Conservation tillage and ley farming in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia - some economic aspects

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1049
Author(s):  
GWM Kirby ◽  
VJ Hristova ◽  
S Murti
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Semi Arid

This paper examines some aspects of the economics of conservation tillage and ley farming in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia. The distribution, 1 value and major trends in the enterprises comprising the agricultural sector of the semi-arid tropics are discussed in an industry context. The likely economic benefits for the farmer from the adoption of conservation tillage and ley farming come from mulch retention and increased yields. These benefits vary with the frequency of grain cropping, the legume species used and the commodity price relativities. The benefits are likely to be larger in drier growing seasons. Data on other factors, such as soil type and seasons, were inadequate for economic analysis. Some ley farming systems are more profitable than single enterprises in the short term. In the long term, the best choice for sustainable farming systems in the semi-arid tropics appears to be a legume pasture system or a legume pasture-crop system. Results to date from ley farming studies show that experimental designs need to be modified to incorporate higher cropping frequencies and more comprehensive joint product measures in order to allow a more critical economic assessment. Additional benefits to society from the adoption of conservation tillage and ley farming are likely to come from minimising adverse on-farm and off-farm effects of agricultural activities. There are strong arguments for continuing support for research and development in ley farming technology and a joint sharing of the costs between farmers and the community generally.

scholarly journals Farmer perspectives and experiences introducing the novel perennial grain Kernza intermediate wheatgrass in the US Midwest

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 653-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa Lanker ◽  
Michael Bell ◽  
Valentin D. Picasso
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intermediate Wheatgrass ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Perennial Grain

AbstractKernza® intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) is a novel perennial grain and forage crop with the potential to provide multiple ecosystem services, which recently became commercially available to farmers in the USA. The viability and further expansion of this promising crop require understanding how it may fit the needs of farmers’ livelihoods and the structure of their farming systems. However, no prior research has studied the perceptions and experiences of Kernza growers. The goals of this research were to understand why farmers grow Kernza, how Kernza fits into their systems and identify challenges for future research. We conducted in-depth interviews with ten growers in the North Central USA during the summer of 2017, who accounted for a third of the Kernza farmers in the USA at the time. All farmers had a positive attitude toward experimentation and trying new practices, and they were interested in Kernza for its simultaneous ecological and economic benefits. Kernza was marginal in terms of area, quality of fields and resources allocated in the farm systems, which also meant that farmers maintained low costs and risks. Growers utilized and valued Kernza as a dual-use crop (grain and forage), sometimes not harvesting grain but almost always grazing or harvesting hay and straw for bedding. Weeds were perceived as a challenge in some cases, but Kernza was valued as a highly weed-suppressive crop in others. Farmers requested information on optimal establishment practices, assessment of forage nutritive value, how to maintain grain yields over years, weed management, markets and economic assessment of Kernza systems. These results agree with other cases on sustainable practices adoption showing that engaging farmers in the research process from the beginning, identifying knowledge gaps and testing management alternatives are critical for the success and expansion of novel agricultural technologies.

Simulation of a legume ley farming system in northern Australia using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Carberry ◽  
RL McCown ◽  
RC Muchow ◽  
JP Dimes ◽  
ME Probert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Agricultural Production Systems

An innovative ley farming system, involving cereal crops grown in rotation with pasture legumes, has been tentatively adopted by farmers in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia. Yet, after more than a decade of experimental research, the long-term

Operational aspects of ley farming systems in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia: a review

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ Yeates ◽  
DG Abrecht ◽  
TP Price ◽  
WS Mollah ◽  
P Hausler
Keyword(s):  
Seed Quality ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Transition Management ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Operational Aspects ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

The ley farming systems proposed for the Australian semi-arid tropics involve rotating an annual pasture (usually legume) with crops sown using no-tillage. These systems were developed to overcome many of the climatic constraints that beset previous attempts at cropping in the region. However, difficulties in the timing of farm operations also contributed to past failures. No analysis of the operational aspects of ley farming had been made; this was the objective of this paper. During the transition between wet and dry seasons rainfall is extremely variable. These periods were shown to be the most critical time for operations in ley farming systems. During the dry-wet transition, management of ley pastures is very difficult because pastures must provide grazing for livestock as well as sufficient soil cover for timely sowing of a following crop. Legume pastures have reduced grazing value at this time due to spoilage by early rain. Similarly, during the wet-dry transition annual pastures must be allowed to set seed at a time when crops are yet to be harvested and stubbles are not available for grazing. It was suggested that including separate paddocks of perennial pasture could reduce the demand on annual pastures during the seasonal transitions. A limited number of days to sow a crop combined with severe yield penalties for late sowing restrict the area that can be sown in any season. Sowing opportunities were determined for 3 locations in the Northern Territory. No-tillage was shown to increase the potential number of sowing days. However, the time available to apply glyphosate before sowing using no-tillage was confined to the morning due to risk of afternoon rainshowers reducing efficacy. The number of seasons where a particular crop or cultivar could not be sown was independent of the method of tillage. The wet-dry transition was shown to be important for harvest operations. Our analysis of 3 sites in the Northern Territory suggests that for mungbean and sorghum, later maturity combined with prompt harvest will reduce the risk of poor seed quality due to weathering and could permit earlier sowing. However, for sorghum, an economic assessment of these practices required research that can quantify the interaction between sowing date, time-to-maturity and grain yield.

scholarly journals Adoption of Conservation Tillage on the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of Northwest China

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingfeng Han ◽  
Kadambot Siddique ◽  
Fengmin Li
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Government ◽  
Semi Arid

Conservation tillage is an important approach to prevent water loss and soil erosion and promote soil fertility that has been adopted widely throughout the world. However, despite promotion of the benefits of conservation tillage, obstacles are still encountered in some regions. A survey of 385 farmer households in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China was conducted to assess the adoption of conservation tillage (ACT). This investigation was located in two counties that have run conservation tillage demonstrations with wheat for at least eight years. A binary logistic regression model was used to quantify the factors determining whether or not farmers adopt conservation tillage. Farmer’s education level, the influence of training, and field demonstrations by agricultural departments had significant positive effects on ACT. Although the adoption rate of conservation tillage in this paper was very high (89%), farmers were reluctant to continue practicing conservation tillage based on their experiences, which is contrary to the expectations of the government. The area available for planting winter wheat and the number of arable plots per household also had significant positive effects on ACT. However, the total cultivated area of land per household had a significant negative impact on ACT. Farmer awareness of conservation tillage technology, the distance from a farmer’s house to the nearest agricultural market, and the size of the active labor force in the family had significant negative impacts on ACT. These results will help in the development of more effective and targeted policies to improve the sustainability of farming systems on the semi-arid Loess Plateau.

DISSEMINATION AND USE OF INFORMATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF FARMERS IN MALUGA AND CHIBELA VILLAGES IN SEMI-ARID CENTRAL TANZANIA

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Elia ◽  
Stephen Mutula ◽  
Christine Stilwell
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Diffusion Of Innovations ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change And Variability ◽  
Semi Arid

This study was part of broader PhD research which investigated how access to, and use of, information enhances adaptation to climate change and variability in the agricultural sector in semi-arid Central Tanzania. The research was carried out in two villages using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory and model to assess the dissemination of this information and its use by farmers in their adaptation of their farming practices to climate change and variability. This predominantly qualitative study employed a post-positivist paradigm. Some elements of a quantitative approach were also deployed in the data collection and analysis. The principal data collection methods were interviews and focus group discussions. The study population comprised farmers, agricultural extension officers and the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa project manager. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis whereas quantitative data were analysed to generate mostly descriptive statistics using SPSS.  Key findings of the study show that farmers perceive a problem in the dissemination and use of climate information for agricultural development. They found access to agricultural inputs to be expensive, unreliable and untimely. To mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and variability on farming effectively, the study recommends the repackaging of current and accurate information on climate change and variability, farmer education and training, and collaboration between researchers, meteorology experts, and extension officers and farmers. Moreover, a clear policy framework for disseminating information related to climate change and variability is required.

scholarly journals How Do Women Overcome Gender Inequality by Forming Small-Scale Cooperatives? The Case of the Agricultural Sector in Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1797
Author(s):  
Amber Theeuwen ◽  
Valérie Duplat ◽  
Christopher Wickert ◽  
Brian Tjemkes
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Family Business ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Female Farmers

In Uganda, the agricultural sector contributes substantially to gross domestic product. Although the involvement of Ugandan women in this sector is extensive, female farmers face significant obstacles, caused by gendering that impedes their ability to expand their family business and to generate incomes. Gender refers to social or cultural categories by which women–men relationships are conceived. In this study, we aim to investigate how gendering influences the development of business relationships in the Ugandan agricultural sector. To do so, we employed a qualitative–inductive methodology to collect unique data on the rice and cassava sectors. Our findings reveal at first that, in the agricultural sector in Uganda, inter-organization business relationships (i.e., between non-family actors) are mostly developed by and between men, whereas intra-organization business relationships with family members are mostly developed by women. We learn that gendering impedes women from developing inter-organization business relationships. Impediments for female farmers include their restricted mobility, the lack of trust by men, their limited freedom in communication, household duties, and responsibilities for farming activities up until sales. Our findings also reveal that these impediments to developing inter-organization business relationships prevent female farmers from being empowered and from attainting economic benefits for the family business. In this context, the results of our study show that grouping in small-scale cooperatives offers female farmers an opportunity to overcome gender inequality and to become economically emancipated. Thanks to these cooperatives, women can develop inter-organization relationships with men and other women and gain easier access to financial resources. Small-scale cooperatives can alter gendering in the long run, in favor of more gender equality and less marginalization of women. Our study responds to calls for more research on the informal economy in developing countries and brings further understanding to the effect of gendering in the Ugandan agricultural sector. We propose a theoretical framework with eight propositions bridging gendering, business relationship development, and empowerment and economic benefits. Our framework serves as a springboard for policy implications aimed at fostering gender equality in informal sectors in developing countries.

ORGANIZATIONAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 72-78
Author(s):  
T. V. GRISHINA ◽  
◽  
N. V. ZAMYATKINA ◽  
Yu. A. YUKHLINA ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Innovative Development ◽  
Classification Feature ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
New Type ◽  
Definition Of

The article highlights the theoretical approaches to the definition of the concepts of small and medium-sized businesses. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to solve the problem of the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector in the context of digital transformation, the development and justification of directions for improving its development. The scientific novelty of the study is the formation of a complex for assessing the development of small forms of agricultural production, which allows us to develop priority strategic directions of development, including aspects of modernization of agricultural production and innovative development. The indicators of the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector are studied. A new type of classification feature of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector is proposed.

The Promise of Flood-Based Farming Systems in Arid and Semi-arid Areas

2017 ◽  
pp. 77-94
Author(s):  
Matthijs Kool ◽  
Frank van Steenbergen ◽  
Abraham Mehari Haile ◽  
Yasir Mohamed Abbas ◽  
Eyasu Hagos
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Semi Arid
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