Managing the Hydra in integration: developing an integrated assessment tool for agricultural systems

Keywords: modelling, bio-economic, farm, simulation, ontology, knowledge management, Europe, agricultural management, database, scenario Ex-ante assessment through science-based methods can provide insight into the impacts of potential policy measures or innovations to manage complex problems (e.g. environmental pollution, climate change, or farmers’ welfare). Integrated Assessment and Modelling (IAM) is a method that supports ex-ante assessment through modelling and modelling tools. One type of IAM links models focusing on particular processes on a specific scale into model chains covering multiple scales and disciplines. To achieve an operational model chain for IAM, methodological, semantic and technical integration is required of models, data sources, indicators and scenarios. In this thesis, methodological, semantic and technical integration focuses on two case studies. The first case study is on integration within bio-economic farm models covering two hierarchical systems levels involving a small team of scientists. The second case refers to modelling European agricultural systems. In this case, the integration covers five hierarchical systems levels and different types of models were linked by a large team of about hundred scientists. In the context of these two case studies, many different integration topics and challenges have been addressed: a review of the state-of-the-art in bio-economic farm models, a generic method to define alternative agricultural activities, development of a generic bio-economic farm model, development of an integrated database for agricultural systems, linking different agricultural models and a shared definition of scenarios across disciplines, models and scales. Ultimately, elaborating the methodological, semantic and technical integration greatly contributed to the development of an integrated assessment tool for European agricultural systems. This integrated assessment tool can be used across disciplines and for multi-scale analysis, and allows the assessment of many different policy and technology changes. </p

Modelling Livestock Component in FSSIM

This document summarises the development of a ruminant livestock component for the Farm System Simulator (FSSIM). This includes treatments of energy and protein transactions in ruminant livestock that have been used as a basis for the biophysical simulations that will generate the input production parameters for FSSIM. The treatments are derived principally from the “French” feed evaluation and rationing system for protein and energy. Currently, we have constructed routines that are capable of simulating input-output relationships for energy and protein in the following representative systems; dairy cattle; suckler cows; growing and finishing cattle; sheep and goats. The calculations of energy and protein requirements for these classes of livestock are described in detail in this documen

Assessing farmer behaviour as affected by policy and technological innovations: bio-economic farm models

A Bio-Economic Farm Model (BEFM) is defined as a model that links mathematical programming model formulations of farmers’ resource management decisions, to biophysical models that describe production processes and the conditions of natural resources for the farm scale. Two important distinctions are made: 1. between positive and normative and 2. between empirical and mechanistic BEFMs. Positive approaches are approaches that try to model the actual behaviour of the farmer, while normative approaches are approaches that try to find the optimal solution to the problem of resource management and allocation. In this report the focus will solely be on mechanistic BEFMs. Mechanistic BEFMs are constructed according to an image the researcher has of the processes occurring in reality, while an empirical model translates the inputs into outputs on the basis of location specific data without explaining or formulating the underlying processes. In this report a literature review has been carried out and about 180 references were collected and read, of which 70 ended up in this report. The mechanistic BEFMs are discussed on a number of aspects: suitability to policy evaluation and assessment of technological innovations, farmer decision making, the incorporation of time, production activities, comprehensiveness (how complete is the BEFM?), model evaluation (verifying the quality and robustness of the results of BEFMs) and transferability of the mechanistic BEFM to other locations. Finally, some useful complementarities to mechanistic BEFMs using other modelling approaches are discussed

Determinator - a generic DSS for hazard identification of species or other physical subjects

Our living environment poses all kinds of obvious and perhaps less obvious hazards. As an example, Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) and related species of the genus Senecio are the main source of toxic pyrollizidine alkaloids. The plants commonly grow in road verges, meadows and production fields and are equally toxic for humans and animals. Therefore, proper identification of such a hazardous object is vital. This paper describes Determinator DSS, a Decision Support System, that aims to cover problems of proper identification of a hazardous object, either in the field or in a lab, and in diverse domains. Determinator DSS is used in several practical applications for ensuring food and feed safety and supporting environmental issues. The paper highlights several software aspects and design features of the DSS that enable it use in diverse circumstances and for different users as a generic solutio

Policy Discussion Document:Towards Open Data for Agricultural Transformationin Ghana

This is a summary of a policy discussion document that was prepared under the leadership of the e-Agriculture Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Ghana. The process was facilitated by the Dutch Ministry of Land, Nature and Food Safety(LNV), with participation of national experts from Ghana, and coordinating consultants from Wageningen University Research (WeNR)and CTA, The Netherlands

Summary of policy discussion document: towards open data for agricultural transformation in Ghana

This is a summary of a policy discussion document that was prepared under the leadership of the e-Agriculture Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Ghana. The process was facilitated by the Dutch Ministry of Land, Nature and Food Safety(LNV), with participation of national experts from Ghana, and coordinating consultants from Wageningen University Research (WeNR)and CTA, The Netherlands