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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2022) | Viewed by 30532

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ali Mohammadi

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, 651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
Interests: biochar; agricultural waste management; sustainable cropping systems; soil toxicity and environmental impact; carbon cycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global population increase is placing demands on food supply and increasing waste streams. The agricultural activities as the basic step and then the food industry are responsible for addressing these demands, while the entire production and supply chain including field practices, transport, processing, and waste disposal play a substantial role in greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, and in toxic emissions to soil and water bodies. To achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the agri-food industry and the supply chain must be sustainably developed through alternative solutions and/or optimization of the current scenarios, despite all the constraints and challenges. This significantly leads towards less environmental pollution and improved human health, and helps to preserve and improve the quality of the ecosystem.

However, the performance of these alternative solutions and optimized scenarios needs to be scrutinized, mainly from environmental, energetic, economic, and social perspectives.

This Special Issue "Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems" aims to fill the gaps in the scientific literature concerning this crucial area as much as possible, to highlight the topic’s importance, and to provide a platform for the dissemination of state-of-the-art advances in this field. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Development of life-cycle assessment models to quantify the sustainability of alternative and novel methods in agricultural and food production systems;
Modelling the sustainability of novel technologies for managing agricultural residues and food waste by converting them into value products;
Optimization of the current scenarios in the agri-food industry from environment and economic perspectives;
Economic feasibility of implementing novel technical solutions in the agri-food processes;
Modeling and optimization of energy and exergy indicators in cropping and food engineering systems through combined system analysis tools;
Adoption of new technologies in the agri-food industry and their social sustainability.

Dr. Ali Mohammadi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

life cycle assessment
social-economic impact
farming systems
food processing
agricultural residues
sustainable development

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Sustainability of Wheat-Bread Chain Based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics: A Case Study

by Fatemeh Nadi and Krzysztof Górnicki

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142114229 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1413

Abstract

Wheat flour, bread, and bakery products are an important source of macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary fibers, and antioxidants. Considering that Iran’s bread industry is the second highest bread-consuming industry in the world, this research is focused on the main operations of the bread production chain (wheat cultivation, milling, dough processing, and bread production). Investigating the sustainability and improvement strategies and farm-to-fork approach for the wheat-bread production chain was the aim of this work. Exergy analysis is a powerful tool in designing, optimizing, and evaluating the performance of energy systems to determine energy quality, compare different energy sources, and achieve maximum system performance. In this research, the cumulative degree of perfection, renewability index, and sustainability index of Iranian traditional loaves of bread (Sangak, Lavash, Barbari) and Baguette bread as a semi-industrial bread were estimated. Considering the functional unit of the weight of the produced bread, Baguette and Sangak breads had the highest and lowest sustainability, respectively. Considering the functional unit of energy of the produced bread, Baguette bread has the lowest exergy consumption per 100 cal of the embedded energy of bread. According to the obtained results, the bakery consumes the most exergy in the wheat-bread chain. Natural gas input is the most important indicator of unsustainability in bakeries. Meanwhile, in the entire wheat-bread chain, human labor and natural gas consumption were factors of unsustainability. By using renewable sources, the renewable index increased by 76–89%. Additionally, the use of renewable resources increased the sustainability index of bread production by 7.6 to 1.9 times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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15 pages, 696 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Entrepreneurial Literacy of Peasant Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case in Indonesia

by Feliks Arfid Guampe, Muhammad Hasan, Andrian Dolfriandra Huruta, Christine Dewi and Abbott Po Shun Chen

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12337; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141912337 - 28 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1511

Abstract

Our research examines peasant families’ entrepreneurial literacy and entrepreneurial behavior. The study was conducted in rural areas of North Morowali. This location is one of the agricultural bases in the Central Sulawesi Province (Indonesia). We employ a qualitative approach with a case study. The data were gathered through observation and in-depth interviews with six peasants. The key respondents were chosen through judgment sampling. The key respondents comprised two lowland rice peasants, two cocoa peasants, and two oil palm peasants. Despite the socio-economic restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, peasant families continue to engage in agricultural entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial literacy is obtained from interaction with the internal and external environment before the COVID-19 pandemic. The entrepreneurial literacy of peasant families denotes the knowledge and understanding of cultivation systems, quality seeds and seedlings, plant pests and diseases, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural technology, post-harvest management, and market access. The low impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in rural areas is also due to its low population density compared to urban areas and limited mobility of peasants, thereby minimizing social contact, and the commodity being cultivated is a food commodity. We developed new insights into the peasants’ literacy and entrepreneurial behavior model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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21 pages, 3328 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Primary Growth Effect of Salix viminalis L. CV. Inger and Tordis in Controlled Conditions by Exploring Optimum Cutting Lengths and Rhizogenesis Treatments

by Sorin Daniel Vâtcă, Ștefania Gâdea, Roxana Vidican, Mignon Șandor, Vlad Stoian, Anamaria Vâtcă, Adrian Horvath and Valentina Ancuța Stoian

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9272; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159272 - 28 Jul 2022

Viewed by 1480

Abstract

The major disadvantage of setting up a willow coppice is the low survival rate, which reduces economic efficiency and crop sustainability. The aim of this research was to test, under controlled conditions, the impact of water, gibberellic acid A3 (0.05%), and humic acid (0.2%) on the growth and development of two willow clones. Under humic acid treatment, 20 cm cuttings of the Tordis clone developed up to 15 roots, and 25 cm cuttings developed more than 23. In comparison, water stimulated more than 15 roots for both 20 and 25 cm cuttings. Gibberellins acted as an inhibitor, especially on the roots, and the cuttings dried out from the top to the middle, with weak development of shoots and callus formation. For both clones, the highest number of active buds was observed on 20 and 25 cm cuttings grown in water, with more than four for Inger and more than seven for Tordis. Root development of the Inger clone had a maximum of eight for 25 cm cuttings grown in water; it was three times lower in the same variant of Tordis and two times lower for the Tordis clone with humic acid treatment. In general, Inger cuttings of 15 and 25 cm highlighted a delayed root formation when humic acids and gibberellins were applied. In controlled condition experiments, the Tordis clone was more suitable owing to its higher development and increased growth stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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14 pages, 1392 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Sustainability and Development Strategy of a Cattle Feed Bank: A Case Study

by Mashur Mashur, Muhammad Roil Bilad, Kholik Kholik, Muhammad Munawaroh, Quentin Cheok, Nurul Huda and Rovina Kobun

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7989; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14137989 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1516

Abstract

One of the Indonesian government’s policies to achieve national beef self-sufficiency is the 1000 beef village program. The program was piloted in many cattle-farming centers involving the operation of a feed bank to supply animal feed to tackle the challenge of feed limitation during the dry season. This study evaluates the sustainability status of an ongoing feed bank program and its development strategy based on the current progress of a feed bank used to serve five groups of farmers. Ninety sustainability attributes were derived based on six dimensions. The attributes were compiled from the primary data collected using a questionnaire. Expert opinions from practitioners were also considered in evaluating the attributes. The feed bank’s sustainability status and development strategy were determined using the multi-dimensional scaling method with the rapid appraisal approach. It was found that the overall sustainability status of the feed bank was less sustainable, with an overall score of 49.55. The individual dimensions of (A) policy and government support, (B) raw material, (C) facilities and infrastructure, (D) feed bank management, (D) human resource management, (E) price, production, and (F) distribution systems posed sustainability scores of 48.48, 60.33, 48.57, 47.89, 48.76, and 44.64, respectively. Among the 90 predefined attributes, 21 were identified as highly sensitive through both the root mean square and expert opinion. Those attributes led to five main recommended development strategies: (1) strengthening the institution, (2) intensifying training, (3) increasing human resources (4) partnership developments, and (5) increasing the role of multi-stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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19 pages, 2877 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Cluster Analysis on the Energy Use Indicators and Carbon Footprint of Irrigated Wheat Cropping Systems

by Hamed Rafiee, Milad Aminizadeh, Elham Mehrparvar Hosseini, Hanane Aghasafari and Ali Mohammadi

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4014; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14074014 - 29 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1672

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the energy use efficiency and carbon footprint of irrigated wheat systems in different Iranian provinces. The authors resort to the k-means clustering technique to fulfil the said objective. The empirical results reveal that the average total input energy (59.5 GJ ha⁻¹) is higher than the average energy output (45.82 GJ ha⁻¹) from wheat production, resulting in an average energy efficiency of 0.77, thus rendering the production of irrigated wheat in Iran energy-inefficient on average. Among the thirty wheat-producing Iranian provinces considered in this analysis, only six—East Azerbaijan, Golestan, Ardabil, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Alborz, and West Azerbaijan—register an energy use efficiency greater than unity. The average total of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from irrigated wheat is 2243.54 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ (with electricity and diesel fuel contributing 52.4% and 29.4%, respectively). The authors categorize the clusters into five groups ranging from sustainable to unsustainable. Five of the six provinces referred to earlier fall into the ‘sustainable’ category, with Bushehr being the sixth. The wheat production units in the ‘sustainable’ category can serve as a benchmark for the clusters in the other categories, which can move up the ladder of sustainability. The authors also recommend measures that policymakers can undertake to ensure the sustainable development of wheat production in Iran, fulfilling the social imperative of food self-sufficiency while truncating the environmental footprint and ensuring economic feasibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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28 pages, 5142 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Influence of Farm Characteristics and Feed Compositions on the Environmental Impact of Pig Production in Flanders: Productivity, Energy Use and Protein Choices Are Key

by Klara Van Mierlo, Louise Baert, Ellen Bracquené, Johan De Tavernier and Annemie Geeraerd

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11623; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132111623 - 21 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2061

Abstract

The growing pig production sector is a large contributor of negative impacts to the environment and feed production is responsible for a large part of these impacts. Pig production systems, including feed compositions, are variable, resulting in variable potential environmental impacts. This study investigated the influence of different farm characteristics and feed compositions on the environmental impact of pig production in Flanders. A Life Cycle Assessment approach was followed, including data from 39 farms and monthly feed compositions in the year 2018. Even though feed production contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact of pig production, the results show that environmental impacts are more affected by variabilities in farm characteristics than by fluctuating feed compositions. A higher productivity, in terms of feed conversion efficiency and the number of pigs produced per sow, is generally related to lower environmental impacts. Another influencing factor is the type and amount of energy used. For feed consumption, high variabilities are observed for water use, mainly caused by varying levels of sugar cane molasses. Climate change impacts and variabilities are mainly caused by soy ingredients and their origin. Finally, amino acids show large contributions to the environmental impact of pig feed consumption. Our research highlights that future developments for reducing the environmental impact of pig production should target animal productivity, the type and amount of energy used and selection of protein sources in pig feed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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18 pages, 2049 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach

by Miriam C. Dobson, Philip H. Warren and Jill L. Edmondson

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2628; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13052628 - 01 Mar 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 11994

Abstract

Interest in urban food production is growing; recent research has highlighted its potential to increase food security and reduce the environmental impact of food production. However, resource demands of urban horticulture are poorly understood. Here, we use allotment gardens in the United Kingdom to investigate resource demands of urban horticultural production across the country. We conducted a nationwide citizen science project using year-long allotment ‘diaries’ with allotment gardeners (n = 163). We analysed a variety of resources: transportation; time; water use; inputs of compost, manure and topsoil; and inputs of fertilisers, pest control and weed control. We found that, overall, an allotment demands 87 annual visits, travelling 139 km to and from the plot; 7 fertiliser additions; 4 pest control additions; and 2 weed control additions. On average, each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours’ labour, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost. As interest in urban horticultural production grows, and policy makers build urban horticultural spaces into future sustainable cities, it is of key importance that this is carried out in a way that minimises resource requirements, and we demonstrate here that avenues exist for the diversion of municipal compostable waste and household-level city food waste for this purpose. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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16 pages, 10962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Evaluation of Combined Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm in Energy, Economic and Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of Oilseed Production

by Seyed Hashem Mousavi-Avval, Shahin Rafiee and Ali Mohammadi

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 290; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010290 - 30 Dec 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2175

Abstract

Energy consumption, economics, and environmental impacts of canola production were assessed using a combined technique involving an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA). Data were collected from canola farming enterprises in the Mazandaran province of Iran and were used to test the application of the combined modeling algorithms. Life cycle assessment (LCA) for one ha functional unit of canola production from cradle to farm gate was conducted in order to evaluate the impacts of energy, materials used, and their environmental emissions. MOGA was applied to maximize the output energy and benefit-cost ratio, and to minimize environmental emissions. The combined ANFIS–MOGA technique resulted in a 6.2% increase in energy output, a 144% rise in the benefit-cost ratio, and a 19.8% reduction in environmental emissions from the current canola production system in the studied region. A comparison of ANFIS–MOGA with the data envelopment analysis approach was also conducted and the results established that the former is a better system than the latter because of its ability to generate optimum conditions that allow for the assessment of a combination of parameters such as energy, economic, and environmental impacts of agricultural production systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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Review

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14 pages, 801 KiB

Open AccessReview

Promoting Sustainability within the Nordic-Arctic Region’s Food System: Challenges and Trends

by Dele Raheem, Anu Holopainen, Jana Koegst, Maija Tulimaa and Moaadh Benkherouf

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9716; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159716 - 07 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1887

Abstract

The food system has direct impacts on our health both at individual and planetary levels; however, there is a need to make it more sustainable. Many communities in the Nordic-Arctic region are faced with challenges that arise from the need to protect natural resources due to increased activities that are fostered by tourism in the region. In this paper, we explore the interrelated factors that can sustainably support the food system in the region. A better understanding of these associated challenges in a complex food system from production to consumption is required. In order to ensure sustainability in the future, it will be necessary to explore the impacts of food tourism while responding to megatrends in the society. It is important that the natural resources in the communities of this region are better preserved for the next generation. Traditional knowledge and digital solutions can be harnessed to support food security and sovereignty that can empower local communities of the Nordic-Arctic region without compromising their heritage and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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14 pages, 1130 KiB

Open AccessReview

Agrometeorological Requirements of Maize Crop Phenology for Sustainable Cropping—A Historical Review for Romania

by Sorin Daniel Vâtcă, Valentina Ancuța Stoian, Titus Cristian Man, Csaba Horvath, Roxana Vidican, Ștefania Gâdea, Anamaria Vâtcă, Ancuța Rotaru, Rodica Vârban, Moldovan Cristina and Vlad Stoian

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7719; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13147719 - 10 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3379

Abstract

Identifying regional variations and agronomical records can turn into a function of magnitude and timing for sustainable maize production. The crop characteristics are directly related with the temperature and precipitation from the growing season. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to highlight maize crop requirements from the most suggestive records from Romania. A literature search was performed based on keywords related to both maize crop and agrometeorological requirements. After the evaluation of the temperature requirements on maize phenology’s principal stages, some inconsistencies were identified. These are related to the leaf development stage and the development of the fruit stage, where the minimum temperature interval overlaps with the optimum. A wide variety of assessments were also made, taking into account mainly the monthly temperature and precipitation requirements. The number of principal growth stages assessed differed greatly from one source to another. The growth degree days has been incoherently expressed and calculated, and these details must be taken into account for developing further models. The results regarding phenology aim to propose the setting up of comparable records at a regional (PannEx area) and global scale. This review will help to develop new climate projections in Romania in the climate change context through the project Agroclim. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems)

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