This review critically examines the potential of biomass as a renewable energy source in Japan, a country abundant in forest resources yet facing significant challenges in biomass utilization. Key obstacles include geographical constraints, outdated forest inventories, technological gaps, labor shortages, and high operational costs. Through a systematic literature analysis, the study comprehensively assesses the multifaceted implications of biomass energy on energy security, climate change mitigation, environmental sustainability, and waste management. Adoption of sustainable forest management practices and robust carbon accounting can substantially reduce life-cycle emissions, thereby enhancing the viability of biomass as an energy source. The paper highlights strategic approaches such as pellet production, co-firing biomass with coal, and forest regeneration initiatives as vital pathways toward a low-carbon energy system. Additionally, it explores the role of residual thermal energy from biomass combined heat and power plants in fostering a circular bioeconomy, thereby supporting rural development and resilience. Despite operational barriers including labor deficits and supply chain inefficiencies, the review advocates for targeted investments, comprehensive policy reforms, and cross-sector collaborations to optimize biomass utilization. Finally, future research directions are proposed to enhance biomass harvesting efficiency and diversify feedstock sources, aiming to strengthen Japan’s bioenergy sector for a sustainable future.

This study evaluates rice and potato yield simulation under varying irrigation regimes in subtropical India using the CERES–Rice and SUBSTOR–Potato models. Field data from 2018–2019 were used for model calibration and 2019–2020 for validation, showing strong agreement between observed and simulated yields over different treatments (RMSEn: 15.5% for rice grain yield, 10.5% for potato tuber fresh yield). Future climate projections under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios indicate a yield decline of less than 5% for irrigated rice, while rainfed rice may experience an 8–11% reduction. Potato fresh tuber yields could decline by 15% and 22% under furrow irrigation and by 17% and 25% under drip irrigation in RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, respectively. Agro–adaptation strategies were assessed to mitigate yield losses, focusing on nitrogen (N) management and planting time adjustments. Increasing N fertilizer levels by 25% over recommended dose helps sustain yields. Delayed planting (Jul 30–Aug 15) maintains irrigated rice yields, whereas rainfed rice suffers declines with late planting. For potatoes, early planting (Nov 1) exacerbates yield reductions, while planting on Nov 27 sustains yields. These findings highlight the role of irrigation, nutrient management, and optimized planting schedules in enhancing crop resilience under climate change, offering valuable insights for sustainable water and nutrient use.

Biopesticides are emerging as a crucial component of sustainable pest management in India; however, their adoption remains limited, despite policy support and growing consumer demand for residue-free produce. This study offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Indian biopesticide sector, examining its market structure, regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and regional consumption patterns. Using the nationally representative NSS data and econometric analysis, we identify socioeconomic and institutional determinants of farmers’ expenditure on both chemical pesticides and biopesticides across key rice-growing states. The results show that factors such as agricultural training, household size, membership in farmer organizations, access to crop insurance, and expenditure on key inputs significantly influence the adoption of biopesticides, whereas formal education has a limited effect. The analysis also reveals significant regional disparities, with a small number of states accounting for nearly half of the nation’s biopesticide consumption. We discuss how India’s pragmatic regulatory approach, cost-effective domestic manufacturing, and targeted public initiatives provide a scalable model for promoting sustainable crop protection in other developing regions. Policy recommendations focus on streamlining registration, strengthening extension services, supporting private sector participation, and enhancing research on locally adapted, high-efficacy products. By integrating market, regulatory, and behavioural perspectives, this study advances the evidence base for scaling biopesticide use, offering insights relevant to agricultural sustainability and food safety in both India and the wider Global South.

This policy brief examines governance and financing gaps that hinder effective forest conservation across Southeast Asia, highlighting the importance of securing Indigenous and local communities’ rights and participation. It proposes coordinated action through stronger transboundary governance, inclusive landscape-based forest management, participatory monitoring and evaluation, and innovative regional financing mechanisms to safeguard forests and strengthen climate resilience.

Batik is a traditional Indonesian textile that was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. The batik industry, which originated from micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), has successfully driven the micro- and microeconomy. Batik production involves several stages that require the use of various chemicals, resulting in the generation of hazardous effluent. This effluent contains harmful contaminants, such as dyes, heavy metals, and organic/inorganic compounds, which pose environmental and health risks. Due to limitations in facilities, batik effluent is often improperly treated. Effective and efficient wastewater treatment solutions are needed, especially for MSMEs, which dominate the batik industry in Indonesia. This manuscript describes the potential contaminants arising from batik production, implemented countermeasures and treatment methods, and recommended low-cost, effective treatment methods considering the conditions of MSMEs. Several findings on contaminants from batik production should be addressed immediately by government regulation and by MSMEs through appropriate treatment methods. Appropriate treatment of batik waste not only protects and conserves the health of the surrounding environment but also improves the sustainability of the microeconomy of the community and the preservation of batik culture itself.

Urban poverty and water pollution are interconnected challenges that severely impact the quality of life in cities, particularly among vulnerable populations. Wastewater generation is a significant issue associated with the expansion of informal settlements in developing countries. Given the growing interest in reusing wastewater for agriculture, this study assesses the social feasibility of introducing urban agriculture as a decentralized wastewater treatment approach in underserved areas of Colombo, Sri Lanka. A questionnaire survey was conducted in a selected underserved settlement to evaluate public willingness to use treated wastewater for farming as an irrigation source and biosolids. The results show that 62 % of participants are willing to use treated wastewater for irrigation, while only 40.4 % are open to using biosolids for fertilizer, highlighting the social feasibility of promoting urban agriculture in underserved settlements as a wastewater treatment technique. Binary logistic regression analysis and marginal analysis suggest that household size, interest in farming and motivation for farming have key influence on public willingness for use treated wastewater for urban farming actvities. The insights from this study contribute to academic discourse and offer practical guidance for policymakers and urban planners to understand the social acceptability of using agriculture as a decentralized wastewater treatment approach in urban underserved communities to promote sustainable wastewater management practices and reduce urban water pollution.

Rice and potato are staple crops vital to food security, yet their cultivation is increasingly threatened by climate change—particularly due to water scarcity, rising temperatures, and elevated atmospheric CO2 levels. This review aims to assess climate-resilient strategies for sustainable rice and potato production by synthesizing field-based research and modeling studies. A traditional narrative approach was adopted to review peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2024 sourced from major academic databases, focusing on irrigation innovations, nutrient management, mulching, and agronomic adaptations. Techniques such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and drip irrigation were found to enhance water use efficiency (WUE) and maintain or increase yields when paired with optimized nitrogen (N) application and planting dates. The role of crop simulation models—such as DSSAT, WOFOST, and ORYZA—is emphasized for scenario analysis and adaptive planning. The review also highlights the complementary value of field-based practices like regulated deficit irrigation and use of stress-tolerant cultivars. Future efforts should prioritize field validation, improved integration of models with on-farm practices, and socioeconomic assessments to guide context-specific adoption. Overall, this synthesis provides a framework for strengthening the resilience and sustainability of rice–potato systems through integrated research, precision agronomy, and targeted policy support.

The paper presents a systematic review of how microplastics perception studies are conducted across the globe with their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implications. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed 70 research articles and analyzed them by geographical location, research methods, factors influencing microplastic perception, and their implications for the SDGs. Microplastics are strongly associated with marine litter and plastic pollution, given their interconnectedness. Methodologically, around 70 % of research is based on primary data sources, particularly surveys (e.g., questionnaires, online surveys, telephone surveys). Social factors such as education and gender are the most significant factors shaping microplastics perception. The SDG implications remain largely undocumented while some studies underscore sustainability challenges posed by microplastics.

Floods have become a significant economic and social issue in many cities around the world. Urban wetlands have garnered considerable attention as a nature-based solution (NbS) for urban flood control. However, due to rapid urbanization and the lack of economic recognition of wetlands' flood management functions, their role as an NbS is often undermined by unsustainable urban planning. This study evaluates the role of the Colombo Wetland Complex (CWC) in Sri Lanka as a nature-based solution for managing stormwater in the Colombo Metropolitan Area, and the impact of urbanization on this function. Between 2001 and 2024, the CWC complex has seen a reduction in the average annual area of 0.12km²/year. Additionally, the unit value of the CWC for flood control purposes is approximately USD 72.08 per square meter. The findings of this study provide crucial insights for a wide range of stakeholders, including urban planners, hydrologists, engineers, decision-makers, environmentalists, and the public. These insights emphasize the economic, ecological, and social benefits of integrating the CWC into urban planning agendas and flood management plans as an NbS, compared to traditional flood intervention methods.

This study examines the water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) at the household level in rural Zimbabwe, focusing on how sugarcane farming affects local communities’ access to and management of essential resources. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap in understanding household-level WEFN dynamics in developing countries, where resource interdependencies are particularly pronounced and vulnerable populations face multiple livelihood challenges. A mixed methods approach was employed, involving quantitative household surveys (n = 143) in six selected villages to assess resource access and livelihood outcomes. It included 12 key informant interviews with local leaders, agricultural extension officers, non-governmental organizations (NGO) representatives, and academic experts. Four gender-segregated focus group discussions captured community perspectives on WEFN dynamics. Participatory ranking exercises allowed households to prioritize key factors influencing their resource security. Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) were utilized to visualize feedback mechanisms and interactions within household WEFN systems. The study found significant differentiated impacts between sugarcane-participating and non-participating households. While sugarcane farming enhanced food security and energy access for participating households through improved income generation and infrastructure development, non-participating households experienced trade-offs, including reduced access to grazing land, increased distances for firewood collection, and environmental degradation. Biofuel processing increased river contamination, particularly affecting downstream communities. CLDs identified key feedback loops, showing that longer firewood collection distances limit time for agricultural activities, thus impacting household income and food production. The study recommends context-specific interventions, such as revitalizing community granaries and integrating solar-powered irrigation and aquaculture projects to improve households’ WEFN. The research emphasizes the importance of systems thinking to understand resource interdependencies and create inclusive interventions for both beneficiaries and affected communities of land use changes. The study contributes to evidence-based policies for sustainable agriculture and equitable resource governance in developing countries.

Due to the scarcity of land, small-scale agriculture farming is more suitable in the urban context. But there are significant knowledge gaps that remain regarding small-scale urban food production systems, especially, in developing countries. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the farmers’ perception of the multifunctional benefits of small-scale urban agriculture activities in Sri Lanka and the factors determining (demographic, farm management, and economic) those perceptions. A perception survey was conducted for 402 small-scale farmers in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Ordinal regression was applied to uncover farmers' perceptions of the social, economic, and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. Demographic data, farm management, and economic data were used as independent variables. According to the results, farmers have a positive perception of all three benefit categories, social, economic, and environmental, but it is comparatively higher for the environmental benefits followed by social benefits. Moreover, the study found the farmer’s age, education level, farm size, urban agriculture type, farming involvement, number of crops, and main family income as statistically significant factors that affect their perception of the three categories of benefits but in different ways.

The reliance on synthetic pesticides for pest management in crop production has led to adverse environmental impacts such as pollution, non-target organism harm, and the development of pesticide-resistant crop pests. In response, biopesticides have emerged as a sustainable alternative, including microbial pesticides, biochemicals from micro-organisms and natural sources, and genetic processes for pest protection in agriculture. Despite their benefits, the adoption of biopesticides remains low in India. This paper provides a summary of global and national biopesticide markets, tracks trends in biopesticide demand and consumption in India at national and state levels, identifies determinants of expenditure on biopesticides, and reviews regulatory systems in selected countries. The findings indicate slow growth in biopesticide consumption in India, emphasizing the need for government intervention to promote this sector. Our analysis suggests that farmer organizations can play a crucial role in promoting farmers' expenditure on biopesticides. India can learn from regulatory systems in other countries to streamline the registration process and ensure adherence to safety and efficacy standards. Biopesticides offer an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, reducing pollution and supporting ecological balance in agriculture. Therefore, promoting their formulation and utilization is essential for advancing sustainable agricultural development and mitigating the environmental impact of chemical pesticides.

ABSTRACTSoutheast Asia (SEA) has experienced frequent floods and droughts, posing severe challenges for farmers, agricultural scientists and extension officers. Consequently, crop modelling has become imperative in developing agricultural production systems and making informed decisions at the field level. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) can be effectively utilised at both farm and regional levels to assess the influence of climate change on production across different spatial scales. Moreover, it supports planning adaptation strategies tailored to the needs of farmers. The one-week hands-on training workshop aims to enhance technical and scientific proficiency in crop simulation modelling and evaluate the effects of climate risks on agricultural production systems in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. A total of 62 participants from the selected countries, including Singapore and Ethiopia, were joined in the training. Among them were 48 male and 24 female individuals, comprising researchers, students, scientists, academicians and extension officers. The participants predominantly acquired knowledge of crop simulation modelling techniques by utilising existing case examples and lecture materials from the DSSAT foundation. Furthermore, the training workshops establish research networks and collaborations among the participant countries, facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge related to innovative farm management practices and fostering interactions between local agricultural communities and scientists.

This study investigates the adoption of water-saving irrigation technologies, specifically drip and sprinklers, within India's semi-arid states. Utilizing a probit model and data sourced from the India Human Development Survey-II, the research scrutinizes a sample size of 2891 households while engaging in focus group discussions. The findings highlight several key factors significantly impacting technology adoption, including education, caste, employment status, household income, orchard ownership, landholding size, irrigation source, access to irrigation, the Kisan Credit Card scheme, and utilization of electric and diesel pumps. Moreover, the study uncovers state-specific variations driven by factors such as water resources, crop patterns, and government policies, ultimately shaping the adoption landscape of specific irrigation technologies. Focus group discussions conducted in Andhra Pradesh reveal prominent challenges faced, including limited subsidies, high costs associated with adoption, and crop-specific irrigation requirements. In light of these findings, the study emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive approach to achieve water conservation and enhance livelihoods. This approach advocates for the integration of joint farming practices, water-sharing methods, supportive financial policies encompassing subsidies and accessible credit facilities, and the implementation of sustainable government social schemes. Such integrated efforts are deemed imperative for fostering resilient societies amidst evolving agricultural and environmental landscapes.

Water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation and straw mulching are aligned with sustainable agriculture as they enhance soil health, preserve water resources, and improve crop production. Understanding their combined impact, especially in subtropical rice-potato cropping system, is crucial. This study delves into the economic feasibility and impact on soil fertility when adopting drip irrigation and straw mulching. Field experiments demonstrated that using rice straw as mulch significantly increased nutrient availability, with available nitrogen (N) increasing by 15