Can Retention of Crop Residues on the Field Be Justified on Socioeconomic Grounds? A Case Study from the Mixed Crop-Livestock Production Systems of the Moroccan Drylands

Conservation agriculture (CA) involving zero tillage, crop diversification, and residue retention is considered a panacea for several interrelated problems in agricultural production. However, in the mixed crop-livestock production systems of the drylands, crop residues have great significance as sources of animal feed, posing a major challenge in the promotion of CA. While the economic benefits and the drivers of adoption of zero tillage and rotation have been well documented, the literature on the economics of residue retention (RR), especially in the drylands, is scanty. By applying the endogenous switching regression model to a case study of 2296 wheat fields in Morocco, this paper provides evidence on the socio-economic impacts of residue retention. Between 30% and 60% and above 60% of crop residues were retained respectively on 35% and 14% of wheat fields. These levels of residue retention led to 22% and 29% more yields, 25% and 32% higher gross margins and 22% and 25% more consumption of wheat, respectively. Retention of above 60% residue reduces both downside risk and variability of yield while lower levels of residue retention have mixed effects. Residue retention is economically and biophysically beneficial even for owners of livestock as the monetary value of the additional grain yield more than offsets the cost of purchasing an equivalent amount of feed from the market—all providing good economic justification for residue retention. Our findings show that economic reasons are not barriers for adoption of residue retention, but risk factors and absence of alternative feed sources might. The policy implication of our results is that there are high incentives for Morocco and other similar countries in North Africa and West Asia to invest in the development and/or import of alternative feed sources, introducing crop insurance, and raising the awareness of the economic, biophysical and environmental benefits of residue retention among farmers.

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Household nutrition and income impacts of using dairy technologies in mixed crop-livestock production systems

Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics ◽

10.1111/1467-8489.12223 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 626-644 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E. G. Kebebe

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Mixed Crop

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Torrefied biomass in biofuel production system

Scientific Horizons ◽

10.33249/2663-2144-2020-93-8-9-12 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 93 (8) ◽

pp. 9-12

Author(s):

D. Ciolkosz ◽

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Large Scale ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Production Systems ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Energy Content ◽

Value Added ◽

Power Production ◽

Biofuel Production ◽

Added Value

Ukraine produces large amounts of crop residues every year, much which could be utilized to produce biofuel. However, efficient supply chains and system configurations are needed to make such systems efficient and cost effective. One option is to integrate torrefaction, power production and biofuel production into a single, coordinated system. This approach allows for high value product (i.e. biofuel), greater utilization of the energy content of the feedstock, and supply chain efficiency. Initial analyses indicate that revenues can be enhanced through this approach, and further analyses and optimization efforts could identify a sustainable approach to renewable fuel and power production for Ukraine. The question of scale and layout remains of interest as well, and a thorough logistical study is needed to identify the most suitable configuration. Agricultural operations often benefit from smaller scales of operation, whereas fuel production processes tend to operate profitably only at very large scale. Thus, a balance must be struck between the needs of both ends of the supply chain. The processing center concept helps to balance those needs. A system such as this also has potential to synergize with other agricultural production systems, such as the production of animal feed, fertilizer, and other bio-based products. The complexities of the Ukrainian agricultural market will need to be reflected carefully in any model that seeks to assess the system's potential. Presents a concept for coupling thermal pretreatment (torrefaction with biofuel and power production for the transformation of wheat straw into a value added product for Ukraine. Torrefaction provides supply chain savings, while conversion provides added value to the product. This paradigm has potential to utilize a widely produced waste material into a valuable source of energy and possibly other products for the country.

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Benefits obtained from cattle by smallholder farmers: a case study of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea08058 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 48 (7) ◽

pp. 825 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

A. Stroebel ◽

F. J. C. Swanepoel ◽

N. D. Nthakheni ◽

A. E. Nesamvuni ◽

G. Taylor

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Production Systems ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Meat Consumption ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Wealth Status ◽

Livestock Farmers ◽

Vhembe District

A survey of livestock production systems was conducted in the Vhembe District, located between 22°85′ latitude and 30°71′ longitude in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The objective of the study was to investigate the benefits obtained from, and key functions of, cattle production, as well as related breeding objectives in smallholder livestock production in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data were collected by means of a general survey questionnaire and a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) exercise. The results indicate that almost 60% of farmers own < 10 cattle. Female animals constituted the largest component of the herd (55.02%). Although the bull : cow ratio was extremely high (1 : 3.7), the calving rate was low at 35.60%, with an extremely high herd mortality of 15.70% and a low off-take of 8.70%. In a pairwise ranking, the benefits obtained from cattle by smallholder livestock farmers are as follows: selling and meat consumption (4), wealth, status and savings (3), socio-cultural activities (2) and draught power (1). The ‘cattle complex’, where cattle are kept for prestige and status, is still appropriate, but cattle also make significant contributions in respect to selling and meat consumption, and arable inputs such as draft and fertiliser. It is concluded that benefits obtained from cattle form the basis of decision-making by smallholder cattle owners with respect to livestock production.

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Mixed farming and intensification of animal production systems in Asia

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/003072709702600407 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 255-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Devendra

Keyword(s):

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Production Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

The Philippines ◽

Natural Resource Use ◽

Feed Resources ◽

Livestock Disease ◽

Animal Genetic Resources ◽

Semiarid Tropics

Integrated crop-animal systems are important in Asia. Both ruminants and non-ruminants are used in a variety of combinations with annual and perennial crops in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, China and Sri Lanka. These combined systems provide distinct economic benefits, and are more compatible with ecological and environmental sustainability. Increased investment in these systems is likely and research is needed on feed resources, use of indigenous animal genetic resources and livestock disease to increase livestock production. In addition, available research results should be applied and enabling policies developed to promote increased investment in livestock production and natural resource use and management in the rainfed warm humid/subhumid and arid/semiarid tropics.

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Climate Change and Variability in the Mixed Crop/Livestock Production Systems of Central Ethiopian Highland

Handbook of Climate Change Resilience ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-93336-8_120 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1169-1192

Author(s):

Nigatu Alemayehu ◽

Mary Masafu ◽

Abule Ebro ◽

Azage Tegegne ◽

Getachew Gebru

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Production Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Climate Change And Variability ◽

Ethiopian Highland ◽

Mixed Crop

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Integrating crop and livestock production in Inland Northwest farming systems

American Journal of Alternative Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0889189300006901 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 11 (2-3) ◽

pp. 121-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Linda H. Hardesty ◽

James A. Tiedeman

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Production Systems ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Domestic Demand ◽

Forage Crops ◽

Inland Northwest ◽

Production Cycles ◽

Crop And Livestock Production

AbstractThe demand for more ecologically and economically sustainable agriculture arises because we currently integrate products economically in a fashion that distorts ecologica I relationships. Earfy farms were ecologically integrated through feeding of forage crops and crop residues to livestock, with livestock contributing draft power and manure for crops. Today we have almost entirely uncoupled plant and animal production, eliminating the contribution that each can make to the productivity of the other. Barriers to integrating farming systems include the large volume of information needed for sophisticated production systems and the lack of infrastructure. Also, many chemicals used on crops have not been evaluated for their safety in food animals. Winter feeding and calving may conflict with crop production cycles; balancing year-round forage supplies is another obstacle. Opportunities include using the Conservation Reserve Program to shift land to livestock production. Domestic demand for meat is changing, and range livestock production is seen by some people as more humane than confinement. Animals fed less grain may be more acceptable in some markets. As agriculture responds to changes in society, ecologica I integration may become more compatible with economic integration.

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MANURE UNGGAS: SUPLEMEN PAKAN ALTERNATIF DAN DAMPAK TERHADAP LINGKUNGAN

Jurnal Bioteknologi & Biosains Indonesia (JBBI) ◽

10.29122/jbbi.v5i2.2775 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 241

Author(s):

Yanuartono Yanuartono ◽

Alfarisa Nururrozi ◽

Soedarmanto Indarjulianto ◽

Nurman Haribowo ◽

Hary Purnamaningsih ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Poultry Manure ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Chicken Manure ◽

Poultry Waste ◽

Poultry Industry ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Alternative Feed ◽

Biogas Energy ◽

The Impact

Manure Poultry: Alternative Feed Supplements and Impacts on the EnvironmentABSTRACTThe increase in protein demand is now of serious concern as the human population is forecasted to rise to as much as 9.6 billion by 2050. The poultry industry is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of livestock production in the world. Increased production results in increased sewage so that the impact on the emergence of environmental problems associated with increased air pollution, water, and soil. The sustainability of animal feeds is crucial in the development of livestock production systems, and feed efficiency can be improved by reusing poultry waste in livestock diets, thus diminishing the use of feed grains. There are several ways of disposing of poultry waste including burial, incineration, composting, fertilizer or source of biogas energy and feed for livestock. Poultry manure is a rich source of lignocelluloses, polysaccharides, proteins, minerals, and other biological materials. It is currently expected some problems can be overcome by utilizing poultry manure waste as an alternative feed source for livestock. This paper aims to review the negative effects of excessive chicken manure and its benefits as an alternative feed for livestock and fish.Keywords: alternative feed, livestock, pollution, poultry industry, poultry manure ABSTRAKKenaikan permintaan protein menjadi perhatian serius karena populasi manusia diperkirakan akan meningkat menjadi sebanyak 9,6 miliar orang pada tahun 2050. Industri perunggasan merupakan salah satu sektor produksi ternak terbesar dan tercepat di dunia. Meningkatnya hasil produksi tersebut akan menambah jumlah limbah sehingga berdampak pada munculnya masalah lingkungan yang terkait dengan peningkatan polusi udara, air dan tanah. Ketersediaan pakan hewan secara berkesinambungan sangat penting dalam pengembangan sistem produksi ternak dan efisiensi pakan dapat ditingkatkan dengan menggunakan kembali limbah unggas sebagai bahan pakan ternak, sehingga mengurangi penggunaan biji-bijian sebagai sumber pakan. Ada beberapa metode mengurangi jumlah manure ayam termasuk penguburan, insinerasi, pengomposan, pemupukan atau sumber energi biogas dan pakan ternak. Kotoran unggas adalah sumber lignoselulosa, polisakarida, protein, mineral dan bahan biologi lainnya. Saat ini diperkirakan beberapa permasalahan bisa diatasi dengan memanfaatkan limbah manure unggas sebagai sumber pakan alternatif bagi ternak. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji dampak negatif dari manure ayam yang berlebihan dan manfaatnya sebagai pakan alternatif untuk ternak dan ikan.Kata Kunci: industri perunggasan, manure ayam, pakan alternatif, polusi, ternak

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Estimating farmers’ internal value of crop residues in smallholder crop-livestock systems: A South Asia case study

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/00307270211039527 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003072702110395

Author(s):

Kent Olson ◽

Victor Gauto ◽

Nils Teufel ◽

Braja Swain ◽

Sabine Homann-Kee Tui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Asia ◽

Null Hypothesis ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Construction Material ◽

Shadow Price ◽

Livestock Feed ◽

Mixed Crop ◽

Shadow Value ◽

Using Data

Crop residues (CR) are an important, internally produced resource with several uses on smallholder, mixed crop-livestock farms, including livestock feed, mulch, fuel and construction material. This study sets out to develop a method to estimate the internal shadow value of CR as feed and as mulch for smallholder households. The study uses a South Asia case study as illustration using data from a set of village and household surveys in three different sites. The estimated shadow prices were higher for CR as mulch than for CR as feed at all three sites. These results reject the null hypothesis that the estimated shadow price for CR as feed is greater than the shadow price for CR as mulch. Since the null hypothesis was formed based on observing household behavior, the rejection of the null hypothesis implies that there are other reasons to explain why more households use CR as feed versus as mulch.

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