scholarly journals Utah's Vegetable Growers: Assessing Sustainable Agriculture

1997 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Drost ◽  
Gilbert Long ◽  
Kimberlee Hales
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Farmer Groups ◽  
Two Indices ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Without a clear understanding of individual farms and farming practice, progression toward more sustainable vegetable production cannot occur. Seventy randomly selected vegetable farmers in Utah were surveyed by telephone and mail to gather baseline data on their agricultural practices. The Utah vegetable farmers profile generated by this survey included a measure of each respondent's attitude toward sustainable agricultural practices and his or her interest in further cooperation with research and extension. A farming index to measure practices used and a perceptual index measuring farmer's views regarding sustainable practices were developed, pilot tested, and refined during the project. Although the perceptual index did not serve as a proxy for actual farm practice, it identified farmers who had an appreciation for sustainable agriculture. Together with the farming index, we now have detailed information on actual farm practices for a variety of different vegetable farmer groups. The use of these two indices will help measure the effectiveness of future research and extension efforts as farmers progress toward more sustainable vegetable production.

scholarly journals University of Arkansas Agriculture Professionals' Perceptions toward Sustainable Agriculture

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 831C-831
Author(s):  
Heather Friedrich* ◽  
Curt R. Rom ◽  
Jennie Popp ◽  
Barbara Bellows ◽  
Donn Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cooperative Extension Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Agricultural College ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Interest IN and conversion to sustainable agriculture practices, such as organic agriculture, integrated pest management or increasing biodiversity, has been increasing for a number of years among farmers and ranchers across the United States In order to meet the needs of producers, university researchers and educators must adapt their program areas to reflect this change toward sustainable agriculture practices. Although consumers, producers, and extension workers have been surveyed regarding their attitudes and interests in sustainable agricultural practices, few surveys have examined sustainable agriculture perceptions among university agriculture professionals. The object of this study was to survey 200 agriculture professionals, including research scientists, classroom educators of the Land-Grant agricultural college and the Cooperative Extension service of a southern state with a traditional agricultural economy in order to determine their perceptions and attitudes toward sustainable agriculture and to gather information on current research and education activities relevant to sustainable agriculture. Seventy-eight questions were asked concerning professional incentives, personal and professional importance of topics under the sustainable agriculture rubric, current research and educational activities, and demographics. By conducting this research we hope to identify factors that are an impedance or assistance to future research and education to support sustainable agriculture. The survey findings will provide a foundation for directing and developing agriculture research and education programs for row crops, fruit, vegetable and livestock production.

scholarly journals Sustainable agriculture: The study on farmers’ perception and practices regarding nutrient management and limiting losses

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Kiełbasa ◽  
Stefan Pietrzak ◽  
Barbro Ulén ◽  
Jan-Olof Drangert ◽  
Karin Tonderski
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
General Idea ◽  
Limiting Nutrient ◽  
Scientific Project ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

AbstractThe paper presents the results of a scientific project focused on limiting nutrient losses from farms by introducing measures to apply fertilizers in a more sustainable way. It is a case study of selected aspects of farm management, focussing on the issue of sustainable agriculture and their tools. The main aim of the study was to analyse and evaluate farmers’ knowledge of the fertilizing process and its aspects, as well as applying sustainable agricultural activities on farms. The study emphasised the importance of nutrient management, as very important for sustainable farming. Also, the links between farmers’ opinions and their activities were analysed. The important issue concerned measures for sustainable farm management introduced on the farms, as well as measures to limit nutrient leaching into groundwater. Twenty-eight farmers from two regions in Poland were interviewed about their perceptions for the case study. In general, the farmers considered their farm activities to be more sustainable than in the past. They demonstrated an understanding of the general idea of sustainable agriculture. However, many farmers still demonstrated a poor grasp of nutrient flows and nutrient balances on farms. Their knowledge and perception was based on general, rather than specific knowledge gleaned from an academic/vocational course. The farmers demonstrated a realization that there were some new, or low-cost measures that could be introduced to make management more sustainable and pro-environmental, but there was still a need for wider adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

Application of Extremophiles in Sustainable Agriculture

2022 ◽  
pp. 233-250
Author(s):  
Julius Eyiuche Nweze ◽  
Justus Amuche Nweze ◽  
Shruti Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

With the increasing demands for foods and other agriculture-based products, sustainable agricultural practices are the cornerstone for improving low-input agricultural production. In contrast to crop production, plant-microorganism interaction (PMI) plays a crucial role. PMI significantly raises productivity as well as maintaining the overall health of the crop. During harsh and extreme physiological conditions, plant-associated extremophilic microbes (PAEM) are known to contribute to crop production, survivability, and fitness. Thus, the application of extremophiles either in the form of biofertilizer or biopesticides is highly beneficial. Extremophiles have been adapted to withstand diverse harsh environmental conditions. They possess unique mechanisms at the molecular level to produce enormous potential extremozymes and bioactive compounds. Consequently, extremophiles represent the foundation of efficient and sustainable agriculture. This chapter introduces the significance and application of plant-associated extremophilic microbes in sustainable agriculture.

scholarly journals The Role of Citizen Science in Sustainable Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10375
Author(s):  
Khaldoon A. Mourad ◽  
Seyyed Hasan Hosseini ◽  
Helen Avery
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Farmers know much more than we think, and they are keen to improve their knowledge in order to improve their farms and increase their income. On the other hand, decision-makers, organizations, and researchers are increasing their use of citizen volunteers to strengthen their outcomes, enhance project implementation, and approach ecosystem sustainability. This paper assesses the role of citizen science relating to agricultural practices and covers citizen science literature on agriculture and farmers’ participation during the period 2007–2019. The literature was examined for the role of citizen science in supporting sustainable agriculture activities, pointing to opportunities, challenges, and recommendations. The study identified the following gaps: insufficient attention to (1) long-term capacity building and dialogue between academics and farming communities; (2) developing countries in the global South and smallholders; (3) agriculture trading and marketing; (4) the rationales of selecting target groups; (5) contributing to accelerated sustainability transitions. The main aim of the research projects reviewed in this study tended to focus on the research outcomes from an academic perspective, not sustainable solutions in practice or sustainability in general. More research is needed to address these gaps and to widen the benefits of citizen science in sustainable agricultural practices.

scholarly journals Perceived livelihood impacts and adaptation of vegetable farmers to climate variability and change in selected sites from Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 6831-6849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olushola Fadairo ◽  
Portia Adade Williams ◽  
Faridah Sendagire Nalwanga
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Eastern Africa ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Dry Spell

Abstract In the wake of deepened situations of changing climate, a clear understanding of the perceived impacts and adaptation of climate variability and change on livelihoods of vegetable farmers in Western and Eastern Africa, which is not readily available, is critical for sustainable vegetable production in Africa. Development planning for climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment was utilised in the study. Using multi-stage sampling procedure, 193 vegetable farmers in selected sites prominent for vegetable production from Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria were used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and linear regression at α0.05. Awareness of climate variability and change was high among most respondents from the three countries, but highest among respondents from Uganda (78.3%). Awareness was highest for long dry spell ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 1.90) and drought ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 1.81) and lowest for harmful gas emissions ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 0.76). Changes in climate variability and trends were perceived to be highest in terms of flood volume/damage caused by flood to farmlands in Nigeria ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 3.85) and Uganda ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 5.0), but in terms of increased temperature for Ghana ($$\bar{x}$$ x ¯  = 4.93). Impact of climate-related changes on vegetable farming was high in Ghana (98.3%) and Nigeria (46.6%) but low in Uganda (5.0%). Awareness (β = 0.14), perception (β = 0.15) use of adaptation strategies (β = 0.10) and household size (β = − 0.19) predicted change in perceived impact of climate variability among vegetable farmers. Vegetable farmers in Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda are affected differently by climate variability. Farmers in these countries also have different priorities for adaptation strategies. Locality-specific climate adaptation strategies would help ease farmers burden due to climate change.

scholarly journals Barriers and Facilitators for Adopting Sustainable Soil Management Practices in Mediterranean Olive Groves

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 506 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. Aznar-Sánchez ◽  
Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz ◽  
Belén López-Felices ◽  
Fernando del Moral-Torres
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Sustainable Soil Management ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Soil is a fundamental resource, subject to severe and quick degradation processes because of the pressure of human activities, particularly in many regions of the Mediterranean where agriculture is an important economic activity. It has been proven that the use of sustainable soil management practices can potentially give rise to the creation of a carbon sink, an increase of soil organic matter content, the maintenance of crop productivity and a reduction in erosion. Despite the existence of scientific evidence about the benefits generated by the use of sustainable practices on soil, many farmers are reluctant to adopt them. The objective of this study is to identify and give a hierarchical structure to the factors that condition the adoption of sustainable practices in the management of agricultural soil. The case of olive tree cultivation in Southeast Spain has been studied, using a participatory qualitative methodology. The results show a series of seven principal barriers (information, costs, risk aversion, characteristics of the farm and sustainable practices, macro factors, and cultural barriers) and five facilitators (technology, farmer training, awareness, incentives, and social pressure) for the adoption of the proposed sustainable agricultural practices. The principal political and legislative actions proposed to increase the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices include: administrative control, fostering environmental awareness, technical knowledge, and on-farm demonstrations; and, on the economic and financial level, incorporation of both general incentives and subsidizing specific costs. This study contributes to the development and discussion of intervention proposals that are designed to stimulate the implementation of sustainable practices in agricultural soil management.

scholarly journals Agricultural and Biomedical Applications of Chitosan-Based Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subhani Bandara ◽  
Hongbo Du ◽  
Laura Carson ◽  
Debra Bradford ◽  
Raghava Kommalapati
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Photothermal Therapy ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Chitosan Nanoparticles ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Chitosan has emerged as a biodegradable, nontoxic polymer with multiple beneficial applications in the agricultural and biomedical sectors. As nanotechnology has evolved as a promising field, researchers have incorporated chitosan-based nanomaterials in a variety of products to enhance their efficacy and biocompatibility. Moreover, due to its inherent antimicrobial and chelating properties, and the availability of modifiable functional groups, chitosan nanoparticles were also directly used in a variety of applications. In this review, the use of chitosan-based nanomaterials in agricultural and biomedical fields related to the management of abiotic stress in plants, water availability for crops, controlling foodborne pathogens, and cancer photothermal therapy is discussed, with some insights into the possible mechanisms of action. Additionally, the toxicity arising from the accumulation of these nanomaterials in biological systems and future research avenues that had gained limited attention from the scientific community are discussed here. Overall, chitosan-based nanomaterials show promising characteristics for sustainable agricultural practices and effective healthcare in an eco-friendly manner.

scholarly journals Framing of sustainable agricultural practices by the farming press and its effect on adoption

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niki A. Rust ◽  
Rebecca M. Jarvis ◽  
Mark S. Reed ◽  
Julia Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Media Content Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices ◽  
Source Of Information

AbstractThere is growing political pressure for farmers to use more sustainable agricultural practices to protect people and the planet. The farming press could encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices through its ability to manipulate discourse and spread awareness by changing the salience of issues or framing topics in specific ways. We sought to understand how the UK farming press framed sustainable agricultural practices and how the salience of these practices changed over time. We combined a media content analysis of the farming press alongside 60 qualitative interviews with farmers and agricultural advisors to understand whether the farming press influenced farmers to try more sustainable practices. Salience of sustainable agricultural practices grew between 2009 and 2020. Many of the practices studied were framed by the press around economic and agronomic aspects, and farmer respondents said the most common reasons for trying sustainable agricultural practices were for economic and agronomic reasons. The farming press tended to use more positive rather than negative tones when covering sustainable agricultural practices. Respondents used the farming press as a source of information, though many did not fully trust these outlets as they believed the farming press were mouthpieces for agribusinesses. Whilst a minority of farmers stated they were motivated to try a new sustainable agricultural practice after learning about it in the farming press, this was rare. Instead, the farming press was used by respondents to raise their awareness about wider agricultural topics. We reflect on the role and power given to agribusinesses by the farming press and what this means for agricultural sustainability.

A systematic review on sustainable agricultural practices among oil palm farmers

2021 ◽  
pp. 003072702110218
Author(s):  
Azlan Abas ◽  
Ah Choy Er ◽  
Noordeyana Tambi ◽  
Nur Hafizah Yusoff
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Oil palm farmers play an important role in ensuring oil palm cultivation can achieve sustainable agricultural practice. However, the best agricultural practices among oil palm farmers are yet to be known. This study aims to systematically review oil palm farmers’ sustainable practices. The present study integrated multiple research designs and the review was based on the published standard, namely ROSES (Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses). This study used Web of Science (WoS) as the main database in searching for the required articles. Based on the thematic analysis, this review has 5 (five) main themes, the sustainable practices, namely 1) land management, 2) waste management, 3) advanced technology implementation, 4) economic empowerment, and 5) social inclusion. The findings offer some basics on how to integrate oil palm farmers’ practices with scientific findings for the formation of the oil palm certification and policy besides providing some ideas on the role of the oil palm farmer in the sustainable development 2030 agenda.

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