Seeking simultaneous improvements in farm profit and natural resource indicators: a modelling analysis

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Robertson ◽  
Andrew Bathgate ◽  
Andrew Moore ◽  
Roger Lawes ◽  
Julianne Lilley
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resource ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Farm Profit

Natural resource indicators are used by catchment management organisations as targets for land use management. However, the nature of the trade-off function between natural resource management (NRM) outcomes and whole-farm profit is ill-defined, and varies between regions and according to the particular NRM indicator considered. Defining this function will assist catchment management organisations and farmers to evaluate the achievability of particular targets, and help determine the size of economic incentives required to offset any expected loss in farm profit associated with meeting targets. We addressed this issue by modelling representative farm businesses in two mixed farming regions (southern New South Wales and the central wheatbelt of Western Australia). The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) and GRAZPLAN farming systems models were linked and used to generate values of four NRM indicators (water leakage, nitrate leaching, groundcover and soil organic carbon change) for a wide range of crop–pasture rotations. The NRM indicator values were then incorporated into the Model of an Integrated Dryland System (MIDAS) whole-farm economic model to define the relationship with farm profit and farm cropping percentage. For some circumstances and indicators, the resulting trade-off functions were relatively flat; a wide range of enterprise mixes can lead to the same NRM outcomes but significant gains in the indicators may not be possible using current rotation options. For others, significant improvements could be achieved but at a substantial loss in whole-farm profit (through the selection of less profitable rotations). There were also examples where simultaneous gains in indicators and farm profit were possible. This analysis demonstrates an approach by which biophysical simulation models of the farming system can be linked to linear-programming representations of farming enterprises, and provides a method for deriving relationships between NRM targets and economic performance.

scholarly journals Pig Farming in Alternative Systems: Strengths and Challenges in Terms of Animal Welfare, Biosecurity, Animal Health and Pork Safety

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Delsart ◽  
Françoise Pol ◽  
Barbara Dufour ◽  
Nicolas Rose ◽  
Christelle Fablet
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Alternative Systems ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Real Challenge

In pig production, the widespread conventional indoor system with a slatted floor currently dominates. However, this production system is becoming less socially acceptable. In addition to general environmental protection issues, animal welfare, the absence of suffering and distress, and the management of pain also constitute societal concerns. In this context, alternative production systems are gaining ground. Although they are popular with consumers and other citizens, these alternative systems have their critical points. Here, we reviewed the international scientific literature to establish the state of the art of current knowledge regarding welfare, biosecurity, animal health and pork safety in this type of farming system. In general, alternative farms give pigs the opportunity to express a broader range of behaviours than conventional farms. However, the management of feeding, watering, temperature and predators is often more complicated in these outdoor systems. In addition, biosecurity measures seem to be applied less strictly in alternative farms than in conventional farms, especially in free-range systems, where they are more difficult to implement. On the other hand, pigs kept in these farming systems seem to be less affected by respiratory diseases, but parasitism and piglet crushing (in farrowing units) both remain a real challenge. Furthermore, the higher prevalence of many zoonotic pathogens in these farms may represent a risk for human health.

scholarly journals Do Digital Climate Services for Farmers Encourage Resilient Farming Practices? Pinpointing Gaps through the Responsible Research and Innovation Framework

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 953
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Simelton ◽  
Mariette McCampbell
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Responsible Research And Innovation ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Climate Services ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Agricultural Revolution ◽  
Responsible Research

Digital climate services can support agricultural management decisions under uncertain climatological conditions and may contribute to achieving the ambitions of the fourth agricultural revolution. However, do they encourage social and environmental aspects? Our analysis builds on the four dimensions of the Responsible Research and Innovation framework and evaluates, among other things, which production systems are promoted in climate service apps; how the services contribute to or challenge (inter)national targets for sustainable development, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience. From a longlist of apps, we present the best documented ones as case studies: nine weather-based and two non-weather-based digital services. We target apps of relevance for Southeast Asian smallholder farming systems, where both supply of and demand for such apps have this far been limited in contrast to the access to phones, and where particularly the supply of apps is poorly documented. The key findings point out several gaps. First, digitalization in Southeast Asia’s farming system is driven by foreign investments, while partnerships with public agencies, in particular national Met Offices, were rare. Services were developed for farmers but not necessarily with farmers, thereby overlooking needs and social factors such as (digital) literacy and trust. While some of the weather-based apps included more than one crop, they primarily support single solutions and none of them targeted mixed or integrated farming systems. This calls for developers of digital climate services to innovate applications in an inclusive manner, and to support governments in achieving their commitments to global climate, biodiversity, and sustainability goals. Difficulties in generating comparable information about the reviewed apps regardless of the study’s geographical focus demonstrates a need for more transparent means and protocols for users to assess and compare digital climate services.

scholarly journals Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire E LaCanne ◽  
Jonathan G Lundgren
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resource ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Level Shift ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Corn Production

Most cropland in the U.S. is characterized by large monocultures, whose productivity is maintained through a strong reliance on costly tillage, external fertilizers, and pesticides ( Schipanski et al., 2016 ) . Despite this, farmers have developed a regenerative model of farm production that promotes soil health and biodiversity, while producing nutrient-dense farm products profitably. Little work has focused on the relative costs and benefits of novel regenerative farming operations, which necessitates studying in situ, farmer-defined best management practices. Here, we evaluate the relative effects of regenerative and conventional corn production systems on pest management services, soil conservation, and farmer profitability and productivity throughout the Northern Plains of the United States. Regenerative farming systems provided greater ecosystem services and profitability for farmers than an input-intensive model of corn production. Pests were 10-fold more abundant in insecticide-treated corn fields than on insecticide-free regenerative farms, indicating that farmers who proactively design pest-resilient food systems outperform farmers that react to pests chemically. Regenerative fields had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits over traditional corn production systems. Profit was positively correlated with the particulate organic matter of the soil, not yield. These results provide the basis for dialogue on ecologically based farming systems that could be used to simultaneously produce food while conserving our natural resource base: two factors that are pitted against one another in simplified food production systems. To attain this requires a systems-level shift on the farm; simply applying individual regenerative practices within the current production model will not likely produce the documented results.

The role and value of combining dual-purpose crops and lucerne in a mixed-enterprise farming system

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kingwell ◽  
L. Squibb
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Bioeconomic Modelling ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
Livestock Productivity ◽  
Pasture Area

In Mediterranean-type environments, livestock productivity in mixed livestock and cropping enterprises often is limited by a period of feed scarcity that extends from late autumn, when dry residues of crops and pastures from the previous growing season are being exhausted, through to early winter when green feed is just commencing. Dual-purpose crops have been developed as a source of winter green feed, while still being a source of grain at harvest. These crops increase feed availability and boost livestock productivity. This study evaluates the role and value of dual-purpose wheat and canola crops, in combination with lucerne, in mixed-enterprise farming systems that experience a Mediterranean-type climate. Using bioeconomic modelling, the value of dual-purpose crops is assessed under a range of yield, price and technical assumptions. For an Australian study region, the robust finding is that the joint inclusion of dual-purpose crops and lucerne greatly increases the farming-system profits. Under standard assumptions when the farming system is operated to maximise profit, farm profit increases by AU$68 000 (or 88% over the base case) following the inclusion of both dual-purpose wheat and canola. The increase in profit is attributable to wool and sheep sales rising by 261%, yet the proportions of crop and pasture remain similar with or without the dual-purpose crops. Importantly, the proportion of the pasture area that is lucerne greatly increases to complement the increase in feed availability generated by the dual-purpose crops. The resultant large increase in feed availability in winter and summer allows the stocking rate to increase so sheep numbers and sheep turn-off become the main source of the increase in profit. Sensitivity analysis shows that even with significant commodity price fluctuations and further reduction in grain yield caused by grazing, and exclusion of lucerne, inclusion of dual-purpose crops in these farming systems still increases farm profit.

scholarly journals Interaction effects of pig farming systems with educational level on performances of pig production systems in Manokwari District, West Papua-Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-40
Author(s):  
Desni T.R. Saragih ◽  
Deny Anjelus Iyai ◽  
Hans Mamboai ◽  
Dwi Nurhayati ◽  
Maria Arim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Work Hours ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Income Sources ◽  
Pig Farming ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Middle Man

The aim of this research was to characterize pig farming system performances tethered under different agro-ecological zones in Papua. The field study was done in Manokwari regency and involved six districts, i.e. Nothern Manokwari district, Eastern Manokari District, Western Manokwari district, Warmare district, Prafi district and Masni district. Respondents chosen were guided by local extensionists, originated from 15 villages. Participatory situation analysis (PSA) was employed to approach pig farmers by using questionnaire. Pig body weights of piglets and growers were weighed except for mature pigs, body lengths and hearth girths were measured using tape. Herd number, number of piglets, adult pigs were recorded. A one-way analysis of variances was used. All data were entered in Excel and analyzed using SPPS version 10.0.. The findings shown that interaction between education and keeping systems occur on work hours and ages. Effect of education is significant on experience, location, and ethnic. In keeping systems, effect is real on experience, work hours, location, and ethnic. Interaction do not significant exist in number of pigs including see middle man, visited consumer, litter size, number of farrowing and income sources.

scholarly journals Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire E. LaCanne ◽  
Jonathan G. Lundgren
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Level Shift ◽  
Corn Production

Most cropland in the United States is characterized by large monocultures, whose productivity is maintained through a strong reliance on costly tillage, external fertilizers, and pesticides (Schipanski et al., 2016). Despite this, farmers have developed a regenerative model of farm production that promotes soil health and biodiversity, while producing nutrient-dense farm products profitably. Little work has focused on the relative costs and benefits of novel regenerative farming operations, which necessitates studying in situ, farmer-defined best management practices. Here, we evaluate the relative effects of regenerative and conventional corn production systems on pest management services, soil conservation, and farmer profitability and productivity throughout the Northern Plains of the United States. Regenerative farming systems provided greater ecosystem services and profitability for farmers than an input-intensive model of corn production. Pests were 10-fold more abundant in insecticide-treated corn fields than on insecticide-free regenerative farms, indicating that farmers who proactively design pest-resilient food systems outperform farmers that react to pests chemically. Regenerative fields had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits over traditional corn production systems. Profit was positively correlated with the particulate organic matter of the soil, not yield. These results provide the basis for dialogue on ecologically based farming systems that could be used to simultaneously produce food while conserving our natural resource base: two factors that are pitted against one another in simplified food production systems. To attain this requires a systems-level shift on the farm; simply applying individual regenerative practices within the current production model will not likely produce the documented results.

scholarly journals ADAPTATION PROCESSES IN AGRICULTURE VS. MARKET REQUIREMENTS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-463
Author(s):  
Wojciech Ziętara
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Farming System ◽  
State Budget ◽  
Production Scale ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
Food Economy ◽  
Organic Farming System

This paper presents changes in the structure of the national economy in Poland, mainly in the post-war period, manifested through a dramatic decline in the share of agricul- ture in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment and a decrease in household food expenses. However, this does not represent a decline in the importance of agriculture, which is the first link in the food economy. As a result of tech- nical and biological progress, the level of intensity of agricul- tural production and land productivity increased, which made it possible to satisfy food needs. Given that, attention started to be paid to other agricultural functions related to the protec- tion of the environment, including landscape. The economic objectives of farmers striving to further increase the level of production intensity and farm area (market and production scale) started competing with environmental protection ob- jectives. The purpose of this paper is to present agricultural production systems that differ in the degree of accounting for measures related to environmental protection. To this end, the following farming systems were evaluated: conventional, or- ganic, integrated and precision farming systems, taking into account the principles of the Common Agricultural Policy. The systems assume a holistic approach to the organization of farms and the commitment to circular economy. These expec- tations are met to the greatest extent by the organic farming system. However, this system will not dominate due to exist- ing limitations (in knowledge and markets). It is the integrated farming system that should prevail, as it makes it possible to the greatest extent to meet the farmers’ economic and social objectives while addressing the environmental protection ob- jectives. Also, the fulfillment of environmental objectives by farmers gives legitimacy to supporting their activities from the state budget.

scholarly journals Ocorrência de rinite atrófica e pneumonia em suínos híbridos e sem raça definida em criação intensiva

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Juliana Fortes Vilarinho Braga ◽  
Maurício De Paula Ferreira Teixeira ◽  
João Batista Lopes ◽  
Manoel Henrique Klein Júnior ◽  
Silvana Maria Medeiros de Sousa Silva
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Atrophic Rhinitis ◽  
Swine Production ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Group I ◽  
Group Ii ◽  
Swine Herds

The atrophic rhinitis (AR) and pneumonia are among the most frequently diagnosed respiratory diseases in swine production systems and can lead to significant economic losses. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and degree of AR and pneumonia in hybrids and undefined breed swine herds submitted to intensive farming system and check if there is an association between the occurrence of these diseases in the herds. For this, we used 30 swines hybrids (Group I) and 30 undefined breed swines (Group II) from intensive farming system. The index of atrophic rhinitis (IAR) of herds for Groups I and II were, respectively, 1.00 and 0.57. In Group I, 20.8% (5/24) of the pigs presented pneumonia, while none of the animals in Group II exhibited this pathology. There was no correlation between the presence of atrophic rhinitis and pneumonia for the studied animals. These are the first data on the occurrence of these diseases in swines of Piauí State, Brazil. We demonstrated that these pathologies are present in animals from intensive farming systems and that occurrence varied according to racial type, being the hybrid swines the most affected animals by AR and pneumonia.

scholarly journals Dates Palm Farming Systems Sustainability and Risk Efficiency in Oman

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kheiry Hassan M Ishag
Keyword(s):  
Risk Premium ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Palm Tree ◽  
Farming Practices

Date Palm is the most important cultivar in Oman and occupies 35% of total cultivated area and 78% of the total fruit trees area. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries attempted to improve Date production but due to climate change and environmental constrains agricultural production has shown instability in production and generated a desire to build a sustainable farming systems. The study used stochastic model to analyze Date Palm Farming Systems in Oman and identify the most sustainable and risk efficient one. Stochastic Efficiency with Respect to Function (SERF) technique use certainty equivalent concept to rank a set of risk efficient alternatives. The study found Batinah Region is the most risk efficient region and got a positive NPV with a probability of 88% followed by Dakhiliyah Region 77% and Dahirah Region 67%. The study also indicates Batinah and Dakhiliyah Regions which cultivate 52% of total Date Palm area in Oman is located in risk efficient farming system areas. Risk premium analysis performed and shows Dakhiliyah Region farmers can pay up to RO 59 for replanting Date Palm tree and move to Batinah Region farming practices with less risky farming system. The farmer in Dahirah Region is willing to pay RO 144 per Date Palm tree to shift to more efficient farming system practices such as Batinah Region. Date Palm Farming System analysis should be used as a basis and foundation for replanting program and resources and environmental constrains need be considered. A right economic incentives to be given to encourage production of selected Date Palm varieties for each region to increase ecosystem resilience and economic benefit. 

scholarly journals Extension Reforms in India: An Overview

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Akkamahadevi Naik ◽  
B. Ashokkumar
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Agrarian Sector ◽  
Extension System ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Inclusive Approach

In worldwide most of the rural population is invariably interrelated to the performance of the agrarian sector and to the sector's ability to cope with the tasks that result from growing population pressures, changing demand for food and agricultural products, resource scarcity, climate change and greater production uncertainty. The World Bank report 2007 emphasizes agricultural extension as an important development intervention for increasing the prospective of the agrarian sector. In these view Indian farm production systems, the reforms are shown to raise the role of agricultural extension services are aimed at many different strategic interventions. First, providing the significant awareness to meet the information needs of the farming community and to ensuring such information reaches to the farmers in a timely manner lies at the crux of the reforms in Indian extension reform efforts. Further, maintaining the effectiveness of the agricultural extension system as a whole and the enhancing the efficiency. The orientation of the extension structure in India is still majorly oriented on the production –led extension. But there is great need for an inclusive approach to sustainably development in the farming systems that goes beyond production led extension and considering the farmer’s problems, offered resources, the combination of farming system approach, involvement of extension agents/worker and farmers in the extension system and  research etc. Therefore, these new reform measures are required yet to fully recognize in the vast array of knowledge and information sources.

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