Organic open field cultivation in the Netherlands

The arable farming and field vegetable cultivation sector is a significant part of the organic agricultural sector in the Netherlands. The sector produces not only vegetables for human consumption, but also organic animal feed such as maize an cereals. To facilitate organic farmers, Wageningen UR and Louis Bolk Institute carry out a variety or research aimed specifically at organic arable farming and field vegetable production. The report contains sector facts, sector aspirations, current affairs and research projects

Challenges of Organic Arable Farming - 6th module: Recovery and final synthesis

This module summarizes the online course "Challenges of Organic Arable Farming". This module is targeting students, farmers, advisors. The module is based on a PowerPoint presentation containing a theoretical background and supported by related specific tools (practice abstracts, leaflets, guidelines, data calculation tools, videos, books, reports, web pages) taken from the OK-Net Arable Knowledge platform (www.organic-farmknowledge.org). All modules Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 1st module: Strategies to enhance soil fertility and assessment of soil fertility and quality (https://orgprints.org/35291/) Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 2nd module: Fertilization strategies to enhance nutrient availability in organic arable crops (https://orgprints.org/35292) Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 3rd module: Monitoring, preventive and curative measures for pest and disease management (https://orgprints.org/35293/) Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 4th module: Technical tools, strategies and machineries to tackle weeds in organic arable farming (https://orgprints.org/35294/) Challenges of Organic Arable Farming 5th module: Crops specific problems and potential solutions in cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables (https://orgprints.org/35295/

Organic Centre Wales Factsheet 2: Information on the relationship between the Organic Farming Scheme and Tir Gofal

This factsheet provides information on the relationship between the Organic Farming Scheme and Tir Gofal. Issues covered are; entering land into both schemes, payments, underlying principles of the schemes and arable farming

Vision Statements and Road-Map Methodology for Knowledge Management Adoption

The present paper describes the strategy of introducing future knowledge management system at farms. The FUTUREFARM and PREZEM projects strive to apply new knowledge management methods in arable farming where they guarantee an easy adaptation of the farming sector to the everchanging conditions in short, middle and long-term perspective. The knowledge management methods have to be put into practice on strategic, tactic and operational planning levels. Based on the project analysis and workshops with farmers, the paper brings an outline of the main goals and obstacles for new knowledge management methods adoption and furthermore defines the target groups and relevant methods of dealing with them.Knowledge management, adaptation, arable farming, Farm Management, GA, IN,

Social and Economic Challenges of Small Scale Arable Farming in Delta Central Agricultural Zone, Delta State, Nigeria

The broad objective of the study was to investigate the interactions between socio-economic challenges and types of small scale arable farming. Simple random sampling technique was used to compose the sample. The sample was made up of 91 arable farmers. Data were analysed by use of percentage, mean, Pearson Chi square test, t test and multiple regression. The types of small scale arable farming identified in the study area were subsistence, commercial/subsistence and commercial. The social factors which influenced types of arable farming were level of education (M = 3.36) and land tenure system (M = 3.36) while the economic factors were credit facilities (M = 3.63), lack of ready market/storage facilities (M = 2.68) and long investment period compared to quick returns on investment like trading (M = 2.63).. An R2 value  (0.907) showed that there was a significant relationship between farm size and selected socio-economic characteristics. There was a significant and negative relationship between farm size and response to land tenure constraints ( t = -27.243, p = 0.000). There was significant relationship between types of small scale arable farming and social factors (X 2 =29.92, p = 0.008), and economic factors (X 2 =75.54, p = 0.000). Extension education, credit facilities, and ready markets should be provided to farmers to enable them purchase more land and other inputs for the purpose of expanding the scale of arable farming in the zone. Keywords: Small scale arable farmers, challenges, types of arable farming, farm siz

Bioackerbau fördert Bodenbiodiversität: Artenvielfalt von nützlichen Mykorrhizapilzen in landwirtschaftlichen Böden

The effects of organic and conventional arable farming on the species richness of beneficial soil fungi (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) was assessed in 26 arable fields on sandy soil in the Netherlands and in 2 arable fields on a loamy soil in Switzerland. Organically managed fields contained on average 42% more mycorrhizal fungal species than their conventional counterparts. This study shows that organic arable farming has a positive impact on the species richness of these beneficial soil fung

Integrated Arable Farming Systems and their potential uptake in the UK

Integrated Arable Farming Systems are examined from the perspective of the farmer considering the use of such techniques, and data are presented which suggest that the uptake of the approach may expose the manager to a greater degree of risk. Observations are made about the possible uptake of such systems in the UK and the implications this may have for agricultural and environmental policy in general

Biotic homogenization, lower soil fungal diversity and fewer rare taxa in arable soils across Europe

Soil fungi are a key constituent of global biodiversity and play a pivotal role in agroecosystems. How arable farming affects soil fungal biogeography and whether it has a disproportional impact on rare taxa is poorly understood. Here, we used the high-resolution PacBio Sequel targeting the entire ITS region to investigate the distribution of soil fungi in 217 sites across a 3000 km gradient in Europe. We found a consistently lower diversity of fungi in arable lands than grasslands, with geographic locations significantly impacting fungal community structures. Prevalent fungal groups became even more abundant, whereas rare groups became fewer or absent in arable lands, suggesting a biotic homogenization due to arable farming. The rare fungal groups were narrowly distributed and more common in grasslands. Our findings suggest that rare soil fungi are disproportionally affected by arable farming, and sustainable farming practices should protect rare taxa and the ecosystem services they support

Assessing the adaptation of arable farmers to climate change using DEA and bio-economic modelling

The objective of this article is to assess the impact of climate change on arable farming systems in Flevoland (the Netherlands) and to explore the adoption of different adaptation strategies. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is applied that uses empirical data from individual farms to identify “best” current farm practices and derive relationships regarding current farm managemen