Critical Impact Assessment of Organic Agriculture

Based on its productionguideline, organic agriculture has set foritself the goals of minimizing all forms ofpollution and maintaining sustainability of thefarming system. By striving for these goals,organic farming meets the demands of anincreasing number of consumers who are criticalof conventional production methods. This papergives an overview of the present state of theart in the different issues. Possibilities ofand limitations in performing the self-aimedgoals under the basic standards of organicagriculture are discussed. Concerningenvironmental protection, in general, the riskof adverse environmental effects is lower withorganic than with conventional farming methods,though not necessarily so; with reference tosoil fertility and nutrient management, organicfarming is suited to improve soil fertility andnutrient management markedly on the farm level;regarding biodiversity, comparison studies showthat organic farming has more positive effectson biodiversity conservation; in relation toproduct quality, under the basic standards oforganic farming, there is no sufficientevidence for a system-related effect on productquality due to the production method.     

ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGIES IN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE1

ABSTRACT: Growers in California used several energy and water conservation strategies in response to the drought conditions of 1976 and 1977. The strategies included an increased use of ground water, in creased irrigation efficiencies, and shifts in cropping patterns. Drought-related losses to irrigated agriculture were minimized as a result of these modifications. Some future problems may have been created, however, by obtaining the needed water supplies for 1976–77. These problems include the effects of extensive water pumping on ground water reservoirs and ground subsidence. In addition, reduced water application by less frequent irrigation and changes in irrigation methods may affect the total salt balance for future years. Several conservation strategies that have some potential application in California were identified as: maintaining and augmenting surface water supply, increasing power use efficiencies, and improving irrigation efficiencies. Electricity savings associated with water conservation have been estimated as high as 25 percent. Specific near term actions suggested for facilitating conservation included: an expanded irrigation management system, efficient water deliveries, and a continued effort on the part of the individual growers to use resources during periods of normal rainfall as they were used under drought conditions.     

山东省农业可持续发展战略研究

本文探讨了农业可持续发展的概念、内涵与特征,针对山东省的实际情况,分析了山东省农业可持续发展面临的问题,提出了山东省实施农业可持续发展的战略对策。     

DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF LAND/WATER RESOURCES: THE EVERGLADES,AGRICULTURE, AND SOUTH FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: South Florida and the Everglades have been under intensive development since 1850 by Federal and State governments who encouraged and financed extensive drainage and hydraulic changes, primarily for agricultural settlement. Agricultural development of the sugar industry in the northern Everglades adjacent to Lake Okeechobee rapidly progressed only after the 1900s. Political and resource management conflicts have arisen because policies which once favored development are now being reversed by policies and regulation efforts to restore and conserve natural ecosystems. Currently, the environmental and ecological impacts of agricultural land use adjacent to natural wtlands of the Everglades are being assessed. The objectives of this paper are: (1) to outline the historical development of south Florida and the sugar industry, (2) to relate this history to political and management policy changes occurring as it pertains to ecosystem restoration and the multiuser competition for water/land resources, and (3) to propose how integrated resource management might be utilized for a sustainable Everglades and south Florida. This paper outlines the historical paradox of urban settlement, land development, and agricultural production, with efforts in the recent decade to acquire, manage, and preserve land and water resources for natural areas conservation. Only though the use of integrated resource management will the defined resource conflicts be mediated.     

开发旅游农业的市场前景

本文在提出将农业作为一项特殊生态旅游的基础上,阐述了旅游农业的基本特性、生存和发展的市场前景,并就旅游农业作为主题公园在开发中应注意的问题进行了探讨．     

利用海南冬季优势积极发展冬季农业

海南岛是我国最大的一块热带地区，是我国最大的冬季天然温室。冬季光温资源丰富，台风、暴雨及病虫危害很少发生，在特别干旱时段，只要加以灌溉，冬种作物便可以在正常的环境条件下生长、发育，产量比较稳定，易获得高产，并且可以冬种的瓜果蔬菜、粮食、饲料等作物种类繁多，可开发利用的冬闲田面积广。在夏季，台风、洪水、病虫等危害严重，进一步开发的潜力已有限，并且一些产品（尤其是热作产品）面临东南亚、南亚及美洲一些国家和地区的激烈竞争，为此，利用冬季优势，积极发展冬种瓜果蔬菜及饲料等作物，是实现农业高产、优质、高效的关键措施。     

论窖灌农业中水窖的配置模式与窖水高效利用技术

针对黄土高原蓬勃发展的窖灌农业 ,提出3种水窖配置模式 :峁顶光头式 ;路旁葡萄串式和场、院、凹地单点式。为了高效利用水窖集蓄的雨水资源 ,文中推荐自压微灌、外动力加压微灌、坑灌和水肥穴灌等4种窖水高效利用技术。     

硝化抑制剂硝基吡啶在农业和环境保护中的应用

讨论了硝化抑制剂硝基吡啶的作用机理,综述了硝基吡啶对农作物营养元素吸收、作物品质、作物产量、植物病害和毒害的影响,以及该硝化抑制剂对氮肥的淋溶损失和气态损失的影响.     

QUANTIFICATION OF THE WATER BUDGET AND NUTRIENT LOADING IN A SMALL PEATLAND1

ABSTRACT: Few water budgets exist for specific types of wetlands such as peatlands, even though such information provides the basis from which to investigate linkages between wetlands and upland ecosystems. In this study, we first determined the water budget and then estimated nutrient loading from an upland farm field into a 1.5 ha, kettle-block peatland. The wetland contains highly anisotropic peat and has no distinct, active layer of groundwater flow. We estimated the depth of the active layer using Fick's law of diffusion and quantified groundwater flow using a chemical mass balance model. Evapotranspiration was determined using MORECS, a semi-physical model based on the Penman-Monteith approach. Precipitation and surface outflow were measured using physical means. Groundwater provided the major inflow, 84 percent (44,418 m³) in 1993 and 88 percent (68,311 m³) in 1994. Surface outflow represented 54 percent (28,763 m³) of total outflows in 1993 and 48 percent (37,078 m³) in 1994. A comparison of several published water budgets for wetlands and lakes showed that error estimates for hydrologic components in this study are well within the range of error estimates calculated in other studies. Groundwater inflow estimates and nutrient concentrations of three springs were used to estimate agricultural nutrient loading to the site. During the study period, nutrient loading into the peatland via groundwater discharge averaged 24.74 kg K ha^-1, 1.83 kg total inorganic P ha^d, and 21.81 kg NO₃-N ha^-1.     

A role-playing game as a tool to facilitate social learning and collective action towards Climate Smart Agriculture: Lessons learned from Apuí, Brazil

Addressing the global challenges of climate change (CC), food security and poverty alleviation requires enhancing the adaptive capacity and mitigation potential of land use systems. To this end, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) aims to identify land use practices that sustainably increase productivity, enhance climate change (CC) adaptation and contribute to CC mitigation. A transition towards CSA requires technical, but also socio-institutional changes, for improved smallholder agricultural systems. Such changes may be triggered by stakeholder participation processes that stimulate social learning and collective action. This article evaluates whether a role-playing game (RPG) is an effective participatory tool to encourage social learning and collective action among local stakeholders towards adoption of CSA strategies. We designed and implemented an RPG with three groups of farmers in Apuí (Southern Amazonas), evaluating the game’s impact on social learning by interviewing each farmer before and after the RPG. Our findings show that the RPG induced not only technical learning, but also socio-institutional learning and engagement for collective action, though outcomes varied between different RPG sessions and among farmer participants.