Search Results (229)

The rubber plantations in Sankuru province, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have historically been pivotal to the regional economy. However, the absence of suitable silvicultural practices has promoted self-regeneration, resulting in the proliferation of diverse species. This study aims to characterize species richness and plant structure of these plantations. To this end, 80 subplots measuring 0.25 hectares were meticulously established, with a proportionate division between state-owned and farmer plantations. The results obtained from this study indicate that these plantations are home to approximately 105 species, classified into 33 distinct botanical families, with dominant families such as Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Olacaceae, Clusiaceae, and Moraceae. Despite the similarity between the two types of plantations (Cs = 58%), significant disparities were observed in terms of individuals, 635 ± 84.06 and 828 ± 144.62 (p < 10⁻³); species, 41 ± 7.49 and 28 ± 4.59 (p < 10⁻³); families, 19 ± 3.06 and 16 ± 1.62 (p < 10⁻²); and basal area, 29.88 ± 5.8 and 41.37 ± 7.57 (p < 10⁻²) for state and peasant plantations, respectively. State plantations exhibited greater diversity (H′ = 1.87) and enhanced equity (J’ = 0.43) than peasant plantations. The diametric structure exhibited an inverted J-shaped distribution, indicating constant and regular regeneration of these plantations. The upper canopy dominates the vertical structure in both types of plantations, with a significantly higher proportion in peasant plantations (83.60%) than in state plantations (73.8%), ANOVA (F (2.24 = 21.78), df = 24; p = 4.03 × 10⁻⁶). The findings indicate that the sustainable management of these plantations could incorporate agroecological principles to promote the coexistence of rubber production and biodiversity conservation while contributing to the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the well-being of local communities. Full article

The increasingly severe ecological and environmental problems in rural areas pose a serious threat to agricultural sustainability and human well-being. Protecting the ecological environment of cultivated land is fundamental to ensuring food security and achieving sustainable development goals. The effective integration of digital technology into farmers’ production and daily life is a key driver for transforming farming practices and advancing the ecological protection of cultivated land. This study draws on data from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS) to systematically examine the impact of farmers’ digital participation on the ecological protection of cultivated land. The main findings are as follows: (1) Digital participation significantly promotes ecological conservation of cultivated land, with each unit increase associated with a 7.8% reduction in fertilizer use intensity; (2) the results are robust across various empirical strategies, including instrumental variable estimation, the ERM approach, residual analysis, and alternative indicator specifications; (3) mechanism analysis indicates that digital participation reduces fertilizer use through three main channels: expansion of social networks (accounting for 7.10%), enhancement of subjective cognition (29.66%), and adoption of agricultural technologies (10.18%); and (4) heterogeneity analysis shows that the protective effects on cultivated land are more pronounced among households with off-farm employment experience, in villages where leaders have higher educational attainment, and in regions with more advanced digital environments. Based on these findings, the following policy recommendations are proposed: enhancing digital infrastructure in rural areas, strengthening the training of agricultural practitioners, and developing localized digital environments tailored to local conditions. Full article

Purpose—This research paper examines the critical factors in customer satisfaction while purchasing fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets. Design/methodology/approach—This study was conducted using a prepared questionnaire to collect data on a random sample of 235 customers of farmers’ markets in the state of Maharashtra, India. The research was carried out in the year 2023. Seven hypotheses were tested concerning the relationships between the variables of interest. The variables of convenience, variety, quality, price, health and hygiene, and service conditions were used as independent constructs and were proxied by reflective indicators. Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were treated as an exogenous variable and an endogenous variable, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the model relationships and confirm the theoretical model. Findings—The findings validate all the reflective indicators used in the study. The latent variables of convenience, variety, quality, price, health and hygiene, and service conditions positively and significantly affect customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction positively and significantly affects customer loyalty toward farmers’ markets. The structural equation explains approximately 55% of the variation in customer satisfaction related to convenience, variety, price, quality, health and hygiene, and service conditions. Significance—The study results provide insights into the factors that influence consumer behavior and attitudes toward farmers’ markets. By identifying these predictors, this study can help farmers’ markets and other stakeholders develop effective marketing strategies to attract and retain customers, ultimately promoting sustainable food production and consumption. Additionally, the results can inform policymakers on how to support and promote farmers’ markets as healthy and sustainable food sources. Practical implication—By implementing the practical suggestions derived from the implications of this research, farmers’ markets can optimize customer satisfaction, boost customer loyalty, and reinforce their position as valuable contributors to local communities’ well-being and sustainability. Originality/value—The acceptance of farmers’ markets in India as an alternative shopping destination for fruits and vegetables is gradually increasing. This exploratory study conducted on farmers’ markets examined several factors, including price, in assessing customer satisfaction and farmers’ markets’ effectiveness at positioning themselves as shopping destinations for consumers in India. Full article

Tea farmers in Wuyishan National Park face the dual challenges of promoting sustainable tea production while adhering to strict ecological protection policies. This study investigates the key factors influencing tea farmers’ pro-environmental behavior and the transmission mechanisms that encourage the adoption of sustainable development. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the theory of externalities, and place attachment theory, 346 valid questionnaires were collected through household interviews across 12 villages within Wuyishan National Park and its surrounding areas. The results indicate that environmental responsibility and concern for community well-being are major motivators of pro-environmental behavior. Market orientation, production intensification, and adoption of clean technologies significantly enhance environmental outcomes at the farm level. While ecological compensation policies help offset the costs of conservation, their impact is constrained by inconsistencies in standard-setting and implementation. The establishment of the national park has enhanced pro-environmental behavior among farmers within the park and influenced those in peripheral areas by strengthening place attachment and social norms. Tea farmers in the core areas of the national park exhibit higher levels of pro-environmental behavior compared to those on the periphery. This study offers several policy recommendations and contributes new insights into understanding the mechanisms behind tea farmers’ pro-environmental behavior within national park contexts, providing valuable reference for pro-environmental practices in the global protected area system. Full article

China has effectively safeguarded biodiversity by building the world’s largest system of nature reserves, but the livelihoods of farmers near the reserves are often not guaranteed. This paper aimed to deeply explore the intrinsic relationship between the geographical location of households and their livelihood outcomes within seven nature reserves across three provinces in China. Innovatively, this study subdivided households’ livelihood outcomes into four patterns: high well-being with high dependency (H-H), high well-being with low dependency (H-L), low well-being with high dependency (L-H), and low well-being with low dependency (L-L), in order to comprehensively analyze the diversity of households’ livelihoods and further reveal the spatial logic and mechanisms underlying regional development imbalances. Methodologically, a combination of quantitative analysis and qualitative research was adopted. Representative villages in the protected area and outside the protected area were selected for semi-structured interviews with the village heads. Meanwhile, farmers were randomly selected in the villages for structured interviews and 1106 questionnaires were collected. Through variance analysis, the study first identified the unique advantages of H-H-pattern households in natural resource utilization. Subsequently, a multinomial logistic model was used to deeply analyze how geographical location (including whether a household was located within a protected area and the distance to markets) affected the transition mechanisms of the other three livelihood outcomes towards the H-H pattern. Based on this, marginal effect analysis was employed to further delineate the specific influence pathways of geographical factor changes on households’ livelihood outcome selection probabilities. The results showed that the geographical location of households’ residences had a significant impact on their livelihood outcomes. For households in the L-L and H-L patterns, proximity to markets could significantly increase the probability of their livelihood transitioning to the H-H pattern. Meanwhile, residing within protected areas significantly promoted the transition of L-L and H-L households to the H-H pattern but showed a certain inhibitory effect on L-H households. Marginal effects analysis further shows that both living in protected areas and reducing distance to markets increase the tendency of households to be highly dependent on natural resources for livelihood outcomes. Compensation policies should be designed according to local conditions, and subsidies for the development of ecotourism and other service industries should be increased for rural households in protected areas to ensure sustainable development rather than transfer payments. Full article

This study investigates the transfer of rural land contracting rights in Shandong Province, China, employing a mixed methods approach that integrates qualitative policy analysis and quantitative multiple linear regression models based on panel data from 16 prefecture-level cities (collected in 2010–2022). The findings demonstrate that land transfer optimizes resource allocation, enhances agricultural output efficiency, and serves as a critical mechanism for advancing agricultural modernization and rural revitalization. Key drivers, such as agricultural modernization and industrial development, significantly promote land transfer, particularly in coastal areas, while challenges like non-standardized contracts and inadequate farmer protections persist. The study proposes targeted strategies, including strengthening agricultural modernization, enhancing farmer income through non-agricultural industries, and improving institutional frameworks to stabilize the land transfer market. Additionally, it highlights the potential role of rural social workers in addressing contentious issues such as women’s rights, displacement, and access to resources, ensuring equitable and sustainable rural development. These measures aim to accelerate agricultural modernization, promote rural economic growth, and enhance the competitiveness and social well-being of rural areas, providing a robust foundation for policy formulation. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the social support level among perimenopausal women and explore its key influencing factors. Methods: From November 2022 to March 2023, a stratified multistage random sampling method was used to recruit 647 perimenopausal women from three communities in Tianjin, China. The participants completed the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Nonparametric tests, correlation analysis, and stepwise regression analysis were conducted to explore key factors influencing social support. Robustness checks were performed using hierarchical regression analysis. Results: The overall social support level of perimenopausal women was moderately low (34.190 ± 10.007), with the lowest scores observed in the 46–50 age group (33.000 ± 9.666). Stepwise regression analysis showed that, compared to married women, single women reported significantly lower social support levels (β = −0.242, p < 0.001). Using public sector employees as the reference group, women in all other occupational categories (including self-employed, corporate employees, farmers, freelancers, and other professions) had significantly lower social support scores (β range: −0.196 to −0.232, all p < 0.05). Compared to those with good family relationships, women with average (β = −0.420, p < 0.001) and poor (β = −0.349, p < 0.001) family relationships reported significantly lower social support levels. In terms of menopausal symptoms, greater severity of palpitations (β = −0.140, p < 0.05) and dyspareunia (β = −0.143, p < 0.05) was associated with lower social support, while higher levels of neuroticism (β = 0.102, p < 0.05) and joint/muscle pain (β = 0.158, p < 0.05) were linked to greater social support. Conclusions: Social support levels among perimenopausal women were generally low, particularly among those aged 46–50 years. Marital status, occupational type, and family relationships were key influencing factors, and certain menopausal symptoms were closely related to social support, especially those that are difficult to discuss, such as palpitations and dyspareunia. These findings highlight the necessity of strengthening social support networks for perimenopausal women and provide scientific evidence for the development of targeted interventions and public health policies to enhance their well-being and promote healthy aging. Full article

Background/Objective: Besides the common risks associated with agriculture, recently, there has been growing concern about the impact of agriculture on farmers’ mental health, due to high stress levels, depression, anxiety, and increasing rates of suicide, especially complex considering that many of these farmers are older people. The potential of the practice of mindfulness to minimize mental health problems and improve people’s sense of well-being has been studied in recent decades, although there is a dearth of literature related to farmer populations. This study aimed to correlate the presence of mindfulness traits with general life quality and well-being and assess the levels of mindfulness and life satisfaction among family farmers, as well as to evaluate which characteristics might be associated with them. Method: The sample was composed of 30 farmers from the region of Viseu—Portugal, who were randomly selected for a survey consisting of an adaptation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), with some new items specific to the context of agriculture. A proposed Farmers’ Mindfulness and Life Satisfaction Scale (FMLSS) was validated through factor analysis and internal reliability analysis. Result: The results showed a relatively high average score for the 10 items of the mindfulness scale (4.23 ± 0.56) and the global sum of scores for the 5 items of the life satisfaction scale (26.67 ± 4.76). Factor analysis revealed six factors, globally explaining 77% of the variance, with values of alpha varying from 0.640 to 0.874. The FMLSS was validated with 19 items of the 20 initially considered (α = 0.672). Cluster analysis revealed two typologies of participants, “Pleased” and “Accommodated” family farmers. These two clusters had global values for the FMLSS of 5.19 ± 0.51 and 4.37 ± 0.59, with the higher value obtained for the “Pleased” family farmers, who were mostly of male gender and worked more hours per week and whose agricultural activities had higher significance for their family income. Conclusions: Overall, we observed a relatively high level of mindfulness and satisfaction with life among family farmers. This suggests the importance of future research on mental health among family farmers. Full article

The dairy industry relies on the health and well-being of dairy cows for the optimal production of milk and dairy products. Mastitis, a prevalent and economically burdensome disease characterized by udder inflammation, poses significant challenges to dairy farmers worldwide. In this study, we employed peptidomics to explore the peptide profiles of dry secretions collected from dairy cows at specific intervals during the dry-off period. We hypothesized that alterations in peptide composition during the dry period may influence pathogen proliferation and immune cell functioning, thereby impacting mastitis susceptibility. Our objectives were to investigate the following: (i) differences in peptide composition and alterations between healthy cows and those with subclinical mastitis, potentially serving as biomarkers for early mastitis detection and offering insights into udder bioprocesses; (ii) variations in peptide profiles between the early (day 2) and later (day 21) stages of the dry-off period during both health conditions. Dry secretions were collected from 16 udder quarters of 8 cows at two defined time points—Day 2 (D2) and Day 21 (D21)—during the dry period. Our results revealed distinct peptide patterns between healthy and subclinical mastitis cows, as well as temporal variations in peptide profiles throughout the dry-off period. A total of 1235 peptides, originating from 59 distinct proteins (primarily β-casein), were detected across the four groups: subclinical mastitis day 21 (SCM-D21), subclinical mastitis day 2 (SCM-D2), healthy day 21 (H-D21), and healthy day 2 (H-D2). Furthermore, 56 out of the 1235 peptides identified in total matched known functional peptides, with a total of 17 different functions including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory, suggesting their potential roles in mastitis pathogenesis and mammary gland physiology. Comparative analyses revealed changes in the levels of these functional peptides across the four different groups, suggesting their potential roles in regulating immune responses, oxidative stress, inflammatory processes, and other biological activities during subclinical mastitis and the dry-off period. These findings provide valuable insights into mastitis detection, management strategies, and dairy cow health monitoring, offering promising avenues for enhancing milk quality and dairy industry sustainability. Full article

While increased market participation and irrigation adoption hold promise, a critical gap exists in understanding the real-world impacts of these interventions on the welfare of smallholder farmers. Despite the theoretical advantages, little is known about the extent to which market participation improves smallholder livelihoods. Our sample of 250 farmers comprised both members and non-members of irrigation schemes in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, who were selected purposively and by random sampling, respectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to evaluate the impact of market participation on the welfare of smallholder farmers. The study confirmed moderately higher market participation among irrigators than non-irrigators. The findings also revealed that market participation significantly enhances income levels among smallholder farmers, with participants earning approximately 45% more than non-participants across all matching methods. This study reaffirms the critical role of market access in improving farmers’ well-being and highlights the need for policy interventions that facilitate smallholder integration into markets. It recommends sustained support for farmer training, the adoption of innovative agricultural practices to boost productivity, and improved access to extension services. These findings afford the significant insights that policymakers need to formulate effective poverty alleviation strategies and design well-structured and effective schemes that foster smallholder farmers’ market participation. Full article

Land use and land cover (LULC) change is a dynamic process influenced by various factors, including agricultural expansion. In Chile’s Aconcagua Basin, avocado plantations are potentially driving territorial transformations. However, current land cover data lacks the resolution required to accurately assess this impact. Accordingly, our study used advanced geospatial analysis techniques to address this gap. Through a detailed analysis of the spatial and temporal changes, it was determined that the most significant expansion of avocado plantations occurred between 2003 and 2013, with an increase of 402%. This growth primarily took place at the expense of native vegetation, particularly sclerophyllous shrubland, as well as other agricultural lands, near agricultural and urban lands. By 2023, changes in avocado plantation were significantly slower, with minimal alterations in LULC (5%), suggesting a possible influence of drought on small-scale farmers. However, the small loss of avocado plantation was mainly replaced by fruit farm land. Moreover, our findings suggest that while avocado plantations have become larger, more dominant, and more isolated, native vegetation has become more fragmented and reduced in patch size. Based on these results, sustainable land management practices were proposed. These findings provide a crucial foundation for developing sustainable land management strategies that balance agricultural production with environmental sustainability, landscape transformation and the well-being of local communities. Full article

As a cornerstone of agricultural modernization, agricultural mechanization plays a pivotal role in driving rural revitalization and establishing agricultural competitiveness. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of happiness economics, this study investigates the impact, mechanisms, and heterogeneous effects of agricultural machinery adoption on farmers’ subjective well-being, utilizing comprehensive household survey data collected from Jiangxi Province in July 2023. The empirical results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between agricultural machinery adoption and farmers’ subjective well-being, a finding that remains robust after addressing endogeneity concerns through instrumental variable approaches. The mechanism analysis reveals that the enhancement of well-being is primarily mediated through facilitated transitions to non-agricultural employment. The purpose of the mechanism analysis is to explain why agricultural mechanization adoption improves farmers’ subjective well-being. This analysis finds that agricultural mechanization adoption improves farmers’ subjective well-being by helping them transition to non-agricultural employment more smoothly. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the beneficial effects are more substantial among male farmers, individuals with higher educational attainment, and younger demographic groups. These findings suggest that policy interventions should focus on enhancing innovation in agricultural machinery technology, optimizing subsidy programs for agricultural equipment, improving rural education systems, and facilitating the structural transformation of rural labor markets. Full article

The livestock sector is crucial for global food security and economic development, particularly in developing nations, as it supports the livelihoods of approximately 1.3 billion people. However, with the global population expected to reach 9.2 billion by 2050, the sector must address increasing demand for livestock products while ensuring environmental sustainability. This study used the available literature to evaluate the economic viability of sustainable pasture and rangeland management practices to enhance livestock production. The key findings demonstrate that strategies such as rotational grazing and nitrogen fertilization can decrease winter feed costs by up to 40% while simultaneously improving pasture productivity and animal weight gains. Initial investments in these improved forage practices offer high internal rates of return, indicating their profitability. To guide sustainable pasture production and rangeland management, we propose a conceptual framework that balances cultivated pastures and natural rangelands. This framework assesses critical factors, including input costs, expected outputs (enhanced biodiversity and livestock production), and interventions to mitigate land degradation. For successful adoption of these practices, targeted policies are essential. Governments should develop financial support mechanisms for smallholder farmers, improve transportation infrastructure for efficient feed logistics, and provide technical assistance to educate producers on sustainable practices. Engaging stakeholders to align policies with local needs is also vital. By implementing these strategic interventions, the resilience of livestock systems can be strengthened, contributing to long-term sustainability and supporting food security and rural community well-being. Full article

Rodents play a role in the spread of disease and cause immense damage to produce and infrastructure, leading to food safety risks and economic losses for farmers. Farmers typically control rodent populations using rodenticide baits, which are expensive, and, when used incorrectly, are inefficient, and pose a risk to children, pets and wildlife. Cats may offer a safer, more efficient and cheaper option for farmers, but concerns for cats’ impact on wildlife and possible negative outcomes for their own welfare may lead to them being underutilized. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 people from 9 dairy farms in two regions, we explored the value cats have to dairy farmers and the perceived impact of the Australian Tax Office making working cat care tax deductible. The data gathered during interviews indicated that uncontrolled rodent populations have a detrimental impact on dairy farms and showed that farmers valued having cats due to their efficiency in pest control, monetary savings and companionship. They struggled to cover the cost of cat care, however, particularly costs like sterilization and vaccination, which are necessary to enhance cat welfare and protect native wildlife from diseases and cat overpopulation. Our findings demonstrate that dairy farmers value the working cats on their farms for rodent control. Allowing cat care to be tax deductible may enable farmers to provide care such as sterilization, vaccination and food, potentially improving farmers’ wellbeing and cat welfare whilst reducing cats’ impact on wildlife. It is strongly recommended that relevant industry bodies gather additional evidence from both dairy and other types of farming operations, and if results are consistent with the findings from our study, they lobby state and federal governments to consider that cats kept on farms for rodent control be considered tax deductible as they are in the US and UK and are also exempt from state cat registration and permit costs as working dogs are in Australia. Full article

Rodents on farms are a substantial issue due to the damage they cause to produce and infrastructure, and the risk they pose to food safety. As a result, farmers need to control rodent populations around farms. In a previous study, farmers indicated a preference for working cats, stating that they are a more efficient, safer, and cheaper alternative to rodenticide baits, and they provide companionship. However, farmers’ options for managing cat populations are often limited to lethal methods because of time and financial constraints. Through semi-structured interviews, this study explored the impacts of lethal cat management methods on farmers, their experience with a free cat sterilization program, and their views on a Barn Cat Program, whereby healthy stray cats would be vaccinated, sterilized, and made available to farmers. Our results indicated that farmers had a relationship with the cats on their farms and that using lethal methods to manage these cats had a negative impact on farmers’ wellbeing. Farmers supported the free cat sterilization program, as it reduced the cat population and their impact on wildlife, improved cat behavior and welfare, and benefited farmers. Farmers also generally supported a Barn Cat Program and gave suggestions on how best to promote it to other farmers. Funding should be provided for cat sterilization programs, as they support farmers, who value cats for rodent control and companionship, improve cat behavior and welfare, and reduce working cat populations and their impact on wildlife. Full article