scholarly journals Mapping Smallholder Maize Farms Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1666
Author(s):  
Zinhle Mashaba-Munghemezulu ◽  
George Johannes Chirima ◽  
Cilence Munghemezulu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Temporal Data ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
Production Area ◽  
Development Goals

Reducing food insecurity in developing countries is one of the crucial targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Smallholder farmers play a crucial role in combating food insecurity. However, local planning agencies and governments do not have adequate spatial information on smallholder farmers, and this affects the monitoring of the SDGs. This study utilized Sentinel-1 multi-temporal data to develop a framework for mapping smallholder maize farms and to estimate maize production area as a parameter for supporting the SDGs. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to pixel fuse the multi-temporal data to only three components for each polarization (vertical transmit and vertical receive (VV), vertical transmit and horizontal receive (VH), and VV/VH), which explained more than 70% of the information. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (Xgboost) algorithms were used at model-level feature fusion to classify the data. The results show that the adopted strategy of two-stage image fusion was sufficient to map the distribution and estimate production areas for smallholder farms. An overall accuracy of more than 90% for both SVM and Xgboost algorithms was achieved. There was a 3% difference in production area estimation observed between the two algorithms. This framework can be used to generate spatial agricultural information in areas where agricultural survey data are limited and for areas that are affected by cloud coverage. We recommend the use of Sentinel-1 multi-temporal data in conjunction with machine learning algorithms to map smallholder maize farms to support the SDGs.

Farmer-Prioritized Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies

2020 ◽  
pp. 423-445
Author(s):  
Caroline Mwongera ◽  
Chris M. Mwungu ◽  
Mercy Lungaho ◽  
Steve Twomlow
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Context Specific

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) focuses on productivity, climate-change adaptation, and mitigation, and the potential for developing resilient food production systems that lead to food and income security. Lately, several frameworks and tools have been developed to prioritize context-specific CSA technologies and assess the potential impacts of selected options. This study applied a mixed-method approach, the climate-smart agriculture rapid appraisal (CSA-RA) tool, to evaluate farmers’ preferred CSA technologies and to show how they link to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The chapter examines prioritized CSA options across diverse study sites. The authors find that the prioritized options align with the food security and livelihood needs of smallholder farmers, and relate to multiple sustainable development goals. Specifically, CSA technologies contribute to SDG1 (end poverty), SDG2 (end hunger and promote sustainable agriculture), SDG13 (combating climate change), and SDG15 (life on land). Limited awareness on the benefits of agriculture technologies and the diversity of outcomes desired by stakeholders’ present challenges and trade-offs for achieving the SDGs. The CSA-RA provides a methodological approach linking locally relevant indicators to the SDG targets.

scholarly journals Climate Change and Food Insecurity Dynamics in the Rural Limpopo Province of South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1(J)) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Abiodun Olusola Omotayo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Household Heads

In the developing nations of the world, poor gross domestic product growth has shown serious vacuum to be filled in order to achieve the sustainable development goals. In that regard, this research article intends to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the United Nation’s goal by explaining the rural food insecurity in the light of climate change dynamic in some selected rural communities of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The data employed in the study were collected from 120 randomly selected rural household heads. Data were analysed with descriptive (frequency, mean etc.) and inferential statistics (Principal component Analysis (PCA), Tobit and Probit Regression) which were properly fitted (P<0.05) for the set research objectives. Descriptive results indicate that the average age of the respondents was 52 years with 60% of the household heads being married and a mean household size of 5.The study concluded that there is climate change effect and food insecurity in the study area and therefore recommended among others that the government of South Africa should endeavour to implement a more rural focused food securityclimate change policies in order to relieve the intensity of food insecurity situations among these disadvantaged rural dwellers of the province as well as to entrench a policy of long term development of agriculture. Finally, the study emphasized that the rural farming households should be enlightened through proper extension services to carry out climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in alleviating the food insecurity situation in the rural communities of the province. 

Value Network Analysis for (Re)Organizing Business Models Toward the Sustainable Development Goals

2020 ◽  
pp. 489-517
Author(s):  
Domenico Dentoni ◽  
Laurens Klerkx ◽  
Felix Krussmann
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Innovation Policy ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Value Network ◽  
Development Goals

This chapter introduces the use of value network analysis (VNA) as a diagnostic tool for (re-)organizing business models seeking to contribute to the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs). While VNA has already been widely applied to the study of technological innovation ecosystems, this chapter introduces its role for decision-makers in business models seeking to support sustainability transitions toward the SDGs. To demonstrate the approach, the authors apply VNA to the case of the Agricultural Commodity Exchange (ACE) in Malawi. The ACE represents a business model seeking to increase value-chain efficiency while including smallholder farmers to foster food security and reduce rural poverty and marginalization. The authors discuss how VNA can act also as a diagnostic tool for actors seeking to contribute to reduce poverty and hunger (SDGs 1 and 2); enhance economic growth and public infrastructure (SDGs 8 and 9); and foster cross-sector partnerships for sustainability (SDG17). The ACE case demonstrates that VNA provides several entry points for building strategic cross-sector partnerships that act as systemic instruments in science, technology, and innovation policy, coordinating actions to ensure that the right policy mix comes in place to tackle different SDG targets in an integrated way.

Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in the Doldrums: Exploring Alternatives for Sanyati through Sustainable Development Goals

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinashe Mitchell Mashizha ◽  
Munyaradzi Admire Dzvimbo
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Food Security And Nutrition

The topical issue of sustainable development has received significant attention from scholars, social commentators and decision-makers, yet it seems there is a gap with regard to the examination of alternatives and sustainable methods of combating food insecurity. This article makes a number of observations that point to a deepening food insecurity, and it makes recommendations to avert further catastrophes. Findings from the study indicate that the Sanyati district in Zimbabwe faces perennial food shortages and relies on government food handouts, drought relief and donor food aid. The study found that command agriculture (a government initiative) is perceived as a catalyst for ensuring food security and nutrition and enhancing self-sufficiency among smallholder farmers in rural communities. Knowledge of sustainable development goals can lead to an expanded understanding of food security in general and the manifestations of alternative rural livelihoods strategies in particular. In this article, we recommend the implementation of climate-smart agriculture at local and national levels to help farmers adapt to the changing climatic conditions. However, there is a need to make subsidised inputs available in time so as to increase household adaptive capacity and improve livelihoods.

scholarly journals Climate Change and Food Insecurity Dynamics in the Rural Limpopo Province of South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Abiodun Olusola Omotayo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Household Heads

In the developing nations of the world, poor gross domestic product growth has shown serious vacuum to be filled in order to achieve the sustainable development goals. In that regard, this research article intends to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the United Nation’s goal by explaining the rural food insecurity in the light of climate change dynamic in some selected rural communities of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The data employed in the study were collected from 120 randomly selected rural household heads. Data were analysed with descriptive (frequency, mean etc.) and inferential statistics (Principal component Analysis (PCA), Tobit and Probit Regression) which were properly fitted (P<0.05) for the set research objectives. Descriptive results indicate that the average age of the respondents was 52 years with 60% of the household heads being married and a mean household size of 5.The study concluded that there is climate change effect and food insecurity in the study area and therefore recommended among others that the government of South Africa should endeavour to implement a more rural focused food securityclimate change policies in order to relieve the intensity of food insecurity situations among these disadvantaged rural dwellers of the province as well as to entrench a policy of long term development of agriculture. Finally, the study emphasized that the rural farming households should be enlightened through proper extension services to carry out climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in alleviating the food insecurity situation in the rural communities of the province. 

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