scholarly journals Farm Water Productivity in Conventional and Organic Farming: Case Studies of Cow-Calf Farming Systems in North Germany

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leen Vellenga ◽  
Gregor Qualitz ◽  
Katrin Drastig
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
North Germany ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Conventional Farm

The increase of organic agriculture in Germany raises the question of how water productivity differs from conventional agriculture. On three organic and two conventionally farming systems in Germany, water flows and water related indicators were quantified. Farm water productivity (FWP), farm water productivity of cow-calf production (FWPlivestock), and farm water productivity of food crop production (FWPfood crops) were calculated using the modeling software AgroHyd Farmmodel. The FWP was calculated on a mass and monetary basis. FWPlivestock showed the highest productivity on a mass basis occurring on a conventional farm with 0.09 kg m−3Winput, whereas one organic farm and one conventional farm showed the same results. On a monetary basis, organic cow-calf farming systems showed the highest FWPlivestock, with 0.28 € m−3Winput. Since the productivity of the farm depends strongly on the individual cultivated plants, FWPfood crops was compared at the level of the single crop. The results show furthermore that even with a precise examination of farm water productivity, a high bandwidth of temporal and local values are revealed on different farms: generic FWP for food crops and livestock are not within reach.

scholarly journals Financial health of agricultural enterprises in the organic farming sector

2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Brožová
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Financial Indicators ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Enterprises ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Legal Entities

The present research was aimed at evaluating the economic performance of organic farm enterprises (legal entities) in the Czech Republic on the basis of their production base and financial health. The evaluation was carried out by means of specific financial indicators. The results recorded in the organic farming sector were confronted with those of the conventional agriculture. It stemmed from the analysis that conventionally farming legal entities, as opposed to the organically farming ones, tend to have higher average assets per hectare of farmland. Secondly, as for the structure of assets, fixed assets prevail substantially over current assets. Organic farms, on the contrary, have a significantly higher average value of external financial resources per hectare of farmland. In order to evaluate the financial health of organic farms, their economic results were used; firstly in absolute value (including per hectare calculation) and then within the individual ratios. The analysis showed that 84.4 % farms of the sample were profitable as long as subsidies were included in the yields. While excluding subsidies from the calculations, an overwhelming majority of enterprises (95.3 %) recorded a loss. Comparing the per hectare economic results, higher average profit rates were recorded for organic farms. Furthermore, financial health of the enterprises was analyzed by means of selected indicator ratios. Concrete results, including the respective commentaries, can be found in the present paper too.

Soil carbon pool under organic and conventional crop production system of semi arid tropics

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
D Udhaya Nandhini ◽  
E Somasundaram ◽  
S Somasundaram ◽  
K Arulmozhiselvan
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Soil Carbon Pool ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Doc Concentration ◽  
Farm Soils ◽  
Conventional Farm ◽  
Semi Arid

Regardless of land use, the results indicated significant differences in all the studied parameters. Total % SOC ranged from 0.52 to 0.72 for conventional farm samples (mean 0.62%) and 0.63 to 1.59 for the organic samples (mean 1.19). Bulk density (g/cc) ranged from 0.43 to 0.81 (mean 0. 62) for conventional and 0.17 to 0.28 (mean 0.20) organic farm soils. Organic manures increased microbial biomass carbon by 117% and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration by 181% over conventional farming. The results suggested that organic matter is better protected in organic soils and are consequently less vulnerable to mineralization.

scholarly journals Soil Properties and Soil Management Practices in Commercial Organic and Conventional Vegetable Farms in Kathmandu Valley

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Gautam Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Organic Farmers ◽  
Conventional Farm

Soil management practices determine the long term productivity of soil. A comparative study of commercial organic and conventional vegetable farming systems was carried out to find out impact of different farming systems on soil properties. This study was executed in Kathmandu valley (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts) among 30 organic and 30 conventional commercial vegetable farmers. Semi-structured questionnaire survey and soil physical and chemical analysis were performed to gather the required information. Results showed that bulk soil pH was significantly higher in the organic field than in the conventional field. Soil organic matter and available soil potassium were significantly higher in amount in the organic farm than in the conventional farm. Total soil nitrogen content and available soil nitrogen content were significantly higher in amount in the conventional farm than in the organic farm. Conventional farmers were applied significantly higher amount of chicken manure and biozyme as compared to organic farmers. Organic farmers applied significantly higher amount of urban compost and bone meal as compared to conventional farmers.  Farmers perceived productivity was increasing in trend in the organic farms whereas it was declining in the conventional farms.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njst.v15i1.12005 Nepal Journal of Science and TechnologyVol. 15, No.1 (2014) 13-22

scholarly journals Soil Chemical Characteristics of Organic and Conventional Agriculture

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Muhammad Abdul Aziz ◽  
Fahrizal Hazra ◽  
Selly Salma ◽  
Dedi Nursyamsi Nursyamsi
Keyword(s):  
Pesticide Residues ◽  
Available P ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Soil Organic C ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Conventional Farm

Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on intensive land of both lowland and upland food crops have been shown to increase agricultural productivity significantly. Research aimed to study soil chemical characteristics and soil pesticide residues at some crops of organic and conventional farms. The research was carried out in  Laboratory of Soil Chemistry, Indonesian Soil Research Institute and in Laboratory of Agrochemical Residue, Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Institute, Bogor from February to July 2015. Soil samples at 0-10 cm depth were taken compositely from broccoli (Brassica oleracea), carrots (Daucus carota), maize (Zea mays), and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) farms in Bogor Regency as well as from rice field in Tasikmalaya Regency at both organic and conventional farms. Soil chemical characteristics were analyzed include: soil organic-C (Walkey and Black), total-N (Kjeldahl), potential-P (HCl 25%), available-P (Olsen), potential-K (HCl 25%), available-K (NH4OAc 1 N pH 7), CEC (NH4OAc 1 N pH 7), and pH (soil : water = 1: 5), while pesticide residues included levels of organochlorine (lindane, aldrin, heptaklor, dieldrin, DDT, endosulfan); organophosphates (diazinon, fenitrotin, metidation, paration, profenofos); and carbamates (carbofuran, MIPC, BPMC) in the soil by using Gas Chromatography method. Results showed that levels of soil organic-C, total-N, potential and available-P, potential and available-K, CEC, pH  at organic farms were higher than those at conventional farms. Some pesticide residues compound (organochlorines, organophosphates, and carbamates) were detected at conventional farm, while those at organic farm were not detected (trace).Keywords: Conventional farm, organic farm, pesticide residues, soil properties. [How to Cite: Muhammad AA, F Hazra, S Salma and D Nursyamsi. 2016. Soil Chemical Characteristics of Organic and Conventional Agriculture. J Trop Soils 21: 19-25. Doi: 10.5400/jts.2016.21.1.19] 

Micro and Macro-level Analysis of Crop Diversification: Evidence from an Agrarian State West Bengal

2020 ◽  
pp. 489-499
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Structure Questionnaire ◽  
Crop Diversification ◽  
The Status ◽  
Block Level ◽  
Diversified 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.

scholarly journals Community seed network in an era of climate change: dynamics of maize diversity in Yucatán, Mexico

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Fenzi ◽  
Paul Rogé ◽  
Angel Cruz-Estrada ◽  
John Tuxill ◽  
Devra Jarvis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Seed Systems ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Maize Diversity ◽  
Climatic Period ◽  
Small Holder Farmers

AbstractLocal seed systems remain the fundamental source of seeds for many crops in developing countries. Climate resilience for small holder farmers continues to depend largely on locally available seeds of traditional crop varieties. High rainfall events can have as significant an impact on crop production as increased temperatures and drought. This article analyzes the dynamics of maize diversity over 3 years in a farming community of Yucatán state, Mexico, where elevated levels of precipitation forced farmers in 2012 to reduce maize diversity in their plots. We study how farmers maintained their agroecosystem resilience through seed networks, examining the drivers influencing maize diversity and seed provisioning in the year preceding and following the 2012 climatic disturbance (2011–2013). We found that, under these challenging circumstances, farmers focused their efforts on their most reliable landraces, disregarding hybrids. We show that farmers were able to recover and restore the diversity usually cultivated in the community in the year following the critical climate event. The maize dynamic assessed in this study demonstrates the importance of community level conservation of crop diversity. Understanding farmer management strategies of agrobiodiversity, especially during a challenging climatic period, is necessary to promote a more tailored response to climate change in traditional farming systems.

scholarly journals Can Enhancing Efficiency Promote the Economic Viability of Smallholder Farmers? A Case of Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4235
Author(s):  
Silvia Saravia-Matus ◽  
T. S. Amjath-Babu ◽  
Sreejith Aravindakshan ◽  
Stefan Sieber ◽  
Jimmy A. Saravia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Smallholder Farming

By developing meta-frontier efficiency and structural equation models, the paper examines whether farm economic viability is positively associated with technical efficiency in a highly food insecure context, such as that of rural Sierra Leone. The findings show that technical efficiency can be a sufficient but not necessary condition in determining economic viability of smallholder farming. It is possible to breach reproductive thresholds at the cost of reduced technical efficiency, when the crop diversification strategy of smallholders includes market-oriented high-value crops. This calls for a dual policy approach that addresses farmers’ internal needs for self-consumption (increasing efficiency of food crop production) while encouraging market-oriented cash crop production (diversification assisted through the reduction of associated transaction costs and the establishment of accessible commercialization channels of export related crops and/or high-value crops). The work also calls out for a move-up or move-out strategy for small holders to create viable farming systems in developing world.

scholarly journals Nitrogen fertility in semiarid dryland wheat production is challenging for beginning organic farmers

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew J. Lyon ◽  
Gary W. Hergert
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
N Fertility ◽  
Summer Fallow

AbstractOrganic farming systems use green and animal manures to supply nitrogen (N) to their fields for crop production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of green manure and composted cattle manure on the subsequent winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) crop in a semiarid environment. Dry pea (Pisum sativumL.) was seeded in early April and terminated at first flower in late June. Composted cattle manure was applied at 0, 11.2 or 22.5 Mg ha−1just prior to pea termination. Winter wheat was planted in mid September following the green manure or tilled summer fallow. No positive wheat response to green manure or composted cattle manure was observed in any of the 3 years of the study. In 2 of the 3 years, wheat yields and grain test weight were reduced following green manure. Green manure reduced grain yields compared with summer fallow by 220 and 1190 kg ha−1in 2009 and 2010, respectively. This may partially be explained by 40 and 47 mm less soil water at wheat planting following peas compared with tilled summer fallow in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Also, in 2008 and 2009, soil nitrate level averaged 45 kg ha−1higher for black fallow compared with green manure fallow when no compost was added. Organic growers in the semiarid Central Great Plains will be challenged to supply N fertility to their winter wheat crop in a rapid and consistent manner as a result of the inherently variable precipitation. Growers may need to allow several years to pass before seeing the benefits of fertility practices in their winter wheat cropping systems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document