scholarly journals Economic Implications of Soil Erosion: A methodological framework.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josily Samuel ◽  
C A Rama Rao ◽  
B M K Raju ◽  
K V Rao ◽  
R Rejani ◽  
...  

Abstract Soil erosion has adverse economic and environmental impacts. The economic effects are due to loss of farm income with adverse impact on crop production. There is a need to understand the trade-offs between farm income and soil loss faced by the farmers in making decisions at farm level. There are different methodologies that integrate into a bio-economic model wherein the multi objective linear programming models have focus on the economic aspects and biophysical components. In this study, we tried to examine the status of soil erosion and formulated a methodological frame work for optimising the farm level objectives and their trade-offs for sustainable farming systems.

The farming system in West Bengal is being shifted by integration between the set of cash crops and the main food harvest process. This change in diversified farming systems, where smallholders have a production base in rice can complement production; affect technical efficiency and farm performance. The goal of this study was to investigate the status of crop diversification on smallholders in West Bengal. First, crop diversification regions were developed in West Bengal based on the Herfindahl index, which were categorized into three regions. Three sample districts were studied separately at the block level, and 915 small farmers from 41 sample villages of 9 sample blocks were interviewed through a good structure questionnaire for field studies from the sample districts. West Bengal was gradually moving towards multiple crop production. Furthermore, increasing rice production reduced the marginal use of inputs for the production of other crops. Farming and other vital factors such as HYVs area to GCA, average holding size and per capita income in some districts of West Bengal can be identified as determinants of crop diversification.


Author(s):  
Bimesh Dahal

There are many management methods for nutrient which can be specifically applied in farming systems. Integrated nutrient management (INM) generally denotes the combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers for producing crops in a sustainable manner and to maintain soil fertility as well as to supply nutrient in appropriate amount which consider social, ecological and economic impacts. This paper shows the importance and need of INM in agriculture production. Also, the relation of INM and yield attributes are analyzed and evaluated including growth and physical attributes of cowpea. The status of nutrient uptake by plant is also described along with other physical and chemical properties of soil. Finally, this paper also describes about the biofertilizer and its relation, impact and effect on crop production which can be used as a improved technology with the combination of other nutrient management practices.


Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Pannell

Economic insights are crucial for making sound decisions about farm-level management of nitrogen and also about regional or national policy such as for water pollution. In the present review, key insights are presented from a large and diverse literature on the economics of nitrogen in agriculture and the economics of the consequences of nitrogen fertilisation. Issues covered include (1) the economics of nitrogen as an input to production, (2) nitrogen and economic risk at the farm level, (3) the economics of nitrogen fixation by legumes, (4) the existence of flat payoff functions, which often allow wide flexibility in decisions about nitrogen fertiliser rates, (5) explanations for over-application of nitrogen fertilisers by some farmers, and (6) the economics of nitrogen pollution at both the farm level and the policy level. Economics helps to explain farmer behaviour and to design strategies and policies that are more beneficial and more likely to be adopted and successfully implemented.


2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. RISCHKOWSKY ◽  
E. F. THOMSON ◽  
R. SHNAYIEN ◽  
J. M. KING

The changes taking place in the mixed farming systems of northwest Syria were examined by re-visiting, in 1996 and 2000, five villages along a rainfall gradient. The villages had been surveyed first in 1977–79. In those villages with moderate rainfall, intensification of crop production, namely a trend towards cereal monoculture and the planting of tree crops, did not lead to specialization in cropping at the expense of sheep ownership. In contrast, households in the areas too dry for most rainfed crops except barley (Hordeum vulgare) were more likely to sell their sheep because they depended heavily on off-farm income. Increases in crop yields were found but these only benefited the families in villages in the higher rainfall zones. Conversely, with the exception of ewe fertility, there was little evidence of improvements in sheep productivity. The mixed farming systems in the five villages sampled are still passing through a period of transition, and the cropping component will undoubtedly continue to change. This is less likely to happen to the small ruminant component in the near future unless the sector is given higher priority in national policy. As a strategy to increase feed production and balance the crop rotations, the prospects for closer crop/livestock integration at the farm level are limited by the many difficulties associated with the introduction of leguminous pasture and forage crops.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Hauck ◽  
Christian Schleyer ◽  
Klara J. Winkler ◽  
Joachim Maes

AbstractIn December 2013, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council formally adopted the new regulations for the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (2014-2020). The new regulations include three obligatory greening measures: ecological focus areas, maintaining permanent grassland, and crop diversification. We assess the impact of these measures on ecosystem services using scientific and gray literature. The literature review reveals that the adopted greening measures will have mixed effects, i.e., trade-offs and synergies across ecosystems services. Provisioning services, in particular crop production, are expected to decrease when the measures are implemented. All other service categories, i.e., regulating and cultural services, will increase – or are at least will not obviously be negatively affected – once the measures are implemented. However, in terms of tradeoffs and synergies, much depends on objectives being pursued, the baseline or alternative land use underlying the comparison, and on the prevalent farming systems and farm characteristics. Including the ecosystem services concept into the design and assessment of policies would allow a systematic review of the consequences of measures also for services otherwise easily ignored.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256694
Author(s):  
Shah-Al Emran ◽  
Timothy J. Krupnik ◽  
Sreejith Aravindakshan ◽  
Virender Kumar ◽  
Cameron M. Pittelkow

Large changes have taken place in smallholder farming systems in South Asia’s coastal areas in recent decades, particularly related to cropping intensity, input availability, climate risks, and off-farm activities. However, few studies have investigated the extent to which these changes have impacted farm-level crop productivity, which is a key driver of food security and poverty in rainfed, low-input, rice-based systems. The objective of this study was to conduct an integrated assessment of variables related to socioeconomic status, farm characteristics, and crop management practices to understand the major factors influencing crop productivity and identify promising leverage points for sustainable development in coastal Bangladesh. Using a panel survey dataset of 32 variables from 502 farm households located within polder (coastal embankment) and outside polder systems during 2005–2015, we employed statistical factor analysis to characterize five independent latent factors named here as Farming Challenges, Economic Status, Crop Management Practices, Asset Endowment, and Farm Characteristics. The factor Farming Challenges explained the most variation among households (31%), with decreases observed over time, specifically households located outside polders. Individual variables contributing to this factor included perceived cyclone severity, household distance to main roads and input-output markets, cropping intensity, and access to extension services. The most important factors for increasing crop productivity on a household and per unit area basis were Asset Endowment and Crop Management Practices, respectively. The former highlights the need for increasing gross cropped area, which can be achieved through greater cropping intensity, while the latter was associated with increased fertilizer, labor, and pesticide input use. Despite the importance of these factors, household poverty trajectory maps showed that changes in off-farm income had played the strongest role in improving livelihoods in this coastal area. This study can help inform development efforts and policies for boosting farm-level crop productivity, specifically through agricultural intensification (higher cropping intensity combined with appropriate and efficient use of inputs) and expanding opportunities for off-farm income as key pathways to bring smallholder households out of poverty.


1992 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 82-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda K. Lee

AbstractAdoption of agricultural practices that reduce or eliminate chemical use creates tradeoffs among yields and output, production costs and net income at the farm level. If widespread adoption is to occur, potential improvements in human health and the environment from reduced chemical use must be weighed against effects on aggregate farm income and consumer food prices. At present, these tradeoffs are subject to considerable debate.I review available farm level and aggregate economic studies of reductions in total agricultural chemical use. At the farm level, available studies suggest that organic and low-input farming systems result in declines in per acre yields and in lower net returns than most conventional farming systems, although the studies do indicate that net returns for the two systems can be comparable under some conditions. Several studies suggest that low-input systems perform well with respect to risk criteria. I also discuss the potential influence of government programs on the profitability of some low-input farming systems.All aggregate economic models conclude that widespread adoption of organic farming would result in decreased yields, decreased aggregate output, increased farm income, and large increases in consumer prices. These models have limitations, however. Recommendations are made for further economic research of the impacts of reducing agricultural chemical use at both the farm and aggregate levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Ruppert ◽  
Martin Welp ◽  
Michael Spies ◽  
Niels Thevs

The reestablishment of agroforestry systems in Central Asia, combining crop production with protective tree shelterbelts, provides significant potential to improve farming systems. This includes increasing crop yields, additional income from timber, as well as reducing soil degradation and wind erosion. Thus, adopting shelterbelts as a form of pro-environmental behavior provides a number of socio-economic benefits, although some trade-offs need to be considered as well. This paper investigates factors that shape the perception of—and attitude towards—the establishment of tree shelterbelts by farmers in two case study regions in Kyrgyzstan. Applying a conceptual framework distinguishing between extrinsic and intrinsic factors, research methods included semi-structured interviews with farmers and local policy makers. The results show spatial differences in the perception of shelterbelts, both on the regional and on the village scale. In general, shelterbelts were negatively perceived by more than half of the farmers. The main concern raised by farmers was the shading of crops by shelterbelts, resulting in a decrease of yield. In addition, small field sizes and potential conflicts with neighbors were key concerns. Furthermore, rules set by local self-government bodies were inconsistent with the legislative framework, posing significant restrictions to the adoption of sustainable land use practices.


Author(s):  
GK Bayle

Eucalyptus is an ever green flowering tree and a shrub which belong to the family Myrtaceae, subfamily Myrotideae and consists of some 800 species. This tree is native to Australia and widely planted for various uses in the different parts of Ethiopia integrating into the various farming systems, and their planting has resulted in high economic profitability. It is over a century since eucalyptus was introduced in Ethiopia for multipurpose use and rescues the remaining indigenous forests from being destroyed, for controlling soil erosion, for replacing indigenous species for fuel-wood, thereby preventing further degradation of natural forests by quickly producing firewood, would eliminate the causes which frequently may have led to land degradation and desertification and also a food and habitat for wild animals. But, it also a harmful effect on the environment, uses a lot of nutrient which is leading to soil exhaustion and reduction of crop yields, secretion of allelochemical and decreasing crop production, but the trees are neither good nor bad, and careful analysis of the ecological and social implications should be undertaken before planting. Decisions, such as what, where, why and how to grow and how to manage it have to be made; and the social and ecological implications of each decision, as well as the economic implications, have to be weighted up. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2019, 5(1): 93-104


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