Download or read book Sustainability of Agrosilvopastoral Systems written by Susanne Schnabel and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume is organized in six sections.

Download or read book Sustainability of Agrosilvopastoral Systems written by Susanne Schnabel and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains selected papers presented during the Symposium "Sustainability of Dehesas, Montados and other Agrosilvopastoral Systems", held in Caceres, Spain, between September 21 and 24, 2003. Agrosilvopastoral systems are widespread in the Mediterranean but are also found in other areas of the world having similar climatic conditions. In the southern and western part of the Iberian Peninsula these land use systems have existed for many centuries, and are commonly formed by open evergreen oak woodlands, covering approximately 4 million hectares. These are areas referred to as the montados and dehesas of Portugal and Spain, which traditionally are exploited by multiple land use including livestock breeding, forestry and cultivation. The importance of these areas rests on both environmental as well as socio-economic values. They support an outstanding diversity of wildlife, form unique landscapes, are the source of high-quality food derived from animal production, sustain rural population, and constitute an important basis for the growing demand of rural leisure and tourism. However, these areas have undergone rapid changes during the second half of the 20th century, shifting from traditional farming systems with very low external energy inputs to more simplified systems causing decreasing diversity of land use and inadequate management techniques. Land degradation is recognized as a significant problem in many of the dehesas and montados, including the lack of tree regeneration, which threatens the future of the woodlands as well as soil erosion, soil degradation and increased runoff production. A common feature is the coexistence of extensification and intensification, causing different problems of degradation. For example, headage payments led to an unchecked increase in animal numbers, thus increasing the risk of soil and pasture degradation. On the other hand, abandonment of livestock breeding produced vegetation changes, leading to shrub encroachment, and an increased risk of wildfires. The book addresses both academics and practitioners interested in land degradation and conservation of areas with agrosilvopastoral land use in Mediterranean environments or other semi-arid areas with strong seasonal contrasts. The editors hope that the volume will contribute to the sustainable management of such landscapes. The volume is organized in six sections. General aspects of agrosilvopastoral systems in the Mediterranean basin are presented in Section 1. The contribution by Papanastasis describes the variety of land uses found in these systems, subject to recent changes and their effect on vegetation degradation. The role of grazing is analyzed by Enne et al. and Campos-Palacin presents reflections on the sustainable economics of agroforestry systems. Two case studies on land use and land cover changes in dehesas close this section. Section two is dedicated to economic and social aspects of agrosilvopastoral systems. In the third section studies on soil water dynamics and soil degradation are presented, including a modeling approach for analyzing stability in grazing systems. Chapter four examines the linkages between livestock and vegetation, and chapter five presents several studies on tree cover and forest use. The final section is dedicated to the sustainability and management of agrosilvopastoral systems, including studies from the Mediterranean basin as well as from Mediterranean California.

Download or read book Building climate resilient dryland forests and agrosilvopastoral production systems written by Haddad, F.F., Ariza, C., Malmer, A. and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2021-03-19 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With climate change impacts already felt in the world’s drylands, there is an urgent need for action, at various scales and initiated by different stakeholders, to ensure the sustainability of food production and livelihoods in these regions in the coming decades. There is also the need to rapidly establish baselines, assess and start monitoring progress on sustainability, emerging as result of the action taken. To aid in this effort, this paper provides a short list of expected transformations (under each of the three sustainability pillars) for guiding the planning and implementation of policy, governance and practice-level actions. Gender and indigenous people’s rights and knowledge will be considered cross-cutting issues. The expected transformations will be shared with and agreed by dryland experts and practitioners and will be complemented with additional relevant information sources and indicators. However, it is recommended that national and subnational governments, programmes, projects and individual practitioners and experts define the indicators they will use for measuring their own progress towards the expected transformations, based on the availability of data and specific national and local conditions.The paper will also present case studies portraying actions that have led to progress in sustainability and are directly related to the expected transformations. A related policy brief Blooming Drylands will complement the paper and offer practical recommendations on how policymakers can reach the expected transformations.

Download or read book Sustainability of Agrosilvopastoral Systems written by Susanne Schnabel and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume is organized in six sections.

Download or read book The Sustainability of Agro Food and Natural Resource Systems in the Mediterranean Basin written by Antonella Vastola and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-04-24 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is focused on the challenges to implement sustainability in diverse contexts such as agribusiness, natural resource systems and new technologies. The experiences made by the researchers of the School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Science (SAFE) of the University of Basilicata offer a wide and multidisciplinary approach to the identification and testing of different solutions tailored to the economic, social and environmental characteristics of the region and the surrounding areas. Basilicata’s productive system is mainly based on activities related to the agricultural sector and exploitation of natural resources but it has seen, in recent years, an industrial development driven by the discovery of oil fields. SAFE research took up the challenge posed by market competition to create value through the sustainable use of renewable and non-renewable resources of the territory. Moreover, due to its unique geographical position in the middle of the Mediterranean basin, Basilicata is an excellent “open sky” laboratory for testing sustainable solutions adaptable to other Mediterranean areas. This collection of multidisciplinary case studies and research experiences from SAFE researchers and their scientific partners is a stimulating contribution to the debate on the development of sustainable techniques, methods and applications for the Mediterranean regions.

Download or read book Sustainable Agro silvopastoral Systems for Small Farmers in the Central American Dry Topics written by and published by Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE. This book was released on with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Methods and Procedures for Building Sustainable Farming Systems written by Ana Alexandra Marta-Costa and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-10-20 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Showing how the method of sustainability assessment plays a key role in choosing the best agricultural productive mode, this book guides the reader through the process of selecting, from among the various approaches for building farming systems, the method of decision-making that will result in the most appropriate outcome, given the context. Case studies hail from polities as diverse as Portugal and Canada, Argentina and Lebanon. The work thus offers a valuable critical survey of the assessment methods that account for sustainability and economics, and which have developed considerably in the last two decades. The heterogeneous approaches covered here make this volume appropriate for consultation in a wide variety of social, political and geographical contexts.

Download or read book Agro Environmental Sustainability written by Jay Shankar Singh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-02-14 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This two-volume work is a testament to the increasing interest in the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and food security. Advances in microbial technologies are explored in chapters dealing with topics such as carbon sequestration, soil fertility management, sustainable crop production, and microbial signaling networks. Volume I is a collection of research findings that invites readers to examine the application of microbes in reinstating degraded ecosystems and also in establishing sustainable croplands. Highly readable entries attempt to close the knowledge gap between soil microbial associations and sustainable agriculture. An increase in the global population with changing climate is leading to environments of various abiotic and biotic stresses for agricultural crops. It therefore becomes important to identify the techniques to improve soil fertility and function using different microbial groups such as actinobacteria, microalgae, fluorescent pseudomonads and cyanobacterial systems. These are examined in this volume in greater detail. This work is a significant contribution to research in this increasingly important discipline, and will appeal to researchers in microbiology, agriculture, environmental sciences, and soil and crop sciences.

Download or read book Sustainable Agricultural Systems written by Clive A. Edwards and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2020-11-25 with total page 718 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique look at how the adoption of sustainable farming methods is being pursued throughout the world. This comprehensive book provides clear insight into research and education needs and the many points of view that come to bear on the issue of sustainability. Essential for agricultural leaders in research, education, conservation, policy making, and anyone else interested in creating an economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture worldwide.

Download or read book Sustainability of the Agri food System Strategies and Performances written by Bernardo De Gennaro and published by Universitas Studiorum. This book was released on 2014-11-01 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2013 annual conference of the Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA) has been held in the attractive scenario of the city of Lecce under the organization of three different Universities of the Apulia Region (Università degli Studi di Bari, Università degli Studi di Foggia and Università del Salento). The scientific theme of the 50th SIDEA Conference has been “Sustainability of the agri-food system: Strategies and Performances” (Sostenibilità del Sistema Agroalimentare: strategie e performance). With such a topic, the SIDEA intended to cope with the challenges coming from a growing demand of food in a world where critical natural resources such as water, energy and land are becoming increasingly scarce and climate change is posing credible threats. The agri-food system and the broader bio-based economy are, in fact, human activities where the classic dimensions of sustainability (ecological, economic and social) are gaining a striking weight often showing evidence of frictions. Despite a significant growth in food production over the past century, today one of the most important challenges facing agro-food system is how to feed a growing population.

Download or read book Forgotten Agricultural Heritage written by Parviz Koohafkan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-11-25 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporary agriculture is often criticized for its industrial scale, adverse effects on nutrition, rural employment and the environment, and its disconnectedness from nature and culture. Yet there are many examples of traditional smaller scale systems that have survived the test of time and provide more sustainable solutions while still maintaining food security in an era of climate change. This book provides a unique compilation of this forgotten agricultural heritage and is based on objective scientific evaluation and evidence of the value of these systems for present and future generations. The authors refer to many of these systems as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and show how they are related to the concepts of heritage and the World Heritage Convention. They demonstrate how GIAHS based on family farms, traditional indigenous knowledge and agroecological principles can contribute to food and nutrition security and the maintenance of agro-biodiversity and environmental resilience, as well as sustain local cultures, economies and societies. Two substantial chapters are devoted to descriptions and assessments of some 50 examples of designated and potential GIAHS from around the world, including rice-fish culture in China, mountain terrace systems in Asia, coffee agroforestry in Latin America, irrigation systems and land and water management in Iran and India, pastoralism in East Africa, and the dehesa agrosilvopastoral system of Spain and Portugal. The book concludes by providing policy and technical solutions for sustainable agriculture and rural development through the enhancement of these systems.

Download or read book Sustainability of Agroecosystems written by Alexandre De Oliveira and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2018-08-22 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present book is composed of modern theoretical and applied studies that highlight the core principles and evidence of sustainable agriculture. This work is systematically divided into two sections, which summarize crucial insights into this theme, such as agroecological concepts, case studies, soil health, and agroforestry systems. The chapters included in this book have been written by researchers whose expertise allows the relatively complex sustainable agroecosystem-related topics to be easily understood by any reader. Therefore, the target audience comprises not only scholars and specialists in the field but also common people and enthusiasts about this theme. Such chapter's collection is certainly a valuable resource about agricultural sustainable principles and a pleasure reading for those who are willing to dive more deeply into the study of "sustainability of agroecosystems."

Download or read book Agroecosystem Sustainability written by Stephen R. Gliessman and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2000-09-25 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agroecologists from around the world share their experiences in the analysis and development of indicators of agricultural sustainability in Agroecosystem Sustainability: Developing Practical Strategies. The authors build on the resource-conserving aspects of traditional, local, and small-scale agriculture while at the same time drawing on modern e

Download or read book Sustainable Agroecosystem Management written by Patrick J. Bohlen and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2009-03-24 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable Agroecosystem Management: Integrating Ecology, Economics, and Society examines the challenges for developing integrated approaches to the management of agricultural ecosystems. Providing historical background of attempts to bridge the ecological and agricultural sciences, this book highlights recent efforts to integrate natural and social science perspectives. Through various case studies with global applications, the text explores practical innovative strategies, policies, and research needs for emphasizing whole system productivity, diversification of agricultural operations, and management of agricultural systems that sustain multiple functions including ecological integrity.

Download or read book Agroforestry in Sustainable Agricultural Systems written by Louise E. Buck and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1998-12-28 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agroforestry in Sustainable Agricultural Systems examines the environmental and social conditions that affect the roles and performance of trees in field- and forest-based agricultural production systems. Various types of ecological settings for agroforestry are analyzed within temperate and tropical regions. The roles of soil, water, light, nutrient and pest management in mixed, annual, woody perennial and livestock systems are discussed. Important new case studies from around the world offer innovative strategies that have been used successfully in raising forests and tree products on a sustainable basis for commercial harvesting and for providing other environmental services in land conservation and watershed management.

Download or read book The Challenge of Sustainability in Agricultural Systems written by Aleksei V. Bogoviz and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-06-05 with total page 1058 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings together segmental knowledge and creates new insights on the sustainability of agricultural systems, critically analyzing not only individual system components, but also focusing on interactions between them and external environments. This book is primarily devoted to (1) agricultural agribusiness, (2) policies and institutions, and (3) farming systems. The compelling collection of chapters presents critical, comparative, and balanced perspectives on what changes are needed to achieve and maintain sustainability in agricultural systems, actively leading to new ways of thinking about these complex issues. The research presented relies on an array of methods developed within complex systems science, addresses the existing gaps in the scholarship, and uses original data collected on the development of agricultural systems. Finally, the authors provide robust conclusions and recommendations for both scholars and practitioners in the field of studying, constructing, and maintaining sustainable agricultural systems. The special focus of the book is on technologies, policies, and management systems enabling sustainable agricultural development. A rich collection of practical cases could be used to move from theories to reality. The book appeals to both academics and professionals working in the field.

Download or read book Conservation Agriculture A Sustainable Approach for Soil Health and Food Security written by Somasundaram Jayaraman and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-08-20 with total page 626 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Feeding the increasing global population, which is projected to reach ~10 billion by 2050, there has been increasing demands for more improved/sustainable agricultural management practices that can be followed by farmers to improve productivity without jeopardizing the environment and ecosystem. Indeed, about 95% of our food directly or indirectly comes from soil. It is a precious resource, and sustainable soil management is a critical socio–economic and environmental issue. Maintaining the environmental sustainability while the world is facing resource degradation, increasing climate change and population explosion is the current challenge of every food production sectors. Thus, there is an urgent need to evolve a holistic approach such as conservation agriculture to sustain higher crop productivity in the country without deteriorating soil health. Conservation Agriculture (CA), is a sustainable approach to manage agro–ecosystems in order to improve productivity, increase farm profitabilty and food security and also enhance the resource base and environment. Worldwide, it has been reported various benefits and prospects in adopting CA technologies in different agro-climatic conditions. Yet, CA in arid and semi-arid regions of India and parts of south Asia raises uncertainities due to its extreme climates, large scale residue burning, soil erosion and other constraints such as low water holding capacity, high potential evapotranspiration, etc . Thus, the proposed book has 30 chapters addressing all issues relevant to conservation agriculture/no-till farming system. The book also gives further strengthening existing knowledge in relation to soil physical, chemical and biological processes and health within close proximity of CA as well as machinery requirements. Moreover, the information on carbon (C) sequestration, C credits, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, mitigation of climate change effects and socio-economic view on CA under diverse ecologies namely rainfed, irrigated and hill eco-region is also deliberated. For large scale adoption of CA practices in South Asian region especially in India and other countries need dissemination of best-bet CA technologies for dominant soil types/cropping systems through participatory mode, strong linkages and institutional mechanism and public-private-policy support. We hope this book gives a comprehensive and clear picture about conservation agriculture/no-till farming and its associated problem, challenges, prospects and benefits. This book shall be highly useful reference material to researchers, scientists, students, farmers and land managers for efficient and sustainable management of natural resources.