Análisis comparativo de los principales enfoques de investigación de los sistemas agrícolas

Objective: To conduct a comparative analysis of the different theoretical and methodological approaches used to study agroecosystems. Design/methodology/approach: A documentary research was carried out in scientific and academic databases and each of the methodologies developed to analyse agroecosystems was reviewed. Key words were used: farming systems approach, agroecosystems analysis, agroecosystems methodology and agroecosystem health. Results: It was found out that the study and analysis of agroecosystems and its context has great importance to determine their characteristics, properties and functioning according to the hierarchical level. There are currently countless methods for the analysis and asessment of agroecosystems, considering qualitative and quantitative data in static, evolutionary and co-evolutionary approach. Limitations of the study/implications: Although several methodologies have been developed to obtain relevant results through the analysis of agroecosystems, these attempts are still lax and multidisciplinary. Findings/Conclusions: Four main methodologies have been developed to study agriculture and agroecosystems. The approaches have often been systemic, pluridisciplinary and including various dimensions and paradigms (quantitative and qualitative). However, it is necessary to consider an inclusive perspective, a participatory and pluridisciplinary approach, allowing the analysis of agroecosystems in a holistic and complexity manner.  Objetivo: Realizar un análisis comparativo de los diferentes enfoques teóricos y metodológicos utilizados para estudiar a los agroecosistemas. Diseño/metodología/aproximación: Se realizó una investigación documental en bases de datos científicas y académicas y se revisó cada una de las metodologías desarrolladas para el análisis de los agroecosistemas. Las palabras claves utilizadas fueron enfoque de sistemas de finca, análisis de agroecosistemas, metodología de agroecosistemas y  salud de agroecosistemas. Resultados: La literatura reporta que el análisis de los diversos fenómenos que ocurren dentro de los agroecosistemas y su entorno son importantes para determinar sus características, propiedades y funcionamiento de acuerdo al nivel jerárquico. Existen un sinnúmero de métodos para el análisis, desarrollo y evaluación de los agroecosistemas, considerando aspectos cualitativos y cuantitativos en evaluaciones estáticas, evolutivas y co-evolucionaria. Limitaciones del estudio/implicaciones: Aunque existen varias metodologías para el análisis de los agroecosistemas, estos intentos siguen siendo poco rigurosos y usualmente multidisciplinarios. Hallazgos/conclusiones: Diversas metodologías se han desarrollado para estudiar a la agricultura y los agroecosistemas. Los enfoques a menudo han sido han sido sistémico, pluridisciplinario y considerando las diversas dimensiones y/o paradigmas (cuanti y cualitativo). Sin embargo, es necesario considerar una perspectiva incluyente, participativa y bajo un enfoque más pluridisciplinario, que permita el análisis de los agroecosistemas de manera holística y compleja

La educación superior y la crisis ambiental: Education facing the environmental crisis

This paper presents a brief analysis of the environmental impact of the human species from its emergence and how they should pass this information on to college it is outlines of the evolution of the environmental impacts of human activity is shown to today showing the social dimension of the environmental crisis from the integrated perspective of sustainable development and the factors that demonstrate the global crisis situation where the university is able to insert in young people the knowledge and culture of what is happening today our planet referred to the environmental crisis. An analysis of the actual options that man has created to cope with the environmental crisis and the tracks are set to launch a revolutionary new solutions from the higher education level is performed. At work mention of the five key environmental values on which to support sustainable development and the challenge posed to universities to keep appropriate through environmental education directed to sustainability knowledge is discussed. Index Terms— Crisis of world system; higher education, environmental education, sustainable development

La educación superior y la crisis ambiental

En el trabajo se muestra un análisis del impacto ambiental de la especie humana desde su surgimiento, donde se exponen los rasgos fundamentales  de  la  evolución  de  los  impactos  ambientales derivados  de  la actividad  antrópica  hasta  nuestros  días, mostrando  la  dimensión  social  de  la  crisis  ambiental  desde  la perspectiva  integradora  del desarrollo sostenible y los factores que  demuestran  la  situación  global  de la  crisis,  donde  la universidad  puede  ser  capaz  de  jugar  un  papel  fundamental  a través  de  la  formación  ambiental  dirigida  a  la  formación  de  los futuros  profesionales.  Se  muestra  una  propuesta  sobre las opciones  reales  que  tiene  el  hombre  para  enfrentar  la  situación creada  con  la  crisis  ambiental  y  se  exponen  las  vías  para emprender soluciones revolucionariamente novedosas desde el nivel educativo superior.  En  el  trabajo  se  hace  mención  de  los  cinco valores  ambientales  claves  sobre  los  que  debe  sustentar  el desarrollo sostenible.    Palabras  clave: Crisis del  sistema  mundial; educación  ambiental, desarrollo sostenible.    Abstract: In  the  paper,  an  analysis  of  the  environmental  impact  of  the human species since its inception, where the main features of the evolution  of  the  environmental  impacts  of  human  activity  are exposed  to  today is  displayed,  showing  the  social  dimension  of the  environmental  crisis  from  the  integrative  perspective  of sustainable  development  and  the  factors  that  demonstrate  the global crisis situation, where the university may be able to play a  key  role  through  environmental  training  for  the  training  of future professionals. A proposal on the real choices that man has created to cope with the environmental crisis and the tracks are set  to  launch  revolutionary  new  solutions  from  the  higher  level of education shown. At work mention of the five key environmental values on which to support sustainable development it is made.    Keywords:  Crisis  of  world  system;  environmental  education, sustainable development

La educación superior y la crisis ambiental

In  the  paper,  an  analysis  of  the  environmental  impact  of  the human species since its inception, where the main features of the evolution  of  the  environmental  impacts  of  human  activity  are exposed  to  today is  displayed,  showing  the  social  dimension  of the  environmental  crisis  from  the  integrative  perspective  of sustainable  development  and  the  factors  that  demonstrate  the global crisis situation, where the university may be able to play a  key  role  through  environmental  training  for  the  training  of future professionals. A proposal on the real choices that man has created to cope with the environmental crisis and the tracks are set  to  launch  revolutionary  new  solutions  from  the  higher  level of education shown. At work mention of the five key environmental values on which to support sustainable development it is made.  En el trabajo se muestra un análisis del impacto ambiental de la especie humana desde su surgimiento, donde se exponen los rasgos fundamentales  de  la  evolución  de  los  impactos  ambientales derivados  de  la actividad  antrópica  hasta  nuestros  días, mostrando  la  dimensión  social  de  la  crisis  ambiental  desde  la perspectiva  integradora  del desarrollo sostenible y los factores que  demuestran  la  situación  global  de la  crisis,  donde  la universidad  puede  ser  capaz  de  jugar  un  papel  fundamental  a través  de  la  formación  ambiental  dirigida  a  la  formación  de  los futuros  profesionales.  Se  muestra  una  propuesta  sobre las opciones  reales  que  tiene  el  hombre  para  enfrentar  la  situación creada  con  la  crisis  ambiental  y  se  exponen  las  vías  para emprender soluciones revolucionariamente novedosas desde el nivel educativo superior.  En  el  trabajo  se  hace  mención  de  los  cinco valores  ambientales  claves  sobre  los  que  debe  sustentar  el desarrollo sostenible.                 &nbsp

Agricultural drought in the context of climate change: a bibliometric analysis

Drought is a meteorological phenomenon of temporary shortage of precipitation coupled with the lack of water for agricultural and forestry activities in a prolonged period. Currently, research on climate change indicates that as the temperature increases, the availability of water is reduced and its demand increases, which aggravates the conditions of agricultural production in various regions of the world. Drought as a meteorological phenomenon and cause of crop losses requires in-depth studies, in order to determine ways to mitigate the effects caused by climate change. Therefore, the aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the scientific research carried out on agricultural drought in the context of climate change and reported in the last ten years. The methodology applied was of a documentary nature and was based on the bibliographic review in the referential database Scopus®, using the concepts "drugth agriculture", "vulnerability" and "climate change". In the last ten years (2014 to 2022), the countries of the United States of America, the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom stand out in publications on the subject, which are mainly focused on Environmental Sciences (33%), Agricultural Sciences (22%) Earth Sciences (13%) and Social Sciences (12%). The research published (2014 to 2022) is isolated and lack connection between the major issues such as drought, climate change and vulnerability, thus detecting an area of opportunity to carry out research that unifies these three major issues.Objective: To perform a systematic review of the scientific studies carried out about agricultural drought in the context of climate change reported in the last ten years. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on the bibliographic review of the referential database Scopus® using the concepts “agricultural drought”, “vulnerability” and “climate change”. Results: In the last ten years (2014-2022) the United States, China and United Kingdom stood out in publications on the topic, which are focused on Environmental sciences (33%), Agricultural sciences (22%), Earth sciences (13%), and Social sciences (12%). Findings/conclusions: The studies published are isolated and there is no conection between the large topics of drought, climate change and vulnerability, thus detecting an area of opportunity to carry out research that unifies these topics

Bibliographic analysis of sustainability studies in coffee agroecosystem from 2010 to 2019

Diseases, pests and low prices issues have put coffee agroecosystem in a critical situation, thus damaging the producer economy and the growing area with coffee in Veracruz state. The aim of this research was to carry out a systematic review of the studies of sustainability assessment in coffee agroecosystems in the scientific literature during the last ten years. A search was conducted in bibliographic database such us Google Scholar, Scopus and Elsevier Science Direct Freedom using search engines. The concepts used were "assessment" "sustainability" and "coffee" used in English and Spanish, together with the use of Boolean indicators.  We found 12 scientific articles published in South America (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil) and in Uganda Africa. Most of the evaluated areas are economic, social and environmental. Regarding the evaluation methods, 35.71% used sustainability indices and made comparisons between agroecosystems and tried to monitor progress or setbacks, 28.57% relied on the Framework for the Evaluation of Management Systems incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS), the rest of the works with 7.14% each, it proposes methodologies that have been validated and adapted to the context and its objective. It is concluded that there are few studies reported to evaluate the sustainability of coffee agroecosystems as confirmed by the 14 investigations analyzed in this work. On the other hand, the analysis of the information allows us to emphasize that the sustainability of the coffee agroecosystem is not merely related to the type of coffee system (Conventional, organic or agroecological) since the interactions that occur within each system are many and very diverse. Personal perceptions, such as society or culture, are also factors that reduce or promote the search for sustainability.Phytosanitary problems and low prices have put coffee production in a critical situation, affecting the economy of producers and the area cultivated with coffee in the state of Veracruz. The objective of this work was to carry out a systematic review of the main researches carried out on sustainability in the coffee agroecosystem and reported in the scientific literature of the last ten years. The methodology applied was documentary in nature and it was based on the bibliographic review in the search engines Google Scholar, Scopus, and Elsevier Science Direct Freedom. The English and Spanish “evaluation”, “sustainability”, and “coffee” concepts were input into the search engines, combined with Boolean operators. In the last ten years, sustainability studies about coffee agroecosystems were published in South America (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil) and Africa (Uganda) analyzing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. With regard to the evaluation methods, 35.71% used sustainability indexes, performing comparisons between agroecosystems, and endeavored to monitor trends. The Framework for the Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems Incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS) supported 28.57% of the methods. The rest of the studies (7.14%) proposed methodologies that have been validated and adapted to the object-context and the objective. In addition, it was identified that the analysis of the sustainability of the coffee agroecosystem is not close related to the type of coffee system (conventional, organic or agroecological), since the interactions that occur within each system are diverse and complex; social or cultural perceptions are factors that reduce or promote the search for sustainability. It is concluded that few studies (14) about sustainability of coffee agroecosystems have been published during 2010-2019 period

Disonancia cognitiva ante el cambio climático en apicultores: un caso de estudio en México

Climate change in beekeeping is perceived as a relational phenomenon, and it is necessary to adopt adaptation strategies to maintain economic activity. Festinger's theory of Cognitive Dissonance helps understand the constraints to the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies. For this purpose, a survey was applied to explore the relationship between the perception, attitude, and behavior of beekeepers in the face of climate change in Mexican territory. It was noted that: 1) Beekeepers identified climate change as the main problem for beekeeping; 2) They exhibit dissonance between their attitude and their behavior regarding adaptation strategies, and 3) Cognitive dissonance is reduced through justifications for their behavior.  Thus, the present state of dissonance is a limitation for adopting climate change  adaptation actions, evidencing the need to modify the behavior of beekeepers, through training to inform and explain the nature of climate change and its impacts; to place the beekeepers within this context, where they can contribute technical elements that may allow them to reorient their work, promoting an objective and constructive perception, which will generate a positive attitude in the face of the challenges that climate change represents, so that they may modify their behavior as much as necessary in order to keep the activity profitable in Mexico.El cambio climático en la apicultura se percibe como un fenómeno relacional y la adopción de estrategias de adaptación son necesarias para mantener la actividad económica. La teoría de la Disonancia Cognitiva de Festinger, ayuda a comprender las limitantes para la adopción de estrategias de adaptación al cambio climático. Para ello se aplicó una encuesta que permitiera explorar la relación entre la percepción, la actitud y el comportamiento de los apicultores frente al cambio climático en territorio mexicano. Se observó que: 1) los apicultores identificaron el cambio climático como el principal problema de la apicultura; 2) existe disonancia entre la actitud y el comportamiento respecto a las estrategias de adaptación y 3) la disonancia cognitiva se reduce con justificaciones, para su comportamiento.  Por lo tanto el estado de disonancia presente es una limitante para adoptar acciones de adaptación frente al cambio climático, dejando en evidencia la necesidad de modificaciones en el comportamiento de los apicultores, a través de la capacitación dirigida para informar y explicar la naturaleza del cambio climático y sus impactos; de ubicar al apicultor dentro de este contexto donde pueda aportar elementos  técnicos que le permitan reorientar su trabajo, promoviendo una percepción objetiva y constructiva, que genere la actitud positiva suficiente, frente a los retos que el cambio climático representa; para que modifique el comportamiento lo necesario, para mantener la actividad rentable en México

Propuesta metodológica para la elaboración de un marco de referencia sobre de redes de vinculación en los pct

Las empresas presentan mayores retos en cuanto a la forma en la que interactúan con su entorno, como consecuencia han tenido que agruparse, tal es el caso de los Parques Científicos y Tecnológicos (PCT), sin embargo, el sólo hecho de agruparse no les garantiza el éxito; de tal forma que la efectividad en las redes de vinculación juegan un papel importante el aseguramiento de su permanencia en el mercado. La propuesta de investigación es de carácter documental y bibliográfica, además busca a través de la revisión de literatura proponer un marco de referencia que ayude en la elaboración de un modelo de redes de vinculación efectivas en los PCT para la generación de proyectos de I+D e innovación tecnológica. En los hallazgos encontrados se destaca que las redes de vinculación generan beneficios, sin embargo la cuantificación de los mismos varían según el contexto en el que se desarrollan

La formación ambiental como un ícono de la sostenibilidad / Environmental training as an icon of sustainability

La investigación realizada tenía como objetivo mostrar un análisis crítico sobre el tema de la sostenibilidad ambiental mediante los procesos de la educación, a partir del conocimiento del territorio donde se desarrollan las actividades de cada individuo, que pueden influir positivamente en la sostenibilidad. Se empleo como metodología la investigación bibliográfica, para poder interpretar la mejor manera de llegar a preparar a las personas en el proceso de concientización relacionado con la protección y seguridad del ambiente. Se obtuvo como resultado el importante papel que puede jugar la formación ambiental, así como la metodología requerida para su materialización mediante el conocimiento del territorio en el cual se realizan las actividades sociales que puedan potenciar además el desarrollo local desde una visión sostenible

Effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings during the nursery stage

Objective. The aim was to assess the effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings during the nursery stage. Design/Methodology/Approach. In order to determine the effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings under nursery stage, a study was carried out at the nursery of the CPA “Abel Santamaría” of the Martí municipality, Cuba. A complete randomized design was used. Three treatments (T) were tested: 1) control (without pruning), 2) pruning at 30 cm from the soil and defoliation of seedlings, 3) pruning at 30 cm from the soil and without defoliation of seedlings. Descriptive analysis was performed to determine survival, regrowth and quantity of plants with primary branches. For the number of leaves and branches, height and diameter, a simple variance analysis was used, with partitions for each observation. Results. It was found that no treatment influenced the plant survival and regrowth. With T2 and T3 up to 2 branches per plant obtained. The height was higher with T1 (38,63 cm) and differed from T2 and T3. The highest quantity of branches that formed primary branches was obtained by pruning and without defoliating (28 vs. 22 and 0, for T2 and T1, respectively). Study Limitations/Implications. Pruning is an option to increase agronomic yield in Jatropha, but it has not been studied at nursery conditions. Findings/Conclusions. It is concluded that pruning J. curcas seedlings in nursery at 30 cm of height with regards to the soil, with defoliation or without defoliation; neither affects crop survival or regrowth and the development of primary branches. However, it is possible to obtain more plants with primary branches and higher stem diameter by performing pruning without defoliation.Objective: To determine the effect of pruning on seedlings of Jatropha curcas L. during the nursery stage.Design/Methodology/Approach: To determine the effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings during thenursery stage, a study was carried out at the nursery of the CPA “Abel Santamaría” of the Martí municipality,Cuba. A complete randomized design was used. Three treatments (T) were tested: 1) control (without pruning),2) pruning 30 cm above the soil and seedling defoliation, 3) pruning 30 cm above the soil and without seedlingdefoliation. A descriptive analysis was carried out to determine the survival, regrowth, and number of plantswith primary branches. For the number of leaves and branches, height, and diameter, a simple analysis ofvariance was used, with partitions for each observation.Results: No treatment influenced the survival and regrowth of the plant: up to 2 branches of T2 and T3 wereobtained per plant. A greater height was recorded with T1 (38.63 cm) and this result is different from T2 andT3. The highest number of branches that formed primary branches was obtained by pruning and withoutdefoliation (28 vs. 22 and 0, for T2 and T1, respectively).Study Limitations/Implications. Pruning is an option that can increase Jatropha’s agronomic yield, but it hasnot been studied under nursery conditions.Findings/Conclusions. The pruning of J. curcas seedlings at 30 cm above the ground, under nurseryconditions, with or without defoliation, does not affect the survival or regrowth of the crops and thedevelopment of the primary branches. However, more plants with primary branches and a wider stemdiameter can be obtained by pruning without defoliatio