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This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adaptation to climate change in transitional climatic zones of Africa, specifically, Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly-selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study used an ordered logit model to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers' behavioural intention towards adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that the gender of the household head, access to extension services on crop and livestock production, access to climate information, membership to social groups and experiencing a drought have a positive influence on farmers' attitude towards adaptation to climate change and variability. The study concluded that although the majority of smallholder farmers perceive that the climate is changing, they continue to habour negative attitudes towards prescribed climate change adaptation techniques. This study recommends more education on climate change, as well as adaptation strategies for both agricultural extension workers and farmers. This can be complemented by disseminating timely climate information through extension officers and farmers' groups., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Developing nations like Bangladesh are particularly vulnerable to poultry diseases, notably Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Adopting biosecurity approaches that assist farms in disease control and prevention can decrease the industry-wide dissemination of infectious diseases. In light of these factors, this study was carried out to investigate the implementation of biosecurity practices on layer farms in Bangladesh. Using a stratified random sample method, a total of 315 layer farms from fourteen upazilas (sub-districts) in seven districts were surveyed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The study explored layer farmers' experiences with biosecurity procedures adopted on farms that included equipment, employees, and visitors. The study found that the overall biosecurity score was 72.5 out of 100. It was concluded that internal biosecurity was better than external biosecurity. The study also revealed that layer farms have a larger proportion of partial adopters based on the adoption index. The application of the Tobit model identifies that education, farming experience, attitude towards risk, price of layer sheds, return from layer production, and access to biosecurity knowledge had a substantial influence on adopting biosecurity measures. The findings might be helpful for farmers and policymakers to ensure the required modifications to improve compliance with biosecurity protocols and could assist relevant authorities in implementing particular biosecurity initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aims to analyze the interconnectedness of farmers' socioeconomic factors and their awareness of the One Health framework. Method: This study conducted a survey with 1,166 observations across Thailand, Lao, and Vietnam and employed binary logit regression for data analysis. Odds ratios were used for interpreting the results. Results: The results indicated that certain socioeconomic factors—particularly household income, age, gender roles within the household, and household size—significantly influenced farmers' awareness and engagement with One Health literacy. Awareness levels varied across the three countries: for example, the composition of adults in Thai farming households was correlated with awareness of environmental health and infectious diseases. In Lao PDR, gender was significantly associated with awareness of animal health, while in Vietnam, it was linked to awareness of animal disease transmission. Conclusion: These determinants contribute to the application of a more integrated One Health approach among farmers in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is a valuable resource that supports sustainability within agricultural systems, yet in contradiction to this agriculture is recognised as a contributor to biodiversity loss. Agricultural advisory services are institutions that support sustainable agricultural development, employing a variety of approaches including farmer discussion groups in doing so. This study evaluates the impact of a farmland biodiversity management (FBM) communication strategy piloted within Irish farmer discussion groups. A sensemaking lens was applied in this objective to gain an understanding of how this strategy could create an actionable space for FBM promotion amongst farmers. The strategy was piloted with six Irish dairy farmer discussion groups, after which focus groups were conducted with members of these groups. Additionally, baseline and endline surveys were completed by the members to determine their knowledge, attitude and on-farm practices relating to FBM. Analysis of the focus group data identified that the communication strategy supported the affordance of sensemaking with respect to FBM. Analysis of the data from the baseline and endline surveys relating to knowledge, attitudes and practices found that engaging with the communication strategy promoted farmers to improve their attitude in relation to FBM. Results from this study provide important lessons for agricultural advisory services to support farmers in incorporating FBM into the overall management of their farms and, in turn, to promote the improvement of farmland biodiversity and contribute to a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban farming is important in supporting food security in urban areas. This study aims to identify the use of communication media in implementing urban farming and supporting institutions in the application of urban farming. This research was conducted using a survey method with samples selected in tiers representing each extension institution of farmer women groups. Furthermore, data were gathered from interviews and FGDs. The results showed that accessing information and communication behavior was in the excellent category with a score of 4.65. There are different types of facilities that are currently used by farmers to access information, namely smartphones where the extension workers always provide information related to farming, and printed extension media such as brochures, flyers, and books related to vegetable farming. Farmer knowledge about information sources is also in an excellent category. They know the types of information sources and how to get information according to their needs that comes from reliable and accurate sources. Farmers received full support from local leaders and the government through the food crops and fisheries office of the city of Pekanbaru with regular counseling held by extension workers, and socialization related to urban farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane is vital to Belize's economy, significantly contributing to its Gross Domestic Product and supporting a large portion of the population. It is necessary to address the declining soil health in this nation due to excessive chemical fertilizer use, and Belize aims to promote organic fertilizers, which enhance soil quality and reduce environmental impacts. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of adoption intentions regarding organic fertilizers among Belizean sugarcane farmers using the Extended Theory of Reasoned Action. Data were collected from 207 farmers in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts using a non-probability sampling approach via a self-administered questionnaire measuring perceived health risks, environmental concerns, attitudes, subjective norms, and adoption intentions. The results revealed that both perceived health risks and environmental concerns influenced farmers' attitudes and subjective norms, which, in turn, affected their adoption intentions, as revealed through path analysis; socio-economic factors, years of farming experience, and ownership background partially affected adoption intentions regarding organic fertilizers, as determined via binary logistic regression analysis. The findings suggest that raising farmers' awareness of health risks and environmental crises, as well as enhancing farmers' knowledge and their positive attitudes towards the use of organic fertilizers, will contribute to the sustainable development of the sugarcane industry in Belize. Some interventions by policymakers are recommended to support the transition to the use of organic fertilizers in sugarcane farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address a gap in the literature concerning pollination management, the pollinator deficit, and conservation objectives. By employing a farm level survey of UK farmers, we examine farmers' attitudes, understanding and management of pollinators. Based on descriptive statistics and regression analysis, we found significant variation in interest and understanding of the impact of pollinators on commercial crops meaning that many respondents did not consider they had a pollinator deficit in terms of crop quality, quantity, or financial impacts. At the same time, many farmers are willing to adopt environmentally beneficial land-use measures if suitable advice and financial incentives are offered. However, there is little evidence of coordination of actions between farms to support wild pollinators. These findings indicate a potential disconnect between a farmer's understanding of the impact on agricultural output from a pollinator deficit and the agricultural benefits from the adoption of specific environmental measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Drought, a prevalent consequence of climate change, significantly impacts mental health among farmers. Enhancing psychological resilience is crucial to mitigating these effects. This study aims to explore the concept and factors affecting the psychological resilience of farmers living in drought-affected regions in Iran. Method: This study utilized a conventional qualitative content analysis method. Twenty-six participants, divided into two groups of experts and farmers, were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection was conducted via in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist and was carried out between June 2023 and February 2024. Results: The factors affecting the psychological resilience of farmers living in drought-affected regions were categorized into two main categories with nine subcategories. The first category, environmental factors, included economic factors, socio-cultural factors, drought adaptation methods, government policies, and infrastructural factors. The second category, intra-individual factors, comprised personal characteristics, health factors, psychological factors, and perception and knowledge. Conclusion: The study revealed that both environmental and intra-individual factors influence the psychological resilience of farmers during droughts. It is recommended to implement intervention strategies, such as providing training and education on drought adaptation methods and managing agricultural and healthcare expenses. Further research is needed to expand this concept to various disasters and occupational groups in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the farmers' behavioural intention (BI) to adopt Internet of things platforms (IoT-P) in the agriculture context by comparing two well-known theories: the united theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), and the decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) with the integration of innovation resistance theory (IRT). Design/methodology/approach: Purposive sampling was used to get responses from 267 potential farmers to examine their IoT-P adoption intention in Pakistan. The PLS-SEM, PLS model evaluation criterion and PLS model selection criterion were considered to determine the significance of path co-efficient, explanatory power, predictive power and more parsimonious model. Findings: The findings demonstrate that DTPB is the best model with the extension of functional barriers (FBs) and psychological barriers (PBs). It has more predictive relevance and explanatory power. The results show that farmers' attitude (ATT), based on the evaluation of three attributes (i.e. perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and compatibility (COMP)), is the strong predictor of farmers' BI to adopt IoT-P. In addition, self-efficacy (SEF) and facilitating conditions (FC) peer influence (PI) and superiors' influence (SPI) are required for adoption of IoT-P devices. Finally, FB and PB significantly and negatively influence the farmers' BI to adopt IoT-P. Originality/value: This research is the first to consider the two technology adoption models with the integration of IRT for explaining farmers' BI in the context of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumajang is one of the districts in East Java where the majority of farmers grow rice. One of the causes of the decrease in productivity is due to the delay in harvest time due to the lack of rice harvesting labor and the type of harvesting machine used is inefficient. The purpose of this study is to measure the factors that influence farmers' interest in using Combine Harvester. The sample needed in this study is 93 respondents. The data analysis technique used is descriptive quantitative analysis using Structural Equation Modelling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). There are four exogenous variables, including the characteristics of farming, counseling and information, farmer characteristics, and the role of credit. The results of the study show that there are three factors that have a significant influence on farmers' interest, namely innovation, behavior control and attitude. The most significant result was the attitude factor with a P value of 0.012. Meanwhile, the factor that does not have a significant effect is the subjective norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Regional Pest Control program represents a strategic intervention aimed at optimizing pesticide use in crop production, thereby mitigating the environmental impact of agricultural non-point source pollution from pesticides and fostering the development of high-quality agriculture. This study examines the influence of farmers' perceived risks on the adoption of the Regional Pest Control program and evaluates its effect on pesticide application across a nationally representative dataset from Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. To account for unobserved heterogeneity, an endogenous switching regression model was employed. The findings reveal that farmers' perceived risks associated with the Regional Pest Control program significantly deter its adoption. Furthermore, the program has been effective not only in reducing the frequency of pesticide applications but also in increasing the usage of pesticides with lower acute toxicity levels. Notably, the impact of the Regional Pest Control program on pesticide application demonstrates considerable variation in accordance with farmers' risk attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how some small-scale palm oil growers in northeast Colombia have managed to exercise partial autonomy from global markets while still participating in them. By comparing the varied experiences of these farmers, I find that, state-led land access and multiscale organizational support for small-scale farming have enabled these farmers to selectively engage with global markets and carve-out space for autonomous decision-making on their farms. By examining the risks and possibilities associated with farmers' engagement in global value chains, this study illuminates the potential for agricultural transitions and small-scale farming within the context of global agricultural markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAP) are an integrated approach that focuses on attaining triple objectives of increasing productivity, enhancing resilience, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The study was conducted in 2024 to assess the knowledge level of climate smart agricultural practices among the paddy growers of Haryana. The data was collected with a structured interview schedule from two groups of villages namely climate smart villages (CSV) and non-climate smart villages (N-CSV), randomly selected from four blocks of Karnal and Kaithal districts. A sample of 15 paddy farmers were randomly interviewed from each of the eight villages, thereby using a sample size of 120 respondents. The knowledge items were divided into five categories, namely water smart, nutrient smart, carbon smart, weather smart and knowledge smart as per FAO guidelines. The analysis found a considerable difference in the knowledge level of CSAP among CSV and N-CSV respondents. The knowledge index of farmers from CSV was higher than those from NCSV for all five dimensions of CSAP. Further, it was found that variables such as education, extension participation, social participation, economic motivation, scientific and risk orientation were all positively and significantly related to the knowledge index of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigated how urea use over an extended period affects the qualities of the soil. The researchers showed that yearly applications of urea over an extended time caused soil acidification and reduced the amount of exchangeable bases in the soil. Factors that have an impact on the crop yield are mentioned. Also noted are farmers' perception on the impact of chemical fertilizer on environment.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the determinants of intention towards the use of agro-advisory mobile applications by extending the technology acceptance model (TAM) with addition of the following constructs: result demonstrability (RD), trust, self-efficacy (SE) and mobile usage proficiency (MUP). Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a survey on farmers (n = 446), which was analysed through structural equation modelling using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). Findings: The results show that RD and farmer's trust on agro-advisory mobile apps (AAMA) positively impact their perceptions of usefulness. Also, farmer's SE and MUP positively affect their perceptions of ease of using AAMA. Further, interestingly, farmer's attitude towards the AAMA fully mediates the relationship between perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on intention to use them. Research limitations/implications: Understanding the antecedents of agro-advisory mobile application offers a unique contribution to policymakers, private firms, and non-government organizations by proving key insights on the acceptance of agriculture based mobile technologies in context of developing nations. Originality/value: To the best of author's knowledge, this is one of the first research enquiries on the adoption of agro-advisory mobile applications. The new theoretical framework adds to the original TAM and offers novel insights that are helpful in augmenting the current understanding on AAMA and their acceptance by the beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the ways to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability in agriculture is to introduce digitalization in the production process or its digital transformation. The primary research objective in this paper is to obtain empirical knowledge about the various economic aspects of investing in digitalization in Serbian agriculture. The research relies on interviews conducted in the period April-October 2023 using a semi-structured questionnaire, covering a sample of 53 agricultural holdings on the entire territory of Serbia. The results show that the interviewed farm managers do not show a high degree of satisfaction with the achieved level of digitalization on the farms they manage. Nevertheless, based on the analysis of economic parameters of investment in digital solutions (return on investment period, perceived benefits, costs, investment limitations, financial support), the largest percentage of respondents (56.6%) intends to intensify investments in digitalization on their farm in the next period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of public breeding programs is to develop and disseminate improved varieties to farmers. This strategy aims at providing farming communities with superior crop varieties than they are growing. However, the strategy rarely considers the needs and preferences of farmers, especially gendered preferences, failing to solve real field problems by addressing the differences and inequalities prevalent in the farming communities. Our research examines how personal, household, agronomic and ecological characteristics of wheat growers in Bihar, India's eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains, affect women and men's wheat trait choices. Data were obtained from 1,003 households where both male and female respondents from the same household were interviewed. We accounted for 23 traits of wheat from a careful assessment of production, environment, cooking quality, market demand, and esthetic criteria. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine women's and men's trait preferences. The results imply that gender influences the preferences of wheat traits. Some traits are favored by both women and men, however, in other instances, there are striking disparities. For example, men choose wheat varieties that are well adapted to extreme climate conditions, have a higher grain yield, and produce chapati with a superior taste, while women prefer wheat types with superior chapati making quality, higher grain yield, and high market prices. Other socioeconomic, agronomic, cultural, and geolocational factors have a considerable impact on trait preferences. These human dimensions of traits preferred by women and men farmers are important for trait combinations to develop breeding product profiles for certain market segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Engaging in contract farming represents a crucial avenue for developing countries to integrate small farmers into modern agricultural practices. Existing research believes that contract farming offers a promising opportunity for fostering sustainable agricultural development. However, insufficient attention has been directed toward investigating the varying impacts of different organizational models within contract farming on farmers' transition to green production practices. Methods: This study investigates the impact of contract farming on green technological efficiency of farmers using survey data from 719 wheat growers in Shandong Province, China. The propensity scorematchingmethod andmultiple mediation effects models are employed for empirical analysis. Results: The organizational model plays a pivotal role in determining whether participation in contract farming can improve the green technological efficiency of farmers. Participation in an integratedmodel demonstrates a significant effect on improving green technological efficiency, whereas participation in a quasi-integrated model does not show a significant improvement. Integrated contract farming can improve green technological efficiency through expanding the degree of land consolidation and enhancing the level of productive service, whereas quasi-integrated contract farming improves green technological efficiency only by enhancing production intensification. As an economic incentive measure, the effect of contract purchase price on strengthening the enhancement of green technological efficiency in the quasi-integrated model is moderate only when the contract purchase price exceeds the local average selling price of wheat by more than 19.3%. Conversely, the moderate effect of farmers' dividend income in the integratedmodel remains consistent, with higher dividend incomes correlating with a stronger moderating effect. Discussion: The impact of contract farming on green technology efficiency correlates significantly with the organizationalmodel. Compared with the quasi-integrated contract farming model, the integrated model distinctly excels in advancing farmers' green technology efficiency, evidenced by its ability to consolidate fragmented land, provide productive services, and offer economic incentives. Therefore, to unlock the latent potential of contract farming in driving agricultural green transformation, a shift toward organizational models with higher levels of integration is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising stress, mental health issues, and suicide rates among farmers highlight the need to understand factors influencing their job satisfaction. Farming presents distinct challenges with its unique mix of positive and negative characteristics. This study utilized dual‐factor theory to investigate how various factors, such as economic dynamics, farm financial health, stewardship views, experience with extreme weather, and climate change concerns, influence farmers' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Data from a 2020 survey of Iowa farmers were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Financial health, stewardship motivations, and perceived adequacy of conservation practices emerged as significant predictors of both job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Farmers' extreme weather events experiences were positively associated with job satisfaction, indicating successful coping enhances contentment. Conversely, climate change concern was negatively associated with job satisfaction. As a revenue protection strategy, faith in crop insurance was negatively related to job dissatisfaction. In summary, besides the anticipated positive impact of farm financial health, the findings show that job satisfaction in farming is linked to stewardship motivations and perceived adequacy of conservation practices on the farm. The results suggest an opening for policies and programs aligning financial and conservation goals, potentially enhancing long‐term farmer well‐being and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholders of dryland ecosystems continue to live below the poverty line while facing significant economic and social deprivation with decreasing landholding. Most dryland farmers perform conventional disintegrated farming practices due to a lack of knowledge and resource inefficiency. This study investigates the possibility of an Integrated Farming System (IFS) to address the current dryland farming issues and explore various factors affecting its adoption among the farming community. This study aims to apply and compare supervised learning techniques to assess the primary drivers affecting the adoption of the IFS in rural southern India. The study shows that organic fertilizer production, farmers' age, and involvement in the extension activity are the major factors affecting the adoption of IFS among dryland farmers. The study supports that small and marginal farmers have a high possibility of realizing the higher benefit from IFS. The study recommends that these components be given proper policy consideration in designing and implementing an effective farming system in dryland areas to improve farmers' income levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovche Pole Region is the second largest agricultural area in Macedonia. It is a plain with a dry climate, characterized by low precipitation and high ambient temperatures during the growing period and prevailing winds which are frequently present throughout the year. During the 1950s, the government took a large-scale operation for the establishment of tree windbreaks (field shelterbelts) that would reduce wind velocity, protect agricultural land, and increase crop productivity. Even though these systems perform important functions, approximately half of the initial tree windbreak area has been lost mainly due to land use change. Today a significant area of the existing tree windbreak belts is damaged. Actions for the protection, rehabilitation, and restoration of these systems are needed, however, without active support and understanding of farmers' perspectives on tree windbreak systems, any activity would be without major and long-term success. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to: (1) examine farmers' attitudes toward the tree windbreak system and its rehabilitation, and (2) assess farmers' awareness and perceptions of ecosystem services provided by the tree windbreak system. In this aim a semi-structured questionnaire was developed and following the convenience sampling method distributed to 72 farmers to gather the needed information. Data analysis showed that in general farmers have positively valued the tree windbreak systems and agreed that rehabilitation and restoration are needed. Regarding the ecosystem functions, the results indicate that farmers gave uniform answers in some cases, the farmers had split perceptions. According to farmers' responses, the most important ecosystem service provided by the tree windbreaks is climate regulation, this is followed by the reduction of soil erosion and runoff and the source of provisional materials function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising stress, mental health issues, and suicide rates among farmers highlight the need to understand factors influencing their job satisfaction. Farming presents distinct challenges with its unique mix of positive and negative characteristics. This study utilized dual‐factor theory to investigate how various factors, such as economic dynamics, farm financial health, stewardship views, experience with extreme weather, and climate change concerns, influence farmers' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Data from a 2020 survey of Iowa farmers were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Financial health, stewardship motivations, and perceived adequacy of conservation practices emerged as significant predictors of both job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Farmers' extreme weather events experiences were positively associated with job satisfaction, indicating successful coping enhances contentment. Conversely, climate change concern was negatively associated with job satisfaction. As a revenue protection strategy, faith in crop insurance was negatively related to job dissatisfaction. In summary, besides the anticipated positive impact of farm financial health, the findings show that job satisfaction in farming is linked to stewardship motivations and perceived adequacy of conservation practices on the farm. The results suggest an opening for policies and programs aligning financial and conservation goals, potentially enhancing long‐term farmer well‐being and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sustainable transition in the agri‐food system holds society‐wide implications. Farmers play central roles in responding to climate change, environmental degradation and sustainable food production. Still, factors underlying how farmers make decisions and manage their farms are often marginalised in efforts to develop policies to tackle these issues.The concept of relational values, defined as preferences, principles and virtues based on human–nature relationships, recently emerged to expand understandings of environmental decision‐making in general and that of farmers specifically. As agricultural landscapes are dynamic and characterised by the interaction of various actors with diverse values and interests, how these interactions influence farmers' decisions remains underexplored.This paper engages with these issues by using qualitative data on Norwegian horticultural farmers' motivations, opportunities and challenges in farming. We find that their relational values (a) are influential in shaping farmers' decisions about farm management and (b) are continually unfolding and embedded within a web of other actors, including grocers, retailers, consumers, farm advisors and policymakers, which shapes farmers' enactment of their relational values.In the context of agriculture, this research underlines the utility of an in‐depth understanding of relational values as embedded in wider social systems to enrich analyses of farmer decision‐making. How farmers' relational values are shaped and realised through interactions with other actors holds important implications for policy and programming to navigate tensions between different interests and actors for sustainable and long‐term change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to examine the factors that influence climate-smart adaptation (CSA) strategies. The study used binary logit and multivariate probit models to understand the dynamics and factors of agricultural households' behavioural decisions on CSA strategies. Based on the results of the binary logit model, the study indicated that factors such as access to extension services and training, gender, educational level, land ownership, access to irrigation, access to credit and crop damage level positively and significantly influenced farmers' decisions to use CSA strategies. Similarly, the results of the multivariate probit model reveal that factors such as educational level, access to extension services and training, and land ownership had significant impacts on the adoption of the majority of CSA strategies. To improve the intensity of CSA strategies, the study recommends expanding training and extension services to farming masses, the expansion of irrigation facilities and weather information at the farm level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a key tuber crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with huge potential for poverty alleviation, food sovereignty, and nutrition security. Exploiting its full potential requires that factors holding it down are understood and mitigated. This study, conducted between May and July 2022 and 2023, assessed yam farming practices, varietal preferences, and land suitability in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We interviewed 765 smallholder farmers within four agro-ecological zones (AEZ) to assess the sociocultural, agronomic, varietal, and biophysical factors affecting yam production. Land suitability analyses were conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify areas suitable to extensive yam production and to cluster environments that could optimize yam varietal selection and testing. Results showed that yam is mainly cultivated by women in eastern DRC (70%). The seed delivery system is informal, relying primarily on farmer-saved seeds and farmer-seed exchanges (74.9%). Soil depletion (68.3%), limited access to high-quality seeds (54.5%), youth disengagement in yam value chain (50.3%), insect pests (17.9%), and short tuber shelf-life (65.8%) were, respectively, the main ecological, agronomic, sociocultural, biological, and tuber quality factors hindering yam production in eastern DRC. However, the perceived importance of most factors significantly varied with farmer gender and age categories. A multitude of varietal traits was used to assess yam varieties in eastern DRC, of which the tuber taste (59%) was the most valued trait regardless of gender and age categories, though it had highest scores among middle-aged adult women. Land suitability analyses discriminated five clusters; the most significant part of the region falling under suitable (27%), highly suitable (24%), and very highly suitable classes (37%). We further discussed how breeding initiatives for delivering yam varieties, suiting local producers' and end-users' needs, could unlock the crop's potential for enhancing food security and wealth creation in eastern DRC. The land suitability map from this study is a valuable decision-making tool in defining priority areas for extensive yam production and varietal selection and testing. This study provided valuable insights on factors affecting yam production and suggested yam breeding as a backbone of a holistic approach seeking to address challenges faced in unlocking the potential for yam production in eastern DRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of credit advanced by ZTBL on the income of farmers in the livestock sector in district Dir Lower, KP. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to randomly select district Dir Lower in the first stage, followed by four tehsils. The Yamane formula and Proportional allocation technique were used to randomly select a sample size of 298 farmers from a total of 1193 loanee farmers. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and personal interviews during 2017-2020. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A multiple linear regression model was applied to quantitatively determine the impact of ZTBL credit on the income of farmers in the livestock sector. The estimated results show that ZTBL credit has a positive and statistically significant impact on farmers' income in the livestock sector. Additionally, other variables, such as age, education level, family size, farm size, livestock holdings, and farming experience, also show a positive and statistically significant relationship with farmers' income. The study recommends that ZTBL should introduce interest-free loans based on Islamic partnership, recognize its friendly policy regarding collateral requirements, and simplify the credit procedure to facilitate credit access. Furthermore, the study suggests that ZTBL should increase its local branches to support farmers and increase their income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Innovation is a fundamental component of agricultural infrastructure, fostering the sector's development and productivity. Innovation indices tailored to the farm level are benchmarks for assessing innovation within this agricultural context. Therefore, this study aims to discover, localize, and validate comprehensive innovation measurement indices at the farm level. A distinguishing feature of this research is its endeavor to discover and validate a comprehensive tool for measuring innovation at the farm level. Notably, there has been no prior research on discovering comprehensive innovation indices at the farm level, marking a novel aspect of this study. Method and results: The current research is applied in terms of its purpose and falls into the category of mixed research (quantitative and qualitative), as well as exploratory and descriptive research. This study has been conducted in three stages: The first phase involved reviewing existing literature and extracting indices for measuring innovation. In the second phase, a tool was designed specifically to gauge innovation at the farm level. The third phase entailed face and content validation of the identified indices. This validation process was conducted quantitatively and qualitatively through surveys of subject-matter experts in Iran, and by calculating the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). To measure innovation at the farm level, 90 items across 7 dimensions (education, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, creative outputs, and innovative outputs) were extracted, localized, and developed. According to the results, dimensions such as innovative outputs (product innovation, process innovation, and marketing innovation), education (farmers' education status in technology and innovation), and infrastructure (familiarity, access, and application of Information and Communication Technology [ICT]) demonstrated high credibility based on CVR and CVI scores. Conclusion: The utilization of innovation assessment indices can help mitigate the challenges associated with evaluating innovation status on farms, thereby enhancing their condition and increasing farmers' profitability. Accurate and reliable data on innovation status empower farmers in market competition and improve economic performance. Attention to innovation and the use of assessment tools can facilitate the attraction of new investors to the agricultural industry. Furthermore, improving agricultural processes through innovative technologies can contribute to the preservation of natural resources and the reduction of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like in every sector, the agriculture sector also shows numerous technological advancements every now and then and it is expected from farmers to incorporate the same and increase the crop yields and keep themselves up-to-date for meeting up any type of competitions & contingencies as well. A lot has been done in the agricultural sector to improve cultivation but Indian farmers still rely on the traditional practices. Farming is still not regarded as a secure source of income in India. For Indian agriculture to become more profitable and sustainable, smart farming is essential. The farmer breed will soon go extinct without getting into smart and high-tech farming. Though Agropreneurs have started taking baby steps in India with respect to smart farming, it is still a silent revolution in India as compared to other countries because of lack of awareness and confidence. In this paper a study has been conducted in order to identify the inclination of farmers towards new technologies when it comes to agriculture from the Eastern Uttar Pradesh belt. At the same time farmers have also been inquired about the limitations and the challenges faced by them in the traditional farming system. During the survey of this study farmers have also been made aware how innovative modern agricultural practices doubles the crop yield which is not only beneficial to meet the domestic needs but can also be exported worldwide adding to the GDP of the country which could be of economic importance to the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the implementation of innovation and the advisory needs of farmers in agricultural holdings in Western Macedonia. The research carried out was divided into two parts. Initially, we investigated how the programs under analysis related to innovation in the agricultural sector, specifically with respect to the improvement plans that were implemented in the region. Specifically, parameters such as age, gender, place of residence, and the types and number of investments were examined. The analysis revealed farmers' characteristics and the types of their investments, in addition to their degrees of adoption of innovation and their attitudes towards innovation. We also tried to clarify the reasons leading farmers toward innovation and the importance of consulting services in their orientation towards innovative ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agri-voltaics (AVs) refer to combining agricultural activities and photovoltaic power generation. This dual use of the land has been identified as an important measure to address some of the main current and future social and environmental challenges. AVs constitute an upward trend at a global level. However, a limited number of studies have been carried out to identify the views of the interested parties, farmers, regarding the adoption of AVs on their agricultural lands. This paper reports research findings of the investigation of farmers' views and attitudes towards the adoption of photovoltaics in agricultural lands. The non-parametric Mann–Whitney U Test was used in order to make comparisons between the group of participants that were willing to adopt AVs and those who were not. Chi-square (χ2) test of independence was performed to identify statistically significant relationships between farmers' willingness to adopt AVs and their socioeconomic characteristics or variables that represent knowledge about agro-energy. The results reveal that educational level and age had a significant role on accepting the installation of PV agriculture. Farmers' knowledge concerning agro-energy and their participation in farmers' associations are positively related to their willingness to adopt AV as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive use of agrochemicals and the misuse of natural resources severely degrade farmlands. In addition to organic farming, conservative agricultural practices are one of the most viable methods for preventing environmental deterioration. Its adoption has remained relatively modest in developing countries as farmers rely exclusively on synthetic inputs to attain high yields and economic returns. Therefore, this study focuses on the factors that influence farmers' intention and adoption of conservative agricultural practices. This study extended the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) framework with a new construct (green trust), and empirically evaluated all fundamental VBN components with their chained relationships among constructs. This cross-sectional study collected quantitative data from 349 farmers using structured interviews. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to statistically evaluate the relationship between the constructs. The analysis demonstrates that both biospheric and altruistic values have a positive impact on the new environmental paradigm, which, in turn, has a significant impact on people's awareness of consequences and personal norms. Although awareness of consequences had a substantial positive influence on the ascription of responsibilities, it was demonstrated to have a statistically insignificant impact on personal norms. In parallel, the ascription of responsibility had a strong impact on personal norms, which, in turn, positively influenced the intention towards conservative agricultural practices. Remarkably, green trust was found to have the greatest effect on farmers' intentions. Finally, farmers' actual adoption was significantly influenced by their intention. The findings of this study will contribute to the strengthening of relevant factors among farmers that may enhance eco-friendly farming practices, develop solutions for regulating the protected utilization of natural resources, and effectively prevent environmental deterioration caused by hazardous agrochemicals. The study will also provide guidance to government regulators and other social organizations in the formulation of effective laws, policies, and strategies for the mass adoption of conservation practices and restoration of agricultural ecosystem balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies that motivate agrifood producers to adopt more sustainable practices are a critical component for a sustainable future. This case study examines farmer attitudes to a recently released New Zealand agricultural policy aimed at improving freshwater quality by restricting agricultural activities. Our study interprets interviews of nine individuals managing a range of dairy and sheep farming operations to explore how these farmers manage societal expectations of being a 'good farmer' in the context of the new regulations. Four themes were developed to capture perceptions of participants: the vested interest of farmers in positive community engagement and being seen as a 'good' farmer; the need to manage farms prudently for future generations; the unique geographical and environmental conditions on each farm and their concerns about the lack of acknowledgment of differences across land types in New Zealand; and the unintended consequences of the new regulations for rural communities. Overall, the themes suggest that the way the policy was enacted conflicts with perceptions of a 'good farmer' and good farming practice, resulting in identity conflicts for the farming community and reduced motivation to adopt alternative practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained traction as one of the effective strategies in tackling the climate crisis. Many CSA practices have been promoted by development agencies to smallholder farmers based on the assumption that farmers would adopt these innovations for their potential benefits. However, the adoption of CSA practices in Ghana and much of Africa remains low and decision making and on-farm innovation processes are poorly understood. This study seeks to provide empirical and participatory insight into how smallholder farmers innovate. Based on a novel application of a participatory video methodology, in farming communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana, that have been exposed to multiple CSA intervention programmes, the paper analyses farmers' own self-curated accounts of experiences with CSA innovation. The findings show that farmer's motivation to adopt CSA innovations is driven by their concerns for food security, economic gains, and the environmental impact of climate change on their farming activities and livelihood. The study reveals a mismatch between the CSA technologies and practices advanced by the development agencies and what farmers perceive as relevant and important in addressing their farming challenges. In particular, the findings show that in a pool of more than 12 CSA technologies and practices that had been promoted through three donor-driven intervention programmes in the communities, farmers selected less labour intensive, less costly, and CSA technologies and practices that fitted to their current farming practices and the local context. Agricultural extension agents served as an important information source on the CSA innovation and their practical implementation and farmers' social groups played a crucial role in facilitating learning about the CSA technologies and practices. There is the need to integrate farmers voices using innovative methodologies such as participatory videos to better understand farmers' experiences in the innovation process which will help inform the design of effective interventions and promote adoption of innovations aimed at enhancing the productivity of smallholder farmers and reducing environmental impacts in African food systems. By focusing on the innovations that farmers perceive as beneficial and adaptable to their local contexts, development organizations can use their resources more efficiently and promote adoption of contextually appropriate CSA innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Management" is routinely understood by agricultural historians as an exercise in rational expertise, targeted at driving ever more efficient, "businesslike" practices on the farm. However, insights from critical management studies suggest that farm management, as a body of theory and as a form of practice, may be grounded in something less savory than epistemological superiority or the ability to improve farming practice. This article explores how the meaning of farm management changed substantially over the course of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, from a pragmatic approach for empowering individual farmers to a more abstract set of theories offering a chimera of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK Government has set an ambitious target of achieving a national "net-zero" greenhouse gas economy by 2050. Agriculture is arguably placed at the heart of achieving net zero, as it plays a unique role as both a producer of GHG emissions and a sector that has the capacity via land use to capture carbon (C) when managed appropriately, thus reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Agriculture's importance, particularly in a UK-specific perspective, which is also applicable to many other temperate climate nations globally, is that the majority of land use nationwide is allocated to farming. Here, we present a systematic review based on peer-reviewed literature and relevant "grey" reports to address the question "how can the agricultural sector in the UK reduce, or offset, its direct agricultural emissions at the farm level?" We considered the implications of mitigation measures in terms of food security and import reliance, energy, environmental degradation, and value for money. We identified 52 relevant studies covering major foods produced and consumed in the UK. Our findings indicate that many mitigation measures can indeed contribute to net zero through GHG emissions reduction, offsetting, and bioenergy production, pending their uptake by farmers. While the environmental impacts of mitigation measures were covered well within the reviewed literature, corresponding implications regarding energy, food security, and farmer attitudes towards adoption received scant attention. We also provide an open-access, informative, and comprehensive dataset for agri-environment stakeholders and policymakers to identify the most promising mitigation measures. This research is of critical value to researchers, land managers, and policymakers as an interim guideline resource while more quantitative evidence becomes available through the ongoing lab-, field-, and farm-scale trials which will improve the reliability of agricultural sustainability modelling in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural expansion is the main driver of deforestation in Myanmar. We analyzed the effectiveness of a national policy intervention on agricultural encroachment in state forests in Taungoo District in Myanmar from 2010 to 2020. The policy aims to stop agricultural encroachment and reforest encroached areas through farmers' participation in an agroforestry community forestry. We applied an integrated approach that involved a land cover change analysis together with a household survey about encroachment behavior. The remote sensing analysis for the years 2010, 2015 and 2020 showed the land cover change pattern and an increase in agricultural encroachment from 9.5% to 18.5%, while forests declined from 62.8% to 51.9%. The survey showed that most farmers (91%) believed that the policy intervention did not lead to a change in their encroachment behavior or farm size. The main reasons that incentivized encroachment were stated to be livelihood needs, immigration due to marriage and increased accessibility due to road construction. The main reason for reducing encroachment was plantation establishment, leading to a loss of land for encroaching farmers. In conclusion, the integrated approach showed that the policy intervention did not decrease encroachment, whereas other factors influenced encroachment behavior. We recommend solving interministerial conflicts of interest related to encroachment in Myanmar and using an integrated approach for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Smallholder farming systems are vulnerable to disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic weakened the financial ability of the Malian government in the 2020–21 growing season to subsidize cotton farmers’ access to mineral fertilizers and the cotton company (CMDT) could not offer a good cotton price. Consequently, farmers refused to grow cotton, leading to a cotton crisis with implications on crop production and farmers’ livelihoods. We used data collected over three consecutive growing seasons in the old cotton basin of Koutiala and analysed them using two-way mixed ANOVA over selected indicators related to farm and household components. The analysis was done for farms of different resource endowment, through comparing the cotton crisis season to the two previous normal seasons. Besides the abandonment of cotton, the total cropped area and area devoted to maize reduced in 2020–21, while the area allocated to millet, sorghum and cowpea increased, especially for cotton farmers with medium and high resource endowments. In addition, the nitrogen use intensity dropped at the farm level and particularly for the cereal crops, but without negative effect on yields of maize, millet and sorghum. Food self-sufficiency and income per capita significantly increased for the medium resource farms, while income dropped for the high resource farms with large herds. The farming system was able to absorb the shock of limited access to fertilizer for one season, due to the elimination of otherwise strong labour competition between cotton and cereal crops, favourable weather conditions and farmers’ responsive coping with the cotton crisis. This study revealed the importance of disaggregated livelihood evaluations, because resource endowments have implications not only for the actual effect on livelihoods, but also for farmers’ adaptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture is often seen as disembodied and placeless, promised to either bring about a fourth agricultural revolution or as the start of dystopian rural futures, where farmers and their knowledge will be replaced by machines. A growing body of literature shows more nuanced ways of working with precision agriculture. This illustrates the need to investigate how, and under which conditions, precision agriculture is integrated and internalised by farmers. Based on 25 in‐depth interviews with male Dutch crop farmers, contractors, researchers, and ag‐tech developers, we develop the concept of the cyborg farmer, who embodies the use of precision technology while maintaining an intimate relationship with agro‐ecological context. This approach challenges the mind–body dichotomy in that the cognitive is not understood as primary, as emotions and the materiality of the body are taken seriously. This perspective emphasises the importance of embodied knowledge in how farmers interpret precision agriculture data. Our findings highlight the productive tension between data‐driven elements of precision agriculture and the embodied and intuitive understanding of agro‐ecological context. This productive tension consists of the successful integration of different forms of knowledge by the cyborg farmer, where embodied sense‐making and precision agriculture data are integrated into the formation of useable knowledge. The cyborg farmer maintains farmer agency and resists the dominance of algorithmic rationality over other forms of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Common agricultural policy (CAP) is the most integrated policy that offers an opportunity for the agricultural sector to respond to society's demands in terms of food security, safety, quality and sustainability as well as environmental care. New agriculture challenges in the framework of EU political priorities and greening of the sector are related to the implementation of three key objectives based on encouragement of a smart and sustainable agricultural sector; improving environmental care and climate change action; improving socio-economic role of rural areas. The study aims to research the farmers' attitudes implementation of ecological practices on farms using conjoint analysis, correlation analysis, SWOT analysis and descriptive analysis. The conjoint analysis answers a fundamental research question - would farmers carry out ecological practices without CAP support? In addition, we analyzed farmers' attitudes toward implementing mandatory and voluntary ecological practices in farms with or without CAP financial support. The study results confirm the research hypothesis that CAP greening is carried out at the cost of CAP payments. It was found that farmers would not carry out ecological practices without the CAP financial support during the 2023-2027 programming period in both the Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil regions in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agricultural development has been the policy priority for countries with limited natural resources. New farmers' emergence and growth have not only helped to address the labor crisis in agriculture to some extent, but they have also improved, integrated, and expanded the agricultural sectors. However, less attention has been paid to the performance of new farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices and the related spatial effects. Also, few studies have combined the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices with the effects of various specific measures. Therefore, this study constructed the Tobit MLE spatial cross-section regression models to empirically study a sample of 174 farmers. We attempted to analyze the impact of the new farmers group on the diffusion of sustainable agricultural practices as well as farmers' influence on various sorts of sustainable agricultural practices. The results show that new farmers greatly enhanced the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, as evidenced by the fact that their adoption level was 69.9% greater than that of traditional farmers. However, they had statistically significant negative spillover effects on their neighboring farmers. For the composite adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices, there were also statistically significant negative spillover effects. Additionally, there were notable disparities among the factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt various types of sustainable agricultural practices and the spatial effects of those adoptions, particularly in the farm size, the number of plots, and the variety of marketing methods employed by farmers. Therefore, measures need to be proposed to address the barriers to the implementation and diffusion of various types of sustainable agricultural practices. This would increase farmers' willingness to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and the effectiveness of their motivation to neighboring farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The environmental and social impacts of cultured meat, and its economic viability, are contingent on its implications for food production and for agriculture. However, the implications of cultured meat production for farmers have not yet been thoroughly investigated and are poorly understood. The aim of this research was to engage with the farming sector in critically assessing cultured meat as a technology which could profoundly affect future farm livelihoods, land use, rural and farming communities and agricultural value chains. Ensuring farmers' voices, and potential 'counter-narratives' inform the development of cultured meat is not only inclusive, but could identify unexpected impacts of this emerging technology and contribute to the framing of the social license of the industry developing them. Methods: Six focus groups were undertaken with 75 UK farmers from a variety of farming sectors and regions. Questions focused on what the term 'cultured meat' means to farmers, the potential impacts of cultured meat, and potential business scenarios arising for farmers. All meetings were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Results and discussion: Farmers expressed complex and considered reflections on cultured meat, raising several perceived opportunities and risks associated with the themes of 'ethics and affective' narratives, 'environment-based' narratives, and 'socio-economic' narratives. Aspects of foci of power, food system control and transparency associated with cultured meat emerged from the conversations, as well as cultured meat's potential impacts on the environment and on jobs, farming/rural communities and connecting with the land. Conclusion: Globally, meat production underpins the livelihoods of many rural communities, so a transition to cultured meat is likely to have deep-seated ethical, environmental, and socio-economic impacts. Within the discourse on cultured meat the voices of farmers are often lost. While not claiming to be representative of all UK farming, this study engaged UK farmer perspectives as a way of starting the substantive process of greater stakeholder inclusion in cultured meat innovation pathways, and which should underpin responsible technology transitions in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the attitude of follower farmers (FFs) towards lead farmers (LFs) in facilitating Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the Kalira Extension Planning Area of Ntchisi district, Malawi. Despite governmental efforts to promote CA through the National Agriculture Policy of 2016, previous studies have indicated low adoption rates. This research employs a mixed methods approach, utilizing surveys and focus group discussions. Results reveal positive perceptions among FFs regarding LFs' competence in training, demonstrations, problem-solving, and other competencies. The majority of FFs perceive LFs as effective in imparting CA principles and conducting demonstrations. LFs' problem-solving abilities and additional competencies are well-regarded by FFs. The study concludes with a call for further research on socio-economic factors influencing sustained CA adoption and recommends establishing a continuous feedback loop between LFs and FFs to enhance knowledge exchange and address evolving challenges in CA practices. The findings contribute to the existing literature and provide valuable insights for agricultural and rural development initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of European Integration History is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of LUD is the property of Polish Ethnological Society / Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Wolves in Europe are expanding their range and significantly impacting farming livelihoods and landscapes. Damage prevention measures such as livestock guarding dogs and night-time enclosures have proven successful in mitigating losses. However, they are often implemented as top-down measures without a proper understanding of the farming dynamics they are meant to alter, making them unappealing and difficult to implement for farmers. Semi-extensive, small scale livestock farming systems are particularly vulnerable and diverse, requiring specific care and catered support when addressing issues related to wildlifemanagement. In these contexts, it is crucial to employ adaptivemanagement approaches that enable solutions to be collaboratively designed at the grassroots level. Here we propose a method for centring the experiences and knowledge of local farmers to co-produce damage prevention practices that better address their needs. We developed this approach in the course of the LIFE MEDWOLF project, which was implemented in the province of Grosseto, Italy, between 2012 and 2017. The project brought together local authorities, environmental associations, farming unions and individual farmers to develop tailor-made damage prevention measures and assess their technical and economic impact, through a stepwise process. Collaboration with 86 local farmers resulted in >50 modifications to the original project plan, and an overall 50% reduction of preyed livestock in farms that participated in the project. Our findings highlight the benefits of collaboratively designing, implementing, and monitoring damage prevention measures with farmers. Based on these results, we reflect on the importance of integrating local and scientific knowledge, on the implications this has had on stakeholder relations, and on the challenges that we faced in upscaling this management approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is an agricultural country with hottest temperature and moderate humidity, where it is believed that some states receive the maximum solar energy, one of them is the state of Rajasthan. The need for power has expanded over the past few decades' which is leading to significant increase in environmental degradation as even today, more than 70% of energy needs is fulfilled from fossil fuels. Higher dependence is resulting in higher cost and environmental degradation. Implementing solar pumps cannot only help us to overcome energy deficits but also increase agricultural productivity which help us to reduce pollution produced by thermal and diesel sources. The present study is based on first-hand information gathered from 498 farmers from five blocks of rural region of Rajasthan (India). To understand the factors influencing the behavior of farmers towards green technologies, theory of planned behavior model has been applied. Data were collected using questionnaire/schedules, the sample size was chosen using convenience sampling, and were then examined further using SPSS and AMOS. In order to understand the elements of the TPB model and predict farmers' behavioral intention towards adoption of solar water pumps, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were applied in the study. The proposed research fills in the gap in the literature by performing an empirical study on farmer's adoption behavior and offering insight about variables influencing farmers purchase intention and behavior of farmers towards solar water pump. Results from the study will be more useful to the policy makers to design effective strategies in order to achieve energy sufficiency without adversely affecting the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a more sustainable food system, it is necessary to shift toward more plant-based protein sources. Europe currently imports huge amounts of protein crops each year, mainly soy, which has adverse environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Therefore, there is a need to increase local production. Despite the numerous advantages associated with the cultivation of protein crops, the farmer adoption rate in Europe remains very low. This study aims to investigate farmers' willingness to grow protein crops and the determinants of the willingness to adopt protein crops, using a standardized survey. In addition, selected protein crop farmers are interviewed to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations to grow these crops. Results indicate that risk aversion has a negative and environmental farming goals have a positive significant impact on the intention to adopt protein crops for food. Additionally, farmers with a larger farm size are more likely to adopt protein crops. The importance of these factors is also supported by the interviewed farmers. However, the latter further highlighted the importance of knowledge, profitability, consumer perceptions, and supportive policies. This study is one of the first studies exploring farmers' perspectives on protein crop cultivation in Europe and can therefore serve as a foundation for future research and policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines preparatory labor practices that South Korean farmers had to undertake to use chemical fertilizers in the 1960s. Preparatory labor, such as learning about and acquiring fertilizers, that came prior to the use of chemical fertilizer in the field was mundane and often invisible. However, it was this logistical and emotional labor that was essential for the maintenance of South Korea's chemical fertilizer system. In the system, which was part of the government's efforts to establish rural modernity through increased crop productivity, the state looked down on farmers as the subject of edification. Nevertheless, the farmers were crucial maintainers of the state-led agricultural reform, realizing the government's vision of modernity. To reveal the hidden relationship between farmers, technology, and the state, this article extensively uses diaries written by two farmers – Yoon Heesoo from Daecheon Village and Shin Kwonsik from Daegok Village. By doing so, this article aims to shed light on the voices of farmers and their roles in the agricultural reform of 1960s South Korea and, more broadly, of the Green Revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]