An Analysis of Global Research Trends on Greenhouse Technology: Towards a Sustainable Agriculture

Greenhouse farming is an agricultural management system that has demonstrated its efficiency in intensifying food production. These systems constitute a feasible alternative for ensuring food supply, which is one of the greatest challenges faced by humankind in the twenty-first century. Technology has been able to meet the challenges related to greenhouse farming in both contributing to overcoming its limitations, correcting adverse impacts and ensuring system sustainability. The objective of this article is to analyse the global research trends in greenhouse technology over the last two decades, in order to identify the main driving agents, the most outstanding research lines and possible gaps in the literature. Different methodologies have been used for the analysis; both quantitative and qualitative. The principal results show that there are different relevant lines of research related to different aspects of greenhouse farming: the use of water for irrigation, the design of the optimum structure of the greenhouse, conserving the soil in the best growing conditions, energy consumption of the system as a whole, climate control within the facility and pest control. The research is characterized by the being composed largely of ad hoc studies, which hinders the international collaboration between researchers and institutions. The research approach has shifted from being focused on increasing production and cost savings to aspects related to resource conservation and sustainability

Adopting sustainable water management practices in agriculture based on stakeholder preferences

Technology has made it possible to achieve the very efficient use of water resources in agriculture. However, there are a set of practices that could increase both the availability and quality of the water resources, but which are not yet widely used. In view of the scarcity situation mainly produced by the consequences of climate change, the objective of this work is to analyse the adoption of sustainable irrigation management practices in agriculture. To this end, the aim is to identify and evaluate the variables involved in adopting sustainable practices in agriculture through the use of different qualitative research tools in successive phases (literature review, in-depth interviews, Delphi method and workshop). The results indicate that the sustainable practices to be adopted to improve water management in the study area are rainwater harvesting (RWH) and pond covering (PC). The main barriers are the costs, some farm characteristics and lack of research, while the facilitators include easy access to technology and the existence of farmer- -to-farmer networks. Furthermore, the most influential stakeholders for these practices are the farmers, policymakers and researchers. Proposals for the adoption of sustainable water use practices have also been made consensually with all the involved agents

An Analysis of the Worldwide Research on the Socio-Cultural Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services

The socio-cultural valuation of forest ecosystem services is a useful tool to generate knowledge and help balance the different interests of stakeholders with respect to the management of these services. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of global research on the economic valuation of forest ecosystem services through a review of the existing literature on this topic. The results show that socio-cultural valuation has gained importance in recent years. There is a wide disparity between the countries conducting the research and those being studied. Inconsistency has been observed in the definition and classification of services provided by forests, as well as a lack of unanimity on the reference framework to be applied. The main methodological approaches in the socio-cultural valuation of forest services are participatory mapping, social media analysis, the Q method and free listing. For the collection of primary information, the dominant methodologies are focus groups, semi-structured interviews and online surveys. Finally, this study demonstrates that socio-cultural valuation has great potential to improve the legitimacy of forest ecosystem management decisions and to promote consensus building

Contribution of Irrigation Ponds to the Sustainability of Agriculture. A Review of Worldwide Research

The use of irrigation ponds has proved to be an efficient alternative for increasing the availability and quality of water resources for irrigation and contributing to the sustainability of agriculture. This article analyses the dynamics of worldwide research on this topic over the last two decades. To do this, a review including a qualitative systematic analysis and a quantitative bibliometric analysis was carried out on a sample of 951 articles. The results reveal that this line of research is becoming more relevant within agricultural research, particularly in recent years. The research in this topic has focused on the sustainable development of vulnerable regions, the contribution to the agronomic improvement of crops and farms, environmental impact assessment, the joint management of water resources, the restoration of groundwater bodies, and the use of rainfall. Gaps have been found in the literature with respect to the capacity of irrigation ponds to cover the irrigation needs in different agricultural contexts, the perceptions and attitudes of farmers towards the use of irrigation ponds, and the economic–financial feasibility of these systems

Identification of Opportunities for Applying the Circular Economy to Intensive Agriculture in Almería (South-East Spain)

The use of intensive high-yield agricultural systems has proved to be a feasible alternative to traditional systems as they able to meet the objective of guaranteeing long-term sustainability in the supply of food. In order to implement these systems, it is necessary to replace the traditional model of “extract-use-consume-dispose” with a model based on the principles of the Circular Economy (CE), optimizing the use of resources and minimizing the generation of waste. Almería has become a paradigm of this type of high-yield agricultural system, with the largest concentration of greenhouses in the world. This study analyses the opportunities that the CE can offer the intensive agriculture sector in Almería in order to obtain long-term sustainability. The results show a wide variety of alternatives, both on an agricultural exploitation level and in the case of the product packaging and wholesale centers. The priority areas of action are waste management, the prevention of product waste and the improvement in the efficiency of the use of water and energy. The principal limitations for adopting circular practices are the large investment required, the limited transfer of knowledge between the different users and the lack of sufficient support from the government and the sector

Examining the perceptions and behaviours of farmers regarding the installation of covers over irrigation ponds: Evidence from South-east Spain

The installation of covers over ponds for agricultural irrigation is a feasible alternative to reduce evaporative water losses. However, the installation of these systems continues to be very limited. Understanding the factors that influence the behaviour of farmers towards this type of installation is fundamental because they are the individuals making the final decision. This article analyses the perceptions and behaviours of farmers towards the installation of covers in agricultural irrigation ponds in southeastern Spain. A cluster analysis characterized four groups of farmers related to this practice. The results show that these clusters present different perceptions towards the installation of covers, their possible advantages and the different incentives that can be established to promote their implementation. Technical and agronomic aspects play an important role in installation decisions, while economic and environmental aspects are considered secondary. Based on these results, actionable recommendations are proposed for policy-makers. The findings of this study can be very useful in those regions in which it is desired to promote the installation of covers over ponds for agricultural irrigation

Installation of hedgerows around greenhouses to encourage biological pest control: Farmers’ perspectives from Southeast Spain

The intensification of agriculture has led to the deterioration of various ecosystem services, including pest control. The installation of hedgerows around greenhouses is presented as a viable option to maintain and favour natural enemies of pests. Despite the economic and environmental advantages of this type of facility, farmers are reluctant to implement it. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the factors that influence the decision to install hedgerows and the most appropriate incentives to promote their establishment. This article analyses intensive agriculture in Southeastern Spain. The application of cluster analysis techniques allowed the detection of four types of farmers in relation to this practice. The factors that drive its installation are an increase in the effectiveness of biological control, a reduction in the use of pesticides and the possible economic and environmental benefits. As a barrier, a lack of knowledge of and confidence in the effectiveness of this practice stand out. Among the measures to encourage their installation, the most valued are training and advice and recurring payments for the ecosystem services generated. The results obtained can be useful for policy makers in regions in which the installation of non-crop vegetation is promoted

Analysis of the acceptance of sustainable practices in water management for the intensive agriculture of the Costa de Hermosillo (Mexico)

Mexico, as many countries, relies on its aquifers to provide at least 60% of all irrigation water to produce crops every year. Often, the water withdrawal goes beyond what the aquifer can be replenished by the little rainfall. Mexico is a country that has experienced a successful process of regional development based on the adoption of intensive agricultural systems. However, this development has occurred in an unplanned way and displays shortcomings in terms of sustainability, particularly in the management of water resources. This study analysed the case of Costa de Hermosillo, which is one of the Mexican regions in which this model of intensive agriculture has been developed and where there is a high level of overexploitation of its groundwater resources. Based on the application of a qualitative methodology involving different stakeholders (farmers, policymakers, and researchers), the main barriers and facilitators for achieving sustainability in water resources management have been identified. A series of consensus-based measures were contemplated, which may lead to the adoption of sustainable practices in water management. Useful lessons can be drawn from this analysis and be applied to other agricultural areas where ground and surface water resources are overexploited, alternative water sources are overlooked, and where stakeholders have conflicting interests in water management

Three Decades of Behavioural Economics in Agriculture. An Overview of Global Research

Over the last three decades, behavioural economics has been gaining ground in the research on a wide range of agriculture-related themes. This is due to the diversity of the agents involved in the production systems and the agro-food value chains in which opposing interests must be reconciled. The main objective of this study is to examine the dynamics of the research on the application of behavioural economics in agriculture across the world. To do this, a bibliometric analysis has been carried out through a literature review of the period between 1991 and 2020. The results of the study show that the use of behavioural economics has increased in the research on agriculture, particularly over the last five years. The application of behavioural economics in agriculture has focused on analysing consumers, producers, management, marketing, development, environmental issues, climate change, food and health