Search Results (28)

The cessation of recurrent anthropogenic activities can promote vegetation succession. In this paper, we report a case study of passive restoration of the herbaceous plant vegetation associated with cork oaks carried out by citizens in collaboration with local farmers in a suburban area of Rome (Italy). A sampling design has been carried out in two comparable patches using replicated plots: (i) a first patch corresponding to the passive restored area, evolving from an uncultivated field towards a cork oak forest, where the mowing activity was stopped in 2017, and (ii) a second patch corresponding to an uncultivated land periodically mowed as a control. We recorded 24 plant species in the restored patch and 9 in the control patch. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was significantly higher in the restored patch when compared to the control. Whittaker diagrams, graphically representing evenness, showed significant differences among plotted values. The Chao 2 richness estimators evidence the differences between patches (52.17 species vs. 9), graphically observed in the sample rarefaction curves. An analysis in the 2017–2025 period showed a substantial increase in NDVI values in the restored patch (from 0.18 in 2017 to 0.28 in 2025; approximately +54% relative to 2017; mean NDVI increased from 0.181 in 2017 to 0.29 in 2025), indicating an increase in cover/biomass associated with the post-2017 restoration of the area. Suspending mowing, both humidity (due to the reduction in grass cover) and nutrients increase, and the pH is reduced (Ellenberg indices): it is possible that the young oak trees are comparatively more effective cation exchangers. Therefore, only a few years after mowing was suspended, we observed a marked recovery not only of the dominant cork oak component but also of the herbaceous species (Vulpio-Dasypyretum villosi association). Even young, isolated cork oak trees can act as nurse plants (or keystone structures), supporting many species and creating microhabitats for shade-tolerant plants. This passive restoration began when local citizens and a school asked landowners to stop mowing in an area where cork oaks were naturally regenerating, making it an example of autonomous citizen-led environmental management. Full article

Transdisciplinary Research (TDR) leverages shared concepts to foster mutual learning among diverse stakeholders, relying on “boundary objects” to shape collective identities and visions. However, the existing literature often overlooks the critical roles of subjectivity and conflict in this process. This paper introduces an analytical framework to examine the construction of these objects, using the “Oasis Project” in the Ecuadorian Andes as a central case study. A research-action project on pesticide-free territories in Ecuador unearthed a question during its implementation on how to achieve collective action when key actors are in conflict with each other. Using TDR to find boundary objects where different viewpoints can find shared meaning, it was determined that there is not enough conceptual clarity in the literature around how conflict can actually help achieve coordination. Using a variety of qualitative methods, such as interviews, participatory observation, and analysis of WhatsApp group message texts, this study shows how the novel concepts of boundary entanglements and conflicts can help other researchers and practitioners facilitate impactful TDR. This study emphasizes three transformative lessons for sustainability science: first, boundary objects are inherently dynamic, evolving through continuous social negotiation rather than static definition; second, their successful consolidation requires deep integration into local knowledge systems, cultural norms, and governance structures; and third, and perhaps most critically, conflict and operational breakdowns are not indicators of failure; rather, they serve as vital diagnostic tools that unveil hidden power relations and epistemic boundaries, providing essential moments for critical reflection and the recalibration of collaborative sustainability strategies. Full article

The living lab Enrekang, established in 2019 in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, was created to strengthen rural communication and support collaborative innovation across agriculture, livestock, environment, and extension services. Its flagship initiative, the Digital Farmer Field School (DFFS), was co-designed as a digital tool to improve farmers’ access to practical and locally adapted information. The early phase of collaboration generated strong momentum, culminating in a functional prototype tested with farmer groups by 2022. However, progress slowed soon after, revealing a gap between the initiative’s early promise and its subsequent stagnation. This qualitative case study, conducted between December 2024 and June 2025, draws on document reviews, focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and participant observations to analyze how the slowdown emerged and how it altered communication, coordination, and relational expectations among participating actors. Applying the governance-of-innovation lifecycle and a social capital lens, the study shows that political transitions, leadership turnover, staff rotation, and the absence of policy and budgetary anchoring disrupted coordination routines and reduced cross-sector interaction, even as motivation among farmers and frontline staff remained high. The case also highlights the novelty and complexity of the living lab approach, which introduced coordination demands and institutional unfamiliarity that local systems were not yet equipped to absorb. This study contributes to ongoing debates on collaborative innovation by illustrating the vulnerability of living labs when governance arrangements do not evolve alongside innovation milestones. Sustaining similar efforts requires formal anchoring, adaptive coordination, and mechanisms that protect collaboration across political and institutional transitions. Full article

Background: The use of pesticides among smallholder farmers, agrochemical sellers, and agricultural officers involves a complex interplay of knowledge, economic factors, and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, this study explores the patterns, practices, and socio-environmental dynamics of pesticide use among smallholder farmers and agro-input sellers in Iringa and Njombe. Method: This study employed a qualitative, phenomenological design, guided by the socio-ecological model (SEM), to explore the lived experience of farmers, agro-dealers, and extension officers. It involved a total of 23 interviews performed in the Njombe and Iringa regions. Data were collected between October 2024 and March 2025, using a combination of in-depth phenomenological interviews, key informant interviews, and field observations, and were categorized into themes and subthemes analyzed using InVivo. Results: The study involved a total of 23 participants drawn from the Iringa and Njombe regions. The gender distribution was nearly balanced, with 52.1% male and 47.8% female respondents. The mean age of participants was 33 years (95% CI: 29.3–37.3). In terms of education, over half (52.17%) had completed primary school. The findings show that smallholders in Iringa and Njombe widely use mixed pesticides and fertilizers, rely on trusted brands, and adapt to climate impacts, but face challenges with regard to unsafe mixing, poor storage, fake products, and weak regulation, highlighting the need for better education, market oversight, and safer practices. Conclusion: Using the socio-ecological model, the findings indicate that pesticide use among smallholder horticultural farmers in Iringa and Njombe is influenced by a complex interaction of socio-economic constraints, market forces, climate variability, and institutional shortcomings. Although farmers have some awareness of safe practices, systemic barriers continue to limit the adoption of sustainable pesticide management. Full article

Rice production in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces significant challenges due to insect pest infestations, which threaten food security and farmer livelihoods. This review examines the major insect pests affecting rice in SSA and highlights sustainable management strategies, drawing on successful case studies. It explores successful methods, including the use of biological control agents in Nigeria; neem-based pesticides in Tanzania; push-pull technology in Kenya; agroecological practices in Mali; resistant rice varieties in Ghana and Nigeria; integrated farming systems in Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Nigeria, Kenya and Madagascar; and farmer field schools in Zambia. Emerging technologies such as biotechnology and precision agriculture offer further additional opportunities to enhance pest control when effectively integrated within existing IPM frameworks. However, financial constraints, limited awareness, policy-related challenges, and inadequate infrastructure continue to limit widespread adoption. In this context, the review identifies critical research gaps, including the need for region-specific solutions, improved biopesticides, and long-term assessment of sustainable practices. Policy recommendations call for greater government investments, capacity-building programs, supportive regulatory environments, and stronger collaboration among researchers, development partners, and local stakeholders. Addressing these challenges can foster resilient and sustainable rice production systems across SSA. Full article

This study examines the role of farm forestry Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) in strengthening climate resilience in mixed crop–livestock systems in dryland Kenya. Based on interviews and focus group discussions in Embu and Taita Taveta, this study finds that FFS participation enhanced tree cultivation, market monitoring, and group-based learning, with greater involvement of women in decision-making. While FFS households showed stronger motivation for continued learning and experimentation, it has not consistently translated into statistically significant improvements in climate resilience outcomes as measured by recent drought and disturbance impacts. Limited water access emerged as a major barrier. The findings suggest that while FFSs foster adaptive learning and farm-level innovation, their contribution to climate resilience requires integration with cross-sectoral strategies, especially water management and institutional support. Full article

The existing body of scholarly work on the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Africa and Nigeria has predominantly concentrated on the experiences and practices of smallholder farmers. While these studies offer valuable insights into the general factors that influence the adoption of CSA practices, their findings may not be fully applicable to the burgeoning agritourism farmers in Nigeria. This study presents a novel perspective on the socio-economic determinants of CSA adoption among the nascent agritourism farmers in Nigeria. The data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire administered to 436 agritourism farmers in Nigeria. The five mutually inclusive endogenous variables that capture the impact of CSA practices were agroforestry system, improved livestock management, organic farming, crop rotation/intercropping, and farmer field schools. While the agritourism farmers possess moderate experience and education, significant gaps exist in access to critical resources like credit, climate information, extension services, and membership in agritourism cooperatives/associations. The multivariate probit (MVP) model revealed that agritourism farming experience significantly boosts crop rotation/intercropping adoption. Education enhances organic farming uptake but negatively impacts improved livestock management. Similarly, extension services access promotes farmer field schools while discouraging organic farming. Significant negative covariance matrix between CSA practices suggests overlapping demands for limited farm resources. Full article

Local food plants contribute to dietary diversity, and hence, to food and nutrition security in rural households of low- and middle-income countries. However, their consumption and use are declining, in favour of simplified diets or industrial foods. This paper presents data from the Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security programme, which aimed at improving nutrition through better use of local, underused agrobiodiversity in six low- or mid-income countries. Through a Farmer Field School approach, rural communities’ perceptions on nutrition, local food plant use, and food scarcity coping strategies were gathered. Overall, the results showed that farmers recognise the relationship which exists between increasingly impoverished diets and the (declining) use of local food plants. They attributed such a decline to multiple, intertwined factors, being both socioeconomic and cultural, as well as agronomic or environmental. Despite a declining trend, communities still heavily rely on local food plants during food scarcity periods: indeed, turning to local and wild plants emerged as one of the most frequent coping strategies in all countries, and this trend was stronger as the length and severity of the scarcity period increased. In this paper, we discuss the opportunity to further leverage the role of local food plants through integrated (“field to plate”) actions as a way to conserve valuable agricultural biodiversity while enhancing local food and nutrition security. Full article

Experiential learning and discovery through farmer field schools (FFS) have the potential to empower smallholder livestock farmers who face heightened vulnerability to climate change. However, there are various levels of learning and discovery in FFS that can inform smallholder livestock farmer knowledge and perception. Understanding this is vital, as farmers’ perceptions influence their readiness to adopt climate-smart practices, informing effective resilience-building strategies. Therefore, this study sought to investigate and assess the impact of the FFS approach on smallholder livestock farmers’ perceptions of climate change, taking Raymond Local Municipality in South Africa as a case. The design followed by the study was a longitudinal survey, with three pools each signifying various FFS intervention points. The study utilized simple random sampling to collect data from 80 smallholder livestock farmers using structured questionnaires in each of the three cross-sectional pools, while descriptive statistics, Min–Max Normalization, and t-tests were used for analysis. The results show that there was an increase in the awareness of climate change due to the interventions of the FFS. Furthermore, there are cumulative differences between the knowledge and perception towards climate change between the three pooled cross-sections. In conclusion, participating in FFS had a significant impact on farmers’ level of understanding and adaptation to climate change. The study recommends that the government and policymakers extensively promote FFS and support them financially so that they can provide more support to rural farmers as well as enhance knowledge on climate change. This study recommends the provision of workshops and awareness campaigns on climate change for farmers through FFS as this will assist farmers to be more sustainable on their farming systems and production. Full article

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is escalating in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including in Rwanda, most notably in urbanizing areas. The 2019–2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (DHS) revealed that 33% of children under 5 years old are stunted while 42% of women in urban areas are overweight or obese. This coexistence has contributed to a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in secondary cities. Using the World Health Organization’s (WHOs) “double-duty action” (DDA) concept, this study aims to identify and evaluate interventions with double-duty potential in Rwanda’s Rusizi and Rubavu districts and generate key recommendations for their improvement. A desk review of national policies pinpointed four programs with the greatest DDA potential: early childhood development (ECD) centers, the school feeding program, farmer field schools (FFS), and the provision of nutrition-sensitive direct support. In-person interviews with key stakeholders assessed the implementation of each program and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was used to generate context-specific recommendations for their improvement. The main finding of this research is that Rwanda’s potential to address the DBM can be improved across multiple sectors by implementing a few key changes: targeting beliefs surrounding nutrition, improving trainings for community educators, enhancing parent–particularly father–involvement, and engaging in close monitoring and follow-up. These findings offer actionable streps that governments and nutrition stakeholders can take to improve similar interventions in other rapidly urbanizing LMICs. Full article

Based on the field survey data for 1216 apple growers in three provinces from China’s Loess Plateau Region, this paper adopted Multivariate Probit (MVP) model and intermediary effect model to analyze the influence mechanisms of digital technology adoption (DTA) on farmers’ choices of Fertilizer-reduction and Efficiency-improving Technologies (FETs) from the perspective of farmers’ cognition (FC). The correlation effects of three typical FETs of soil testing and formula fertilization, integrated water-fertilizer fertilization and slow/controlled release fertilizer, were tested empirically. The results showed that DTA could significantly affect the adoption of FETs by apple growers, and FC played a partial mediating role, and there were complementary effects among the three typical FETs. The results were further confirmed by the propensity score matching (PSM) robustness test and the instrumental variable (IV) endogeneity test conducted in the conditional mixed-process (CMP). The results of our heterogeneity analysis showed that the promotion effect of DTA on FETs in the group with junior high school education or below was more significant than that in the group with higher education, and the promotion effect was more significant in the group with large operation scale. Therefore, the improvement in Internet penetration should not be taken as the ultimate goal, but more attention should be paid to farmers’ mastery and effective use of DTA, promote the improvement in farmers’ cognitive level, and implement the “bundled” publicity and guidance strategy of FETs adoption, so as to help in the green transformation of agriculture. Full article

Turkey is a country with a migration route throughout history and has provided protection to more refugees than any other country. But, the secure deportation of refugees is stated by government officials. This research aims to determine the socio-economic characteristics of landowners who hire foreign farmworkers and the factors affecting their willingness to employ foreign farmworkers. In order to meet the objective, a survey study based on face-to-face interviews was conducted with 200 landowners producing bananas and employing foreign farmworkers in Mersin. The level of willingness to hire foreign farmworkers was calculated, and the ordinal logistic regression (OLR) model was executed to determine affective factors. According to the results, the landowners’ average age was 40.5 years, and their agricultural experience was 11.07 years, with 47% of them having a primary school degree. A total of 50% of the landowner farmers had a high willingness level, 29.5% had a medium willingness level, and 20.5% had a low willingness level. As for OLR, the factors of land size, continuity status of farmworkers, and the reasons to hire foreign farmworkers were significant (p < 0.05). Contrary to the general opinion, which is that the reason for the willingness to hire foreign farmworkers is to use them as a cheap labor force, this research found that the reason with the greatest impact is that landowner farmers have difficulty in finding local farmworkers. The shortage of agricultural labor has been filled with foreign farmworkers in Mersin province. Every foreign farmworker may be registered with one or more agricultural holdings so that the deportation of refugees does not cause a labor supply problem in agriculture; also, citizens seeking employment from other regions of Turkey may be supported to be farmworkers in regions with labor shortages. In order to avoid supply security problems in agricultural production, policymakers should urgently develop policies based on field data. Full article

Over a period of two years, this study analyzes the effect on food security of introducing new technologies through farmer field schools in the project “Adapting Agriculture and Livestock to Climate Change” (ACC). A household survey was conducted to compare 125 households in villages that were part of the project to 79 households in villages that were not part of the project. These two groups were compared regarding cereal surplus production, the number of food-secure months and food diversity. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, a two-sample t-test and boxplots. The project was implemented in the semiarid regions of Segou and Koulikoro in Mali. The technologies introduced were microdosing of mineral fertilizer, seed priming, new cereal varieties, horticulture, poultry and goat production, assisted natural regeneration and ridging. Microdosing of mineral fertilizer and seed priming was adopted by more than 85% of the households in the ACC villages. Grain yields of pearl millet, sorghum and maize increased by 418, 429 and 673 kg/ha, respectively, (p < 0.0001) due to seed priming and microdosing. This resulted in a cereal surplus of 756 kg in the ACC households, while the surplus in the non-ACC households was 161 kg. In addition, the ACC households were food secure for two months longer than the non-ACC households and consumed food from one more food group than the non-ACC households. This study shows that, despite the difficult situation in Mali, it is possible to improve food security by introducing improved technologies. Full article

In the wake of recent climate changes, extension services have become crucial drivers in disseminating information about the latest agriculture technologies and facilitating sustainable agricultural productivity. Pakistan’s traditional extension cannot yield the expected outcomes which corroborate the introduction of a participatory approach, mainly in farmers’ field schools. Using farm-level data from Punjab province, the current study examined the impact of farmers’ field schools (FFS) on adopting sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) and citrus yield. The study employed recursive bivariate probit and propensity score matching to explore the objectives. The findings revealed that FFS participants had a higher SAPs adoption than non-participants, demonstrating the positive impact of FFS on the uptake of SAPs. Moreover, the treatment effect showed that FFS participants had a higher yield than the non-participants. The results suggest strengthening and enhancing FFS reach among citrus growers. Full article

The Farmer Field School is a season-long training for farmers involving participatory activities and interactive learning with the doctrine of integrated pest management and agroecosystem analysis. It has become a popular education and extension approach worldwide. This study tried to evaluate the FFS as a vehicle for sustainable agriculture which has economic viability, ecological soundness, and social acceptability. The study aimed to analyze the impact of the FFS on crop income, agroecology, and farmers’ behavior in farming. The empirical models, such as propensity score matching, Mahalanobis distance matching, and difference in differences, were applied for estimating the impact of FFS on crop income, more specifically, real income from brinjal. The environmental impact quotient was used to assess the agroecological impact of using pesticide, and a graded response model was used to investigate farmer behavioral changes in farming. The treatment effect based on the empirical models has shown a positive, significant effect on crop income. The findings also revealed that FFS farmers had a lower agroecological impact from pesticide use, and their behavior in farming practices was improved. Therefore, FFS was demonstrated to be a key strategy in strengthening agricultural extension services, which will contribute to promoting sustainable agriculture. Full article