This study addresses the significant issue of land fragmentation in Ethiopia, which is characterized by  small, irregular, scattered parcels  with no or adequate road access. With landholders owning multiple small and dispersed parcels, averaging 1.5 hectares, the situation demands urgent policy intervention.

This study focuses on land fragmentation in Ethiopia, exploring its impact on agricultural productivity and rural development. It proposes strategies for addressing fragmentation through land consolidation. The study employs a robust methodology, including data collection and analysis of  data, along with a meta-analysis of existing reports and studies on land fragmentation. Through these analytical approaches, the study aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of land consolidation strategies in Ethiopia.

Foto: Francesco Foianesi/Flickr

Opresente  estudo  teve  como  objetivo  sistematizar  os  métodos  tradicionais  da  produção  do  arroz  da  Etnia-Manjaca.  O trabalho  foi  realizado  por  meio  das  entrevistas  com  agricultores  familiares  do  Setor  de  Calequisse.  Os  resultados mostraramque o sistema da produçãonas terras altas é o que mais prejudica o ecossistemae a produção nas bolanhas é mais rentável.

This publication aims to provide practical guidance for government officials in improving their skills related to agriculture extension service provisions to large-scale agricultural investments. It is meant to be used along with the full version of the manual as well as with the RGIL “Introductory Manual on responsible land-based investments for Governments”.

In recent years, with the deepening of the reform of rural economic systems, the demand for disaster risk governance in land production and management is increasing, and it is urgent for the state to develop agricultural insurance to improve land production recovery capacity and ensure national food security. The study develops a quantitative model to determine the agricultural premium rate for each county in China based on disaster risk level in order to refine agricultural insurance.

Erosive rainfall results in the loss of both soil and nutrients, which indirectly triggers soil deterioration and a reduction in land productivity. However, how rainfall affects runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss under different crop rotation patterns and topographic factors remains unclear. This experiment observed nine runoff-erosion plots on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) from 2019 to 2020 to determine the effects of crop type, rotation pattern, and slope gradient and length on runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss.

Spatio-temporal changes in cultivated land have a profound impact on food security and sustainable development. However, existing studies on spatio-temporal changes in cultivated land mostly focus on single factors, for instance quantity, quality and ecology, that cannot comprehensively reflect the changes in total production capacity and the sustainability of cultivated land.

Urbanization imperils agriculture by converting farmland into uncultivable impervious surfaces and other uses that limit land productivity. Despite the considerable loss of productive croplands due to historic urbanization in the United States, little is known about the locations and magnitudes of extant agricultural land still under threat of future urban expansion. In this study, we developed a spatially explicit machine learning-based method to predict urban development through 2040 under a business-as-usual scenario and explored its occurrence on existing farmland.

Soil erosion is a global environmental problem and a pervasive form of land degradation that threatens land productivity and food and water security. Some of the biggest sources of sediment in catchments are cultivated and abandoned lands. However, the abandonment of cultivated fields is not well-researched. Our study assesses the level of degradation in cultivated and abandoned lands using a case study in South Africa. We answer three main questions: (1) What is the extent of crop field degradation on used, partly used, and abandoned fields?

Soil salinization is considered a type of global-scale soil degradation, whereby excessive salinity severely diminishes soil health, which is primarily manifested through disrupted soil structures and reduced fertility. Furthermore, plant growth capacity is inhibited, and productivity is diminished. Consequently, the improvement of saline soils is regarded as a particularly important aspect of enhancing land production.

Coastal lands are often affected by salinization, which leads to a deterioration of soil structure and a decrease in land productivity. As a widely used soil amendment, biochar has been proven to improve poor soil properties and promote crop growth and N adsorption and utilization. However, the effects of biochar on soil fertility, N use efficiency (NUE) and balance in coastal salt-affected soil have rarely been reported.

Vegetable extraction has been considered a new paradigm of adequate development for the Amazon Region by ecological movements, international organizations, and foreign governments. This study evaluates whether the supply of extractive products transformed into economic value can ensure the livelihood of families and prevent deforestation. The study was conducted at the extractive reserves Alto Juruá, Rio Ouro Preto, and Rio Cajari during two periods: January to March 2017 and January to March 2019. A total of 384 interviews were conducted—234 in 2017 and 150 in 2019.