ASSESSING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS USING FUZZY LOGIC

First stage for attaining sustainability in a system is the measurement of current state of sustainability. Indicators are widely used as tools for measurement of sustainability. In this study, a comprehensive index was proposed to measure sustainability in agricultural production systems. This index takes advantage of fuzzy logic to combine all six indexes which were selected as the representative of three dimensions of sustainability. A set of models and sub-models based on the fuzzy inference system were employed to define the index. A case study conducted in two large production farms of maize and wheat, in Iran, proved the feasibility and usability of the model

Impact of endoscopic versus open saphenous vein harvest technique on late coronary artery bypass grafting patient outcomes in the ROOBY (Randomized On/Off Bypass) Trial

ObjectiveIn the Randomized On/Off Bypass (ROOBY) Trial, the efficacy of on-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was evaluated. This ROOBY Trial planned subanalysis compared the effects on postbypass patient clinical outcomes and graft patency of endoscopic vein harvesting and open vein harvesting.MethodsFrom April 2003 to April 2007, the technique used for saphenous vein graft harvesting was recorded in 1471 cases. Of these, 894 patients (341 endoscopic harvest and 553 open harvest) also underwent coronary angiography 1 year after coronary artery bypass grafting. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to compare patient outcomes in the endoscopic and open groups.ResultsPreoperative patient characteristics were statistically similar between the endoscopic and open groups. Endoscopic vein harvest was used in 38% of the cases. There were no significant differences in both short-term and 1-year composite outcomes between the endoscopic and open groups. For patients with 1-year catheterization follow-up (n = 894), the saphenous vein graft patency rate for the endoscopic group was lower than that in the open harvest group (74.5% vs 85.2%, P < .0001), and the repeat revascularization rate was significantly higher (6.7% vs 3.4%, P < .05). Multivariable regression documented no interaction effect between endoscopic approach and off-pump treatment.ConclusionsIn the ROOBY Trial, endoscopic vein harvest was associated with lower 1-year saphenous vein graft patency and higher 1-year revascularization rates, independent of the use of off-pump or on-pump cardiac surgical approach

Life cycle energy and environmental impacts in sugarcane production: A case study of Amirkabir Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company in Khuzestan province

The objective of this study was to investigate the factors influencing sugarcane production and identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption. The study evaluated the life cycle of sugarcane farms in the Amirkabir Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company of Khuzestan province using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and collected data through face-to-face interviews and questionnaire completion. The study presented data on the energy input and output for sugarcane cultivation, which were 63,207.84 and 33,974.30 MJ ha−1, respectively. The energy use efficiency was 0.53, with a production energy of 1.01 kg MJ−1 and a specific energy requirement of 0.98 MJ kg−1. The environmental impact of sugarcane cultivation was also evaluated, with the resource depletion category having the highest impact valued at 194.32 USD2013. The findings highlight the need for the responsible use of chemical fertilizers and sustainable agricultural practices to minimize environmental impact and protect human health. The study also identified the best approach to reduce energy consumption while maintaining constant output energy, which can result in a savings of 51,916.93 MJ ha−1 or 28.23 % under a condition of 14,659.56 MJ ha−1. The study suggests that human health and ecosystem quality are the most effective categories for reducing environmental emissions, while fixed performance in the resource depletion category is ineffective. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into improving the sustainability of sugarcane production and can inform policy decisions in the region

Analysis of energy and greenhouse gas balance as indexes for environmental assessment of wheat and maize farming: a case study

In this study, the net balance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and energy of wheat and maize production systems in two farms in Khuzestan province of Iran was assessed. The results showed that totally wheat farming is more efficient than maize farming in terms of energy and CO2-eq indexes. The total energy requirement for maize and wheat farming was 92560.24 MJ ha-1 and 39624.15 MJ ha-1, which caused the emission of 20191.47 and 7541.04 kg CO2-equivalent per hectare in maize and wheat farms respectively. Electricity, fertilizers and fuel were the most important pollutants of environment in terms of energy and gas emission in both farms. Theses inputs consumed 55.52, 22.62 and 6.44 % of total energy of maize and 47.32, 21.19 and 9.01 % of total energy of wheat farm and were responsible for the 88.60, 8.79 and 2.03 % of CO2-equivalent in maize and 86.54, 9.54 and 3.24 % of CO2-equivalent in wheat farms respectively. The results of this study also showed that the enhancement of 60.74 and 27.02 % in energy ratio and 46.06 and 27.87 % in CO2-eq index in maize and wheat farming can be expected using simple improving scenarios

KEYWORDS Mechanization Level Modeling System Dynamics Farm Crops Simulation MODELING THE EFFECT OF MECHANIZATION LEVEL INDEX ON CROP YIELD APPROACHING SYSTEM DYNAMICS METHODOLOGY

ABSTRACT A system dynamics methodology used for estimating effects of mechanization level index on the mean yield of farm crop products, considering the main input and output of farming crops&apos; production system of Iran. A collection of constant parameters, logical relations and statistically estimated functions which were effective in mechanized farm crops&apos; production of Iran, defined as an autonomous system and time span for modeling is defined a period 70-year viz. 1981 up to 2051. Running the established model by simulation software, resulted in key parameters, needed for creating &quot;The production function&quot; as mean yield of farm crop products depended to mechanization level index. After testing validity of the created model, analyzing estimated production function resulted in recognizing three economic production regions. The first economic production region continued from 1.342 Kw/ha to 2.013 Kw/ha; The second production region started at 2.013 Kw/ha and ended at 2.386 Kw/ha, and finally the third production region started from 2.386 Kw/ha for mechanization level Index, while the maximum profitable point for farm crops production appeared at 2.218 Kw/ha in simulation procedure. All the analysis based on the available statistics for agricultural sector of Iran, since 1981 up to the recent time

Applying multi-criteria decision making method to analyze stability and mechanization patterns in small farms

This study aimed to analyze stability and mechanization patterns in small-scale farms in Khuzestan province, Iran, and their implications for productivity and profitability. The objectives were to assess the sustainability level of farmers, determine the stability level of the farms, identify the optimal mechanization pattern, and evaluate the implications of moving towards sustainability. To achieve these objectives, the research employed multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods, which allowed for the assessment of multiple criteria and the evaluation of various alternatives. The study focused on farmers and operators managing small farms below 5 ha in Karoon and Behbahan counties, with a sample size of 48 farmers. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of farmers (75.7%) fell into the “very little” sustainability group, indicating significant challenges in terms of stability and mechanization. Only a small percentage of farmers (0.5%) were classified as having a “high” sustainability level. The average stability level among the sample was 18.09, with a range from 7.98 to 79.89. The study also identified the optimal mechanization pattern for the study region, which required an increase in the availability of necessary tools. The ideal planning model suggested that moving towards sustainability would involve specializing in specific products that align with the region's facilities. This specialization would reduce tool variety and eliminate some tools from the current model. Additionally, the study found that implementing the optimal mechanization pattern would result in a gross return of 4.2 billion Rials, indicating increased productivity and profitability. In conclusion, small-scale farms in Khuzestan province face various obstacles that affect their productivity and profitability. By analyzing stability and mechanization patterns using MCDM methods, this study highlighted the need for increased sustainability and identified the optimal mechanization pattern for the region. The implications of moving towards sustainability include reduced tool variety, specialization in specific products, and increased gross returns. These findings can guide policymakers and farmers in improving the productivity and profitability of small-scale farms

Agricultural mechanization, a key to food security in developing countries: strategy formulating for Iran

Abstract Background Mechanization is a multi-dimensional concept and widely used in agriculture. There is, however, a major difference between the application of mechanization in developed and developing countries The developing countries tend to design their own strategies in food security given the challenges they face in all aspects of their economy including feeding a growing population, reducing poverty, protecting the environment, managing the effects of climate change and fighting malnutrition all which may further contribute to a reduction in economic growth and political instability. The goal of the strategies, with the help of appropriate technologies, is to lead to a sustainable agricultural development and, ultimately, food security. The policy making in each country should be based on its own conditions. This article uses Iran as an example of a developing country and considers the country’s specific climate as well as political and economic conditions to present development-oriented policies for achieving sustainable food security based on agricultural mechanization that may be adaptable to other developing countries. The main objective of this paper is to identify and provide guidelines to the current and future challenges of Iran’s food security, and it argues that for any strategy to succeed in producing a sustainable agricultural production, it will need a proper analysis and a formulation of an appropriate mechanization plan. Methods To achieve the objective of a self-sustaining agricultural mechanization strategy, a SWOT analysis technique was used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and help us provide a framework by which policies can be defined. The framework includes internal and external factors that affect the development of agricultural mechanization and seek to provide ideas for agricultural development with the help of mechanization. These factors were then prioritized using the Hierarchical Analysis Method, and based on the obtained results, the final strategies were extracted and prioritized by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), a multi-criteria decision analysis method. Results and conclusion According to the results, weaknesses and threats were the most important factors. Environmental threats, especially water shortages, economic problems as well as availability of the mechanization fleet and compatibility of the equipment within the country’s agricultural system were identified as the most important factors affecting the agricultural development. In order to achieve sustainable food security, with regards to the identified factors the necessary recommendations and Governmental-support policies in the agricultural sector were presented: 1. reforming the country’s planting pattern according to the climatic conditions considering the relative advantage of agricultural production, 2. modernizing the mechanization fleet; 3. investing in research and development of agriculture and modern knowledge; the production and import of agricultural machinery and modern technologies according to their suitability with the country's conditions and future needs of the country; strengthening of the supply chain and maintenance services