Sustainable Agriculture (Sustainability)

Global energy requirements are rising tremendously because of increasing urbanization and the human population. In the last few centuries, the consumption of fossil fuels has caused increased emissions of greenhouse gases resulting in environmental concerns like global warming, climatic change, and biodiversity loss. As a result, progress in sustainable energy has become the centre of attention in climatic change agenda and economic growth. Until now, various methods of renewable energy production have been extensively studied such as geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy. In addition to this, the utilization of biofuels from different sustainable sources are also being considered to reduce greenhouses gas emissions. New approaches and developments are still required for the creation of more sustainable, efficient, and affordable renewable energy systems and for the mitigation of global environmental threats. This special issue aims to advance novel developments in the su...

Cover crops are considered to be beneficial for multiple ecosystem services, and they have been widely promoted through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the EU and Farm Bill Conservation Title Programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), in the USA. However, it can be difficult to decide whether the beneficial effects of cover crops on some ecosystem services are likely to outweigh their harmful effects on other services, and thus to decide whether they should be promoted by agricultural policy in specific situations. We used meta-analysis to quantify the effects of cover crops on five ecosystem services (food production, climate regulation, soil and water regulation, and weed control) in arable farmland in California and the Mediterranean, based on 326 experiments reported in 57 publications. In plots with cover crops, there was 13% less water, 9% more organic matter and 41% more microbial biomass in the soil, 27% fewer weeds, and 15% higher carbon dioxide emissions (but also more carbon stored in soil organic matter), compared to control plots with bare soils or winter fallows. Cash crop yields were 16% higher in plots that had legumes as cover crops (compared to controls) but 7% lower in plots that had non-legumes as cover crops. Soil nitrogen content was 41% lower, and nitrate leaching was 53% lower, in plots that had non-legume cover crops (compared to controls) but not significantly different in plots that had legumes. We did not find enough data to quantify the effects of cover crops on biodiversity conservation, pollination, or pest regulation. These gaps in the evidence need to be closed if cover crops continue to be widely promoted. We suggest that this novel combination of multiple meta-analyses for multiple ecosystem services could be used to support multi-criteria decision making about agri-environmental policy.

Currently, the use of Renewable Energy (RE) has been encouraged in many countries because of its sustainability and environmental benefits. One of RE source that is considered as the largest energy potential is biomass. A study of biomass' potential availability with its current usage on a worldwide level reveals that around two-fifths of the existing biomass energy potential has been used. Most area of the world use biomass below the available potential. Only for Asia does the current use exceeds its potential. Therefore, increased biomass usage in current practice is possible in many countries. Many studies suggest an alternative solution to cover future demand for renewable energy by increasing utilisation of forest residues and waste from the wood processing industry, i.e. densified biofuels production. In developing countries of Asia, as in industrialized ones, bioenergy will play a complementary role in conjunction with other renewables. Modern bioenergy use provides oppor...

Cultural, Social and Economic Aspects for Greening of Surface Mining Landscapes On the pages of Greening Deserts and in the entire concept, cultural, social, economic and scientific aspects of professional greening and research projects for mining, surface mining and post-mining landscapes are described. Important and additional points are summarized here.

• Establishment and development of a professional network with experts in the fields of culture, business and science – especially in the field of nature conservation, sustainable greening, agriculture, forestry and greenhouse management
• Development and offer of an extensive sociocultural program with art and music, free of charge and paid • Offer and sale of natural products (medicines and crops) and services, see concept and section ‘Services’ • Exhibitions from and for art, not just landscape art
• Involvement of artists and works of art in the landscape and processes • Introduction of landscape planning, nature conservation and socioeconomic areas or fields by integrating suitable and interested institutions, organizations and partners as well as persons and associations with potential or professional competence
• Promotion of the recultivation and rehabilitation of opencast mining areas for a better future use, sustainable nature conservation, cultural, social and economic purposes in connection with the respective municipalities and regions
• Integration of schools, universities and other educational institutions in the development and development process, but also through extra programs, guided tours, trainings, workshops and events
• Sustainable landscaped recreational use, national and international tourism with the best possible natural experience, cultural and artistic life experience
• Sustainable and economical management, optimization and improvement of the energy industry
• Use and adaptation of conditions and properties of opencast mining deserts for realistic desert exploration, especially in the summer • Continuous research and development of forms or techniques of greenhouse, forestry and agriculture
• Development and research of wind, water and solar systems within the framework of the research projects

Further points and extensive information on the topics are extensively described in the Masterplan “Concept and Study on Sustainable Greening Methods, Greenhouse Management, Forestry, Agriculture and Culture Industry for Surface Mining and Post-Mining Landscapes“.

Author: Oliver Gediminas Caplikas / www.Greening-Deserts.com

Commercial production greenhouses are widely used to produce plants and crops. From the structural engineering viewpoint, among the loads that act on greenhouses, wind and snow loads are the major ones. This paper focuses on the former, particularly on wind pressure coefficients. Design and construction of greenhouses should consider wind loads in order to ensure seamless operation, overall stability, durability, and safety, even though human occupancy is limited. Classification and design of greenhouses is typically based on European standards, which cover a variety of geometries and conditions. Some recent research studies suggest, however, that greenhouse design standards should be revised to ensure structural safety of greenhouses subject to strong wind loads. Triggered by this recent outcomes, this paper reviews existing literature on the topic: (a) briefly presenting the state of the art methods for determining wind pressures on greenhouses; (b) comparing the EN 13031-1 pressu...

Tea is one of the main components in Sri Lankan export agriculture sector which accounts for 19% of global tea demand. Sri Lanka has become the world's third largest tea exporter to the world market. About 96% of the total tea production in our country is exported to about 40 countries. Number of tea plantation companies in the country acquired Sustainable Agriculture Network/Rainforest Alliance Certification to make environmental claims and improve the quality of the product, targeting international market. This study was conducted focusing 19 SAN certified tea plantation companies to assess the impact of the certification on the overall production process, final product, work force as well as the natural environment. With regard to the entities selected, the study shows that the SAN certification resulted in positive impacts on all socio-environmental aspects evaluated; workers’ health and safety, professional training, pesticide handling and reduction, natural resources conservation and relationship with the community. Although the direct economic benefits of certification is not obvious, there is a general perception that that benefits of certification greatly outweigh the costs. As such, SAN certification should not be viewed only as a marketing tool to find price premiums. Other benefits of certification such as cost savings through improved production and processing, increasing overall efficiency through better management, deflecting a negative image of the industry, and contributing to environmental protection should be effectively communicated.

Steel greenhouse structures are generally constructed by individual sole contractors using quick empirical structural calculations (pre-engineered solutions). It is also common to import standard greenhouses from other countries, mainly from The Netherlands, Italy, and France, and sometimes from Great Britain and Israel. Evidently, these countries differ concerning the local wind and snow conditions. Therefore, there is a need for a better design of structures accepted as satisfactory, while installation can be done in a different location. Many greenhouse structures incorporating poor designs or inappropriate pre-engineered solutions are currently in use. At the same time, demolition and reconstruction represent a very expensive solution considering the loss of crop production and the demolition and construction costs; thus, strengthening is a reasonable alternative. This paper presents strengthening techniques for steel greenhouses that are code-deficient according to EN 13031 and...

Our 25-year vision

Washington has a food system that...

Promotes the health of people
WHERE the health of all farmers, workers and consumers is fully supported by addressing the health impacts in food production, processing, packaging, labeling, distribution, marketing, consumption and disposal. We eliminate food insecurity and hunger.

Is economically vibrant
WHERE our food system maintains and strengthens community assets and local economic development. It supports diversity in size and scale of food system operations. It builds the economic viability of local and regional food systems. Our farmers and food system workers earn a living wage.

Fosters a sustainable, resilient environment
WHERE our land, soil, air, water and biodiversity are conserved, protected and restored. Our food and nutrition needs are met without compromising future generations. We address challenges such as climate change and limited water supply while maintaining our commitment to the environment.

Creates a more equitable and just society
WHERE all farmers, workers and consumers are treated with fairness and respect. A diversity of cultures is appreciated and supported.

Keywords: plough, Serres, Anthropocene, dust bowl, agriculture

This chapter has been prepared for inclusion in the Nick Holm and Sy Tassel edited anthology -

Ecological Entanglements in the Anthropocene: Working with Nature 

- as part of the Ecocritical Theory and Practice Series of Lexington Books.

This collection has been developed following the WORKING WITH NATURE, conference at Massey University in April 2015.

Desert research, research and development of sustainable greening methods, greenhouse management, forestry, agriculture and cultural industries are the primary fields of the concept and greening deserts projects. The greening and research camp with a greenhouse, office and laboratory containers or tents for the research and development of greening and irrigation methods is the primary objective for opencast mine or post-mining landscapes. Secondary objectives, such as sustainable recreational use and tourism offers, can be realized during the operation over the years and are not necessary for the successful start of the research project and base camp in the opencast mining area or a post-mining landscape. This also eliminates all associated conditions, provisions and legal regulations, since for the time being no public recreational use or tourism operation takes place. Nevertheless, forward-looking considerations and planning approaches as well as extensive points on the areas or topics were worked out and summarized in this concept. Greening Deserts projects are always planned as long-term and sustainable as possible. Further tasks and goals of the projects are the education, research and realization of a sustainable greening, management and cultivation of all kinds of poor, barren and dry areas, landscapes (drylands) or regions. That’s why the main projects of Greening Deserts treating not only typical deserts but all types of deserts, including surface mining deserts, concrete- or urban-deserts. This can all be done with suitable greening and research camps, stations or centers. In this work or in the concept possibilities are analyzed and discussed on the example of research and greening camps for opencast deserts, mining landscapes or post-mining landscape landscapes. The research camp should be an encounter, education and communication platform in post-mining landscapes, internally for experts, specialists and scientists, and in future open to the public. Earth sciences, natural, environmental and desert sciences are three of the main research areas. For a start, the greening, nature and research projects focus on nature experiences, important experience and research in the particular area or terrain. Everything will be analyzed, documented and informed about interesting findings or developments. In the course of the project, with interested and competent bodies or persons will be communicated – via existing and new networks, and then on site as well. In addition to well-known environmental education instruments (tools) and programs, the active experience of nature and creative forms of exploration and experimentation also should be researched and developed.

This project is a secondary analysis of existing data collected within two Midwestern urban school districts. The objective of this investigation was two-fold. One was to assist two Midwestern school districts in better understanding how their recently implemented restorative programs were affecting quality of life and education for both students and staff/teachers. The goal was to allow them the opportunity to shift attention and resources toward areas that need to be developed further while simultaneously highlighting the aspects of their programs that were functioning well.  While the field is certainly expanding, there exists a lack of models for schools in terms of restorative approaches to conflict and school culture. This investigation contributes to a growing body of data & evidence supporting the importance of alternatives to solely punitive measures of handling discipline and conflict in learning communities. A secondary objective was to further an understanding of how gendered power dynamics interact with, and are affected by, restorative approaches. I propose this lens through which to view the development of restorative programs to account for possible intersections of power dynamics with gender (as well as race, class and other identities which impact gender expressions) in order to open up further possibilities for educational reform. This approach seeks to better our understanding of how attempts at ‘reforming’ educational settings often fail, through no lack of effort, as a result of the social reproduction of power and inequality.  Additionally, this study points to specific restorative methods which can act as possible interventions. This research seeks to engage with a growing body of research aimed at improving educational experiences for all people while preparing young people to engage with the complexities of the world with tools that affirm a wide variety of democratic approaches to learning.

Global energy requirements are rising tremendously because of increasing urbanization and the human population. In the last few centuries, the consumption of fossil fuels has caused increased emissions of greenhouse gases resulting in environmental concerns like global warming, climatic change, and biodiversity loss. As a result, progress in sustainable energy has become the centre of attention in climatic change agenda and economic growth. Until now, various methods of renewable energy production have been extensively studied such as geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy. In addition to this, the utilization of biofuels from different sustainable sources are also being considered to reduce greenhouses gas emissions. New approaches and developments are still required for the creation of more sustainable, efficient, and affordable renewable energy systems and for the mitigation of global environmental threats. This special issue aims to advance novel developments in the sustainable conversion of renewable energy, providing up to date, fruitful, and actionable insights into economic, social, and environmental sustainability and includes original research articles and reviews to describe the interaction between renewable fuels, CO2 mitigation, and global warming.

This article tries to understand more about the troubled history of this humble fruit, growing almost exclusively on a little portion of the Ionian coast of Italy but in worldwide demand, which experienced - after its continuous success - deep crises until 2004, the year of the foundation
of a new consortium of producers. The consortium is managing to boost the quality of the production, stabilize profitable prices, encourage the creation of new firms. This recent development is generating social benefits and reshaping the territory: abandoned lands become orchards and the typical dry-weather vegetation is substituted by evergreen trees.

This course introduces students to a number of research disciplines and areas ranging from foundational archeological and anthropological texts on the origins and diverse conceptions of “agriculture” to more recent historical and geographical research on the history of food and agriculture.

As such, the core reading material that we will cover in this course will provide the students with a critical
review and an interdisciplinary perspective on the past and possible future developments of the present
global food system.

In the hope of deriving lessons and innovative solutions to address the complex contemporary food system challenges faced locally and globally, the main objectives of this course are therefore to:

- Uncover the many ways food has been used and cultivated throughout history.

- Problematize and expand the concept of agriculture to make it more inclusive and less (non-)
Eurocentric.

- Examine and learn from “other” past (and persisting) sustainable agriculture and food system
heritages found in local, traditional, peasants and indigenous knowledge, practices and cultures
throughout the world.

Hydroponics is cultivating crops in nutrient solution or media without soil. There are several advantages to hydroponic culture. Some of the problems associated with conventional soil culture such as poor soil structure, poor drainage, salinity, lack of fertile soil and water shortage, as well as weeds and soilborne pathogens, are eliminated. With hydroponics, there is no need for soil, and only about one twenty-fifth as much water is needed as in conventional farming. In areas where fresh water is not available as the desert regions the hydroponics may be the only system that can be used to grow successfully vegetable crops. So, the desert regions of the world may be such places, where hydroponics has important application. There are many classifications for hydroponic system. In the present study, the closed and open systems were used. The tested substrates were perlite, sand, perlite + peat (4: I. v/v), sand + peat (4: I. v/v) and sand+ peat + perlite (3:1:1, v/v/v). The current study was conducted with lettuce, Lactuca sativa. The total yield was higher with the closed systems compared with open ones. Perlite and peat mixture gave the highest yields among the tested substrates. The highest nutrient consumptions were obtained from perlite + peat (4: I. v/v). Also, the results obtained indicated that in the closed system could save both water and nutrient consumption.

A B S T R A C T Late 18th century agriculture was under social and economic pressures, emanating from unprecedented population growth and establishing world markets. Farmers met these challenges successfully and largely without external energy subsidies and mineral fertilizers. Our research asks (1) if and how performance gains were achieved by improving traditional nutrient management through advanced, organic farming and (2) whether this early agrarian intensification compromised the natural capital of agro-ecosystems. We present a long-term socio-ecological perspective on nutrient cycling in the historical agro-ecosystem of the estate Bruck in eastern Austria, from 1787 to 1906. Focal point is the development of different patterns in nutrient cycling, tracing the transition from traditional, organic to industrial farming. We used nutrient balances and input-output analysis for a quantitative assessment of nitrogen and phosphorus flows. To investigate the correlation between growing system performance and improved internal nutrient cycling, we applied the Finn cycling index (FCI), which represents the fraction of nutrients recycled on-farm before leaving the system. Improving nutrient cycling entailed the operational integration of livestock, the utilization of ecological nutrient replenishment processes through legume intercropping and optimizing nutrient transfers from extensive land-use systems. Nitrogen recycling grew steadily from 20% in 1787 to 36% in 1906. Phosphorus recycled on farm grew accordingly from 33% in 1787 to 46% in 1840, before dropping to 31% in 1906 due to increased application of mineral fertilizers. We show, that cereal yields more than doubled through improved traditional nutrient management. In the long-run, however, advanced organic farming induced an unsustainable use of phosphorus and the loss of ecological buffer capacity from traditional mixed land-use systems.

Kentucky’s recent agricultural story is one of a compulsory shift out of tobacco and into a new agricultural economy. Some consider Kentucky’s history and experience with tobacco farming as the impetus for achieving a “new agrarianism” of positive outcomes for a local foods system. This paper tests how this “new agrarianism” is playing out in the state's agricultural marketing program, Kentucky Proud. Findings from a program evaluation on KyP are applied to the "new agrarianism" definition’s principles of marketing, diversification, sustainability, and innovation.

Abstract: The developmentalist gaze of the Fair Trade movement is on Global South producers. In this article we turn our analytic gaze toward North American fair traders to explore the racialized, neocolonial power relations in which these movement actors are implicated. Section One is a brief historical sketch of Fair Trade certification. We argue that the certification system is a multi-sited, global institution that is shaped by and shapes neocolonial power relations in Fair Trade by exploring the consolidation and more recent splintering of the international certification system. Section Two provides a postcolonial critique of developmentalism, with a focus on the timing of development, in order to lay a foundation for the remaining sections. In Section Three we analyze the spatiality of Fair Trade, with an emphasis on what and who are missing from or erased by the structural and conceptual frameworks of Fair Trade. In Section Four we explore the relationship between Fair Trade, commodity fetishism, and the developmentalist conception of space/time propagated by Fair Trade advocates. Section Five is a critical analysis of the neocolonialist and racist discourse of Fair Trade, with a focus on the “helping” discourse. We contend that as Global North fair traders strive to “help” Global South producers, they re-entrench neocolonial narratives of white supremacy and the desire to develop.

Thisresearchworkaccessestheroleofpublic-privatepartnership(PPP)inNigeria’sagricultural developmentandtheproblemsfacingtheadoptionofPPPmodelsinNigeria’sagriculturalsector. Majorlyduetothefactthattheagriculturalsectorsufferedmanysetbacksandneglectduringthe pastcoupleofdecades,especiallytheheydaysoftheoilboominthe1970s.Fromaneraofbooming exporttradeinagriculturalcommodities,theNigerianagriculturalsectorhasdegeneratedtoan importdependentone.Subsequently,ithasfailedtogeneratesignificantforeignexchange,improve thelivingstandardofthepeasantfarmersamongothers.Basedonthesefindings,thestudy recommendsthatthegovernmentshouldincreaseprivatesectorparticipationinagricultural developmentbecauseoftheimportantroleofthesectortoeconomicgrowthanddevelopmentThis research work accesses theroleofpublic-privatepartnership(PPP)inNigeria’sagricultural developmentandtheproblemsfacingtheadoptionofPPPmodelsinNigeria’sagriculturalsector. Majorlyduetothefactthattheagriculturalsectorsufferedmanysetbacksandneglectduringthe pastcoupleofdecades,especiallytheheydaysoftheoilboominthe1970s.Fromaneraof booming exporttradeinagriculturalcommodities,theNigerianagriculturalsectorhasdegeneratedtoan importdependentone.Subsequently,ithasfailedtogeneratesignificantforeignexchange,improve thelivingstandardofthepeasantfarmersamongothers.Basedonthesefindings,thestudy recommendsthatthegovernmentshouldincreaseprivatesectorparticipationinagricultural developmentbecauseoftheimportantroleofthesectortoeconomicgrowthanddevelopment.

Increased demand for agricultural produces and out-of-season products in Nigeria together with globalization presents a great opportunity for the export of agriculture. Nigeria’s agricultural sector does not lend itself easily to investment. Next to classic constraints such as insufficient infrastructure or insecure property rights, the production structure itself provides one of the most severe impediments to commercial development. Good planning and sound implementation are essential. Small-scale farmers have become vulnerable to ‘middlemen’ who have replaced marketing boards and who over time could manipulate market access, if left unregulated.  Background information on the existing agriculture value chain development developmental for rural farmers is often overlooked. This includes information on the availability of reliable and cost-efficient inputs such as extension advice, mechanization services, seeds and credit, and guaranteed and profitable markets. t also provides a reliable source of supply to the investors, from the perspective of both quantity and quality. The document describes in detail the general modus operandi of agriculture value chain development with a focus on agroecology development of agriculture infrastructure called agro-corridor to optimize the value of biodiversity, water resource, and conservation agriculture for sustainable development of agribusiness. ARATI Tool Box® was developed more than one decade to offers a better opportunity to improve, optimize, and commercialize agriculture using state-of-art agriculture called Agriculture 4.0.  Agriculture 4.0 combined internal and external interacting of farming operations, offering digital information at all farm sectors and processes represents a great opportunity to consider the variability and uncertainties that involve the agri-food production chain development. The components of ARATI Tool Box® are Agro-Corridor Development, ARATI ProSumer® , Farm Management, Contract Farming Ace 3+, Grazing / Livestock’s Breeding & Genetics, Trading Commodities - ARATI Trade X®, Human Capital Training, Farm Monitoring, Farm Surveillance, and Survey, Organic Seed Production, Renewable Energy and Solar; in Agriculture that holistically solves the agriculture sustainable issues in Millennium Development Goal (MDG). It also optimizes the operations of agriculture Universities in Nigeria towards developing crop and region-specific agendas; where agricultural Students' curriculum have ‘hand-on-skill’ within the proposed six-geo-political zones agro-corridor development. The document describes in detail the general modus operandi of agriculture value chain development with a focus on agroecology development to optimize the value of biodiversity, water resource, and conservation agriculture for sustainable development of agribusiness for the export economy and food security. ARATI Tool Box® promotes ‘regenerative agriculture’ with twin objectives of ecosystem sustainability, climate mitigation/management holistic agriculture production management systems of integrated soil nutrient management components (biofertilizer a, biopesticide b and bioherbicide c) and xenobiotic biodegradation d, e ecosystem restoration.

Commercial production greenhouses are widely used to produce plants and crops. From the structural engineering viewpoint, among the loads that act on greenhouses, wind and snow loads are the major ones. This paper focuses on the former, particularly on wind pressure coefficients. Design and construction of greenhouses should consider wind loads in order to ensure seamless operation, overall stability, durability, and safety, even though human occupancy is limited. Classification and design of greenhouses is typically based on European standards, which cover a variety of geometries and conditions. Some recent research studies suggest, however, that greenhouse design standards should be revised to ensure structural safety of greenhouses subject to strong wind loads. Triggered by this recent outcomes, this paper reviews existing literature on the topic: (a) briefly presenting the state of the art methods for determining wind pressures on greenhouses; (b) comparing the EN 13031-1 pressure coefficients with those stemming from recent experimental studies on single-span pitched and arched roof greenhouses in South Korea; and (c) summarizing most recent comparative results for multi-span greenhouses. It concludes that these recent research studies are not enough to justify revision of EN 13031-1, and more measurement data and experimental or numerical studies are necessary to justify such a conclusion.

En esta investigación se abordarán los temas sobre la instalación de viveros e invernaderos asi como la planificación de actividades y los manejos y cuidados dentro de estos; asi como los diferentes tipos de cultivos que se pueden sembrar y cultivar dentro de estos, entre muchos aspectos más.

Australia is the world leader in organic agriculture, based on certified organic hectares. This has been the case since global organic statistics were first published (in 2000). Australia now accounts for more than half of the world's certified organic hectares (54%). Australia has 35,645,000 certified organic hectares which is 8.8% of Australia's agricultural land. In the present paper, three maps (cartograms, 'maps with attitude') of organic agriculture in Australia are presented. These three maps illustrate the data, at the state and territory level, for (a) certified organic hectares (35,645,037 hectares) (b) certified organic producers (n = 1,998), and (c) certified organic operators (producers + handlers + processors) (n = 4,028). States and territories are resized according to their measure for each attribute. The base-map for Australia, with states and territories coloured according to their state colours (or a variation thereof), is the standard cartographic representation of the country. The three organics maps are density-equalising cartograms (area cartograms) where equal areas on the map represent equal measures (densities) of the parameter under consideration. This mapping protocol creates distorted yet recognisable new maps that reveal where there is a high presence of the parameter under consideration (and the state or territory is 'fat'), or a low presence (and the state or territory is 'skinny'). These three maps visually reveal the uneven distribution of the metrics of organics across Australia, and, on a state by state basis, they suggest unrealised opportunities and potentials.

The latest statistics reveal that Australia now has more certified organic agriculture hectares than the rest of the world put together. Organics is a major success story for Australia and the achievement of global majority (51%) is an important organics milestone. Organic agriculture is reported from 181 countries. Australia reported 35,645,038 certified organic hectares and the world total is 69,845,243 hectares. Australia has been the world leader in organics, based on certified organic hectares, since global statistics of organics were first collated and published in 2000. In the two decades since then, global organics has grown at 12% per annum (pa), year on year, while Australian organics has grown at 16% pa. This growth in Australia has ramped up to 22% for the past five years. In Australia this has been achieved without government support and without institutional support. Australia is at no risk of being ‘knocked off the perch’ anytime soon. In second position is Argentina with 3,385,827 hectares, less than 10% of Australia’s tally. Third is China with 3,023,000 hectares, then comes Spain with 2,082,173 ha, then USA with 2,031,318 ha. Of eight states and territories in Australia, all report some organics. The states in the lead are South Australia and Queensland. Of the country’s agricultural land, 8.8% is certified organic, so there is still plenty of room for improvement. Organic agriculture produces premium products that attract a price premium in the market, whether at home or abroad. At the present rate of growth Australia can be expected to shortly join the ‘10% Club’, along with the leaders Liechtenstein (37.9%), Samoa (37.6%), Austria (24.0%), Estonia (20.5%), and ten others. The market for Australian organic produce is mostly driven by the world’s appetite for clean and nutritious food, ultimately that means by discerning consumers with the wherewithal to pay the organic premium. Meanwhile, the world’s consumers are becoming more informed, more discerning, more health conscious, and more wealthy. No one would eat glyphosated food if they had a choice, which is to say, an informed choice. The prospects for global and Australian organics are good.

One of the major issues facing humankind is global food security. A changing climate, coupled with a heightened consumer awareness of how food is produced and legislative changes governing the usage of agrichemicals for improving plant health and yield, means that alternative, more integrated and sustainable approaches are needed for crop management practices. To this end, there is increasing recognition of the value of the role of microbial inoculants in agriculture. The focus of this review is to understand how plant-growth-promoting bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can play a part in improving crop yield by promoting the health status of the plant through the sequestration of various nutrients and in the control of plant diseases.

There is growing evidence that low-cost open-source 3-D printers can reduce costs by enabling distributed manufacturing of substitutes for both specialty equipment and conventional mass-manufactured products. The rate of 3-D printable designs under open licenses is growing exponentially and there are already hundreds of designs applicable to small-scale organic farming. It has also been hypothesized that this technology could assist sustainable development in rural communities that rely on small-scale organic agriculture. To gauge the present utility of open-source 3-D printers in this organic farm context both in the developed and developing world, this paper reviews the current open-source designs available and evaluates the ability of low-cost 3-D printers to be effective at reducing the economic costs of farming.This study limits the evaluation of open-source 3-D printers to only the most-developed fused filament fabrication of the bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is a strong biodegradable and recyclable thermoplastic appropriate for a range of representative products, which are grouped into five categories of prints: handtools, food processing, animal management, water management and hydroponics. The advantages and shortcomings of applying 3-D printing to each technology are evaluated. The results show a general technical viability and economic benefit to adopting open-source 3-D printing for any of the technologies, although the individual economic impact is highly dependent on needs and frequency of use on a specific farm. Capital costs of a 3-D printer may be saved from on-farm printing of a single advanced analytical instrument in a day or replacing hundreds of inexpensive products over a year. In order for the full potential of open-source 3-D printing to be realized to assist organic farm economic resiliency and self-sufficiency, future work is outlined in five core areas: designs of 3-D printable objects, 3-D printing materials, 3-Dprinters, software and 3-D printable repositories.

The sustainable intensification (SI) of agricultural systems offers synergistic opportunities for the co-28 production of agricultural and natural capital outcomes. Efficiency and Substitution are steps towards SI, but system Redesign is essential to deliver optimum outcomes as ecological and economic conditions change. We show global progress towards SI by farms and hectares, using seven SI sub-types: integrated pest management, conservation agriculture, integrated crop and biodiversity, pasture and forage, trees, irrigation management, and small/patch systems. From 47 SI initiatives at scale (each >10 4 farms or hectares), we estimate 163M farms (29% of all worldwide) have crossed a redesign threshold, practising forms of SI on 453Mha of agricultural land (9% of worldwide total). Key challenges include investing to integrate more forms of SI in farming systems, creating agricultural knowledge economies, and establishing policy measures to scale SI further. We conclude that SI may be approaching a tipping point where it could be transformative.

Agro-wastes are derived from diverse sources including grape pomace, tomato pomace, pineapple, orange, and lemon peels, sugarcane bagasse, rice husks, wheat straw, and palm oil fibers, among other affordable and commonly available materials. The carbon-rich precursors are used in the production bio-based polymers through microbial, biopolymer blending, and chemical methods. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 20%-30% of fruits and vegetables are discarded as waste during post-harvest handling. The development of bio-based polymers is essential, considering the scale of global environmental pollution that is directly linked to the production of synthetic plastics such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PET). Globally, 400 million tons of synthetic plastics are produced each year, and less than 9% are recycled. The optical, mechanical, and chemical properties such as ultraviolet (UV) absorbance, tensile strength, and water permeability are influenced by the synthetic route. The production of bio-based polymers from renewable sources and microbial synthesis are scalable, facile, and pose a minimal impact on the environment compared to chemical synthesis methods that rely on alkali and acid treatment or co-polymer blending. Despite the development of advanced synthetic methods and the application of biofilms in smart/intelligent food packaging, construction, exclusion nets, and medicine, commercial production is limited by cost, the economics of production, useful life, and biodegradation concerns, and the availability of adequate agro-wastes. New and cost-effective production techniques are critical to facilitate the commercial production of bio-based polymers and the replacement of synthetic polymers.

Background Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient in many agroecosystems and costly fertilizer inputs can cause negative environmental impacts. Cover crops constitute a promising management option for sustainable intensification of agriculture. However, their interactions with the soil microbial community, which is a key driver of P cycling, and their effects on the following crop, have not yet been systematically assessed. Scope We conducted a meta-analysis of published field studies on cover crops and P cycling, focusing on plant-microbe interactions. Conclusions We describe several distinct, simultaneous mechanisms of P benefits for the main crop. Decomposition dynamics, governed by P concentration, are critical for the transfer of P from cover crop residues to the main crop. Cover crops may enhance the soil microbial community by providing a legacy of increased mycorrhizal abundance, microbial biomass P, and phosphatase activity. Cover crops are generally most effective in systems low in available P, and may access 'unavailable' P pools. However, their effects on P availability are difficult to detect by standard soil P tests, except for increases after the use of Lupinus sp. Agricultural management (i.e. cover crop species selection, tillage, fertilization) can improve cover crop effects. In summary, cover cropping has the potential to tighten nutrient cycling in agricultural systems under different conditions, increasing crop P nutrition and yield.