Search Results (507)

Silvopastoral systems, though ecologically beneficial, remain underrepresented in the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy and are seldom studied in Mediterranean contexts. The current study assesses both the environmental and economic aspects of five typical silvopastoral systems in central Greece, encompassing cattle, sheep, and goat farming. A Life Cycle Assessment approach was implemented to quantify greenhouse gas emissions using economic allocation, distributing impacts between milk and meat outputs. Enteric fermentation was the major emission source, accounting for up to 65.14% of total emissions in beef-based systems, while feeding and soil emissions were more prominent in mixed and small ruminant systems. Total farm-level emissions ranged from 60,609 to 273,579 kg CO₂eq per year. Economically, only beef-integrated systems achieved an average annual profitability above EUR 20,000 per farm, based on financial data averaged over the last five years (2020–2024) from selected case studies in central Greece, while the remaining systems fell below the national poverty threshold for an average household, underscoring concerns about their economic viability. The findings underline the dual challenges of economic viability and policy neglect, stressing the need for targeted support if these multifunctional systems are to add value to EU climate goals and rural sustainability. Full article

Organic farming represents a paradigm that emphasises a balance between production and environmental sustainability. In the European Union (EU), organic farming has evolved into a global production system with harmonised standards and increasing market demand. Compared with conventional agriculture, it produces greater environmental benefits. The European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy highlight the role of organic farming in achieving the EU’s climate and environmental goals, aiming to use at least 25% of the total agricultural area for organic farming by 2030. This research assesses the contributions of Member States towards achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and F2F strategy and increasing the number of organic farming areas in the future. The research assessed the performance of EU Member States during the period of 2018–2022 and for the projected period up to 2030, using indicators outlined in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan. EU Member States were classified by their historical growth in organic farming areas and their required future performance to meet targets. The results showed that the increase in organic farming areas across the EU is a sign of a shift towards more sustainable farming, although performance varied among Member States. Overall, performance tended to improve in seventeen Member States, remained stable in nine, and declined in only one. Full article

The commercialization of Km 0 agricultural and livestock products represents a strategic opportunity to enhance rural economic resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the food sector. This paper presents an original, policy-oriented framework that connects Km 0 distribution models with measurable CO₂ reductions, proposing a structured system of economic incentives to support their adoption. Grounded in a mixed-methods approach, including normative analysis, empirical modeling, and a regional case study in Galicia, Spain, we demonstrate the alignment of Km 0 policies with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Findings reveal substantial potential for environmental mitigation, improved farm profitability, and revitalization of rural economies. This work provides a comprehensive roadmap for integrating Km 0 into national agricultural strategies, supported by data-driven justification and scalable implementation models. Full article

Against the backdrop of ecological civilization construction and regional coordinated development strategies, functional zone (MFOZ) planning guides national spatial development through differentiated policies. However, a prominent conflict exists between the ecological protection responsibilities and regional development rights in restricted and prohibited development zones, leading to a vicious cycle of “ecological protection → restricted development → poverty exacerbation”. This paper focuses on the synergistic mechanisms between ecological compensation and targeted poverty alleviation. Based on the capability approach and sustainable development goals (SDGs), it analyzes the dialectical relationship between the two in terms of goal coupling, institutional design, and practical pathways. The study finds that ecological compensation can break the “ecological poverty trap” through the internalization of externalities and the enhancement of livelihood capabilities. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including low compensation standards, unbalanced benefit distribution, and insufficient legalization. Through case studies of the compensation reform in the water source area of Southern Shaanxi, China, and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union, this paper proposes the construction of a long-term mechanism integrating differentiated compensation standards, market-based fund integration, legal guarantees, and capability enhancement. The research emphasizes the need for institutional innovation to balance ecological protection and livelihood improvement, promoting a transition from “blood transfusion” compensation to “hematopoietic” development, thereby offering a Chinese solution for global sustainable development. Full article

The European Union’s developing rural development plan places digital and precision agriculture at the centre of agricultural modernisation and economic development. This article examines how agricultural practices in rural EU regions are being influenced by smart technology, such as drones, IoT sensors, satellite-based research, and AI-driven platforms, through an analysis of recent data from sources across the European Union. This study applies a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of strategic policy documents and EU databases, to evaluate the ways in which precision agriculture reduces input consumption, increases productivity, reduces labour shortages and rural area depopulation, and improves sustainability. By investing in infrastructure, developing communities for data exchange, and organising training for farmers, European policies such as the Strategic Plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the SmartAgriHubs initiative, and the AgData program actively encourage the transition to digital agriculture. Cyprus is analysed as a case study to show how targeted investments and initiatives supported by the EU can help smaller countries, with limited natural resources, to realise the benefits of digital transformation in agriculture. A special focus is placed on how solutions adapted to agro-climatic and socioeconomic conditions can contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, attracting young people to get involved in this field and opening up new economic opportunities. The results of previous research indicate that digital agriculture not only improves productivity but also proves to be a strategic mechanism for attracting and retaining young people in rural areas. Thus, this work additionally contributes to the broader goal of the European Union—the development of smart, inclusive, and sustainable rural areas, in which digital technologies are not only seen as tools for efficiency but also as key means for integrated and long-term rural development. Full article

The European Union’s (EU) Common Agricultural Policy aims to promote sustainable farming practices that ensure the responsible use of natural resources, safeguard biodiversity, and uphold higher animal welfare standards. One pathway to achieving these objectives is through the encouragement of extensive farming. However, the dairy sector in EU countries as well as in Lithuania has shown a clear trend toward intensification. The aim of this study was to assess the technical efficiency (TE) of dairy farms employing extensive and intensive technologies. TE was evaluated using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) combined with meta-frontier analysis, which accounts for technological heterogeneity. Prior to the efficiency estimation, farms were grouped into two distinct categories—intensive and extensive—using the k-means clustering algorithm. The empirical results show that extensive dairy farms in Lithuania are smaller in land area and livestock units, rely more on internal resources, and exhibit lower productivity compared to intensive farms. Intensive farms achieved higher technical efficiency, narrower technological gaps, and more optimal scale efficiency, indicating superior resource management. The weaker performance of extensive farms is attributed to both less advanced technologies and production inefficiencies. Full article

This study explores the fundamental components and specificities of agroforestry policies in France and Quebec, with a particular focus on the regions of Brittany and Montérégie. It uses a mixed-methods approach, combining an in-depth literature review and 14 semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders, including research institutions, agricultural advisory organizations, independent experts, and regional public agencies engaged in agroforestry and environmental initiatives. The collected data were qualitatively analyzed using word frequency and co-occurrence techniques, based on Elinor Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. The results reveal that in France, agroforestry benefits from a well-structured policy environment, centered on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Agroforestry Development Plan (PDA). The Breizh Bocage initiative is making a positive contribution to this, with more than 5000 km of hedges planted thanks to its localized governance model and direct community funding. In Quebec, agroforestry is also supported by various policies and programs such as Prime-Vert, with more than 2370 hedge planting projects completed. Despite its strengths, the French case, particularly the Breizh Bocage program, is limited by cumbersome administrative procedures. In both contexts, stakeholders emphasize the need to improve the transparency and efficiency of the program by simplifying administrative processes and harmonizing financial support mechanisms. Full article

Promoting coordinated urban–rural development represents a key policy initiative by the Chinese government to advance rural revitalization and promote common prosperity. As a central component of China’s land management system, the Urban–Rural Construction Land Linkage Policy aims at dismantling the historical urban–rural division while fostering balanced regional growth. This research analyzes panel data spanning 2010–2022 across 294 prefecture-level cities, utilizing a multi-phase difference-in-differences (DID) approach to evaluate the policy’s effectiveness in reducing urban–rural income disparities. Empirical findings reveal that the policy implementation has substantially narrowed the income gap between urban and rural populations. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the policy’s impact is more pronounced in China’s eastern regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that the policy narrows the income gap through two primary pathways: first, by promoting urbanization through facilitating rural-to-urban population transfer and optimizing urban spatial layout. Second, by driving industrial structure optimization through intensive land use that advances agricultural scale and modernization, while improved land resource allocation boosts secondary and tertiary industries. These findings offer empirical support and policy insights for refining urban–rural land management strategies and advancing integrated development. Full article

The 1992 reform of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) introduced the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), a geodatabase of land parcels used to monitor and regulate agricultural subsidies. Traditionally, the LPIS has relied on high-resolution aerial orthophotos; however, recent advancements in very-high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery present new opportunities to enhance its effectiveness. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing PlanetScope, a commercial VHR optical satellite constellation, to map agricultural parcels within the LPIS. A test was conducted in Umbria, Italy, integrating existing datasets with a series of PlanetScope images from 2023. A segmentation workflow was designed, employing the Normalized difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) alongside the Edge segmentation method with varying sensitivity thresholds. An accuracy evaluation based on geometric metrics, comparing detected parcels with cadastral references, revealed that a 30% scale threshold yielded the most reliable results, achieving an accuracy rate of 83.3%. The results indicate that the short revisit time of PlanetScope compensates for its lower spatial resolution compared to traditional orthophotos, allowing accurate delineation of parcels. However, challenges remain in automating parcel matching and integrating alternative methods for accuracy assessment. Further research should focus on refining segmentation parameters and optimizing PlanetScope’s temporal and spectral resolution to strengthen LPIS performance, ultimately fostering more sustainable and data-driven agricultural management. Full article

The European Union’s latest common agricultural policy (CAP) aims to minimise the negative consequences of agriculture on the environment and climate. This ambition has been translated into the introduction of eco-schemes, which stimulates farmers to transition to sustainable agriculture. This paper answers three questions regarding the operation of the eco-scheme for livestock farming in The Netherlands. First, who are the recipients of the eco-scheme grants? Second, how have EU grants developed over time for these recipients? Third, do eco-scheme recipients farm more sustainably? To answer these questions, we conducted an empirical analysis based on administrative and microeconomic data, which included indicators to measure sustainable farming practices. Our results show that most recipients of the Dutch eco-scheme are dairy farmers and that larger farms receive relatively more grant funding per hectare. The introduction of the eco-scheme marked a shift toward less grant funding for income support and more to encourage sustainable farming practices. This has triggered a significant downturn in the financial situation of many Dutch dairy farmers. Dairy farmers who score higher on sustainability indicators on average benefit more from the eco-scheme, although there is also a substantial share of dairy farmers who have benefited financially but score relatively low on sustainability. These insights contribute to the further improvement of the EU’s agricultural policies toward a successful transition to more sustainable agriculture. Full article

This study investigates the spatial dynamics of participation in the carbon farming eco-scheme in Poland under the EU CAP for 2023–2027. Addressing the broader context of sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation, this research explores how farm size and structural characteristics influence the adoption of regenerative practices incentivised through this eco-scheme. Using spatial statistical methods, including the global Moran’s I test and the global spatial cross-correlation index, this study analyses county-level data from 2023 to 2024 on farm size, the number of beneficiaries, and payment levels. The findings reveal distinct spatial clusters in eco-scheme participation, with larger farms showing greater regional concentration and smaller farms displaying stronger local clustering in payment distribution. The findings highlight varied spatial mechanisms that influence adoption and financial support patterns, indicating that both farm size and regional context play a significant role in shaping the uptake of eco-schemes. This study emphasises the significance of comprehensive spatial and socio-economic data in the formulation of effective, evidence-based policies pertaining to sustainable agriculture. It establishes a basis for more precisely targeted interventions and optimal resource allocation, thereby supporting both national and EU climate objectives while simultaneously enhancing the resilience and sustainability of rural regions. Full article

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) is one of the most important fall vegetables in South Korea. Recently, cabbage yields fluctuated due to climate change, leading to an unstable supply and increased prices. Additionally, raised temperatures led to increased beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) populations, resulting in greater plant damage. In this study, the Agricultural Policy/Environmental Extender (APEX) model was employed to develop the cabbage growth model. To enhance model accuracy, 4 years of field data collected from multiple locations in South Korea were utilized for model validation and calibration. The model goodness of fit tests revealed R² values between 0.9485 and 0.9873. Two different cabbage models, representing the physiological characteristics of common varieties cultivated in Korea, were applied to assess growth patterns under two distinct climate change scenarios, SSP245 and SSP585. A larval duration prediction model was formulated using previous field data. Under future climate conditions, simulation results indicate that as temperatures rise, Chinese cabbage yields will likely decrease continually, with increasing plant damage from insects. The modeling results can help farmers to control and manage crop insect pests under varying environmental conditions. Full article

Common prosperity is the fundamental driving force of rural revitalization, as well as the foundation for achieving sustainable economic development. The e-commerce to the countryside policy has energized the rural economy, helping to improve household economic resilience and reduce income stratification, thereby promoting the inclusive and sustainable development of the digital economy. Drawing on panel data collected from rural fixed observation points in Henan Province during 2009–2022, this study employs a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) approach to evaluate the impact of China’s e-commerce to the countryside policy on farmers’ income and income inequality. The empirical results reveal that the rural e-commerce policy significantly increases farmers’ income while mitigating income inequality. The underlying mechanisms function through three synergistic pathways: industrial structural upgrading, manifested through tri-sector integration driven by rural enterprise development; factor allocation restructuring, evidenced by productivity gains from optimized labor–capital reallocation; and enhanced market inclusion through digital technology empowerment that lowers participation barriers. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the e-commerce to the countryside policy exhibits pro-poor characteristics, with its income-enhancing and equalizing effects being particularly pronounced in agricultural areas, traditional villages, county-level civilized villages, underdeveloped regions, registered poverty-stricken villages, and households with low human, physical, and financial capital endowments. These findings confirm the inclusive development efficacy of rural e-commerce among vulnerable populations. Consequently, the study provides a replicable policy implementation framework for achieving common prosperity objectives. Full article

Background: Landscape approaches are recognized for their holistic view on development and conservation. However, they encounter sustainability and localization challenges due to short-term funding constraints and dependence on external experts. In this paper, we examine commoning as a means of land tenure interventions that enable mixed land use and community stewardship. Methods: Based on desk research and 20 interviews, an institutional analysis was performed on two landscape management cases to shed light on commoning processes and land tenure changes, as well as their impact on land use and community stewardship. Results: In the first case, a collaborative governance model was developed through policy interventions, which provided not only institutional frameworks but also financial resources to incentivize landowners to cooperate with nature conservation groups and share management rights over their land. In the second case, a community land trust model was used by self-organized civil society actors to develop ecovillage practices and ensure the balance of conservation and agricultural uses. In both cases, we found that land tenure innovations in terms of boundary rules, choice rules, aggregation rules, as well as rules for higher-level action situations, were key to enabling land rights sharing, mixed land use, and different levels of stewardship depending on the preferences and capacity of stakeholders. Conclusions: Commoning could address the sustainability and localization challenges faced by landscape approaches to mixed land use and long-term adaptive management. Full article

Among its various targets on restoring natural habitats and ecosystems in the EU, the recently adopted Nature Restoration Law (NRL) introduces ambitious targets for restoring surface water bodies (SWBs) as well. Simultaneously, the Italian CAP Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027 has been designed to enhance sustainable agricultural practices, including water resource management. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the synergies, gaps, and challenges between these two regulatory frameworks, focusing on sustainable water use in Italian agriculture. A two-level comparative matrix methodology is employed to evaluate the alignment between the NRL’s objectives for freshwater ecosystems and the measures taken by the Italian CAP Strategic Plan on water resources. The results highlight key areas of convergence, existing shortcomings, and necessary steps for aligning Italian agricultural policies with the EU’s water restoration goals. The findings offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders engaged in water governance, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural sustainability. Full article