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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2022) | Viewed by 33520

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Dr. Victor Rolo

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Plant Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10600 Plasencia, Spain
Interests: agroecosystems; silvopastures; plant–-soil components; functional traits; land restoration; adaptive management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our ability to feed the future world population with the current agriculture production practices is being questioned. Intensification has been the usual option of modern agriculture, but it still has a limited potential to meet the increasing food demand. In addition, it is known that the consequences of intensification are a loss of biodiversity, the decline of soil fertility, and the collapse of agroecosystem functions. There is a large consensus that innovative practices and more sustainable approaches of farming production are needed, but to what extent they have the potential to fill the yield gap is still unresolved.

This Special Issue aims to collect original contributions on innovative agroecological practices that seek to maximize productions as well as deliver multiple services to society, including biodiversity conservation. The issue places a special focus on agroforestry because of its known potential to deliver ecological benefits with a wide range of products and services. The themes of the Special Issue include monitoring of innovative systems, adoption of low-input technologies, restoration of soil productivity through enhanced water and nutrient efficiencies, farmers solutions to adopt agroecological changes, approaches to adapting and building resilience to climate change and application of ecological principles to agriculture.

Dr. Victor Rolo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Adaptive management
Global change
Climate smart agriculture
Resilience
Agroforestry
Innovation systems
Sustainable intensification

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Agroforestry for Sustainable Food Production

by Víctor Rolo

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10193; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141610193 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1558

Abstract

Agricultural production is considered to be among the largest drivers of global environmental degradation [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

Research

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17 pages, 3672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of a Cocoa-Based Agroforestry System in the Southwest of Colombia

by William Ballesteros-Possú, Juan Carlos Valencia and Jorge Fernando Navia-Estrada

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9447; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159447 - 02 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3029

Abstract

Cocoa-based agroforests play an important role in farmer livelihood and the global environment; however, despite these facts, their low yields and tree aging put at risk their fate. This project investigated the carbon storage potential, productivity, and economics of different agroforestry arrangements of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) with Melina (Gmelina arborea) trees, in the southwest of Colombia. We established the experiment under a Randomized Complete Blocks design with seven treatments and three repetitions. Different allometric models were tested. Allometric models were made for G. arborea trees with dbh, ranging between 30.24 and 50.11 cm. The total carbon accumulation fluctuated between 49.2 (Treatment 4) and 88.5 t ha⁻¹ (Treatment 2), soil organic matter (SOM) ranged between 9 and 17%, bulk density decreased from 0.83 to 0.77 g cm⁻³. Cocoa yield ranged between 311 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (Treatment 7, traditional farm) and 922 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (Treatment 6). Treatment 6 showed the best performance with a net present value (NPV) of COP 1,446,467 (US $337.6), an internal rate of return (IRR) of 42%, and a cost-benefit ratio (B/C) of 1.67%. The benefits of AFS were also evidenced in some of the physical and chemical soil properties. Despite local marginality, these cocoa agroforest arrangements are a viable alternative to improve the traditional (local) cocoa systems because cacao agroforest arrangements increased cacao yield and carbon storage becoming a suitable alternative to improve traditional systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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28 pages, 2450 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Agro Alternatives to Boost Cameroon’s Socio-Environmental Resilience, Sustainable Development, and Conservation of Native Forests

by Tomas Gabriel Bas, Jacques Gagnon, Philippe Gagnon and Angela Contreras

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8507; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14148507 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2565

Abstract

Located in Central Africa, Cameroon is a country with strong social inequalities and fragile governance and institutions. This has a direct impact on the sustainable development of its territory, communities, and native forest, which are subject to constant socio-environmental and economic pressures due to overexploitation. This research has three purposes: (1) to conduct a comparative theoretical/empirical diagnosis on the quality of Cameroon’s institutional framework, governance, and public policies related to territorial sustainability; (2) to assess the impact of the three clusters identified among the 44 stakeholders interviewed (forestry companies/certifiers; NGOs/communities; and banks/public institutions) on each other; and (3) to analyze the contribution of the use of cassava (Manihot esculenta) as an agro alternative to Cameroon’s socio-ecological resilience, sustainable development, and conservation of native forests. The research found: (1) the need for mixed governance with joint accountability to find equitable and lasting sustainable solutions for the parties involved, making communities/ethnic groups visible in the decision-making process; and (2) the agro use of cassava has a positive impact on socio-ecological resilience by contributing to employment, the protection of devastated soils, and the provision of quality food, and by reducing pollution from the cement industry through using cassava waste as an input. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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21 pages, 7406 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Ecological–Economic Modelling of Traditional Agroforestry to Promote Farmland Biodiversity with Cost-Effective Payments

by Takamasa Nishizawa, Sonja Kay, Johannes Schuler, Noëlle Klein, Felix Herzog, Joachim Aurbacher and Peter Zander

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5615; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14095615 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2137

Abstract

Orchard meadows, a traditional agroforestry system in Switzerland combining the dual use fruit and fodder production, are declining, even though the farmland managed under agri-environmental schemes (AES) has been expanding. Despite increasing interest in agroforestry research for developing sustainable agriculture, it is poorly understood how subsidies contribute to the maintenance of trees on agricultural land and the promotion of farmland biodiversity. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to examine the effects of incentive-based AES on both farmers’ decisions regarding trees and biodiversity by developing an ecological–economic assessment model. To explore cost-effective AES, we explicitly consider the heterogeneity of farm types. We apply this integrated model to the farms in Schwarzbubenland, a small hilly region in Northern Switzerland. Results show that the adoption of AES and the compliance costs of participating in AES considerably vary among farm types, and the current AES do not provide farmers with sufficient payments to maintain any type of orchard meadows, despite the ecological benefits of orchard meadows. The integrating modeling developed in this study enables us to better understand the relationship between subsidies and biodiversity through farmers’ decisions on land use and facilitates the design of cost-effective payments for the maintenance of agroforestry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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17 pages, 2182 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Shade Impact Coffee Yield, Tree Trunk, and Soil Moisture on Coffea canephora Plantations in Mondulkiri, Cambodia?

by Lenka Ehrenbergerová, Marie Klimková, Yessika Garcia Cano, Hana Habrová, Samuel Lvončík, Daniel Volařík, Warbota Khum, Petr Němec, Soben Kim, Petr Jelínek and Petr Maděra

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13823; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132413823 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

Shade is a natural condition for coffee plants; however, unshaded plantations currently predominate in Asia. The benefits of shading increase as the environment becomes less favorable for coffee cultivation, e.g., because of climate change. It is necessary to determine the effects of shade on the yield of Coffea canephora and on the soil water availability. Therefore, three coffee plantations (of 3, 6, and 9 ha) in the province of Mondulkiri, Cambodia, were selected to evaluate the effect of shade on Coffea canephora yields, coffee bush trunk changes, and soil moisture. Our study shows that shade-grown coffee delivers the same yields as coffee that is grown without shading in terms of coffee bean weight or size (comparing average values and bean variability), the total weight of coffee fruits per coffee shrub and the total weight of 100 fruits (fresh and dry). Additionally, fruit ripeness was not influenced by shade in terms of variability nor in terms of a possible delay in ripening. There was no difference in the coffee stem diameter changes between shaded and sunny sites, although the soil moisture was shown to be higher throughout the shaded sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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16 pages, 2557 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Nutrient Supply in Cultivated Bush Bean–Potato Intercropping Grown in Subarctic Soil Managed with Agroforestry

by Jim D. Karagatzides, Meaghan J. Wilton and Leonard J. S. Tsuji

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8185; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158185 - 22 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1906

Abstract

To address food insecurity in northern Canada, some isolated communities started gardening initiatives to reduce dependencies on expensive foods flown in to communities. From 2012–2014, soils in northern Ontario James Bay lowlands were cultivated with bush beans and potatoes, grown in sole and intercropping configurations, in an open field and an agroforestry system enclosed by willow trees. The objective of this study was to compare the supply rates of 15 plant-available nutrients in these soils using in situ ion exchange membranes. After three years of cultivation, the agroforestry site had significantly greater supply of PO₄, Ca, and Zn and these nutrients had positive correlations with yield. By contrast, the open site had significantly greater supply of Mg, SO₄, and B; these nutrients, and Al, had negative correlations with yield. Whilst there were no differences between sole and intercropping configurations, significantly greater supply of NO₃, Ca, Cu, Fe, and Zn occurred early in the growing season, compared to significantly greater supply of K, SO₄, B, and Al later in the season. Significantly greater yields have been harvested in the agroforestry site and it is suspected that the presence of a willow shelterbelt improves the microclimate and plant-available PO₄, Ca, and Zn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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14 pages, 2799 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Domestic and Wild Ungulate Management on Young Oak Size and Architecture

by Aida López-Sánchez, Sonia Roig, Rodolfo Dirzo and Ramón Perea

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7930; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13147930 - 15 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1938

Abstract

Scattered oaks in traditional silvopastoral systems (i.e., “dehesas”) provide important ecological services. However, livestock intensification applied to these systems over the last century has affected the architecture of young oak plants. This unsuitable rangeland management practice jeopardizes the long-term system sustainability. Here we examine the alterations in architecture of regenerating oak plants in Mediterranean dehesas under three representative management regimes: (1) traditional management with extensive sheep grazing; (2) commercially driven management with extensive cattle grazing, and (3) native deer grazing at moderate stocking rates (<0.11 livestock units × ha⁻¹). Plant architecture was considerably altered in cattle-grazed “dehesas”, finding a 50% reduction in plant height–diameter ratios, compared to sheep-grazed dehesas where plants with higher height–diameter ratios predominated. Young oak plants, however, showed less altered architecture and less probability of damage on shoot apex (0.20-fold difference) in areas with deer grazing at moderate stocking rates. In addition, those young oak plants with multi-stemmed individual architecture were more stunted (lower values of crown height–diameter ratio) in areas with livestock grazing than wildlife areas (0.78-fold difference). Shrub presence, under all management schemes, helped to increase in plant height, except when shrubs were located under tree canopies. Conversely, plants without shrub protection showed stunted architecture with well-developed basal diameters but short stature. Appropriate sustainable practices should include cattle stocking rate reduction, traditional sheep grazing promotion, nurse shrub preservation and fencing stunted individuals along with pruning basal sprouts. Our study indicates that management may have important consequences on dehesa regeneration via alterations of plant architecture and therefore on system sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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14 pages, 1565 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Soil Loss Management in Tropical Uplands: Impact on Maize-Chili Cropping Systems

by Khalid Hussain, Ayesha Ilyas, Irshad Bibi and Thomas Hilger

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6477; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13116477 - 07 Jun 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1831

Abstract

Intensive land use with inappropriate land management is directly degrading South Asian uplands. A field trial was carried out on the uplands of Western Thailand with a 25% slope to examine the effect of land use management on soil loss for sustainable crop production during two consecutive years (2010–2011). Various cropping systems with soil conservation practices were compared to maize sole cropping (MSC). Results revealed that soil loss was at a minimum in the intercropping system of maize-chili-hedgerows with minimum tillage and fertilization that was 50% to 61% and 60% to 81% less than MSC and the bare soil plot during both years, respectively. Yield advantage was at its maximum, as indicated by the highest land equivalent ratios of 1.28 and 1.21 during 2010 and 2011, respectively, in maize-chili-hedgerows-intercropping with minimum tillage and fertilization. The highest economic returns (5925 and 1058 euros ha⁻¹ during 2010 and 2011, respectively) were also obtained from maize-chili-hedgerows-intercropping with minimum tillage and fertilization. Chili fresh fruit yield was maximum in the chili alone plot during both years due to the greater area under cultivation compared with intercropping. Maize-chili-hedgerows with minimum tillage and fertilization reduced soil loss and increased land productivity and net returns, indicating its promising features for sustainable crop production on uplands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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13 pages, 1152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Potato Farmland Soil Nutrient Based on MDS-SQI Model in the Loess Plateau

by Yingying Xing, Ning Wang, Xiaoli Niu, Wenting Jiang and Xiukang Wang

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3957; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13073957 - 02 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1698

Abstract

Soil nutrients are essential nutrients provided by soil for plant growth. Most researchers focus on the coupling effect of nutrients with potato yield and quality. There are few studies on the evaluation of soil nutrients in potato fields. The purpose of this study is to investigate the soil nutrients of potato farmland and the soil vertical nutrient distributions, and then to provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the fertilizer management practices for potatoes in Loess Plateau. Eight physical and chemical soil indexes were selected in the study area, and 810 farmland soil samples from the potato agriculture product areas were analyzed in Northern Shaanxi. The paper established the minimum data set (MDS) for the quality diagnosis of the cultivated layer for farmland by principal component analysis (PCA), respectively, and furthermore, analyzed the soil nutrient characteristics of the cultivated layer adopted soil quality index (SQI). The results showed that the MDS on soil quality diagnosis of the cultivated layer for farmland soil included such indicators as the soil organic matter content, soil available potassium content, and soil available phosphorus content. The comprehensive index value of the soil quality was between 0.064 and 0.302. The SPSS average clustering process used to classify SQI was divided into three grades: class I (36.2%) was defined as suitable soil fertility (SQI < 0.122), class II (55.6%) was defined as moderate soil fertility (0.122 < SQI < 0.18), and class III (8.2%) was defined as poor soil fertility (SQI > 0.186). The comprehensive quality of the potato farmland soils was generally low. The proportion of soil nutrients in the SQI composition ranged from large to small as the soil available potassium content = soil available phosphorus content > soil organic matter content, which became the limiting factor of the soil organic matter content in this area. This study revolves around the 0 to 60 cm soil layer; the soil fertility decreased gradually with the soil depth, and had significant differences between the respective soil layers. In order to improve the soil nutrient accumulation and potato yield in potato farmland in northern Shaanxi, it is suggested to increase the fertilization depth (20 to 40 cm) and further study the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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Review

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29 pages, 2949 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mainstreaming Smart Agroforestry for Social Forestry Implementation to Support Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia: A Review

by Dona Octavia, Sri Suharti, Murniati, I Wayan Susi Dharmawan, Hunggul Yudono Setio Hadi Nugroho, Bambang Supriyanto, Dede Rohadi, Gerson Ndawa Njurumana, Irma Yeny, Aditya Hani, Nina Mindawati, Suratman, Yelin Adalina, Diana Prameswari, Etik Erna Wati Hadi and Sulistya Ekawati

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9313; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159313 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5536

Abstract

The increasing need for forest resources and cultivated land requires a solution in forest management to realize sustainable land use. Smart agroforestry (SAF) is a set of agriculture and silviculture knowledge and practices that is aimed at not only increasing profits and resilience for farmers but also improving environmental parameters, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, and soil and water conservation, while assuring sustainable landscape management. SAF, a solution for land management systems to reduce the rate of deforestation, is a smart effort to overcome the food crisis and mitigate climate change that is prospectively applied mainly in the social forestry area. Optimized forest land utilization could be achieved by implementing SAF and applying silvicultural and crop cultivation techniques to optimize productivity and meet sustainability and adaptability goals. This paper reviews the existing conditions, opportunities, and challenges in the mainstreaming of SAF in social forestry implementation to support the Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia. Mainstreaming SAF should include policy innovation and regulation implementation, the use of appropriate technology, and compromises or trade-offs among benefits, risks, and resources. SAF is a strategy to revive the rural economy and community prosperity through the optimal use of local resources as well as a form of smart landscape and land-use management that has significant roles in soil and water conservation, bioenergy, climate change responses, and enhanced biodiversity conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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33 pages, 1551 KiB

Open AccessReview

Traditional Subsistence Farming of Smallholder Agroforestry Systems in Indonesia: A Review

by Budiman Achmad, Sanudin, Mohamad Siarudin, Ary Widiyanto, Dian Diniyati, Aris Sudomo, Aditya Hani, Eva Fauziyah, Endah Suhaendah, Tri Sulistyati Widyaningsih, Wuri Handayani, Dewi Maharani, Suhartono, Maria Palmolina, Dila Swestiani, Harry Budi Santoso Sulistiadi, Aji Winara, Yudha Hadian Nur, Muthya Diana, Dewi Gartika and Agus Ruswandi Show full author list Hide full author list

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8631; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14148631 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5821

Abstract

Agroforestry has been practiced for decades and is undoubtedly an important source of income for Indonesian households living near forests. However, there are still many cases of poverty among farmers due to a lack of ability to adopt advanced technology. This literature review aims to identify the characteristics and factors causing the occurrence of agricultural subsistence and analyze its implications for the level of farmer welfare and the regional forestry industry. The literature analysis conducted reveals that small land tenure, low literacy rates, and lack of forest maintenance are the main causes of the subsistence of small agroforestry farmers. Another reason is that subsistence-oriented agroforestry practices are considered a strong form of smallholder resilience. All of these limitations have implications for low land productivity and high-sawn timber waste from community forests. To reduce the subsistence level of farmers, government intervention is needed, especially in providing managerial assistance packages, capital assistance, and the marketing of forest products. Various agroforestry technologies are available but have not been implemented consistently by farmers. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an integrated collaboration between researchers, farmers, and regionally owned enterprises (BUMD) to increase access to technology and markets. Although it is still difficult to realize, forest services, such as upstream–downstream compensation and carbon capture, have the potential to increase farmer income. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Production)

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