scholarly journals Organic Farming and Climate Change: The Need for Innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 7012
Author(s):  
Sean Clark

Organic agriculture has experienced remarkable growth in recent decades as societal interest in environmental protection and healthy eating has increased. Research has shown that relative to conventional agriculture, organic farming is more efficient in its use of non-renewable energy, maintains or improves soil quality, and has less of a detrimental effect on water quality and biodiversity. Studies have had more mixed findings, however, when examining the impact of organic farming on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) in particular have indicated that organic farming can often result in higher GHG emissions per unit product as a result of lower yields. The organic movement has the opportunity to embrace the science of LCA and use this information in developing tools for site-specific assessments that can point toward strategies for improvements. Responding effectively to the climate change crisis should be at the core of the organic movement’s values. Additionally, while societal-level behavioral and policy changes will be required to reduce waste and shift diets to achieve essential reductions in GHG emissions throughout food systems, organic farming should be open to seriously considering emerging technologies and methods to improve its performance and reduce GHG emissions at the production stage.

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Maria Raimondo ◽  
Francesco Caracciolo ◽  
Concetta Nazzaro ◽  
Giuseppe Marotta

While there is growing recognition of the positive role played by organic farming in the reduction of the negative externalities due to conventional agriculture, there is uncertainty about the effect of the latter on the economic performance of the farms. In this scenario, the present paper aims at investigating the effect of organic farming on technical efficiency in Italian olive farms. A cross-section dataset was analyzed through the stochastic frontier function, where the adoption of organic farming was explicitly modeled. Then, to obtain an unbiased estimate of the impact of organic farming on technical efficiency, a propensity score matching method was implemented. The findings reveal that organic farming increases technical efficiency in Italian olive farms by approximately 10%. The highest impact of organic farming is observed in small farms. As for the propensity to become organic, we found that the production and the direct sales of a higher quality of gross marketable output, as well as the intensity of labor and machines, increase the probability to adopt organic farming. Conversely, farm localization, the availability of family labor, and financial capital discourage conversion to the organic farming system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Budi Setiawan ◽  
Zulfanita Zulfanita ◽  
Didik Widiyantono ◽  
Sugeng Eko Putro Widoyoko

ABSTRAKKesadaran petani akan dampak dari penggunaan pupuk atau pestisida kimia dalam pertanian konvensional sangat rendah. Penurunan kualitas lingkungan seperti berkurangnya serangga, penurunan kesuburan tanah, penurunan kualitas air, udara dan polusi tanah disebabkan oleh penggunaan bahan kimia dalam pertanian konvensional. Salah satu yang dapat dijadikan solusi untuk mengatasi kondisi ini adalah pengembangan pertanian organik (organic farming). Program Pengabdian Masyarakat dilaksanakan di desa Rendeng, kecamatan Gebang, kabupaten Purworejo bertujuan untuk menjadikan desa Rendeng sebagai kawasan pertanian, peternakan dan perikanan berbasis organic farming. Mitra dalam pelaksanan pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah kelompok tani Ngudi Makmur dengan anggota 30 orang.  Metode yang digunakan adalah Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD) merupakan salah satu metode pengabdian kepada masyarakat yang berorientasi pada penyelesaian masalah pada lingkungan masyarakat. Metode EfSD menekankan pada 3 pilar yaitu ekonomi, ekologi atau lingkungan dan sosial. Program kegiatan yang dilaksanakan secara garis besar meliputi, 1) pemberdayaan masyarakat melalui penguatan kelembagaan dan peningkatan kualitas sumber daya manusia,2) Penumbuhan dan pengembangan budidaya pertanian, dan perikanan berbasis organic farming, 3) peningkatan produksi, pengolahan dan pemasaran hasil pertanian dan perikanan. Hasil pengabdian masyarakat ini berupa penguatan kelembagaan Kelompok Tani  Ngudi Makmur beraktifitas dengan aktif, adanya program kegiatan dan sosialisasi serta pelatihan serta pembinaan         pengetahuan dan pengalaman  kelompok  tani dalam pengembangan pertanian dan perikanan organik. Kata kunci : organic farming; pertanian; perikanan; education for sustainable development. ABSTRACTFarmers' awareness of the impact of using chemical fertilizers or pesticides in conventional agriculture is very low. Environmental quality degradation such as reduced DR, decreased air quality, air pollution is caused by the use of chemicals in conventional agriculture. One of the solutions to overcome this condition is the development of organic agriculture (organic farming). The Community Service Program implemented in Rendeng village, Gebang District, Purworejo Regency aims to make Rendeng village an organic agriculture-based agricultural, livestock and fishery area. Partners in implementing this community service are the Ngudi Makmur farmer group with 30 members. The method used is Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD), which is a community service method that is oriented towards solving problems in the community environment. The EfSD method emphasizes 3 pillars, namely economic, ecological or environmental and social. The program of activities carried out in outline includes, 1) community empowerment through institutional strengthening and improvement of the quality of human resources, 2) cultivation and development of agricultural and fisheries based on organic agriculture, 3) increasing production, processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products. The results of this community service are in the form of institutional strengthening of the Ngudi Makmur Farmer Group to be actively active, the existence of a program of activities and outreach as well as training as well as fostering knowledge and experience of farmer groups in developing organic agriculture and fisheries. Keywords : organic farming; agriculture; fishery; education for sustainable development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 3431-3447
Author(s):  
Tobias Spiegl ◽  
Ulrike Langematz

AbstractSatellite measurements over the last three decades show a gradual decrease in solar output, which can be indicative as a precursor to a modern grand solar minimum (GSM). Using a chemistry–climate model, this study investigates the potential of two GSM scenarios with different magnitude to counteract the climate change by projected anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the twenty-first century. To identify regions showing enhanced vulnerability to climate change (hot spots) and to estimate their response to a possible modern GSM, a multidimensional metric is applied that accounts for—in addition to changes in mean quantities—seasonal changes in the variability and occurrence of extreme events. We find that a future GSM in the middle of the twenty-first century would temporarily mitigate the global mean impact of anthropogenic climate change by 10%–23% depending on the GSM scenario. A future GSM would, however, not be able to stop anthropogenic global warming. For the GHG-only scenario, our hot-spot analysis suggests that the midlatitudes show a response to rising GHGs below global average, while in the tropics, climate change hot spots with more frequent extreme hot seasons will develop during the twenty-first century. A GSM would reduce the climate change warming in all regions. The GHG-induced warming in Arctic winter would be dampened in a GSM due to the impact of reduced solar irradiance on Arctic sea ice. However, even an extreme GSM could only mitigate a fraction of the tropical hot-spot pattern (up to 24%) in the long term.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia-Elena Cristache ◽  
Mariana Vuță ◽  
Erika Marin ◽  
Sorin-Iulian Cioacă ◽  
Mihai Vuţă

Although organic farming is an important topic for society, at the European level there have been few achievements so far. Despite its constant increase, the demand for organic food in Europe is outweighing the development of this sector. As such, we aim to assess the interaction between conventional and organic agriculture, as well as their impact on the value of agricultural production at the European level. The main objective of this article is the assessment of the impact of organic farming, as compared with conventional agriculture, on sustainable development of European countries. Therefore, we used panel models based on data collected from the Eurostat database. We found that an increase of 1% of the organic farming areas will generate a contraction in agricultural production of 0.278%, whereas a 1% increase in the production of fertilizers would generate an increase of 0.260% in agriculture production. Moreover, an increase of 1% in the production of plant protection substances and in gross capital formation would generate increases of 0.1190% and 0.0933%, respectively, in agriculture production. The obtained results depend mainly on the characteristics of work on land, as some agricultural engineering methods (crop rotation, pest control, use of fertilizers etc.) influence productivity and production.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Stockdale ◽  
C.A. Watson

AbstractThe health of the soil, recognized by its active role in the linked processes of decomposition and nutrient supply, is considered as the foundation of agriculture by the organic farming movement. Nutrient management in organically managed soils is fundamentally different from that of conventional agricultural systems. Crop rotations are designed with regard to maintenance of fertility with a focus on nutrient recycling. Where nutrients are added to the system, inputs are in organic and/or non-synthetic fertilizer sources that are mostly slow release in nature. Hence a greater reliance is placed on soil chemical and biological processes to release nutrients in plant-available forms. In this respect, nutrient availability in organically farmed soils is more dependent upon soil processes than is the case in conventional agriculture. The development and use of biological indicators of soil quality may therefore be more important in organic (and other low input) farming systems. The aim of this paper is to evaluate current evidence for the impact of organic farming systems on soil biological quality and consider the identification of appropriate biological indicators for use by organic farmers and their advisors. Organic farming systems are generally associated with increased biological activity and increased below-ground biodiversity. The main impacts on biological fertility do not result from the systemsper sebut are related to the amount and quality of the soil organic matter pool and disruptions of soil habitat via tillage. Even within the constraints of organic farming practices it is possible for farmers to make changes to management practices which will tend to improve soil biological quality. It is, however, by no means clear that distinct indicators of soil biological quality are needed for organic farming systems. It is important not only to identify the most appropriate indicators but also to ensure that farmers and land managers can understand and relate to them to support on-farm management decisions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 32-35
Author(s):  
Amine Moulay Taj ◽  
Fouzi Belmir

In a global context increasingly concerned with climate change, understanding the impact of economic growth on the environment is becoming crucial, especially for developing countries. Morocco has been committed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to achieve the objectives set for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 13% by 2030, with 2010 as the reference year. Such a target could reach 32% by the same horizon under certain technical, financial and capacity building support conditions.The main emitters of greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) are landfills because during the decomposition of solid waste CO2 is the most present gas pollutant is for this reason focuses this case study carried out in a landfill located in Fez, the development of a new calculation method or we could have a reduction in CO2 41261,69 teq CO2/year and with a yield of 85%.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Olha Alieksieieva

The purpose of the article is to study the impact of the basic principles and benefits of the development of cooperative movement on the development of organic agricultural production, as well as to determine the role of cooperation in the development of organic entrepreneurship. Methodology. The author has used the methods of analysis and synthesis, the method of statistical grouping and comparison, induction and deduction, structural and functional approach to solve the problems and achieve the goals. The study is based on the comparative analysis and synthesis of scientific literature. Results. Organic food is increasing in popularity. The growing demand is mainly attributable to consumer concerns about negative implications of conventional agriculture for human health and the environment. Organic agriculture has a great potential to neutralize a negative impact of agricultural intensification on the environment. The article describes the concept and analyzes the current state of cooperation in agriculture. It is found that during the period under the research, the number of registered cooperatives has increased by almost 45%. The concepts of organic agriculture and organic production are clarified. The dynamics of agricultural lands engaged in organic production and the number of certified organic farms in Ukraine are studied. It is indicated that the consumption of organic products in Ukraine is much lower than in the European countries and the United States. The advantages of introducing a cooperative movement in the field of organic agriculture are identified. Being part of a cooperative helps small farms to be able to produce enough to generate profits and ensure their substance, which is an opportunity to compete with larger companies. Risks arising in the process of establishing organic cooperatives are outlined considering the international experience. It is concluded that efficient organic farming cooperatives can support local and export markets, stimulate production efficiency and promote local logistics. Practical implications. The advantages of consolidation of enterprises and entrepreneurs in the field of organic agriculture on the basis of cooperation can be used for the development of state programs to support the cooperative movement in organic farming. Value/originality. Views on the organization of production, processing and logistics activities of organic agricultural producers through the introduction of cooperatives have been expanded.


Author(s):  
Antonio Lloret ◽  
Rogerio Domenge ◽  
Mildred Castro-Hernández

This paper challenges the assumption that “state-of-the-art” regulation aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by firms is the panacea that will force firms to face the impact of climate change and create conditions that promote sustainable corporations. We argue that, in fact, such regulation, when improperly implemented, may impair sustainability practices because it creates unintended consequences. This paper tackles the design and efficiency of the institutional framework chosen through the lenses of the analytical themes of fit, scale and interplay. Then, we model a systems dynamic approach to represent how public policy in the arenas of energy effi-ciency and GHG emissions reduction may interplay with competitive business outcomes and cor-porate sustainability schemes. We found, as a result of the institutional design chosen, that the sys-tem is dominated by negative feedback processes resulting in inefficient outcomes that would be better tackled by firms not being subject to the restrictions imposed by the new laws.


Author(s):  
Viktoras Vorobjovas ◽  
Algirdas Motiejunas ◽  
Tomas Ratkevicius ◽  
Alvydas Zagorskis ◽  
Vaidotas Danila

Climate change is one of the main nowadays problem in the world. The politics and strategies for climate change and tools for reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and green technologies are created and implemented. Mainly it is focused on energy, transport and construction sectors, which are related and plays a significant role in the roads life cycle. Most of the carbon footprint emissions are generated by transport. The remaining emissions are generated during the road life cycle. Therefore, European and other countries use methods to calculate GHG emissions and evaluate the impact of road construction methods and technologies on the environment. Software tools for calculation GHG emissions are complicated, and it is not entirely clear what GHG emission amounts generate during different stages of road life cycle. Thus, the precision of the obtained results are often dependent on the sources and quantities of data, assumptions, and hypothesis. The use of more accurate and efficient calculation-evaluation methods could let to determine in which stages of road life cycle the largest carbon footprint emissions are generated, what advanced road construction methods and technologies could be used. Also, the road service life could be extended, the consumption of raw materials, repair, and maintenance costs could be reduced. Therefore the time-savings could be improved, and the impact on the environment could be reduced using these GHG calculation-evaluation methods.


Earth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-123
Author(s):  
Bowen He ◽  
Ke J. Ding

The growing impact of CO2 and other greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions on the socio-climate system in the Western Cape, South Africa, urgently calls for the need for better climate adaptation and emissions-reduction strategies. While the consensus has been that there is a strong correlation between CO2 emissions and the global climate system, few studies on climate change in the Western Cape have quantified the impact of climate change on local climate metrics such as precipitation and evaporation under different future climate scenarios. The present study investigates three different CO2 emissions scenarios: Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5, from moderate to severe, respectively. Specifically, we used climate metrics including precipitation, daily mean and maximum near-surface air temperature, and evaporation to evaluate the future climate in Western Cape under each different RCP climate scenario. The projected simulation results reveal that temperature-related metrics are more sensitive to CO2 emissions than water-related metrics. Districts closer to the south coast are more resilient to severer GHG emissions scenarios compared to inland areas regarding temperature and rainfall; however, coastal regions are more likely to suffer from severe droughts such as the “Day-Zero” water crisis. As a result, a robust drying signal across the Western Cape region is likely to be seen in the second half of the 21st century, especially under the scenario of RCP 8.5 (business as usual) without efficient emissions reduction policies.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document