized by AMF, but at a lower intensity than in sole crop plots. As expected, use of a persistent clover intercrop reduced colonization delay and increased yield of the subsequent maize rotation.

No description available.

This project is a Bachelor’s thesis conducted by two students at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The report aims to assess the implementation of sustainable agriculture at the farm Rosenhill, in the Stockholm region in Sweden, and provide potential agroecological solutions. The assessment of the farm functioned as a case study to explore possible ways to improve sustainable practices in agriculture. The method used for assessing agricultural practices in this thesis was drawn from the existing methods IDEA and complemented with the intent to find agroecological approaches. The data gathering was conducted through interviews and observations at the farm, as well as receiving complementing documents from the farm. The data from the interviews and observation was then compiled into a document and divided up into categories, corresponding to the indicators chosen for the analysis. Each individual indicator was first examined individually and, on this ground, concluding comments on the overall implementation of sustainable agriculture were drawn. Results show that the farm is implementing sustainable agriculture the ectively, however, areas of improvement were also identied. The following agroecological practices were further discussed as potential solutions to problems identied at the farm: Intercropping and/or Companion Planting, Cover-cropping and Reduced Tillage, and Agroforestry. / De a projekt är en kandidatexamensarbete skriven av två studenter på Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH). Rapporten har som syfte att bedöma implementeringen av hållbart jorbruk på odlingen Rosenhill, i Stockholmsregionen, och ge potentiella agroekologiska lösningar. Bedömningen av odlingen fungerade som en fallstudie för att utforska möjliga sätt att förbättra hållbara tillämpningar inom jordbruk. Metoden som användes i detta arbete för att bedöma tillämpningen av jordbruk hämtades från de existerande metoderna IDEA och RISE och komplementerad med avsikten a hitta agroekologiska angreppssätt. Insamlingen av data gjordes genom intervjuer och observationer, samt dokument från odlingen. Data från intervjuer och observationer sattes samman i ett dokument och delades in i kategorier, motsvarande indikatorer valda för analys. Varje individuell indikator analyserades enskilt först och baserat på detta drogs det avslutande kommentarer på den övergripande implementeringen av hållbart jordbruk. Resultaten visar att odlingen implementerar hållbart jordbruk väl, dock kunde förbättringsområden identifieras. Följande tillämpningar av agroekologi diskuterades som potentiella lösningar till problem som identifierades på odlingen: Samodling av lämpliga grödor, Täckningsgrödor och reducerad jordbearbetning och Skogsjordbruk.