Low-input, on-farm composting of high C:N ratio residues

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.B. Churchill ◽  
W.R. Horwath ◽  
L.F. Elliott ◽  
D.M. Bilsland
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Internal Temperature ◽  
Sustainable Farming ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Input Method ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Normal Rainfall

AbstractFarm residues with high C:N ratios are difficult to use because of their low economic value and excessive volume. Composting is ideal for upgrading such residues, but was not thought possible without co-composting or lowering of the C:N ratio. We developed a low-input method to compost perennial ryegrass straw on-farm by forming windrows and turning them either zero, two, four, or six times throughout the year with a commercial, straddle-type turner. No water beyond normal rainfall and no N other than that contained in the straw was added. The volume of straw was reduced by up to 88% with four or six turns over 20 to 24 weeks. The average internal temperature of straw windrows reached a maximum of 54°C with four turns. The ability to compost these residues will help in the development of sustainable farming systems by allowing recycling of straw waste.

The Development of Low-Input, On-Farm Composting of High C:N Ratio Residues

1996 ◽  
pp. 1181-1187
Author(s):  
D. B. Churchill ◽  
W. R. Horwath ◽  
L. F. Elliott
Keyword(s):  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Low Input ◽  
On Farm

scholarly journals PERTANIAN PRESISI DALAM BUDIDAYA LADA The Precision Farming on Pepper Cultivation

Perspektif ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Joko Pitono
Keyword(s):  
Market Competition ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Precision Farming ◽  
Simple Approach ◽  
Capacity Strengthening ◽  
Accuracy Level ◽  
The Future ◽  
Agricultural Innovations ◽  
On Farm

<p>Nilai ekonomi lada pada subsektor perkebunan cukup penting dan perlu penguatan daya saingnya untuk menghadapi semakin tajamnya kompetisi pasar ke depan. Peningkatan efisiensi dan presisi dalam penanganan budidaya di lapangan menjadi salah satu penentunya. Peningkatan efisiensi tersebut memungkinkan dilakukan melalui pendekatan pertanian presisi. Konsep dasar pertanian presisi adalah penggunaan input seakurat mungkin sesuai kebutuhan tanaman, sehingga diperoleh keuntungan berupa penghematan dalam pembiayaan input, tenaga kerja, dan hasil panen yang lebih baik. Penerapan pertanian presisi memungkinkan diterapkan mulai dari pendekatan sederhana hingga tingkat yang lebih komplek, tentunya akan diikuti oleh konsekuensi perbedaan keakurasian dan besaran investasi instrumen teknologi yang digunakannya. Pada review ini diulas tentang relevansi antara penerapan pertanian presisi dengan karakteristik budidaya lada yang tergolong padat input, serta pendekatan sederhana yang memungkinkan dilakukan petani untuk memperbaiki presisi dan efisiensi usahatani ladanya. Selain itu, diuraikan juga tentang perkembangan hasil penelitian dan teknologi saat ini yang berpeluang dimanfaatkan untuk perbaikan budidaya lada ke depan. Dan strategi untuk percepatan penerapan inovasi pertanian presisi pada budidaya lada tersebut diantaranya dapat dilakukan melalui peningkatan kapasitas SDM dan kelembagaan, penguatan mekanisasi dan digitalisasi di tataran <em>on-farm</em> dan <em>off-farm</em>, serta pemberian insentif atas penerapannya.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p align="center">ABSTRACT</p><p align="center"><strong> </strong></p><p>The economic value of pepper in the estate subsector is important and its competitiveness should be strengthened to challenge the increasingly sharp market competition in the future. Increasing efficiency and precision in the on-farm level is one of the important factors to face the challenge. The cultivation efficiency can be improved through a precision farming approach. The basic concept of precision farming is the use of inputs accurately according to plants need to obtain benefits both by saving cost of inputs and labor, and getting better yields. The precision farming can be applied from a simple approach to a more complex level.  This determines the accuracy level and the investments related to the instruments used in the technology.  This paper reviews the relevance of precision farming application and the characteristics of pepper cultivation that is classified as input-intensive, as well as a simple approach that allows farmers to improve the precision and efficiency of their farming systems. In addition, it also elaborates the development of current research and technology which are potential to improve pepper cultivation in the future. The strategies for accelerating the application of precision agricultural innovations in pepper cultivation could be performed through increasing human resource and institutional capacity, strengthening mechanization, digitalization at the on- and off-farm levels, and providing incentives for the farmers as a reward for their implementation.</p><p> </p>

Potential effects on rural economies of conversion to sustainable farming systems

1992 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 70-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Dobbs ◽  
John D. Cole
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Personal Income ◽  
Sustainable Farming ◽  
Local Economies ◽  
Income Effects ◽  
Rural Economies ◽  
Consumer Expenditures ◽  
Backward Linkages ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Linkage Effects

AbstractConversions from conventional to sustainable farming systems could affect local rural economies either positively or negatively, by several means: changes in income of agricultural households; backward linkages to input supply firms; forward linkages to transportation, processing, and marketing firms; and changes in consumer expenditures by agricultural and other households. We estimated these effects for five local rural economies in South Dakota, representing different agroclimatic and population settlement patterns. Whole-farm economic models of case study conventional and sustainable farms in each area were used to estimate differences in input purchase and marketing patterns. We found declines in on-farm personal income (returns to farm labor and management) in four of the five case comparisons under a conversion to sustainable farming systems if organic price premiums are ignored; we found increases in three of five cases if applicable organic premiums are included. In all five study areas, total off-farm personal income drops in the portions of local economies connected to farming through backward linkages. It also drops in four of the five study areas in the portions of local economies connected through forward linkages if organic premiums are ignored (all five if organic premiums are included). However, net forward linkage effects are usually much smaller than net backward linkage effects, and on-farm personal income effects are substantially greater than either backward or forward off-farm linkage effects in most cases. The total (on-and off-farm) personal income effect of converting to sustainable systems is positive in only one area without organic premiums, and in one additional area with premiums. The ratio of total to on-farm personal income effects within local economies, considering only first round effects on backward- and forward-linked firms, averages 1.2 without organic premiums, or 0.6 with them. Taking account of more complete multiplier effects, which also consider changes in consumer expenditures and changes in expenditures for supplies by backward- and forward-linked firms, the average is 1.8 without organic premiums, or 0.8 with them. With more time for changes in sustainable production techniques and in the structure of farms and the rural economy, the overall economic effects of conversions to sustainable farming are likely to be more positive than our estimates.

scholarly journals The economic value of sustainable soil management in arable farming systems – A conceptual framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 126334
Author(s):  
M.C. Kik ◽  
G.D.H. Claassen ◽  
M.P.M. Meuwissen ◽  
A.B. Smit ◽  
H.W. Saatkamp
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Sustainable Soil Management ◽  
Arable Farming

Development of more effective conservation farming systems through participatory on-farm research

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 98-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.B. Wuest ◽  
D.K. McCool ◽  
B.C. Miller ◽  
R.J. Veseth
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
Conservation Farming ◽  
Working Together ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Current Emphasis

AbstractResearch aimed at advancing conservation farming practices is typically performed using traditional scientific approaches, which have been highly successful in increasing agricultural output and efficiency. With the current emphasis on environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture, there is a need for a more integrated approach to applied agricultural research. Participatory research helps to bring scientific methods and the integrated production needs of farmers together to develop practical, effective, and carefully tested farming methods. The strength of participatory research is in the synergism of scientists and farmers working together to design, implement, and evaluate research. The development of new technologies for farming systems large or small, conventional or organic, can be greatly enhanced through more extensive use of participatory research.

Increasing home-grown forage consumption and profit in non-irrigated dairy systems. 1. Rationale, systems design and management

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Chapman ◽  
J. Hill ◽  
J. Tharmaraj ◽  
D. Beca ◽  
S. N. Kenny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Dairy Systems ◽  
Milk Solids

The profitability of dairy businesses in southern Australia is closely related to the amount of feed consumed from perennial ryegrass-dominant pasture. Historically, the dairy industry has relied on improvements in pasture productivity and utilisation to support profitable increases in stocking rate and milk production per hectare. However, doubts surround the extent to which the industry can continue to rely on perennial ryegrass technology to provide the necessary productivity improvements required into the future. This paper describes the design and management of a dairy systems experiment at Terang in south-west Victoria (780-mm average annual rainfall) conducted over four lactations (June 2005–March 2009) to compare the production and profitability of two forage base options for non-irrigated dairy farms. These options were represented by two self-contained farmlets each milking 36 mixed-age, autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian cows at peak: (1) well managed perennial ryegrass pasture (‘Ryegrass Max’, or ‘RM’); and (2) perennial ryegrass plus complementary forages (‘CF’) including 15% of farmlet area under double cropping with annual species (winter cereal grown for silage followed by summer brassica for grazing on the same land) and an average of 25% of farmlet area in perennial pasture based on tall fescue for improved late spring–early summer feed supply. The design of these systems was informed by farming systems models (DairyMod, UDDER and Redsky), which were used to estimate the effects of introducing different forage options on farm profitability. The design of the CF system was selected based on modelled profitability increases assuming that all forage components could be managed to optimise forage production and be effectively integrated to optimise milk production per cow. Using the historical ‘average’ pasture growth curve for the Terang district and a mean milk price of $3.71 per kg milk solids, the models estimated that the return on assets of the RM and CF systems would be 9.4 and 15.0%, respectively. The objectives of the experiment described here were to test whether or not such differences in profitability could be achieved in practice, and to determine the risks associated with including complementary forages on a substantial proportion of the effective farm area. Key results of the experiment are presented in subsequent papers.

Novel approaches to evaluate sustainability of pasture-based livestock systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-190
Author(s):  
A. Bernués
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Public Goods ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Market Price ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Livestock Farming Systems ◽  
Livestock Systems

Pasture-based livestock systems, often located in High Value Nature farmland areas, hold the greatest potential to deliver public goods across European agricultural systems. They play an important role in preserving agricultural landscapes, farmland biodiversity, cultural heritage, and in sustaining rural development. However, many of these functions are ignored in evaluation frameworks because public goods do not have market price and are often ignored in policy design, so farmers do not get the appropriate incentives to provide them. Different conceptual frameworks can be utilized to evaluate the multiple functions or services of these systems: Multifunctional Agriculture, Ecosystem Services, and Total Economic Value. We analyze the common characteristics of these concepts (e.g. they place human benefits and societal demands at the core of their definitions), their specificities (e.g. use of different units of analysis and spatial-temporal scales), and how they can be embedded in the wider concept of sustainability. Finally, we illustrate how the different concepts can be combined to evaluate pasture-based livestock farming systems from a socio-cultural and economic perspective. The public goods (ecosystem services) provided by representative case studies in Mediterranean and Nordic regions are quantified (also in monetary terms) under different environmental/policy scenarios. The results show that there is a clear underestimation of the socio-cultural and economic values of ecosystem services provided by these farming systems. They also show that the social welfare loss linked to further abandonment of livestock farming, and the associated environmental degradation, is very large. From a societal perspective, it is necessary to jointly measure the biophysical, socio-cultural and monetary values of ecosystem services (market and nonmarket) in order to promote the sustainability of pasture-based livestock systems.

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