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2. The attitudes of agricultural extension workers towards the use of e-extension for ensuring sustainability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Afzal, Adeel (author), Al-Subaiee, Faisal Sultan (author), and Mirza, Abdulrahman A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2016
- Published:
- Saudi Arabia
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 166 Document Number: D08499
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 8(10)
- Notes:
- 16 pages.
3. What can rural communities do to be sustained?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Chen, Rachel J. C. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2016-09-12
- Published:
- United States
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 168 Document Number: D08534
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 8(9)
- Notes:
- 14 pages.
4. Consumers' sense of farmers' markets: tasting sustainability or just purchasing food?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Giampietri, Elisa (author), Koemle, Dieter B. A. (author), Yu, Xiaohua (author), and Finco, Adele (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2016-11-10
- Published:
- Italy
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 169 Document Number: D08765
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 8(11), 1157
- Notes:
- 14 pages.
5. Factors influencing farmers' adoption of best management practices: a review and synthesis
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Liu, Tingting (author), Bruins, Randall J.F. (author), and Heberling, Matthew T. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 198 Document Number: D09653
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 10, 432
6. Vertical coordination in organic food chains: a survey based analysis in France, Italy and Spain
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Cavaliere, Alessia (author), Peri, Massimo (author), and Banterle, Alessandro (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2016
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: D10862
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 8(6) : 569
- Notes:
- 15 pages., The paper analyses characteristics of vertical relationships of organic supply chains with a specific focus on the processing and retailing sectors. The analysis takes into account different regions of the EU Mediterranean area. Data were collected through interviews using an ad hoc questionnaire. The survey was based on a sample of 306 firms, including processors and retailers. The analysis revealed that a relevant aspect for the processing firms of organic products concerns the guaranteeing of safety and quality levels for the products. The main tools to implement the quality management are based on the adoption of specific production regulations and quality controls. The premium price most frequently applied by processors ranges from 10% to 40% and similar values are revealed for retailers. The diffusion of supply contracts allows the vertical coordination between agriculture and processing firms in the organic supply chains. The main distribution channels for the processing firms are represented by specialised shops in organic products, direct sales and supermarkets.
7. How will we eat and produce in the cities of the future? From edible insects to vertical farming - a study on the perception and acceptability of new approaches
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Specht, Kathrin (author), Zoll, Felix (author), Schumann, Henrike (author), Bela, Julia (author), Kachel, Julia (author), and Robischon, Marcel (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 99 Document Number: D10870
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 11(16)
- Notes:
- Via online. 27 pages., Global challenges such as climate change, increasing urbanization and a lack of transparency of food chains, have led to the development of innovative urban food production approaches, such as rooftop greenhouses, vertical farms, indoor farms, aquaponics as well as production sites for edible insects or micro-algae. Those approaches are still at an early stage of development and partly unknown among the public. The aim of our study was to identify the perception of sustainability, social acceptability and ethical aspects of these new approaches and products in urban food production. We conducted 19 qualitative expert interviews and applied qualitative content analysis. Our results revealed that major perceived benefits are educational effects, revaluation of city districts, efficient resource use, exploitation of new protein sources or strengthening of local economies. Major perceived conflicts concern negative side-effects, legal constraints or high investment costs. The extracted acceptance factors deal significantly with the “unknown”. A lack of understanding of the new approaches, uncertainty about their benefits, concerns about health risks, a lack of familiarity with the food products, and ethical doubts about animal welfare represent possible barriers. We conclude that adaptation of the unsuitable regulatory framework, which discourages investors, is an important first step to foster dissemination of the urban food production approaches.
8. Investigating gaps in perception of wildlife between urban and rural inhabitants: empirical evidence from Japan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kato, Eri (author), Yano, Yuki (author), and Ohe, Yasuo (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Japan
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: D11371
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 11 : 4516
- Notes:
- 13 pages., Online via Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). 13 pages., Results of an online survey indicated that urban respondents did not have a comprehensive understanding of wildlife and any positive views were primarily abstract. Conversely, rural individuals had diverse perceptions, both positive and negative.
9. Agro-livestock farming system sustainability during the covid-19 era: A cross-sectional study on the role of information and communication technologies
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hashem, Nesrein M. (author), Hassanein, Eman M. (author), Hocquette, Jean-François (author), Gonzalez-Bulnes, Antonio (author), Ahmed, Fayrouz A. (author), Attia, Youssef A. (author), and Asiry, Khalid A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-06-08
- Published:
- United States: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12277
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 13 Issue 12
- Notes:
- 24 pages, In the near future, the year 2050, agricultural production should expand to fulfill the needs of approximately 9.7 billion inhabitants. Such an objective should be harmonized with social, economic, and environmental sustainability aspects to maintain safe food production and food security worldwide. For more than a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised and is still strongly disrupting the agro-livestock production sector, similar to several other economic sectors. In this sector, the relationships between suppliers, producers, and consumers should always continue to maintain the activity of the production chain, which are impaired by social distancing decisions taken following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, a global cross-sectional survey (translated into four languages: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish) was shared with people belonging to the agricultural sector to identify: (1) the role of the agricultural information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agro-livestock farming systems sustainability during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, (2) the need for such technologies in the agricultural sector, and (3) the factors that affect the use of such technologies. The results showed that the most frequently used agricultural ICTs were social media (Facebook and/or WhatsApp; 27.3%) and online platforms and Internet services (26.3%), whereas robotic vehicles and/or drones (6.6%) were less frequently used. During the emergence of the pandemic, the major reasons impacting agro-livestock farming systems' sustainability were social distancing (30.0%), shortage of labor (17.7%), maintaining precision farm management (14.8%), product marketing (14.2%), access production inputs (7.2%), and others (16.1%). Applying agricultural ICTs solved many obstacles related to the production process, such as maintaining precision farm management (25.6%), product marketing (23.6%), and access production inputs (16.1%). The subgroup analyses of the results considering the degree of country advancement, size of agribusinesses, and role/position of respondents in the farm highlighted the importance of supporting the use, availability, and awareness of agricultural ICTs at least for some groups of people such as those belong to developing countries, laborers, and small-scale agri-business holders. This cross-sectional study highlights the urgent need to turn to and to expand the use of new agricultural ICTs to meet the growing demand for food production in the world and to ensure the resilience and sustainability of farming systems, specifically under unexpected and extreme conditions.
10. Historical transition of a farming system towards industrialization: a danish agricultural case study comparing sustainability in the 1840s and 2019
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lohrum, Nele (author), Graversgaard, Morten (author), and Kjeldsen, Chris (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-22
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12397
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 22
- Notes:
- 16 pages, A Danish pre-industrial farming system is reconstructed and compared to its modern industrialized farming system equivalent to evaluate agricultural performance in a sustainability perspective. The investigated Danish farm system and its contributing elements have undergone significant transformations. The intensity of contemporary agriculture shows that high productivity levels have been achieved by increasing the input of energy using modern machinery. At the same time, the energy efficiency (calculations based on energetic indicators) diminishes over time as the degree of dependence on fossil fuels increases. The results from this study show significant changes in the farming system, specifically inputs from agricultural land use, livestock, and energy systems. From being highly circular, the system changed to being a clear linear farming system with highly increased productivity but less efficient at the same time, questioning the relationship between productivity and efficiency and resource utilization in modern farming systems. Through utilizing an agroecological historical approach by comparing system performance over time, the results offer opportunities to explore how agricultural farming systems evolve over time and help to describe the complexity of the system level in a sustainability perspective.
11. Effect of the milking frequency on the concentrations of ammonia and greenhouse gases within an open dairy barn in hot climate conditions
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- D’Urso, Provvidenza Rita (author) and Arcidiacono, Claudia (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-08-17
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12398
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 16
- Notes:
- 12 pages, Knowledge of how different management strategies affect gas production from livestock buildings can be helpful for emission predicting purposes and for defining mitigation strategies. The objective of this study was to statistically assess whether and how measured concentrations of ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were influenced by milking frequency. Concentrations of gases were measured continuously by using infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy in the breeding environment of an open dairy barn located in Sicily in hot climate conditions. Data were acquired by specific in-field experiments carried out in 2016 and 2018, when milking sessions occurred twice a day (2MSs) and three times a day (3MSs), respectively. The number of the milking cows was 64 in both 2MSs and 3MSs. The results showed that concentrations of NH3, CH4 and CO2 were statistically influenced by the number of milking sessions. From 2MSs to 3MSs, NH3 concentrations were enhanced (p < 0.001) due to the higher cow’s activity. Conversely, gas concentrations of CH4 and CO2 were lower for 3MSs compared to those for 2MSs due to the effect of the different feeding frequency. Overall, the milking frequency influenced barn management and cow behaviour by modifying the level of gas concentrations in the barn environment.
12. Explore consumers’ willingness to purchase biotechnology produced fruit: an international study
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Heng, Yan (author), Yoon, Sungeun (author), and House, Lisa (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-21
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12399
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 22
- Notes:
- 10 pages, While food biotechnology has been widely applied and benefited the food and agriculture sector, community acceptance of biotechnology is still low. The factors that drive consumer rejection of food biotechnology have been well studied, but knowledge on the factors that drive willingness to purchase, particularly on an international level, is limited. This study aims to identify driving factors for respondents’ willingness to purchase fresh fruit produced with biotechnology, using an international survey conducted in the US, Canada, UK, France, and South Korea. While the overall willingness to purchase biotechnology produced fruit is low across countries, French consumers have the highest rate of willingness to purchase biotechnology produced fresh fruit among studied countries, followed by South Korea. The factors influencing respondents’ willingness to purchase include demographics, lifestyle, and shopping behavior. While respondents behave differently across countries, factors like environmental awareness, self-reported healthiness, and habits of eating away from home, have been found to enhance the willingness to purchase biotechnology produced fruit across countries.
13. Analyzing a decade of wind turbine accident news with topic modeling
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ertek, Gürdal (author) and Kailas, Lakshmi (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-18
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12400
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N.22
- Notes:
- 35 pages, Despite the significance and growth of wind energy as a major source of renewable energy, research on the risks of wind turbines in the form of accidents and failures has attracted limited attention. Research that applies data analytics methodologically in this context is scarce. The research presented here, upon construction of a text corpus of 721 selected wind turbine accident and failure news reports, develops and applies a custom-developed data analytics framework that integrates tabular analysis, visualization, text mining, and machine learning. Topic modeling was applied for the first time to identify and classify recurring themes in wind turbine accident news, and association mining was applied to identify contextual terms associated with death and injury. The tabular and visual analyses relate accidents to location (offshore vs. onshore), wind turbine life cycle phases (transportation, construction, operation, and maintenance), and the incidence of death and injury. As one of the insights, more incidents were found to occur during operation and transportation. Through topic modeling, topics associated most with deaths and injuries were revealed. The results could benefit wind turbine manufacturers, service providers, energy companies, insurance companies, government bodies, non-profit organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders in the wind energy sector.
14. Climate change, farming, and gardening in alaska: cultivating opportunities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Fresco, Nancy (author), Bennett, Alec (author), Bieniek, Peter (author), and Rosner, Carolyn (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-18
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12401
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 22
- Notes:
- 10 pages, Ongoing climate change and associated food security concerns are pressing issues globally, and are of particular concern in the far north where warming is accelerated and markets are remote. The objective of this research was to model current and projected climate conditions pertinent to gardeners and farmers in Alaska. Research commenced with information-sharing between local agriculturalists and climate modelers to determine primary questions, available data, and effective strategies. Four variables were selected: summer season length, growing degree days, temperature of the coldest winter day, and plant hardiness zone. In addition, peonies were selected as a case study. Each variable was modeled using regional projected climate data downscaled using the delta method, followed by extraction of key variables (e.g., mean coldest winter day for a given decade). An online interface was developed to allow diverse users to access, manipulate, view, download, and understand the data. Interpretive text and a summary of the case study explained all of the methods and outcomes. The results showed marked projected increases in summer season length and growing degree days coupled with seasonal shifts and warmer winter temperatures, suggesting that agriculture in Alaska is undergoing and will continue to undergo profound change. This presents opportunities and challenges for farmers and gardeners.
15. Drivers and Constraints to the Adoption of Organic Leafy Vegetable Production in Nigeria: A Livelihood Approach
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Adbegboyega, J.A. (author), Olabisi, L.S. (author), Liverpool-Tassie, L.W. (author), and Delate, K. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-12-21
- Published:
- United States: MTDI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12471
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 12(1), 96
- Notes:
- Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world, is plagued by livelihood challenges such as poverty and food insecurity, which are more pervasive among farming households and rural communities. Organic farming is being promoted by some domestic non-governmental organizations as a means of addressing the problem of poverty and food insecurity among farming households and rural communities in the country. Promoters consider organic farming to be well-suited to smallholder farmers’ socio-economic conditions in Nigeria, and that it can help improve their livelihood conditions through increased agricultural productivity and farm income. However, the adoption of the technology by smallholder farmers has been underwhelming, for reasons yet to be studied. Using a livelihood framework and through a case study of farmers in Ibadan, Oyo State, this study qualitatively explores and provides insights into the factors that influence, constrain, and gender the adoption of organic farming in Nigeria. Overall, it was found that a mix of factors, which include institutional considerations, farmers’ livelihood assets and vulnerability contexts, their livelihood activities, and gender-related variables shaped adoption decision-making. The policy implications of the findings were outlined.
16. Consumers’ and Farmers’ Perceptions in Europe Regarding the Use of Composted Bedding Material from Cattle
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Klopčič, Marija (author), Erjavec, Karmen (author), Waldrop, Megan (author), Roosen, Jutta (author), Engel, Petra (author), Galama, Paul (author), and Kuipers, Abele (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-04-29
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12508
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 13 (9)
- Notes:
- 10 pages, By-products like sawdust and straw are applied in compost bedded-pack barns (CBP) for cattle. These materials, which are gradually mixed with excreta and undergo a composting process, serve as a lying bed for the cattle. This study aims to assess the perception of consumers and farmers regarding the use of CBP during the grazing season of cattle for raising other animals or for growing food crops. This was examined by combining surveys with consumers from eight European countries and cattle farmers, focus groups with consumers, and in-depth interviews with individual farmers who implemented alternative uses of compost. The results showed that farmers preferred the compost bedded-pack system to the cubicle system in terms of sustainability and market aspects, although the cost of the bedding material required for CBP was seen as a significant negative aspect. Around half of all consumers indicated that the compost can be used for non-edible products and 26% indicated the compost can be used for raising other animals. Furthermore, 5% of consumers felt that compost should not be used for any other purpose. There were statistically significant differences between countries; therefore, regional specificities should be taken into account when marketing products from compost in CBP barns.
17. UK Consumers’ Preferences for Ethical Attributes of Floating Rice: Implications for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Vietnam
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hong Tu, Vo (author), Kopp, Steven (author), Thuy Trang, Nguyen (author), Kontoleon, Andreas (author), and Yabe, Mitsuyasu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-07-27
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12510
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 13 (15)
- Notes:
- 27 pages, Vietnam plays an important role in bearing global food security. However, Vietnamese rice farmers face several challenges, including pressures to develop sustainable livelihoods while reducing the environmental impacts of their production activities. Various Vietnamese agricultural restructuring policies were promulgated to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly practices to generate high value added for rice farmers, but the farmers are reluctant to adopt them because of perceived lack of demand. Decreasing consumption of rice in Asia and increasing demands in Europe shaped Vietnamese rice exporting policies. New trade agreements, such as the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, offer new target markets for Vietnamese rice farmers. This research provides empirical evidence related to the preferences of UK consumers for ethical attributes for floating rice imported from Vietnam. Floating rice represents a traditional method of rice cultivation that relies on the natural flooding cycle. Its cultivation uses very few agrochemical inputs and provides several other environmental, economic, and social benefits. In an online survey, the study used a choice experiment that asked 306 UK consumers to report their preferences for one kilo of floating rice with three non-market attributes: reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, allocation of profits to the farmers, and restitution of biodiversity. Overall, study participants favored the attributes of floating rice, but reported utility for only the “fair trade” attribute and for a marginal willingness to pay premiums for profit allocations to farmers. Consumers did not find value in either CO2 emission reduction or biodiversity improvement. Results from the study provide recommendations to develop agricultural programs, distribution strategies, and informational methods to encourage floating rice consumption in the UK.
18. Towards a Revolutionized Agricultural Extension System for the Sustainability of Smallholder Livestock Production in Developing Countries: The Potential Role of ICTs
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Mapiye, Obvious (author), Makombe, Godswill (author), Molotsi, Annelin (author), Dmaza, Kennedy (author), and Mapiye, Cletos (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-04-02
- Published:
- International: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12537
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 13 (11)
- Notes:
- 17 pages, The creation of commercialization opportunities for smallholder farmers has taken primacy on the development agenda of many developing countries. Invariably, most of the smallholders are less productive than commercial farmers and continue to lag in commercialization. Apart from the various multifaceted challenges which smallholder farmers face, limited access to extension services stands as the underlying constraint to their sustainability. Across Africa and Asia, public extension is envisioned as a fundamental part of the process of transforming smallholder farmers because it is their major source of agricultural information. Extension continues to be deployed using different approaches which are evolving. For many decades, various authors have reported the importance of the approaches that effectively revitalize extension systems and have attempted to fit them into various typologies. However, there is a widespread concern over the inefficiency of these extension approaches in driving the sustainability of smallholder farming agenda. Further, most of the approaches that attempted to revolutionize extension have been developed and brought into the field in rapid succession, but with little or no impact at the farmer level. This paper explores the theory and application of agricultural extension approaches and argues the potential of transforming them using digital technologies. The adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as mobile phones and the internet which are envisaged to revolutionize existing extension systems and contribute towards the sustainability of smallholder farming systems is recommended
19. Does environmental labelling still matter? generation z’s purchasing decisions
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kabaja, Bartłomiej (author), Wojnarowska, Magdalena (author), Ćwiklicki, Marek (author), Buffagni, Stefania Claudia (author), and Varese, Erica (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2023-09-14
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12958
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V.15, Iss.18
- Notes:
- 20 pages., This research paper explores the role of environmental labelling in shaping the purchasing and consumption behaviours of Generation Z. The study aims to provide insights into the comprehension, perception, and attitude of this generation towards environmental labelling and to investigate how these factors impact their purchasing decisions. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the role of environmental labelling in shaping the behaviours of young consumers and suggest that it still matters to this generation. The study also highlights the importance of trust in environmental labelling for influencing purchasing decisions. Our research paper provides new insights into the role of environmental labelling in shaping the behaviours of Generation Z, which is a critical demographic group for sustainable consumption. We found that this generation is highly aware of environmental issues and is motivated to make eco-friendly purchasing decisions. However, our study also highlights that the lack of trust in environmental labelling can be a significant barrier to sustainable consumption. This study contributes to the literature on environmental labelling and consumer behaviour among Generation Z.
20. Sustainable smart agriculture farming for cotton crop: a fuzzy logic rule based methodology
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Bin, Li (author), Shahzad, Muhammad (author), Khan, Hira (author), Bashir, Muhammad Mehran (author), Ullah, Arif (author), and Siddique, Muhammad (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2023-09-18
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12959
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V.15, Iss.18
- Notes:
- 20 pages, Sustainable agriculture is a pivotal driver of a nation’s economic growth, especially considering the challenge of providing food for the world’s expanding population. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of many nations’ economies, so the need for intelligent, sustainable farming practices has never been greater. Agricultural industries worldwide require sophisticated systems that empower farmers to manage their crops efficiently, reduce water wastage, and optimize yield quality. Yearly, substantial crop losses occur due to unpredictable environmental changes, with improper irrigation practices being a leading cause. In this paper, we introduce an innovative irrigation time control system for smart farming. This system leverages fuzzy logic to regulate the timing of irrigation in cotton crop fields, effectively curbing water wastage while ensuring that crops receive neither too little nor too much water. Additionally, our system addresses a common agricultural challenge: whitefly infestations. Users can adjust climatic parameters, such as temperature and humidity, through our system, which minimizes both whitefly populations and water consumption. We have developed a portable measurement technology that includes air humidity sensors, temperature sensors, and rain sensors. These sensors interface with an Arduino platform, allowing real-time climate data collection. This collected climate data is then sent to the fuzzy logic control system, which dynamically adjusts irrigation timing in response to changing environmental conditions. Our system incorporates an algorithm that generates highly effective (IF-THEN) fuzzy logic rules, significantly improving irrigation efficiency by reducing overall irrigation duration. By automating the irrigation process and precisely delivering the right amount of water, our system eliminates the need for human intervention, rendering the agricultural system more dependable in achieving successful crop yields. Water supply commences when the environmental conditions reach specific thresholds and halts when the requisite climate conditions are met, maintaining an optimal environment for crop growth.
21. Unsettled belonging in complex geopolitics: refugees, NGOs, and rural communities in northern Colorado
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hausermann, Heidi (author), Lundy, Morgan (author), Mitchell, Jill (author), Ipsen, Annabel (author), Zorn, Quentin (author), Vasquez-Romero, Karen (author), and Lynch, Riley DeMorrow (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-01-28
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13174
- Journal Title:
- Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- V.13, N.3
- Notes:
- 18 pages