Life Cycle Environmental Impacts and Health Effects of Protein-Rich Food as Meat Alternatives: A Review

The food sector is responsible for a considerable impact on the environment in most environmental contexts: the food supply chain causes greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, reduction in cultivable land, and other environmental impacts. Thus, a change in food supply is required to reduce the environmental impacts caused by the food supply chain and to meet the increasing demand for sufficient and qualitative nutrition. Large herds of livestock are inappropriate to achieve these goals due to the relevant impact of meat supply chain on the environment, e.g., the land used to grow feed for animals is eight times more than that for human nutrition. The search for meat alternatives, especially for the intake of critical nutrients such as protein, is a consequent step. In the above context, this paper summarizes the health aspects of protein-rich food alternatives to meat and carries out a literature review on the life-cycle environmental impacts of this alternative food.

Determinants of Crop Diversification in Bangladesh: An Econometric Analysis

This study aims to investigate the factors that influence household behaviour in cultivating the diversified crops on their cultivable land in Bangladesh. Cragg’s alternative tobit model has been applied to a unique rural household level dataset to find the catalysts of crop diversification. The results obtained portrayed a mixed impression of crop diversification in the country. The estimated results have revealed that the male head of household, the accessibility of information, a greater number of farming parcels and the availability of hired labour seem to govern the decision of a farming household to participate in non-rice crop production, while factors such as the total amount of land, agricultural extension service and irrigation facilities influence rice cultivation. Moreover, the findings obtained from the same Cragg’s alternative tobit model estimation for the Aman, Boro and Aus seasons have also revealed a similar depiction of crop diversification in Bangladesh.

CULTIVABLE LAND WATER SUPPLY AND A PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS YIELD

The maximum use of the potential of Georgia's agriculture and the targeted use of natural resources is vital for the development of the sectoral economy. The main guarantee of achieving a positive result for the country is the implementation of a clearly defined, effective agricultural policy aimed at competitive production, assistance in attracting financial resources, and encouragement of agricultural activities, conducting agrotechnical measures during the growing season of agricultural crops and determining the norms and terms of irrigation.

Expression of some salt tolerance genes isolated from Egyptian gray mangrove (Avicennia marina)

Mangroves are well-adapted halophytes that thrive in coastal saline environments. They live under difficult environmental conditions, such as high light intensity and external salt concentrations, as well as low-oxygen environments, such as water-logged muck, that are typically inappropriate for the survival of other plants. Salinity is a major abiotic factor that affects plant growth, productivity, and dispersal in tropical and semitropical intertidal areas. Furthermore, it affects approximately 20% of all cultivable land and 50% of all irrigated land on the planet. Mangroves have developed a sophisticated salt filtration mechanism and a complicated root structure to withstand salty water exposure and tidal movement. The expression patterns of five salt tolerance genes (amFer1, amDhna, amSod1, amCat1, and amUbc2) in the Egyptian gray mangrove (Avicennia marina Forssk.) grown under different environmental conditions in South Sinai protectorates (Nabq, Ras Mohamed, Safaga, and Wadi El-Gemal), Egypt, were investigated in this study. This study aimed to assess and examine the genetic behavior of mangroves in response to salinity by using quantitative real-time PCR. Findings revealed differences in the expression patterns of the investigated genes under various conditions, showing that salinity influences plant genetic response. Ferritin gene expression was high in all locations, indicating that ferritin represents an essential component of the mangrove response mechanisms.

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in Soil and Sustainable Agriculture

The world vision of no hunger target, food security, and zero poverty followed by raising standards of living of rural people through agricultural transformation is the greatest challenges faced by the agricultural planners worldwide. Due to the alarming state of population growth and cultivable land scarcity, change in agronomic practices which could bring a significant effect on crop production and productivity is urgently needed. The concept of using different sources of plant nutrients combined to check nutrient depletion, maintain soil health, and crop productivity, called INM, has a bright solution in this area. Recently several researchers introduced that integrated use of inorganic fertilizers, organic fertilizers, green manure, and bio-fertilizers is becoming an effective practice not only for increasing crop production and productivity but also for the better crop and soil health. In addition, INM helps to increase the activity of soil microorganisms and improves the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. So, INM create an economic eco-friendly environment by reducing the dependence on inorganic chemical fertilizers and improving the soil fertility, optimizing crop yield, maximizing profitability and ultimately making the agriculture sustainable. Lastly, INM is one of the good agricultural practices which needs to be followed by every conscious individual in order to maintain soil health, nutrient balance and to make the agriculture and environment more sustainable. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(3): 160-165

Runoff irrigation practices and challenges in western lowlands of Eritrea

Introduction. The arid and semi-desert lowland agro-ecological zones of Eritrea experience lowprecipitation, much lower than the requirements forrobust agricultural production unless supplemented by properly functioning runoff irrigation systems. However, an in-depth understandingof the principles and practices of runoff irrigation, identification of itspotentials and challengesand come up with viable solutions is necessary. Materials and methods. Qualitative and quantitative, descriptive and analytical research methodologies are applied. Primary and secondary data are used to identify existing constraints. Besides, global and regional databases are extensively utilized to fill information gaps. Results. The total potential cultivable land of Eritrea amounts to 2.1 million ha, out of which 71.4 % is rainfed and 28.6 % is irrigation. But, the potential irrigable land as reported by FAO is much lower (187,500 ha), out of which 50,000 ha is within the Western Lowlands. Considering such disparities and the less likely scenario of lowest irrigation potential, the actual equipped for spate irrigation at national level would amount to only 33.6 %, meaning there are still a lot of possibilities for expansion. The causes of malfunctioning of the existing systems are associated to structural, operation and maintenance, and management. Lack of historical hydrological data is among the highly likely reasons, which in turn greatly affects hydrological simulations. Conclusions. Despitecommendable efforts made to expand the improved runoff irrigation in the Western Lowlands, most of the projectshavefailed to achieve the intended purposes. Thus, comprehensive and simple mathematical modelsfor ma­king hydrological predictions have been suggested.

CROP DIVERSIFICATION IS ONE OF THE REFERENTIAL PATTERNS FOR ENHANCED CROP PRODUCTION: A SECONDARY STUDY ON PURBA & PASCHIM MEDINIPUR DISTRICT IN WEST BENGAL

Crop diversification is a planned innovative approach to maximize land usage with optimum crop production to aim at minimizes losses of seasonal and other impacts on crop. India being one of the biggest countries of agricultural economy and West Bengal, although tiny in size, is one of the biggest producers of few agricultural produces like rice, potato, oil seed etc. Within West Bengal, undivided retained a significant role in agricultural produce. After division of the district in to & during 2000, most of the cultivable land is within . has some pocket areas that has good reputation of cultivation. The Crop diversification is the need for the hour for small cultivable area. In this particular scenario, this study has tried to focus on the state of crop diversification in the district with a comparative study on district because of its history of its erstwhile geographical tie up. At the same time, it has also attempted to find out the effect of crop diversification on crop production. In this particular aspect this study has focused on the condition of this particular aspect on undivided district also. It has found that crop diversification on the basis of principal food crop in district has significantly positive relationship with production but has insignificant negative relationship in between crop diversity of rice with its production. In undivided there has been positive relationship between crop diversity and crop production in both principal food crops and rice. This has attracted to conclusive remark that division of district has impaired the scope of crop diversification of district but it has sufficient space to improve it as the relationship has indicated positive direction to that end although negative direction in rice crop would be matter further research.

The assessment of a smart system in hydroponic vertical farming via fuzzy MCDM methods

By 2050, the global population is estimated to rise to over 9 billion people, and the global food need is expected to ascend 50%. Moreover, by cause of climate change, agricultural production may decrease by 10%. Since cultivable land is constant, multi-layered farms are feasible alternatives to yield extra food from the unit land. Smart systems are logical options to assist production in these factory-like farms. When the amount of food grown per season is assessed, a single indoor hectare of a vertical farm could deliver yield equal to more than 30 hectares of land consuming 70% less water with nearly zero usage of pesticides. In this study, we evaluated technology selection for three vertical farm alternatives via MCDM methods. Even though commercial vertical farms are set up in several countries, area is still fresh and acquiring precise data is difficult. Therefore, we employed fuzzy logic as much as possible to overcome related uncertainties. WEDBA (Weighted Euclidean Distance Based Approximation) and MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique) methods are employed to evaluate alternatives.

Lidar survey of ancient Maya settlement in the Puuc region of Yucatan, Mexico

The application of lidar remote-sensing technology has revolutionized the practice of settlement and landscape archaeology, perhaps nowhere more so than in the Maya lowlands. This contribution presents a substantial lidar dataset from the Puuc region of Yucatan, Mexico, a cultural subregion of the ancient Maya and a distinct physiographic zone within the Yucatan peninsula. Despite the high density of known sites, no large site has been fully surveyed, and little is known about intersite demography. Lidar technology allows determination of settlement distribution for the first time, showing that population was elevated but nucleated, although without any evidence of defensive features. Population estimates suggest a region among the most densely settled within the Maya lowlands, though hinterland levels are modest. Lacking natural bodies of surface water, the ancient Puuc inhabitants relied upon various storage technologies, primarily chultuns (cisterns) and aguadas (natural or modified reservoirs for potable water). Both are visible in the lidar imagery, allowing calculation of aguada capacities by means of GIS software. The imagery also demonstrates an intensive and widespread stone working industry. Ovens visible in the imagery were probably used for the production of lime, used for construction purposes and perhaps also as a softening agent for maize. Quarries can also be discerned, including in some cases substantial portions of entire hills. With respect to agriculture, terrain classification permits identification of patches of prime cultivable land and calculation of their extents. Lidar imagery also provides the first unequivocal evidence for terracing in the Puuc, indeed in all northern Yucatan. Finally, several types of civic architecture and architectural complexes are visible, including four large acropolises probably dating to the Middle Formative period (700–450 B.C.). Later instances of civic architecture include numerous Early Puuc Civic Complexes, suggesting a common form of civic organization at the beginning of the Late Classic demographic surge, (A.D. 600–750).

Mitigation of land scarcity situation through tenure practices: a study on two selected villages in Jashore district of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries with immense pressure on agricultural land in rural areas. Mainstream of the rural households depend on either agriculture or its associated activities for their livelihood. However, rural land distribution is highly skewed, majority of them are landless. Under such a land scarce situation, farmers in rural areas have been gradually inclining towards land tenancy. Present study steered to explore the nature and volume of temporary land transaction through tenancy agreement in studied areas and to scrutinize its role in aligning land distribution. In 2017, a total of 166 farmers were randomly selected from two different villages in Jashore district for study. Result of the study administrated that land tenancy practice has been significantly mitigating land disparity among rural farmers. Study also explored that comparatively rich farmers are leaning towards tenant out land and most of these lands tenanted in by the landless and marginal farmers. Consequently, on an average landless farm could significantly increases their cultivable land from 0.01 acre to 0.98 acre compared to the marginal farm 0.31 to 0.73 acres. At the same time, cultivable land of medium farm has decreased as of 3.74 acres to 2.83 acres in studied villages. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 10(2): 164-169, December 2020