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Agricultural Environment Monitoring for Sustainable Agricultural Development
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Agricultural Environment Monitoring for Sustainable Agricultural Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 787

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Chuan-Chi Chien

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Interests: agricultural net-zero carbon emission technology; integrating technology and business models in agri-industrial system; six-grade agriculture industrial (Biz model)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Scientific research, technological innovation, and policy implementation are closely interconnected in ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture. In recent years, agricultural production and management have entered the era of smart technology. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and other related technologies not only enhances productivity and quality but also enables more precise resource management. The Special Issue "Agricultural Environment Monitoring for Sustainable Agricultural Development" focuses on environmental monitoring methods and technologies, exploring their integration with agronomic science, environmental science, socioeconomics, and policy-making to promote sustainable agriculture. The aim is to enhance the resilience and adaptability of agricultural ecosystems. This Special Issue covers, but is not limited to, the following areas:

  • Environmental Sensing and Data Processing: Low-power sensors, carbon emission monitoring, image analysis, and the integration of satellite remote sensing data.
  • Smart Decision-Making and Management Technologies: Pest and disease monitoring and early warning systems, crop health diagnostics, precision fertilization and pesticide application, and smart irrigation technologies.
  • Environmental Sustainability and Resource Recycling Applications: Agroecological indicators, soil testing and monitoring, carbon neutrality and carbon footprint assessment, and the circular utilization of agricultural waste or by-products.
  • Other Topics: Policy and economic development, as well as food security.

Dr. Chuan-Chi Chien
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • environment monitoring
  • sustainable agriculture
  • smart agriculture
  • agricultural resource utilization
  • agricultural policy and economics

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3252 KB  
Article
Carbon-Oriented Eco-Efficiency of Cultivated Land Utilization Under Different Ownership Structures: Evidence from Arid Oases in Northwest China
by Jianlong Zhang, Weizhong Liu, Hongqi Wu, Ling Xie and Suhong Liu
Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9369; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219369 - 22 Oct 2025
Abstract
Cultivated land (CL) is essential for human survival, as its coordinated utilization plays a crucial role in both food production and ecological protection. In this study, we focus on Aksu, a typical oasis in arid areas of Xinjiang, to explore how to improve [...] Read more.
Cultivated land (CL) is essential for human survival, as its coordinated utilization plays a crucial role in both food production and ecological protection. In this study, we focus on Aksu, a typical oasis in arid areas of Xinjiang, to explore how to improve the eco-efficiency of cultivated land utilization (ECLU) from the perspective of carbon emissions under different ownership structures. The goal is to provide policy support for the sustainable intensification of CL in Aksu. The super-efficiency slack-based measure (Super-SBM) model was used to calculate the ECLU, while the carbon emissions coefficient method was employed to estimate cultivated land carbon emissions (CLCE). Additionally, the random forest regression (RFR) model was utilized to analyze differences in CLCE between collective and state-owned cultivated lands. Finally, a Geo-detector analysis was conducted to identify driving factors of CLCE. The findings indicate that the overall ECLU values in Aksu initially increased and subsequently decreased over time. During the study period, Kalpin showed the highest ECLU, followed by Wensu and Wushi. The total CLCE in Aksu demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decrease, but the overall trend was growth, from 3.7 t in 2008 to 5.63 t in 2019, on average. It was observed that carbon emissions from state-owned cultivated land were greater than those from collective cultivated land, and carbon emissions from non-food crops were higher than those from food crops. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity was evident in the CLCE. The single factor detection results showed that the Local_GDP (q = 0.763, representing the explanatory power of the Local_GDP on cultivated land carbon emissions) was identified as the main driver of CLCE in Aksu. The interactive detection results indicated that the Local_GDP and Farmer income (0.839) had stronger effects on CLCE in Aksu than any other two factors. It was also found that ownership of CL directly affects CLCE and indirectly affects the ECLU. In conclusion, it is necessary to formulate corresponding countermeasures for improving the ECLU involving government intervention, as well as cooperation with farmers and other stakeholders, to address these issues effectively within Aksu’s agricultural sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Environment Monitoring for Sustainable Agricultural Development)
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19 pages, 2437 KB  
Article
Effects of Agricultural Production Patterns on Surface Water Quality in Central China’s Irrigation Districts: A Case Study of the Four Lakes Basin
by Yanping Hu, Zhenhua Wang, Dongguo Shao, Rui Li, Wei Zhang, Meng Long, Kezheng Song and Xiaohuan Cao
Sustainability 2025, 17(19), 8838; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198838 - 2 Oct 2025
Viewed by 515
Abstract
To explore the coupling between agricultural farming models and surface water environmental in central China’s irrigation districts, this study focuses on the Four Lakes Basin within Jianghan Plain, a key grain-producing and ecological protection area. Integrating remote sensing images, statistical yearbooks, and on-site [...] Read more.
To explore the coupling between agricultural farming models and surface water environmental in central China’s irrigation districts, this study focuses on the Four Lakes Basin within Jianghan Plain, a key grain-producing and ecological protection area. Integrating remote sensing images, statistical yearbooks, and on-site monitoring data, the study analyzed the phased characteristics of the basin’s agricultural pattern transformation, the changes in non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus loads, and the responses of water quality in main canals and Honghu Lake to agricultural adjustments during the period 2010~2023. The results showed that the basin underwent a significant transformation in agricultural patterns from 2016 to 2023: the area of rice-crayfish increased by 14%, while the areas of dryland crops and freshwater aquaculture decreased by 11% and 4%, respectively. Correspondingly, the non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus loads in the Four Lakes Basin decreased by 11~13%, and the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in main canals decreased slightly by approximately 2 mg/L and 0.04 mg/L, respectively; however, the water quality of Honghu Lake continued to deteriorate, with nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increasing by approximately 0.46 mg/L and 0.06 mg/L, respectively. This indicated that the adjustment of agricultural farming models was beneficial to improving the water quality of main canals, but it did not bring about a substantial improvement in the sustainable development of Honghu Lake. This may be related to various factors that undermine the sustainability of the lake’s aquatic ecological environment, such as climate change, natural disasters, internal nutrient release from sediments, and the decline in water environment carrying capacity. Therefore, to advance sustainability in this basin and similar irrigation districts, future efforts should continue optimizing agricultural models to reduce nitrogen/phosphorus inputs, while further mitigating internal nutrient release and climate disaster risks, restoring aquatic vegetation, and enhancing water environment carrying capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Environment Monitoring for Sustainable Agricultural Development)
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