Coloniality in US agricultural policy (#journal)

The coloniality of US agricultural policy: articulating agrarian (in)justice

Drawing on participatory action research with La Via Campesina’s US member groups, this paper traces the coloniality of US agricultural policy. The framework of coloniality conjures history, contextualizing US Department of Agriculture (USDA) racism within long legacies of subjugation, while paying homage to historical resistance. It raises the stakes regarding the neo-imperialism of agribusiness monopolies, while highlighting divide-and-conquer strategies and the colonialist mentalities that linger on despite reform. The discursive impact of coloniality builds upon existing, grassroots articulations of the need to decolonize agricultural policy. Calling out the coloniality of US agricultural policy echoes global revalorizations of peasant agriculture, while overcoming the constraints of the term ‘peasant’ in US-English-speaking contexts.

Cover crops in perennial agriculture (#journal)

Cover crops to increase soil microbial diversity and mitigate decline in perennial agriculture. A review

 

Perennial agriculture is prone to declining productivity due to negative plant-soil feedback. Although cover crops are already used in these systems for other reasons, their capacity to influence soil biota is unexploited. This article examines the role of plant diversity and identity on plant-soil feedback. We conclude that (1) increasing plant diversity increases soil microbial diversity, minimizing the proliferation of soil-borne pathogens; (2) populations of beneficial microbes can be increased by increasing plant functional group richness, (3) brassicas suppress fungal pathogens and promote disease-suppressive bacteria; (4) native plants may further promote beneficial soil microbiota; and (5) frequent tillage, herbicide use, and copper fungicides can harm populations of beneficial microbes. Non-crop vegetation management is a viable and cost-effective means of minimizing crop decline in perennial monocultures.

Coffee agroforestry management (#journal)

Agroforestry coffee production increased by native shade trees, irrigation, and liming

Agroforestry systems usually include shade trees, providing a large diversity of fauna and flora. Shade trees are, however, being removed to increase crop production in many tropical regions. We evaluated the importance of shade tree management for crop production in the context of management practices. Management practices included fertilization, liming, coffee pruning, weeding, and irrigation in 113 coffee agroforests in Kodagu, India. Results show that a rise of 100 shade tree per hectare increased production of berries by 5.6 % and bean size by 6.25 %. Irrigation and liming increased berry production respectively by 16 and 20 %. These management interventions offset the relatively small effect of reducing shade density.

Rooftop production of vegetables (#journal)

Rooftop production of leafy vegetables can be profitable and less contaminated than farm-grown vegetables

Urban agriculture may solve issues of feeding urban populations. It has been estimated that the total rooftop space in China is about 1 million hectares, some of which can be converted for rooftop farming. This article present here a feasibility study of hydroponically grown vegetables in a rooftop screen house in Guangzhou, China. None of the roof hydroponic vegetables exceeded the maximum residue limit for lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, or nitrate. In contrast, 5 of 98 market vegetables were contaminated by exceeding the maximum residue limit for lead. Similarly 3 were contaminated for arsenic, 23 for nitrate, and 2 for organophosphate or carbamate insecticide. Compared to high-end vegetables sold on the market, rooftop-grown vegetables were competitive in cost and quality. Given that many countries have limited arable land to feed a large population, the widespread adoption of rooftop hydroponics could help expand the total area available for food production.

Crop-livestock integration betwen farms (#journal)

Crop–livestock integration beyond the farm level: a review

Paradoxically, the number of crop–livestock farms is declining across Europe, despite the fact that crop-livestock farms are optimal to the sustainability of agriculture. To solve this issue, crop–livestock integration may be organized beyond the farm level. For instance, local groups of farmers can negotiate land-use allocation patterns and exchange materials such as manure, grain, and straw. Development of such a collective agricultural system raises questions about how to integrate crops and livestock among farms, and the consequences, impacts, and conditions of integrating them. This article reviews the different forms of crop–livestock integration beyond the farm level, their potential benefits, and the features of decision support systems (DSS) needed for the integration process.

Feeding India without pesticides (journal)

Possibilities of Optimizing the Pesticides for the Alternative Agricultural Sustainability in India

This Review article is a genuine attempt to evaluate the possibilities of the negligible use of pesticides in agriculture in India. Though India is among the least users of pesticides, even then for the sustainable agricultural output there are the possibilities of alternative agricultural practices. Moreover, the authorities are not so serious about this subject therefore the modern technologies are not being welcomed for agro-ecology. This article is based upon the secondary data available in the published reports. The article will conclude that the inclusive growth in agriculture is the need of the hour in India. It is argued that the alternative agriculture must be adopted for the overall welfare of future of the humanity.

Agricultural investment data worldwide (report)

Agricultural Investment Data - Landscape Analysis: Executive summary

Investments in agriculture are critical to reducing poverty and improving food security and nutrition. Although billions of dollars are spent on these investments every year, comprehensive and detailed information on these investments is still largely unavailable. This study explores the current landscape of data on agricultural investments. In doing so, it identifies key opportunities and challenges in working for a clearer and more reliable picture of agricultural investments worldwide.

Agroecology in the tropics (journal)

The Role of Trees in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics

Shifting agriculture in the tropics has been replaced by sedentary smallholder farming on degraded land. To address low yields and low income both, the soil fertility, the agroecosystem functions, and the source of income can be restored by diversification with nitrogen-fixing trees and the cultivation of indigenous tree species. Biodiversity studies indicate that mature cash crop systems, such as cacao and coffee with shade trees, provide wildlife habitat that supports natural predators. This review offers suggestions on how to examine these agroecological processes in more detail for the most effective rehabilitation of degraded land.

Agro-ecology in Cuba (online)

The Paradox of Cuban Agriculture

When Cuba faced lost trade relations with the Soviet Bloc in the early 1990s, food production collapsed due to the loss of imported fertilizers, pesticides, tractors, parts, and petroleum. Cuba posted the worst growth in per capita food production in Latin America. But the island rapidly re-oriented its agriculture to become a world-class case of ecological agriculture. Cuba rebounded to show the best food production performance in Latin America over the following period, a remarkable annual growth rate of 4.2 percent per capita, a period in which the regional average was 0 percent.

Conserving agricultural heritage globally (online)

Conserving Resilient and Multifunctional Sustainable Landscapes

Research has now shown that ecological resilience, cultural values and spirituality play crucial roles in livelihoods and well-being in rural communities. The United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) leads two initiatives to understand their importance. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems Partnership Initiative was launched by the FAO in 2002. To date, 36 GIAHS sites have been designated worldwide and have vigorously promoted the understanding and conservation of traditional agricultural systems. The Satoyama Initiative was established in the context of biodiversity and environmental conservation in Japan. Researchers have found that unique and diverse habitats have been created through traditional agricultural practices and natural resource management in the landscape called satoyama .