Empirical evaluation of sustainability of divergent farms in the dryland farming systems of India

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe present study argues that there are heterogeneous farm systems within the drylands and each farm system is unique in terms of its livelihood asset and agricultural practice, and therefore in sustainability. Our method is based on household survey data collected from 500 farmers in Anantapur and Kurnool Districts, in Andhra Pradesh State of India, in 2013. We carried out principal component analysis (PCA) with subsequent hierarchical clustering methods to build farm typologies. To evaluate sustainability across these farm typologies, we adopted a framework consisting of economic, social and environmental sustainability pillars and associated indicators. We normalized values of target indicators and employed normative approach to assign different weights to these indicators. Composite sustainability indices (CSI) were then estimated by means of weighted sum of indicators, aggregated and integrated into farm typologies. The results suggested that there were five distinct farm typologies representing farming systems in the study area. The majority of farms (>70%) in the study area are small and extensive (typology 1); marginal and off farm based (typology 2). About 20% of the farms are irrigation based and intensive (typology 3); small and medium and off farm based (typology 4) and irrigation based semi-intensive (typology 5). There was apparent variability among farm typologies in terms of farm structure and functions and composite sustainability indices. Farm typologies 3 and 5 showed significantly higher performances for the social and economic indices, while typologies 2 and 4 had relatively stronger values for environment. These discrepancies support the relevance of integrated farm typology-and CSI approaches in assessing system sustainability and targeting technologies. Universally, for all farm typologies, composite sustainability indices for economic pillar was significantly lower than the social and environment pillars. More than 90% of farmers were in economically less-sustainable class. The correlations between sustainability indices for economic and environment were typology specific. It was strong and positive when aggregated for the whole study systems [all samples (r = 0.183; P < 0.001)] and for agriculture dependent farm typologies (e.g. typologies 1 and 3). This suggests the need to elevate farms economic performance and capacitate them to invest in the environment. These results provide information for policy makers to plan farm typology-context technological interventions and also create baseline information to evaluate sustainability performance in terms of progress made over time.

Methane, nitrous oxide emissions and mitigation strategies for livestock in developing countries: A review

“…However, this mitigation option is in conflict with the interests of smallholders, who want to have large unproductive herds for social and risk mitigation reasons. Regulatory measures (policy and quota systems), economic incentives (micro credits and loans in kind), and change in social behaviours (social disincentives) could reduce the benefits of keeping unproductive animals and support the intensification of livestock production (Udo et al, 2011;Haileslassie et al, 2016). In a study in India, important mitigation measures for livestock are improving feed by adding digesters and CH 4 inhibitors and enhancing the number of crossbred animals that have lower CH 4 emissions per unit of production (Garg et al, 2011).…”

Definición participativa de indicadores para la evaluación de la sustentabilidad predial en dos sistemas campesinos del sector Boyeco, Región de la Araucanía

“…Estos resultados coinciden, por un lado, con los de Arnés et al (2013) en los que se ha establecido la conservación de los recursos naturales como criterio, y a variables asociados a las condiciones del suelo y disponibilidad de agua en los predios agrícolas según Barreto et al (2010), Haileslassie et al (2016, Pereira y Galán (2015), Ramírez et al (2014) y Loaiza et al (2014. Para el criterio de "Diversidad", el trabajo de taller con las y los agricultores junto con considerar la diversidad de cultivo fueron incorporadas unidades productivas de animales reflejando, con ello, la integración de las unidades productivas al interior de la explotación agrícola.…”

“…Para el criterio de "Diversidad", el trabajo de taller con las y los agricultores junto con considerar la diversidad de cultivo fueron incorporadas unidades productivas de animales reflejando, con ello, la integración de las unidades productivas al interior de la explotación agrícola. Habitualmente, en este tipo de estudios, la (bio)diversidad se refiere a vegetaciones nativas o corredores de fauna (Barreto et al, 2010), tipos de cultivo (Loaiza et al, 2014), número de cultivos (Arnés et al, 2013) incluyendo recursos genéticos (Haileslassie et al, 2016).…”

“…En el primer caso, está referido a la presencia de plagas y enfermedades y la cobertura de especies invasoras (adventicias/arvenses). Para el segundo, en tanto, se definió la estacionalidad del ingreso como indicador de fragilidad del sistema, entendido por las y los agricultores como la estabilidad que otorga las fuentes extraprediales de ingreso para la subsistencia de la familia (Haileslassie et al, 2016).…”

Sustainability of Smallholder Agriculture in Semi-Arid Areas under Land Set-aside Programs: A Case Study from China’s Loess Plateau

“…In previous studies with regard to sustainable agriculture on the Loess Plateau, a holistic "variation-selection-replication-retention" model was built to analyze the transformation of agricultural development from an evolutionary perspective [10]: the spatial variability of soil total nitrogen (STN) and soil total phosphorus (STP) levels as well as water use efficiencies and long-term crop rotation systems were analyzed to reflect sustainable agriculture development [14,15]; land suitability was evaluated and land use scenarios were simulated to explore sustainable agriculture [16]; and runoff and sediment loss as well as soil organic matter and soil nutrients were measured [17,18]. Although these studies shed light on agricultural sustainability, little attention has been paid to evaluating the environmental benefits, economic viability and social equity of agricultural systems in an integrative way [19][20][21]. Taking the case of China's Loess Hills, this study analyzes the environmental, economic and social sustainability of farming systems under the GGP environmental program.…”