Growth and behaviour of post-weaned Mérinos d'Arles ewe lambs, as measured by a Walk-over-Weighing system under Mediterranean grazing conditions.

Liveweight (LW) is a key and conventional indicator for monitoring and assessing overall animal performance and welfare, representing the progress along different physiological stages, while providing close indication of individual physical and health status. Measuring LW in practice is still, however, quite rare and infrequent under commercial sheep farming conditions, mainly because sessions are time-consuming, stressful either for the operator and the animals. A Walk-over-Weighing (WoW) system, already evaluated with other breeds under different conditions, was tested in this experiment lasting 14 weeks (i.e. 3 for acclimation and adaptation and 11 for data collection). We validated its use for routine and frequent monitoring the growth rate in post-weaned Merinos d'Arles ewe lambs, reared under Mediterranean grazing conditions. Similarly to previous work, the necessity for an initial adaptation period of the animals as well as for an essential data cleaning procedure of the raw database automatically collected by the WoW, were corroborated. Adaptation of naive ewe lambs enabled the required voluntary passages across the weigh platform and a high volume of individual and daily data after 2-3 weeks. Close monitoring of individual growth was then possible after performing sound data cleanings. A strong concordance of WoW LW data with the gold standard (a standard static scale) LW reference data was demonstrated. At the individual level, even with the lowest number of LW values collected with WoW, it was possible to monitor variations in LW at daily intervals. The establishment of an early warning system to help farmer decision making could therefore be possible. Our results show interesting perspectives for more precise and frequent monitoring of LW in grazing sheep without human intervention, compared to what is currently carried out on commercial farms.

Farmer Decision-Making on the Concept of Coexistence: A Comparative Analysis between Organic and Biotech Farmers in the Philippines

Farmer perspectives are relevant for understanding agricultural issues and formulating policies. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey on 70 Filipino farmers (i.e., 35 organic and 35 biotech) to understand farmers’ perspectives regarding coexisting farming methods. Internal response variables were tested to verify the type of decision-making processes being undertaken by biotech and organic farmers. Our results showed that a non-linear decision-making process, similar to the Stimulus–Organism–Response Model, was present for both farmer groups. The study also found that biotech farmers were more influenced by internal factors (e.g., consumer resources) than organic farmers, who rely more on external influences (e.g., culture and social interactions), in connection to their coexistence perspective. The presence of “maverick executives” within the organic farmers gives traction to the notion that coexistence can help empower farmers in choosing what farming method is most suitable to their needs. Our data can also provide insights to policymakers in terms of surveying farmer perspectives to balance farmer needs, primarily in yield and income security, with the national agricultural agenda centered on environmental conservation. Thus, farmer perspectives should be considered alongside ongoing studies and debates on coexistence.

Sensemaking and financial management in the decision-making process of farmers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the financial decision-making process of farmers and to highlight the potential role that improved farm financial management (FFM) could play in developing sustainable farm enterprises. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a qualitative approach with 27 semi-structured interviews exploring farmers’ financial decision-making processes. Subsequently, the interview findings were presented to a focus group. Sensemaking theory is adopted as a theoretical lens to develop the empirical findings. Findings The evidence highlights that FFM has a dual role to play in farmer decision-making. Some FFM activities may act as a cue, which triggers a sensebreaking activity, causing the farmer to enter a process of sensemaking whilst some/other FFM activities are drawn upon to provide a sensegiving role in the sensemaking process. The role of FFM in farmer decision-making is strongly influenced by the decision type (strategic or operational) being undertaken and the farm type (dairy, tillage or beef) in operation. Originality/value The literature suggests that the majority of farmers spend little time on financial management. However, there are farmers who have quite a high level of engagement in FFM activities, when undertaking strategic farm expansion decisions. Those FFM activities help them to navigate through operational decision-making and to make sense of their strategic decision-making.

A Simple Agro-Economic Model for Optimal Farm Nitrogen Application under Yield Uncertainty

Farmers in the developed world tend to over-apply fertilizer, and we explore a model for decision-making under uncertainty in yields. This article proposes an agro-economic model for farmer decision-making based on subjective expected yield and crop response to fertilization. The model explores subjective yield probability distributions that are both better suited to subjective crop yields than the previously proposed probability distribution and is easier to extract from farmers. The model allows the analysis of the impact of changes in fertilizer price and variance of expected yields. The model result is consistent with observed farmer behavior based on the rule of “fertilizing for the good years” that appears, according to our model, as rational and consistent with expected profit maximization under yield uncertainty since the cost of over-application is lower than that of the opportunity cost of under-application. The goal of increasing the efficiency of nitrogen use requires both technical innovation and an expansion of the knowledge on the socioeconomic factors underlying excessive crop fertilization that must be improved both to meet future food demands and to prevent environmental degradation and climate change.

Methodology of Analyzing Maize Density Loss in Smallholder’s Fields and Potential Optimize Approach

Increasing plant density is a key measure to close the maize (Zea mays L.) yield gap and ensure food security. However, there is a large plant density difference in the fields sown by agronomists and smallholders. The primary cause of this phenomenon is the lack of an effective methodology to systematically analyze the density loss. To identify the plant density loss processes from experimental plots to smallholder fields, a research methodology was developed in this study involving a farmer survey and measurements in a smallholder field. The results showed that the sowing density difference caused by farmer decision-making and plant density losses caused by mechanical and agronomic factors explained 15.5%, 5.5% and 6.8% of the plant density difference, respectively. Changing smallholder attitudes toward the value of increasing the plant density could help reduce this density loss and increase farm yields by 12.3%. Therefore, this methodology was effective for analyzing the plant density loss, and to clarify the primary causes of sowing density differences and plant density loss. Additionally, it was beneficial to identify the priorities and stakeholders who share responsibility for reducing the density loss. The methodology has wide applicability to address the sowing density differences and plant density loss in other areas to narrow crop yield gaps and ensure food security.

Rice Farming in Central Java, Indonesia—Adoption of Sustainable Farming Practices, Impacts and Implications

Farmer adoption of sustainable rice farming technologies and practices is critical for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Often adoption is investigated in isolation focusing on factors influencing farmer decision making and overlooking the effects of technology adoption on farmers’ livelihoods and perceptions of change. Therefore, the present study investigated technology adoption and its effects on farmers with a special focus on additional revenue allocation and perception of social, economic and environmental change. Using a digital survey platform, 153 farmers (21.6% female) were interviewed in three sub-districts of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. On average, farmers adopted two technologies or practices, adopted high-yielding rice varieties, and increased their revenue from US$105 to US$122 per hectare per season. Barriers to adoption included time constraints, unsuitability for field conditions and incompatibility with cropping systems. Farmers invested the extra income in farming business and improved diets. Furthermore, farmers perceived changes in social and human capital and also poverty reduction due to technology adoption. This study highlights the importance of including an analysis of social impact in agricultural research.

An Integrated Economic, Environmental and Social Approach to Agricultural Land-Use Planning

Agricultural land-use change is a dynamic process that varies as a function of social, economic and environmental factors spanning from the local to the global scale. The cumulative regional impacts of these factors on land use adoption decisions by farmers are neither well accounted for nor reflected in agricultural land use planning. We present an innovative spatially explicit agent-based modelling approach (Crop GIS-ABM) that accounts for factors involved in farmer decision making on new irrigation adoption to enable land-use predictions and exploration. The model was designed using a participatory approach, capturing stakeholder insights in a conceptual model of farmer decisions. We demonstrate a case study of the factors influencing the uptake of new irrigation infrastructure and land use in Tasmania, Australia. The model demonstrates how irrigated land-use expansion promotes the diffusion of alternative crops in the region, as well as how coupled social, biophysical and environmental conditions play an important role in crop selection. Our study shows that agricultural land use reflected the evolution of multiple simultaneous interacting biophysical and socio-economic drivers, including soil and climate type, crop and commodity prices, and the accumulated effects of interactive decisions of farmers.

A farm systems approach to the adoption of sustainable nitrogen management practices in California

Improving nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in agricultural systems is critical to meeting environmental goals while maintaining economically viable and productive food systems. This paper applies a farm systems framework to analyze how adoption of N management practices is related to different farming operation characteristics and the extent to which fertilizer, soil and irrigation practices are related to each other. We develop a multivariate probit regression model to analyze the interdependency of these adoption behaviors from 966 farmers across three watersheds and diverse cropping systems in the Central Valley of California. Our analysis demonstrates that farmers adopt varying combinations or portfolios of practices, with the most common portfolio featuring a core set of fertilizer-focused practices. Irrigation infrastructure is an especially important farm operation characteristic for encouraging adoption of innovative practice portfolios that integrate water and fertilizer management. These findings highlight the ability for a farm systems approach to improve our understanding of farmer decision-making across diverse agricultural landscapes.