Farming systems in the Australian semi-arid tropics-a recent history

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 915 ◽  
Author(s):  
AL Chapman ◽  
JD Sturtz ◽  
AL Cogle ◽  
WS Mollah ◽  
RJ Bateman
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
System Development ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Recent History ◽  
North West ◽  
Dryland Farming ◽  
History Of ◽  
Semi Arid

The recent history of dryland farming in the Australian semi-arid tropics is discussed briefly against the background of national and state policies, established following World War II, aimed at increasing the population and development of northern Australia. Some reference is also made to irrigation as a means of overcoming limitations imposed by rainfall and to complement dryland farming systems. The environmental and socio-economic constraints whch have so far limited commercial agriculture in the Australian semi-arid tropics are highlighted. Efforts, particularly in north-west Australia, to develop sustainable farming systems based on legume pasture leys and livestock production in conjunction with annual cropping, as a basis for closer settlement, are reviewed. These attempts, which began in the 1960s and stemmed from earlier post-war agricultural research in the region, initially relied on a pasture legume (Stylosanthes humilis cv. Townsville stylo) and conventional tillage. Farming system development continues today using new legume species (e.g. Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano and Centrosema pascuorum cv. Cavalcade) and no-tillage cropping technology. This paper documents the history of agricultural and research development, and commercial practice in the Australian semi-arid tropics.

Brief aus der Schweiz

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-299
Author(s):  
Markus Wild
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Analytic Philosophy ◽  
Recent History ◽  
World War ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
History Of ◽  
Academic Philosophy ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The University

Abstract This letter focuses on both the recent history of academic philosophy in Switzerland and its present status. Historically, institutional self-consciousness of philosophy came to life during World War II as a reaction to the isolation of international academic life in Switzerland; moreover, the divide between philosophy in the French part and the German part of the country had to be bridged. One important instrument to achieve this end was the creation of the “Schweizerische Philosophische Gesellschaft” and its “Jahrbuch” (today: “Studia philosophica”) in 1940. At the same time the creation of the journal “Dialectica” (1947), the influence of Joseph Maria Bochensky at the University of Fribourg and Henri Lauener at the University of Berne prepared the ground for the flourishing of analytic philosophy in Switzerland. Today analytic philosophy has established a very successful academic enterprise in Switzerland without suppressing other philosophical traditions. Despite the fact that academic philosophy is somewhat present in the public, there is much more potential for actual philosophical research to enter into public consciousness. The outline sketched in this letter is, of course, a limited account of the recent history and present state of philosophy in Switzerland. There is only very little research on this topic.

A History of Some of the International Fisheries Commissions

1972 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 361-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Cushing
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
World War ◽  
International Council ◽  
North West ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Foreign Office ◽  
History Of ◽  
International Fisheries

This paper is an account of the development of the International Fisheries Commissions. Excluded are the commissions under the aegis of FAO: an earlier group, for example the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Commission, are only advisory, and later ones, like the Atlantic Tuna Commission, have not been in existence for long enough to discern characteristics in their activity. The activities of the Russo-Japanese commissions in the north-west Pacific are also excluded, because their actions do not have great influence on the older commissions or upon the newer ones established in the last five years or so. Although the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea has now only an advisory function in the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, during its earlier history before World War II it was always able to act through the Danish Foreign Office. But a much more important point is that the International Council played a historically dominant part in the early development of many of the commissions, except of course those which originated in the north-east Pacific.

Effect of preceding season cultural practices on mustard (Brassica juncea Czern) under semi-arid rainfed conditions of north-west India

1985 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95
Author(s):  
G. Giri ◽  
G. Saran
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Indian Agricultural Research Institute ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
New Delhi ◽  
North West ◽  
Double Cropping ◽  
Rainfed Conditions ◽  
Preceding Season ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYA field trial was made for 3 years at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi under semi-arid rainfed conditions to study the effect of the preceding season cultural practices on mustard and to assess the possibility of double cropping, and the results are discussed. Preceding season cultural practices, i. e. ploughing in fallow or growing cow pea for fodder or mung for grain (both short-duration crops) increased the yield of the mustard crop compared with no tillage or growing pearl millet in preceding season. Yield of mustard following tillage, fodder cow pea or mung with mulch was similar; hence it is concluded that double cropping is possible under such conditions instead of conventional tillage-mustard, monoeropping practice. It is also concluded that frequent ploughings could be greatly reduced to give few but more effective cultivations, but more research into reducing cultivation during the preceding season should be carried out.

Surface runoff, soil and nutrient losses from farming systems in the Australian semi-arid tropics

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Dilshad ◽  
JA Motha ◽  
LJ Peel
Keyword(s):  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Surface Characteristics ◽  
Control Surface ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
North West ◽  
Semi Arid

Most soils suitable for dryland agriculture in north-west Australia occur in the Daly Basin. These are sesquioxidic soils which include red, yellow and grey earths, and soils related to yellow and red earths. The potential, for these arable soils to be degraded by highly erosive rainfalls, common to the region, is high. Farming practices strongly influence the soil surface characteristics (vegetation cover, roughness, soil strength), which in turn control surface runoff, and sediment detachment and transport. In studies conducted during 1984-89 in the Daly Basin, conventionally tilled catchments, produced 1.5-2 times more runoff and lost 1.5-6 times more soil than their no-tillage counterparts (all catchments were within soil conservation banks). In these conventionally tilled catchments, soil loss was <8.1 t/ha.year. Other studies in the region have shown that, without soil conservation banks, soil loss can be around 100/ha.year under conventional tillage. Little work, however, has been undertaken on farms in the Australian semi-arid tropics to study the movement of nutrients and herbicides (in ionic and adsorbed forms) and further research is warranted.

The social and economic diversity of the coffee-banana farming system and technology uptake in Central Uganda

2021 ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Technology System ◽  
Economic Diversity ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Cluster Analysis ◽  
Farming Households

Food systems of the future that will guarantee food and nutrition security of millions of poor farming households will have to be both economically and socially diverse. Diversity of farming systems acts as a catalyst for innovation, commercialisation as well as technology adoption. This study sought to find farm typologies and explore the social, enterprise and economic diversity of the various farm types based on a promoted Growing Bananas with Trees and Livestock (GBTL) technology system that was implemented by National Agricultural Research Organisation and Bioversity International in three districts of Central Uganda, Kiboga, Nakaseke and Ssembabule. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA), typologies were created in which two distinct clusters of farming households were revealed. Further analysis of the clusters through Food Consumption Scores, food classes, and other descriptive statistics indicated that the two clusters were socially and economically diverse. Findings indicated that Cluster 1 is made up of smaller farms with high crop diversity. Families in Cluster 1 sell more of their produce and subsequently have lower food security compared to the land-abundant, off-farm earning and more food secure Cluster 2. We failed to reject the hypothesis that socially and economically diverse farmers adopt technologies more given that the level of GBTL adoption was about 25% and about 70% for Banana + Goats within both clusters.

Dryland mediterranean farming systems in Australia

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 801 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Rovira
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Nutrition ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Boron Toxicity ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Root Diseases ◽  
Dryland Farming

The mediterranean region of Australia extends from Geraldton in Western Australia across southern Australia into western and northern Victoria. This region experiences hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, with 300-600 mm annual rainfall. In the dryland farming zone, the cereal-livestock farming system dominates and produces 30-35% of Australia's total agricultural production. The major soils in the region are deep, coarse-textured sands and sandy loams, duplex soils with coarse-textured sands over clay (generally low in nutrients and organic matter), and fine-textured red-brown earths of low hydraulic conductivity. Major soil problems in the region include sodicity, salinity, soil structural degradation, nutrient deficiencies, boron toxicity, acidity, waterlogging, inadequate nitrogen nutrition, water-repellence, and root diseases. These problems have been exacerbated by excessive clearing of trees, increased frequency of cropping, reduced area sown to pastures, declining pasture production, and a decline in nutrient levels. With improved soil management there is potential for increased productivity from dryland farming areas of the region and improved ecological sustainability.

Resilient farming systems in a complex world — new issues for the governance of science and innovation

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 617 ◽  
Author(s):  
P-B. Joly
Keyword(s):  
Policy Making ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Major Change ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governance Of Science ◽  
System Approaches

The question of the resilience of farming system approaches and farming systems resulting from current changes in the agricultural sector has lead to the identification of 3 key challenges. These are (i) increasing competition, (ii) privatisation of agricultural research, and (iii) the transition towards a ‘risk society’. The way farming system approaches may turn these challenges into opportunities implies a major change: it is not enough to act locally and think globally. It is necessary to integrate various scales of analysis and various levels of action, and it is no longer enough to only act in the farming systems arena. One must also be heard in the policy making spheres and be active in the policy making processes. Although they require major adaptations, such changes appear to be consistent with the past trajectory of farming system approaches.

Food Crop Potential of Tropical Trees

1989 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. R. Cannell
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Clonal Selection ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Recent History ◽  
Species Trees ◽  
Food Crop ◽  
Annual Crops ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYTrees are important sources of food in both the humid and semi-arid tropics. Some species have been exploited for centuries and are widely distributed around the world, others have been cultivated only in limited areas, while most are still essentially wild. The potential for rapid genetic improvement by clonal selection is enormous and well-proven by the recent history of some species. Trees can yield as much food per hectare as most C3 annual crops – although special problems may have to be overcome to ensure regular bearing of fruit and nut trees. Trees also offer great ecological and social benefits.

PROFITABILITY OF BARLEY AND PEAS MIXED INTERCROPPING IN THE SUBSISTENCE FARMING SYSTEMS OF THE NEPALESE HILLS

1998 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. D. SUBEDI
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Pure Stand ◽  
Subsistence Farming ◽  
Traditional Practice ◽  
Land Equivalent Ratio

Experiments were conducted during the winter seasons of 1992–93 and 1993–94 at the Lumle Agricultural Research Centre and its off-station research site at Lopre in Nepal to study the agronomic performance and profitability of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and peas (Pisum sativum) mixed intercropping (that is, without any row arrangement) in the subsistence farming systems of the Nepalese hills. Sole crops of barley (cv. Bonus and Local) at 100kg seed ha−1 were compared with a pure stand of peas (cv. Tikot Local) sown at 60kg seed ha−1 and with peas intercropped with both varieties of barley at 100:40 or 100:20 kg seed ha−1. Results across two locations for two seasons showed that the barley+peas intercropping was advantageous in terms of overall grain yield, land equivalent ratio (LER), monetary advantage, economic return and dietary provision in the subsistence farming system. It also provided yield stability under adverse climatic conditions. Barley genotypes differed in their suitability for intercropping with peas. The yield of Local barley was reduced when peas were intercropped with it at both seed rates but this was not so with Bonus. The most appropriate combinations to realize the maximum advantage from intercropping were Bonus barley+peas at 100:20 kg seed ha−1 and Local barley+peas at 100:40 kg seeds ha−1. A combination of Bonus barley and peas at 100:20 kg seed ha−1 enabled farmers to harvest an additional 400 kg grains ha−1 from peas without significantly reducing the grain yield of barley. The study also verified through formal experimentation that the traditional practice of mixing barley and peas is advantageous.

scholarly journals An investigation into the causes of low calving percentage in communally grazed cattle in Jericho, North West Province

2004 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Mokantla ◽  
C.M.E. McCrindle ◽  
J.P. Sebei ◽  
R. Owen
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
North West ◽  
Grazing System ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Breeding Soundness ◽  
Northwest Province ◽  
Communal Farming

The communal grazing system is generally understood to have a low input, low output type of management. However, the actual inputs and outputs of the farmers are not well known and the farmers are often unaware of their problems. Although the causes of low calving percentage are well understood in commercial beef farming enterprises in South Africa, the same is not true for communal farming systems. The aim of this study was to determine the reproductive performance of beef cattle on a communal farming system in Jericho, NorthWest Province. Ten farmers from five villages with a total of 265 cows and 13 bulls were purposively selected. The selection criteria were that each farmer had to have a minimum of 10 breeding cows and a bull and be willing to participate in the study. This was followed by a 12-month longitudinal study with monthly herd visits where cows were examined rectally and bulls (n = 13) were subjected to a single breeding soundness evaluation. The calving percentage was found to be 37.7 %. This is lower than the recorded percentages for commercial beef cattle on extensive grazing. The factors playing a role in low calving percentage were ranked using field data. From this it appeared that failure of cows to become pregnant was the main cause of poor calving percentage as opposed of loss of calves through abortion or resorption. Sub-fertility of the bulls was found to be of great significance and it is proposed that this be included in extension messages and that bulls be fertility tested routinely. Poor body condition score of cows, mainly caused by poor management, was also considered to play a major role in reducing pregnancy rates. Infectious diseases like trichomonosis, campylobacteriosis and brucellosis played a much leser role than anticipated.

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