How reliable are crop production data? Case studies in USA and Argentina

Food Security ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. O. Sadras ◽  
P. Grassini ◽  
R. Costa ◽  
L. Cohan ◽  
A. J. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Data

scholarly journals Abiotic resource depletion potentials (ADPs) for elements revisited—updating ultimate reserve estimates and introducing time series for production data

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauran van Oers ◽  
Jeroen B. Guinée ◽  
Reinout Heijungs
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Impact Category ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Annual Production ◽  
Production Data ◽  
Cumulative Production ◽  
Abiotic Resource ◽  
Abiotic Resource Depletion ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Calculation Procedures

Abstract Purpose In 1995, the original method for assessing the impact category abiotic resource depletion using abiotic depletion potentials (ADPs) was published. The ADP of a resource was defined as the ratio of the annual production and the square of the ultimate (crustal content based) reserve for the resource divided by the same ratio for a reference resource (antimony (Sb)). In 2002, ADPs were updated based on the most recent USGS annual production data. In addition, the impact category was sub-divided into two categories, using two sets of ADPs: the ADP for fossil fuels and the ADP for elements; in this article, we focus on the ADP for elements. Since then, ADP values have not been updated anymore despite the availability of updates of annual production data and also updates of crustal content data that constitute the basis of the ultimate reserves. Moreover, it was known that the coverage of elements by ADPs was incomplete. These three aspects together can affect relative ranking of abiotic resources based on the ADP. Furthermore, dealing with annually changing production data might have to be revisited by proposing new calculation procedures. Finally, category totals to calculate normalized indicator results have to be updated as well, because incomplete coverage of elements can lead to biased results. Methods We used updated reserve estimates and time series of production data from authoritative sources to calculate ADPs for different years. We also explored the use of several variations: moving averages and cumulative production data. We analyzed the patterns in ADP over time and the contribution by different elements in the category total. Furthermore, two case studies are carried out applying two different normalization reference areas (the EU 27 as normalization reference area and the world) for 2010. Results and discussion We present the results of the data updates and improved coverage. On top of this, new calculation procedures are proposed for ADPs, dealing with the annually changing production data. The case studies show that the improvements of data and calculation procedures will change the normalized indicator results of many case studies considerably, making ADP less sensitive for fluctuating production data in the future. Conclusions The update of ultimate reserve and production data and the revision of calculation procedures of ADPs and category totals have resulted in an improved, up-to-date, and more complete set of ADPs and a category total that better reflects the total resource depletion magnitude than before. An ADP based on the cumulative production overall years is most in line with the intent of the original ADP method. We further recommend to only use category totals based on production data for the same year as is used for the other (emission-based) impact categories.

scholarly journals On the accuracy of official Chinese crop production data: Evidence from biophysical indexes of net primary production

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (41) ◽  
pp. 25434-25444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gengyuan Liu ◽  
Xueqi Wang ◽  
Giovanni Baiocchi ◽  
Marco Casazza ◽  
Fanxin Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Production Data ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
National Statistics ◽  
Rapid Economic Growth ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Economic Statistics

With rapid economic growth and urbanization, self-sufficiency in crop production has become central to China’s agriculture policy. Accurate crop production statistics are essential for research, monitoring, and planning. Although researchers agree that China’s statistical authority has considerably modernized over time, China’s economic statistics have still been viewed as unreliable and often overstated to meet growth targets at different administrative levels. Recent increases in crop production reported by national statistics have also come under increasing scrutiny. This paper investigates crop production data quality from a planetary boundary perspective—comparing net primary production (NPP) harvested obtained from national statistics with satellite-driven NPP estimates that are supported by detailed observation of land cover, combined with observations on physical factors that limit plant growth. This approach provides a powerful means to check the plausibility of China’s grain production statistics at different administrative levels that can generate insights about their discrepancies and can contribute to improved crop production measurements. We find some evidence of potential misreporting problems from the lower administration level where the risk of manipulation of statistics is higher. We also find problems from provincial-level major grain producers. These values can also affect the national totals. Although the numbers are affected by large uncertainties, we find that improving the spatial resolution of key agricultural parameters can greatly improve the reliability of the indicator that in turn can help improve data quality. More reliable production data will be vital for relevant research and provide better insights into food security problems, the carbon cycle, and sustainable development.

scholarly journals Hoophouse Contributions to Economic Viability: Nine Michigan Case Studies

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 877-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Conner ◽  
Kurt B. Waldman ◽  
Adam D. Montri ◽  
Michael W. Hamm ◽  
John A. Biernbaum
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Construction Time ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cold Tolerant

Relatively low-cost season extension structures have the potential to contribute to farm economic viability in temperate climates by providing a means to continue sales beyond the limits of outdoor-only field production. These structures, commonly called hoophouses, high tunnels, passive solar greenhouses, or unheated greenhouses, allow for the extension of heat-tolerant (warm season) crops on both ends of the production time frame and at winter harvesting of cold-tolerant (cool season) crops. In this study, results are presented from a multiyear investigation into the economic impacts of year-round production and harvesting, with a focus on profitability of the structure and crop production as a whole. The results of case studies from nine Michigan farms reveal a very broad range of outcomes across farms in construction time, labor allocation and returns, and gross and net revenue. The economic implications of farmer use, including projected investment payback time, are discussed.

scholarly journals WHOSE GAP COUNTS? THE ROLE OF YIELD GAP ANALYSIS WITHIN A DEVELOPMENT-ORIENTED AGRONOMY

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-338
Author(s):  
JOÃO VASCO SILVA ◽  
JOSHUA J. RAMISCH
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Yield Gap ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
Local Livelihoods ◽  
Yield Gaps

SUMMARYYield gaps have become a useful tool for guiding development-related agronomy, especially in the global South. While critics have challenged some aspects of the yield gap methodology, and the relevance of food security advocacy based on yield gaps, very few studies question the actual relevance, application and scalability of yield gaps for smallholder farmers (and researchers) in the tropics. We assess these limitations using two contrasting case studies: maize-based farming systems in Western Kenya and rice-based farming systems in Central Luzon, the Philippines. From these two cases, we propose improvements in the use of yield gaps that would acknowledge both the riskiness of crop improvement options and the role that yield increases might play within local livelihoods. Participatory research conducted in Western Kenya calls into question the actual use and up-scaling of yield measurements from on-station agronomic trials to derive estimates of actual and water-limited yields in the region. Looking at maize yield gaps as cumulative probabilities demonstrates the challenges of assessing the real magnitude of yield gaps in farmers’ fields and of deciding whose yield gaps count for agricultural development in Kenya. In the case of rice-based farming systems, we use a historical dataset (1966–2012) to assess changes in rice yields, labour productivity, gross margin and rice self-sufficiency in Central Luzon, the Philippines. While large rice yield gaps persist here, there appear to be few incentives to close that gap once we consider the position of crop production within local livelihoods. In this context, economic returns to labour for farm work were marginal: labour productivity increased over time in both wet and dry seasons, but gross margins decreased in the wet season while no trend was observed for the dry season. Since most households were rice self-sufficient and further increases in crop production would offer minimal returns while relying increasingly on hired labour, we question who should close which yield gap. Our case studies show the importance of contextualising yield gaps within the broader livelihood context in which farmers operate. We propose that this should be done at farm and/or farming systems level while considering the risks associated with narrowing yield gaps and looking into multiple performance indicators.

scholarly journals Establishing an operational system for assessment and forecasting the impact of extreme weather events on crop production

MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-296
Author(s):  
SHIBENDU S. RAY ◽  
SURESH K. SINGH ◽  
NEETU . ◽  
S. MAMATHA
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Production Forecasting ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
The Impact

Crop production forecasting is essential for various economic policy and decision making. There is a very successful operational programme in the country, called FASAL, which uses multiple approaches for pre-harvest production forecasting.  With the increase in the frequency of extreme events and their large-scale impact on agriculture, there is a strong need to use remote sensing technology for assessing the impact.  Various works have been done in this direction. This article provides three such case studies, where remote sensing along with other data have been used for assessment of flood inundation of rice crop post Phailin cyclone, period operational district/sub-district level drought assessment and understanding the impact of recent hailstorm/unseasonal rainfall on wheat crop. The case studies highlight the great scope of remote sensing data for assessment of the impact of extreme weather events on crop production.

Review: Annual crop adaptation to abiotic stress on the Canadian prairies: Six case studies

2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalind A. Bueckert ◽  
John M. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Stress ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Moisture Stress ◽  
Early Flowering ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Dry Bean ◽  
Crop Adaptation ◽  
Annual Crop

Bueckert, R. A. and Clarke, J. M. 2013. Review: Annual crop adaptation to abiotic stress on the Canadian prairies: Six case studies. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 375–385. More than half of Canada's grain crop production comes from the Canadian prairies, a region that experiences short growing seasons characterized by temperature and moisture stress. Historically, the region was dominated by temperate cereal production, but in recent decades crops have included canola (Brassica species) and pulses (chickpea, Cicer arietinum L.; dry bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.; pea, Pisum sativum L.; lentil, Lens culinaris L.). Here we describe climatic conditions and the resulting abiotic stresses that are common in prairie crop production. We also showcase how specific cultivars have been successfully adapted to fit a short growing season of 95 to 120 d, and examine current strategies to improve crop performance on the Canadian prairies. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) production has been increased by incorporating stress escape through early flowering, and stress avoidance through increased seasonal water extraction, water use efficiency and reduced loss from leaves. Dry bean, a warm-season crop, has been improved by selecting for rapid emergence in cool soils. The indeterminate crops chickpea, lentil, and canola (Brassica juncea L.) have been improved through breeding for early flowering, double podding (chickpea), high harvest index, and a longer reproductive duration (lentil and canola). Enhanced drought tolerance in chickpea is in progress using early flowering for drought escape, and rooting traits that improve water extraction and canopy transpiration to avoid water and heat stress. Crops grown on the Canadian prairies have superior quality profiles and two crops, durum and lentil, have become dominant in global exports.

ON-FARM TRIALS AS ‘INFECTION POINTS’? A RESPONSE TO WALL ET AL.

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. ANDERSSON ◽  
T. J. KRUPNIK ◽  
N. DE ROO
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
On Farm ◽  
New Crop

In their response to our paper on the problems of using on-farm trials in efforts to scale-out new crop production technologies and practices among smallholder farmers, Wall et al. (2019) focus on our descriptions of on-farm trials in just one of the three case studies of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) projects that were presented. They argue we did not understand the projects’ philosophy and that the biases in farmer and site selection we discussed, do not exist in the southern Africa case study.

scholarly journals Strengthening Techniques for Greenhouses

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrysanthos Maraveas ◽  
Konstantinos Daniel Tsavdaridis
Keyword(s):  
Great Britain ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Local Wind ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Reasonable Alternative ◽  
Snow Conditions

Steel greenhouse structures are generally constructed by individual sole contractors using quick empirical structural calculations (pre-engineered solutions). It is also common to import standard greenhouses from other countries, mainly from The Netherlands, Italy, and France, and sometimes from Great Britain and Israel. Evidently, these countries differ concerning the local wind and snow conditions. Therefore, there is a need for a better design of structures accepted as satisfactory, while installation can be done in a different location. Many greenhouse structures incorporating poor designs or inappropriate pre-engineered solutions are currently in use. At the same time, demolition and reconstruction represent a very expensive solution considering the loss of crop production and the demolition and construction costs; thus, strengthening is a reasonable alternative. This paper presents strengthening techniques for steel greenhouses that are code-deficient according to EN 13031 and Eurocodes. Consequently, two case studies are presented as typical applications of greenhouse structure strengthening.

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