Cashew nut plays a vital role in the economy of Kenya’s coastal region. This is especially so for Kilifi County, where the majority of farmers grow the crop and rely on it for their livelihood. However, in recent years, cashew nut productivity in the country has significantly declined. Agricultural cooperatives have the potential to address the challenge of declining productivity by enhancing farmers’ technical capacity, improving access to quality inputs and markets, and reducing transaction costs, thereby boosting productivity and livelihoods. Also, within the cashew value chains, cooperatives serve as a platform for disseminating knowledge, best practices and technological innovations, thereby improving production efficiency. Nonetheless, the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperatives remains low, limiting their transformative impact. This paper determines the key factors that influence the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperatives in Kilifi County with a view to identifying public policy and developmental interventions to boost participation and hence productivity and general livelihoods of the local communities. Using a multistage sampling technique, a sample of 394 smallholder farmers from Kilifi North was selected and primary cross-sectional data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were employed to analyze the data. The descriptive statistics revealed that 52
Compared to cereals, domestic grain legumes such as white lupins have significantly lower productivity in European agriculture, making them less attractive. This is because grain legumes were partly neglected in plant breeding for decades. To create incentives for breeding grain legumes, innovative governance structures are needed in plant breeding. This research presents a case study to investigate a private–public research and development cooperation between Deutsche Saatveredelung AG and Landwirtschaftliche Lehranstalten Triesdorf. The partnership aimed to develop new varieties of white lupins by making use of their complementary expertise. In addition, using a PESTEL analysis as a conceptual framework, the study identifies the external conditions that affect the success of new varieties of white lupins. Within the case study methodology, desk research and qualitative expert interviews are employed. Results show that white lupins are a diverse and healthy raw material for feed and food production, if a successful quality control program for the management of the risks from high alkaloid contents is followed. The analysis of the strategic alliance under investigation shed light on how aspects such as openness and trust were handled. Synergistic risk and resource sharing enabled participants to become pioneers in the rediscovery of white lupins in German agriculture. The study concludes by recommending stronger public sector involvement in grain legume breeding to support new breeding projects.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces an existential food security crisis driven by severe soil degradation, chronic nutrient deficiency, escalating abiotic stresses, and a rapidly growing population projected to double by 2050. While mineral fertilizer application remains critically low, averaging 9–17 kg/ha compared with a global average exceeding 135 kg/ha, conventional intensification pathways are financially inaccessible to most smallholder farmers and environmentally unsustainable. This study synthesizes evidence from 317 peer-reviewed studies (published 2010–2025) to quantify the effects of bio-inputs, including biofertilizers, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), biostimulants, and legume-based systems, and of advanced materials, including nanofertilizers (ZnO, SiO₂, Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles), biochar, and controlled-release formulations, on crop yield, nutrient use efficiency, and abiotic stress tolerance across SSA agroecological zones. Using a random-effects model and Hedges’ g as the standardized effect size, we observed a large positive standardized treatment effect (g = 0.91; 95
Agriculture in arid regions such as Egypt faces a structural trilemma of water scarcity, energy insecurity, and organic waste mismanagement, yet current sustainability assessments often overlook critical social dimensions and lack integrated, farm-level decision-making tools. This study addresses this gap by developing and applying a novel quadruple-bottom-line sustainability assessment framework that integrates the technical, environmental, economic, and social dimensions with context-specific weighting for the Egyptian agricultural context. The framework operationalizes a food affordability metric and uses crop-specific benchmarks to evaluate conventional and improved scenarios for wheat and maize production. The results from its application show that baseline systems achieve just over half (≈ 52
Digital twin (DT) technology is transforming agriculture. The DT refers to the virtual replicas of actual farming systems that are updated with real-time data, thereby transforming the way agricultural processes are monitored, simulated, and optimized. In recent years, DT in agriculture has attracted significant interest due to its innovations. This paper highlights the research landscape of DT in agriculture, describes key trends and major publications, and identifies new research directions. A total of 657 publications were identified across 23 academic disciplines, published in 87 countries, representing 32
Vegetable grafting is a sustainable horticultural technique that is widely used as a propagation method for improving crop tolerance to various environmental stresses, productivity and quality. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the global adoption, historical development, and major grafting techniques, including splice, cleft and tongue, as well as automated grafting approaches. It highlights the importance of understanding rootstock-scion interactions to improve seedling vigour, stress tolerance, and productivity. We discuss crucial mechanisms involving callus formation, vascular reconnection, hormonal signalling, and epigenetic regulation. Well-managed nursery and healing conditions are critical for producing quality grafted seedlings. It increases resistance to soil-borne pathogens, tolerance to abiotic stresses, and has beneficial effects on yield stability and fruit quality. Recent advancements in rootstock breeding and automation enable greater-scale reproduction of rootstocks to produce vegetables resilient to climate change, despite hurdles such as scion-rootstock incompatibility and high production costs.
Many established farmers in the United States are aging out of agriculture, raising questions about who will farm in the future and what draws new people into the profession. While previous research has described the financial and structural barriers facing beginning farmers, less attention has been given to how first-generation farmers understand their own reasons for farming and how they make sense of the work once they are in it. This study used a Heideggerian phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of three first-generation small-acreage farmers in the Western United States. Through semi-structured interviews, the study examined how participants described their motivations, challenges, and sense of identity as farmers. The findings suggest that participants did not understand farming primarily as a financial decision. Instead, they described farming as meaningful work tied to land, community, responsibility, and personal identity. Two broad patterns were identified: farming as an existential commitment, and a life shaped by tension and tradeoffs. Participants described fulfillment through feeding others, caring for the land, and building a life that felt purposeful. They also described financial uncertainty, administrative demands, limited time away from the farm, and social isolation. These findings are based on a small, context-specific sample and are not intended to be generalized to all beginning farmers. However, they suggest that efforts to support new farmers should address more than production skills, financing, and business planning. Farmer support programs may also need to consider the social, emotional, and identity-based dimensions of agricultural work.
Biochar is a stable, carbon rich by product obtained from pyrolysis of agricultural biomass and its amendment in soil represents a promising ecofriendly frontier in sustainable crop production. Production of biochar using various pyrolysis techniques offers a sustainable strategy for management of agricultural residues, forestry wastes, and other organic materials. Amendment of biochar (BC) in the soil improves soil structure and nutrient retention while serving as a supportive habitat for colonization of beneficial microbial communities that enhance nutrient availability and nutrient use efficiency, resulting in reduced fertilizer dependency of crop plants. Moreover, application of biochar has also emerged as a successful approach for boosting soil carbon sequestration, immobilization of heavy metals and organic pollutants, and in mitigation of greenhouse gases, thus contributing to ecological environment protection. Biochar is currently also gaining attention as a potentially valuable input for mitigating the impact of climate change-induced abiotic and biotic stresses in agriculture. In addition, fertilization with biochar alone or combined treatment with organic matter and/or beneficial microbes represents a promising approach in sustainable crop production in nutrient deficient soils under diverse agroecological conditions. However, the effectiveness of biochar varies with feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions and soil-crop-climate interactions. Therefore, tailored approaches considering all these factors are essential to maximize the benefits from biochar amendment. This review highlights current knowledge and technological challenges by linking fundamental mechanisms with applied outcomes for translating biochar-microbial innovations into commercially viable, environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems.
Water smart agriculture (WSA)—improved crop, soil, and water retention practices that support climate adaptation—is increasingly promoted in dryland countries such as Guatemala, where Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has used farmer field schools (FFS) to disseminate WSA knowledge. However, resource constraints can limit how much knowledge participants retain. We examine how perceived resource constraint affects retention of four WSA practices (permanent mulching, responsible nutrient management, integrated armyworm management, and visual soil evaluation) six months to a year after FFS participation, drawing on cognitive load theory to explain why some practices are harder to acquire than others. Using multivariate probit regression on survey data from 507 beneficiaries who attended CRS farmer field schools in Guatemala’s Dry Corridor between 2020 and 2021, we find that retention declines as both the cognitive load of a practice and participants’ perceived resource constraints increase, though education levels partially offset the former’s effect. Retention is strongest for practices like permanent mulching that build on locally established methods, and weakest for more cognitively intensive practices targeting long-term soil quality, though land tenure improves retention of the latter. These findings carry practical implications for future programming, which should offset resource constraints long enough for WSA practices to take hold and align guidance with existing agricultural practices and measurement methods, while attending to the pedagogical role of women as household-level trainers.
Phenotypic determinants of milk production, reproductive performance, and dairy value of stud British Alpine dairy goats across South African agro-ecological zones (AEZs) were evaluated using 2422 performance records from 3037 pedigreed animals spanning 1960–2024, extracted from the national Integrated Registration and Genetic Information System (INTERGIS). Data were analysed using a restricted maximum likelihood (REML) mixed model, with breeder, AEZ, birth season, breed purity class, and parity as fixed effects; sire, dam, and animal as random effects; and genotype × AEZ interaction fitted to assess environment-specific breed expression. Phenotypic correlations were estimated, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to resolve major axes of multivariate variation. Mean separation was conducted using Tukey’s HSD (p < 0.05). Breeder was the dominant source of variation across most traits, highlighting herd-level management as the primary driver of phenotypic performance. Agro-ecological zone significantly influenced peak yield, milk persistency, litter size, birth difficulty, and dam longevity. Does in humid zones recorded the highest peak yield (2.55 ± 0.33 kg/day) and persistency (63.6 ± 2.9
Vetch, a highly valued herbaceous legume for livestock, was studied in Northern Ethiopia from 2021 to 2023 to analyze genotype by environment interaction (GEI) in multi-environment trials (MET) and identify adaptable vetch genotypes. Combined analysis of variance (ANOVA), AMMI ANOVA and Eberhart and Russell regression for forage yield were analyzed. GGE, AMMI1 and AMMI2 bi-plots for forage yield of vetch genotypes were created. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation network plots were created, along with the analysis of multi-trait stability index (MTSI) for agronomic traits. AMMI stability measures, Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) based indexes; parametric and non-parametric statistics were computed using R-statistical software. AMMI ANOVA revealed significant effects of genotype (G) (28.35
This research addresses the mechanization challenges in the System of Wheat Intensification (SWI) by designing and developing an 8-row tractor-drawn planter. The planter is designed to sow wheat seeds in a square pattern, featuring two spacing options for both inter-row and intra-row distances (0.2 × 0.2 m or 0.25 × 0.25 m). The planter is capable of opening furrows, placing seeds at a depth of 5 cm, and firmly covering and pressing the soil around them. Agronomic performance evaluations were carried out at two speeds (1.5 km/h and 2 km/h) of planter using treated and untreated seeds, and compared the performance with conventional sowing and manual SWI planting. The planter had a draft requirement of 3.2 kN and resulted in significantly better seed germination and grain yield compared to conventional or manually sown SWI. The machine-sown SWI plots had an average of 23.3–24.8 hills (planting points) per square meter, with 2–3 plants per hill. It was observed that 87
Climate change impacts are more severe and frequent in countries vulnerable to climate. Evidence indicates that Nature-based solutions (NbS) are widely used as cost-effective and sustainable adaptation strategies; however, their effectiveness varies across ecological, institutional, and socio-economic contexts. Our understanding of NbS for agricultural climate adaptation remains limited. This study systematically reviews the role of NbS in agricultural adaptation using PRISMA guidelines. Using keywords such as “NbS,” “climate adaptation,” and “agriculture,” along with their synonyms, a total of 2696 related papers in Scopus were identified. After applying relevant filters, 1740 articles were selected. During screening, 301 studies were relevant to the objectives, and after full review, 21 articles were finalized for inclusion. The methodology across these studies is diverse, including empirical methods, choice experiments, spatial modelling, policy reviews, and household surveys. The study uses VOSviewer software for network analysis, revealing several interconnected factors related to NbS for agricultural adaptation. In the word cloud analysis, key terms such as “farmer,” “agriculture,” and “practices” emerge as important. This research finds that approaches such as agroforestry, Eco-based adaptation, natural flood management, and climate-resilient crops are most frequently examined. The evidence shows that NbS are particularly effective for small farmers; therefore, they should be prioritized. However, NbS face governance and financing challenges. To address these issues, public–private partnerships involving NGOs, NPOs, and NbS should be developed and implemented in consultation with stakeholders. Finally, the review highlights several research gaps and limitations.
Silicon-rich biochar (Sichar) is increasingly evaluated as a functional option in sustainable agriculture by aligning carbon storage pathways with ecological insect pest management frameworks. This review synthesizes the investigated mechanisms through which Sichar modifies plant defenses against insect herbivores across diverse ecosystems. When derived from high-silicon biomass, Sichar applications can increase the concentration of available silicic acid in the soil solution, which frequently correlates with the deposition of structural opaline silica barriers within plant vegetative tissues to physically impede specific chewing and piercing-sucking insect pests. Beyond acting as a mechanical barrier, soil-applied Sichar has been shown to alter systemic defenses by modulating endogenous phytohormone-signaling pathways, particularly those mediated by jasmonic acid and salicylic acid, potentially upregulating the biosynthesis of specific defense-related secondary metabolites. These biochemical shifts influence host-plant resistance traits and may simultaneously affect the recruitment of natural enemies via modified emissions of volatile organic compounds that mediate tritrophic interactions. Furthermore, Sichar amendments modify soil physicochemical properties and nutrient cycling, creating a rhizosphere environment that can support beneficial soil microbial communities and maintain baseline plant vigor metrics. Although Sichar assists in managing specific synthetic pesticide residues through surface adsorption or microbial-mediated degradation pathways, its variable influence on non-target beneficial organisms and localized soil moisture dynamics requires systematic evaluation. Optimizing pyrolysis parameters and field application strategies allows Sichar to function as an integrated component of integrated pest management frameworks that align with the principles of a circular economy. This synthesis establishes an evidence-based framework for future empirical research aimed at quantifying and validating the protective parameters of Sichar in diversified cropping systems. Silicon-rich biochar (Sichar) soil deposition modifies structural opaline barriers and alters endogenous phytohormone-signaling pathways, which can suppress the feeding performance and population growth parameters of specific chewing and piercing-sucking insect feeding guilds. Rhizosphere amendments utilizing Sichar influence insect herbivore development, which is frequently associated with delayed nymphal and larval maturation, reduced fecundity, and a reduction in observed crop tissue damage. Sichar serves as an ecologically integrated soil conditioner within targeted integrated pest management frameworks, offering a potential cultural mechanism to decrease reliance on synthetic chemical insecticides.
Farmers in the Indus River Basin often irrigate their crops using surface irrigation on uneven fields, resulting in reduced irrigation performance and high irrigation demand. Assessment of irrigation performance is essential for reducing irrigation water use and identifying viable solutions. This study assesses the efficacy of Laser Land Leveling (LLL) in improving irrigation performance indicators and reducing water demands for wheat crops in the Indus basin. We used the calibrated irrigation simulation tool, Windows tool for Surface Irrigation Field Research (WinSRFR) to simulate irrigation water use after laser land leveling and conventional land leveling. Subsequently, an estimate of the potential reduction in irrigation water demand due to LLL was spatially extrapolated using process-based crop-hydrology model, Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land, (LPJmL). Results showed the highest potential reduction in irrigation demand on sandy loam fields (50
Maize farming plays a central role in food security and household income in South Kivu. However, the process of intensification of this agro-ecosystem remains poorly studied in the agro-ecological zones of South Kivu. Therefore, which intensive agricultural practices are adopted within maize farms in South Kivu, and how are these practices influenced by farm characteristics and distribution? This study aimed to characterize maize farms based on their level of intensification, to evaluate their distribution and to identify the socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of intensive agricultural practices. A quantitative survey was conducted among 287 farmers distributed across Kabare (91), Walungu (100), and Uvira (96). Data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to establish the typology, completed by logistic regression to estimate the determinants of adoption. Four types of maize farms were identified: low-intensive farms, large farms with moderate adoption, diversified farms with partial adoption, and highly intensive farms. Low-intensive farms (43.5
Bread wheat is a vital crop for Ethiopia’s food security, with expanding cultivation driven by variety development efforts and strategic national initiatives. This study presents a multi-environment trial (MET) analysis to evaluate the genetic performance of 140 unique bread wheat genotypes, using data from 20 trials conducted across Ethiopia’s major wheat-growing regions. Each trial was designed using a row-column design (RCD) arranged in a rectangular array of plots. Four traits —grain yield (GYLD), hectoliter weight (HLW), days to heading (DTH), and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were considered in the analysis. We fitted a factor analytic linear mixed model (FAMM) based on a one-stage approach. Spatial models were fitted to account for field trends, while factor analytic (FA) model was used to model genotype-by-environment (G × E) effects. Model comparisons showed that the FA model consistently outperformed the diagonal (DIAG) model across all traits, offering greater flexibility capturing the variation in G × E effects. Heritability estimates were generally high, especially for DTH, which also showed strong genetic correlations across environments highlighting its reliability as a selection trait. In contrast, yield-related traits exhibited complex G × E patterns and variable heritability, reflecting their polygenic nature and environmental sensitivity. While the highest-yielding check variety, Balcha, retained its lead in GYLD, three genotypes—EBW202104, EBW202110, and EBW193155—demonstrated stable and competitive performance across environments for multiple traits, particularly grain quality and maturity. This makes them strong candidates for varietal release and registration for commercial production in Ethiopia. Future research should integrate genomic and environmental data.
In the high Andean regions of Ancash, Peru, limited high-protein forage during dry seasons challenges livestock feeding. A locally adapted ecotype of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) grows spontaneously and shows resilience to harsh conditions. This study evaluates its agro-morphological traits, forage and seed yields, and chemical composition to assess its potential as a sustainable forage resource for improving livestock nutrition in the region. This study was conducted using a completely randomized design with four plant spacing treatments: 10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm, maintaining a fixed row spacing of 30 cm. Seeds were collected from smallholder agricultural fields during the dry season. The highest plant densities, particularly 10 and 20 cm spacing, produced greater dry biomass. The forage biomass contained nitrogen (5.08
Feed costs constrain smallholder broiler profitability, yet feeding strategies are often assessed mainly on growth performance. This study compared commercial, concentrate-based and home-mixed feeding systems under participatory farmer-managed conditions at two Zambian sites. Six farmer hosts implemented all three systems, producing 18 treatment-group units of approximately 10 birds each. Individual-bird observations were aggregated to treatment-group level before analysis. Feeding system and site were fixed effects, while farmer host was a random blocking effect. Feeding system significantly affected live weight, F(2,10) = 14.56, P = 0.001. Commercial feeding produced the greatest adjusted mean live weight (2.55 kg, 95
Cover crops can improve soil health, and there is growing interest in identifying how soil microbes mediate some of the benefits provided by cover crops. However, most studies analyzing cover crop short-term effects on the soil microbiome have been conducted in controlled settings such as greenhouses, while field studies have focused on accumulated, longer-term effects. We conducted a short-term field experiment in northern Colorado with four different cover crop species (Secale cereale (rye), Vicia villosa, Brassica napus, and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum)) and a fallow control grown from August 2022 to May 2023. Maize was then planted in all plots and subsequently harvested in fall 2023. Soil samples collected at cover crop termination and peak maize biomass were analyzed for soil extracellular enzymes, organic carbon, nitrogen, soil aggregate stability, and microbial community metrics. Prior to cover crop termination, rye and Brassica napus increased aggregate stability and nitrogen-cycling enzyme activity, respectively, relative to other treatments. The cover crop treatment effects only persisted into the following corn crop for the rye treatment via increased carbon and phosphorus cycling enzyme activity relative to sorghum, the one cover crop that winter-killed. While microbial community diversity indices did not differ by cover crop treatment, microbial community richness was correlated with soil enzyme activity under different cover crops. Our research shows that within a single season, cover crops can modify aspects of the soil microbiome and influence soil functions, demonstrating the potential scalability of findings from controlled studies to more complex field environments.
