Prospects for the agricultural sector in the Netherlands, Economic and technological explorations

The Dutch agricultural sector is greatly influenced by the global economy; the sector is very much focused on international trade. Every year, the agricultural sector generates an extensive positive export balance of over €20 billion (€23 billion in 2007). The proportion of agricultural products and food in total Dutch exports of goods and services is also fairly high (17%). A large proportion (around 70%) of the activities of the agro-complex is related to foreign sales, so there is heavy dependence on international trade

Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands : organisation, methodology and results

Chapters: 1. Organic agriculture in the Netherlands; 2. Dutch research on organic agriculture: approaches and characteristics; 3. Dutch knowledge infrastructure for organic agricultur'; 4. Sustainable systems; 5. Good soil: a good start; 6. Robust varieties and vigorous propagation material; 7. Prevention and control of weeds, pests and diseases; 8. Health and welfare of organic livestock; 9. Animal production and feeding; 10. Special branches: organic greenhouse production, bulbs, ornamentals and aquaculture; 11. Healthfulness and quality of products; 12. Economy, market and chain; 13. People and society. A publication of Wageningen UR and Louis Bolk Institut

Research and education for the development of integrated crop-livestock-fish farming systems in the tropics.

There is a vast potential for Asia's numerous and needy small-scale farmers to enjoy the benefits of integration of aquaculture into farming systems. This publication attempts to create a framework for an interdisciplinary approach to research and education in integrated farming - a fusion of agriculture and aquaculture sciences.Integrated farming, Research, Education, Tropics, Farm Management,

Research and education for the development of integrated crop-livestock-fish farming systems in the tropics

There is a vast potential for Asia's numerous and needy small-scale farmers to enjoy the benefits of integration of aquaculture into farming systems. This publication attempts to create a framework for an interdisciplinary approach to research and education in integrated farming - a fusion of agriculture and aquaculture sciences.Integrated farming, Research, Education, Tropics

Implementation Action Plan for organic food and farming research

The Implementation Action Plan completes TP Organics’ trilogy of key documents of the Research Vision to 2025 (Niggli et al 2008) and the Strategic Research Agenda (Schmid et al 2009). The Implementation Action Plan addresses important areas for a successful implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda. It explores the strength of Europe’s organic sector on the world stage with about one quarter of the world’s organic agricultural land in 2008 and accounting for more than half of the global organic market. The aims and objectives of organic farming reflect a broad range of societal demands on the multiple roles of agriculture and food production of not only producing commodities but also ecosystem services. These are important for Europe’s economic success, the resilience of its farms and prosperity in its rural areas. The organic sector is a leading market for quality and authenticity: values at the heart of European food culture. Innovation is important across the EU economy, and no less so within the organic sector. The Implementation Action Plan devotes its third chapter to considering how innovation can be stimulated through organic food and farming research and, crucially, translated into changes in business and agricultural practice. TP Organics argues for a broad understanding of innovation that includes technology, know-how and social/organisational innovations. Accordingly, innovation can involve different actors throughout the food sector. Many examples illustrate innovations in the organic sector includign and beyond technology. The various restrictions imposed by organic standards have driven change and turned organic farms and food businesses into creative living laboratories for smart and green innovations and the sector will continue to generate new examples. The research topics proposed by TP Organics in the Strategic Research Agenda can drive innovation in areas as wide ranging as production practices for crops, technologies for livestock, food processing, quality management, on-farm renewable energy or insights into the effects of consumption of organic products on disease and wellbeing and life style of citizens. Importantly, many approaches developed within the sector are relevant and useful beyond the specific sector. The fourth chapter addresses knowledge management in organic agriculture, focusing on the further development of participatory research methods. Participatory (or trans-disciplinary) models recognise the worth and importance of different forms of knowledge and reduced boundaries between the generators and the users of knowledge, while respecting and benefitting from transparent division of tasks. The emphasis on joint creation and exchange of knowledge makes them valuable as part of a knowledge management toolkit as they have the capacity to enhance the translation of research outcomes into practical changes and lead to real-world progress. The Implementation Action Plan argues for the wider application of participatory methods in publicly-funded research and also proposes some criteria for evaluating participatory research, such as the involvement and satisfaction of stakeholders as well as real improvements in sustainability and delivery of public goods/services. European agriculture faces specific challenges but at the same time Europe has a unique potential for the development of agro-ecology based solutions that must be supported through well focused research. TP Organics believes that the most effective approaches in agriculture and food research will be systems-based, multi- and trans-disciplinary, and that in the development of research priorities, the interconnections between biodiversity, dietary diversity, functional diversity and health must be taken into account. Chapter five of the action plan identifies six themes which could be used to organise research and innovation activities in agriculture under Europe’s 8th Framework Programme on Research Cooperation: • Eco-functional intensification – A new area of agricultural research which aims to harness beneficial activities of the ecosystem to increase productivity in agriculture. • The economics of high output / low input farming Developing reliable economic and environmental assessments of new recycling, renewable-based and efficiency-boosting technologies for agriculture. • Health care schemes for livestock Shifting from therapeutics to livestock health care schemes based on good husbandry and disease prevention. • Resilience and “sustainagility” Dealing with a more rapidly changing environment by focusing on ‘adaptive capacity’ to help build resilience of farmers, farms and production methods. • From farm diversity to food diversity and health and wellbeing of citizens Building on existing initiatives to reconnect consumers and producers, use a ‘whole food chain’ approach to improve availability of natural and authentic foods. • Creating centres of innovation in farming communities A network of centres in Europe applying and developing trans-disciplinary and participatory scientific approaches to support innovation among farmers and SMEs and improving research capacities across Europe

Agricultural Engineering in China

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is an Invited Paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 5 (2003): X. Zhou, R. Dong, S. Li, G. Peng, L. Zhang, J. Hou, J. Xiao and B. Zhu. Agricultural Engineering in China. Vol. V. September 2003

Aquaculture Asia, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp.1-60, July - September 2002

CONTENTS: Sustainable Aquaculture - Peter Edwards writes on rural aquaculture: Aquaculture for Poverty Alleviation and Food Security - Part II. Shrimp pond waste management by U Win Latt. The role of rural extension in the sustainable development of Chinese aquaculture by Min Kuanhong. Farmers as Scientists: Diversity enhances profitability and sustainability by M.C. Nandeesha. Properties of Liming Materials by Claude E. Boyd, Mali Boonyaratpalin & Taworn Thunjai. Seed Production of Mud Crab Scylla spp. by Emilia T. Quinitio, Fe Delores Parado-Estepa and Eduard Rodriguez Genes and Fish: The dilemmas of strain selection by Graham Mair. Seed Production of the Crucifix Crab Charybdis feriatus by Fe Delores Parado-Estepa, Eduard Rodriguez and Emilia T. Quinitio. Aquaculture Fundamentals: A general approach to disease treatment & control by Simon Wilkinson. Marine Finfish Aquaculture Network meets in Vietnam. New APEC Project: Improving Coastal Livelihoods Through Sustainable Aquaculture Practices. Breeding and Seed Production of the Mangrove Red Snapper by Arnil C. Emata. APEC, FAO, NACA, and OIE enhance Capacity on Risk Analysis (IRA)in Aquatic Animal Movement in Asia-Pacific region by Melba Reantaso. Advice on Aquatic Animal Health: Questions & answers on drugs and chemicals by Pornlerd Chanratchakool. Responsible use of antibiotics in shrimp farming by Sara Graslund, Karin Karlsson and Janenuj Wongtavatchai. Molecular methods for rapid and specific detection of pathogens in seafood by Iddya Karunasagar, Indrani Karunasagar and H. Samath Kumar. Practical approaches to health management for cage cultured marine fishes by Leong Tak Seng

Исследование достижений и перспектив развития технологических инновацийв области интеллектуальной сельскохозяйственной техники в Китае

Agricultural machinery is the key fi eld in modern scientifi c and technological innovation. In recent years, China has made great achievements in the development of high-performance intelligent agricultural machinery with cutting-edge technology, which promotes the effi cient use of agricultural resources and environment-friendly development, and supports 70 percent of China’s agricultural mechanization production. This paper mainly focus on the innovation and progress in the fi eld of intelligent agricultural equipment technology in China from the aspects of information perception and precision production monitoring technology, intelligent operation management technologies, power machinery, farmland operation machinery, intelligent harvesting technology, production technology and agricultural products processing equipment. the paper also summarizes that, in the future, green, intelligence and universality will become the main characteristics of the development of intelligent agricultural machinery technology, and cross integration, extension and expansion will become the main direction of technological innovation. At last by referring to the application basis and cutting-edge technology of China’s intelligent agricultural machinery industry, the innovation and development goals and research direction of future intelligent agricultural equipment, the scientifi c and technological innovation and industrial development trend in the fi eld of agricultural mechanization and intelligent application integration, this paper puts forward some suggestions on the research direction of future intelligent agricultural equipment.Сельскохозяйственная техника стала ключевой областью современных научных и технологических инноваций. В последние годы Китай добился больших успехов в разработке высокопроизводительной интеллектуальной сельскохозяйственной техники и применении передовых технологий, которые способствуют эффективному использованию сельскохозяйственных ресурсов и экологически безопасному развитию, а также обеспечивают 70 процентов производства в области механизации сельского хозяйства в Китае. В этой работе основное внимание уделяется инновациям и достижениям в области технологии интеллектуального сельскохозяйственного оборудования в Китае, а именно вопросам восприятия информации, технологии точного мониторинга производства, проблемам технологий интеллектуального управления операциями,  энергетического оборудования, машин для обработки сельскохозяйственных угодий, интеллектуальной технологии сбора урожая, технологий производства и оборудования для переработки сельхозпродукции. В статье также прогнозируется, что в будущем экологичность, интеллект и универсальность станут основными характеристиками развития технологий интеллектуальной сельскохозяйственной техники, а перекрестная интеграция, рост и расширение неотрывно связаны с технологическими инновациями. Наконец, на основе прикладного характера китайской интеллектуальной сельскохозяйственной техники и передовых технологий, учитывая цели инновационного развития и направления исследований будущего интеллектуального сельскохозяйственного оборудования, принимая во внимание научные и технологические инновации и тенденции промышленного развития в области механизации сельского хозяйства и возможности интеллектуальной интеграции, авторы выдвигают некоторые предложения в направлении исследований будущего интеллектуального сельскохозяйственного оборудования

Strategic Research Agenda for organic food and farming

The TP Organics Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) was finalised in December 2009. The purpose of the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) is to enable research, development and knowledge transfer that will deliver relevant outcomes – results that will contribute to the improvement of the organic sector and other low external input systems. The document has been developed through a dynamic consultative process that ran from 2008 to 2009. It involved a wide range of stakeholders who enthusiastically joined the effort to define organic research priorities. From December 2008 to February; the expert groups elaborated the first draft. The consultative process involved the active participation of many different countries. Consultation involved researchers, advisors, members of inspection/certification bodies, as well as different users/beneficiaries of the research such as farmers, processors, market actors and members of civil society organisations throughout Europe and further afield in order to gather the research needs of the whole organic sector