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2. Contextual realities and poverty traps: why South Asian smallholder farmers negatively evaluate conservation agriculture
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Chaudhary, A. (author), Timsina, P. (author), Karki, E. (author), Sharma, A. (author), Suri, B. (author), Sharma , R. (author), and Brown, B. (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2023-02-20
- Published:
- England: Cambridge University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12837
- Journal Title:
- Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
- Journal Title Details:
- Online
- Notes:
- 10pgs, Conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification (CASI) is gaining prominence as an agricultural pathway to poverty reduction and enhancement of sustainable food systems among government and development actors in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of South Asia. Despite substantial investment in research and extension programs and a growing understanding of the agronomic, economic and labor-saving benefits of CASI, uptake remains limited. This study explores farmer experiences and perspectives to establish why farmers choose not to implement CASI systems despite a strong body of recent scientific evidence establishing the benefits of them doing so. Through thematic coding of semi-structured interviews, key constraints are identified, which establishes a narrative that current households' resources are insufficient to enable practice change, alongside limited supporting structures for resource supplementation. Such issues create a dependency on subsidies and outside support, a situation that is likely to impact any farming system change given the low-risk profiles of farmers and their limited resource base. This paper hence sets out broad implications for creating change in smallholder farming systems in order to promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies in resource-poor smallholder contexts, especially with regard to breaking the profound poverty cycles that smallholder farmers find themselves in and which are unlikely to be broken by the current set of technologies promoted to them.
3. Exploring the barriers to the adoption of climate-smart irrigation technologies for sustainable crop productivity by smallholder farmers: evidence from South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Serote, Batizi (author), Mokgehle, Salmina (author), Senyolo, Grany (author), Plooy, Christian du (author), Hlophe‐Ginindza, Samkelisiwe (author), Mpandel, Sylvester (author), Nhamo, Luxon (author), and Araya, Hintsa (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2023-01-19
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12769
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 13, Iss. 2
- Notes:
- 21 pages, Climate change continues to impact the livelihoods of smallholder farmers due to low adaptive capacity. In South Africa, the challenge is exacerbated by water scarcity and shortened crop-growing seasons. Climate-smart irrigation innovative technologies (CSIT) enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. However, there is still a limited level of effective adoption and usage of these technologies in smallholder communities. This study investigated the barriers affecting the adoption of CSIT in rural areas of the Vhembe and Capricorn districts in Limpopo Province, South Africa. We explored the farmers’ socioeconomic factors extracted from farmers’ perceptions of CSIT-specific attributes. A multi-stage randomized sampling technique was used to select 100 smallholder farmers (SHF). Data analyzed by descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequency distribution are presented in graphs and tables. According to the findings, insufficient communication channels, a lack of financial availability, unstable land tenure systems, and insufficient training are the main obstacles to implementing CSIT. There is a need for policy and decision-makers to improve the communication channels for disseminating agro-meteorological information to the intended beneficiaries.
4. 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.
5. Assessing the effectiveness of Nigerian agricultural promotion policy thrusts in achieving a sustainable food system
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ike, Chinweoke Uzoamaka (author), Tranter, Richard (author), and Gadanakis, Yiorgos (author)
- Format:
- Conference paper
- Publication Date:
- 2021-03-29
- Published:
- UK: Agricultural Economics Society, The
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13166
- Notes:
- 14 pages, To diversify the Nigerian economy and reduce dependency on food import, the Agricultural promotion policy (APP) was developed and implemented in 2016. This policy aims to move Nigerian agriculture to a commercial sector to ensure the creation of sustainable jobs and wealth. However, little is known about the effects of the policy on biodiversity, dietary diversity, and employment and income of the small-scale farmers who form the greater proportion of the food producers. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of APP in achieving social justice particularly for small-scale farmers, environmental sustainability and economic viability through sustainable agriculture. To assess the effectiveness of APP, focus groups discussions were held in six local governments in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. APP food security thrusts of strategic national food reserve, proper use of agrochemicals and tractors, focus on forest food harvest and government support for large scale and specialised farms are very effective for securing food price stability. Moreover, food crop fortification is very effective in providing income support for households as it is the focus on forest food harvest, and access to credit and labour subsidies for small farmers. Encouraging organic farming is very effective in securing access to and availability of diversity of food, biodiversity and employment. Food diversity, soil fertility, biodiversity and employment also benefited from the provision of credit and labour subsidies. The outcome of this discussion is important for shaping the Nigerian food system. Though the APP thrusts are geared towards achieving sustainable development, Nigerian policy authorities should focus more on encouraging organic farming, credit and labour subsidies for the smallholder farmers, creating balance diet awareness, and forest preservation and food harvest to achieve food security, environmental sustainability and employment.
6. Assessing the Potentials of Digitalization as a Tool for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development in Urban Centres
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Balogun, Abdul-Lateef (author), Marks, Danny (author), Sharma, Richa (author), Shekhar, Himanshu (author), Balmes, Chiden (author), Maheng, Dikman (author), Arshad, Adnan (author), and Salehi, Pourya (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-02
- Published:
- Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11094
- Journal Title:
- Sustainable Cities and Society
- Journal Title Details:
- 53
- Notes:
- 12 pages., Digitalization is a key enabler of sustainable development of cities’ socio-economic dynamics with the potential to foster climate-friendly urban environments and societies. The advent of the 4th industrial revolution has seen the increased application of digitalization in several fields and at different levels. High-tech digital devices, platforms and environments are increasingly being deployed to enhance productivity, efficiency and sustainability, and improve overall well-being of urban dwellers. Digitalization is projected to further impact cities in future, transform jobs and trigger life-style changes with far-reaching impacts that will ultimately affect cities’ resilience and adaptation capacities. While a growing body of research has highlighted the significance of digitalization to climate change mitigation such as reducing GHG and CO2 emissions, comprehensive evaluations of the potentials of digitalization as an enabler of climate change adaptation remain scarce. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the current trend in digital revolution in relation to climate change adaptation and examines the likely challenges of digitalization. A desk research method was adopted, focusing on core digitalization concepts driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Nine case studies in cities across various continents were selected to assess the potentials of digitalization in addressing climatic hazards and to highlight benefits from implementing digitalization, while considering the social-ecological-technological challenges and tensions around IR 4.0. Our findings reveal the capabilities of digitalization in supporting more effective early warning and emergency response systems, enhancing food and water security, improving power infrastructure performance, enabling citizen engagement and participatory adaptation measures and minimizing the impacts of climatic hazards. Finally, we recommend feasible pathways to overcome present risks and challenges in order to optimize the numerous opportunities offered by digitalization in support of climate change adaptation initiatives.
7. Information provision by public library to agricultural extension agents in a developing country
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Idiegbeyan-Ose, Jerome (author), Owolabi, Ayotunde (author), Segun-Adeniran, Chidi (author), Aregbesola, Ayooluwa (author), Emmanuel Owolabi, Sola (author), and Eyiolorunshe, Toluwani (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-12-10
- Published:
- Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 114 Document Number: D10996
- Journal Title:
- Public Library Quarterly
- Journal Title Details:
- 38(1) : 103-115
- Notes:
- 14 pages., One of the bedrock of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is eradication of poverty and hunger. In an attempt to actualize this goal, the role of public libraries in information provision to agricultural extension agents in Nigeria becomes paramount. This paper discusses provision of information to agricultural extension agents in a developing country. It starts with the concept of extension agents and the essence of information provision to them. It further discusses types, sources and challenges of public libraries in information provision to agricultural extension workers in a developing country. Some of the challenges are as follows: poor funding of public libraries, demotivated staff, and so on. Based on these discussions, the paper recommended adequate training and retraining of staff, adequate funding of public libraries by the federal, state and local government, the revitalization of the abandoned mobile library services among others. The paper therefore concludes that information provision to agricultural extension agents by public library is very crucial for national development. The current state of poverty, hunger and lack in Nigeria and some other African countries could be reduced to a great extent if current, relevant and up-to-date information are provided by libraries to the concerned agencies.
8. Making progress? Reproducing hegemony through discourses of “sustainable development” in the Australian news media
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Yacoumis, Paul (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-03-31
- Published:
- Australia: Taylor and Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 165 Document Number: D08332
- Journal Title:
- Environmental Communication
- Journal Title Details:
- 1-14
9. Earth discourses: theorizing the environment for global media studies
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Murphy, Patrick D. (author)
- Format:
- Book chapter
- Publication Date:
- 2017
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08809
- Notes:
- Pages 17-40 in Patrick D. Murphy, The media commons: globalization and environmental discourses. United States: University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Chicago, and Springfield. 192 pages.
10. Attitudes towards vertical farming at home: a user study
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Jansen, Guido (author), Cila, Nazli (author), Kanis, Marije (author), and Slaats, Yanti (author)
- Format:
- Paper
- Publication Date:
- 2016-05
- Published:
- USA: Association for Computing Machinery
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: D10858
- Notes:
- Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings Volume 07-12-May-2016, Pages 3091-3098. 34th annual CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI EA 2016,, San Jose, California., Vertical farming is a promising new technology for increasing crop yields per square meter. However, little research has been done so far in people's perception of this technology. The aim of this project was to gain a better understanding of consumers' attitude on small scale vertical farming at home. This was achieved by developing a prototype that uses sensor and LED technology for growing food at home and deploying it in a user study. The prototype was built to give users a genuine feeling of what it would be like to use a small scale vertical farming system. The user study showed that the attitudes towards the system were mostly positive. However, a fully autonomous system is not desirable and there are concerns regarding food safety.
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