Farming

How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation

How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation

As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into…

Experts Uncover Game-Changer Side Effects Of Solar Farms

Experts Uncover Game-Changer Side Effects Of Solar Farms

The solar energy industry has long been portrayed as being at odds with traditional farming, as both require lots of land and are presumably in competition with one another. However, a new approach called “agrivoltaics” is integrating the two industries together and showing that they can coexist while benefiting one another, the Washington Post reported. Agrivoltaics…

Sustainability Means ‘Freedom to Really Farm How We Should Be Farming’ – Food Tank

Sustainability Means ‘Freedom to Really Farm How We Should Be Farming’ – Food Tank

Trisha and Nolan Zachman farm in a small town two hours west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They grow a variety of crops including corn, soybeans, rye, wheat, sorghum, and peas; pasture-raise pigs for specialty meat company Niman Ranch; and care for chickens, sheep, ducks, geese, alpacas, and numerous cats—in addition to raising two young children and…

Sustainable and Low-Input Techniques in Mediterranean Greenhouse Vegetable Production

In the modern agricultural landscape, numerous challenges, such as climate change, diminishing arable lands, and the reduction of water resources, represent significant threats. The Mediterranean greenhouse farming model relies on low-input strategies to maximize both yield and quality. Its protected horticulture is essential for the year-round cultivation of high-value crops, ensuring efficient and sustainable production….

Does biodiversity affect Olive fly populations? Evidence from different understorey treatments

The agricultural industry is intensifying production methods to increase crop yields. Olive cultivation, the prevalent permanent crop in Europe and the Mediterranean area, involves intense practices with heavy agrochemical use. This significantly impacts agroecosystem biodiversity and its ecosystem services. In this study, we explore how biodiversity influences the adult olive fly (Bactrocera oleae (Rossi)) population…

Does synchronization of biennial bearing in olive production exist?: Evidence from the Mediterranean countries

Since the time of ancient civilizations, the synchronization of alternate (or biennial) bearing of olive has been a well-known phenomenon in the Mediterranean region. The pattern of alternate bearing has been synchronized in certain orchards or nearby regions where horticultural trees grow … >>> Kashiwagi, K., Sato, M., Kamiyama, H. J. Arid Land Studies 34(S),…

Effect of olive grove’s understorey management on arthropod diversity

The agricultural sector has been intensifying production systems to increase yields. Olive cultivation is the most widespread permanent crop in Europe and the Mediterranean region >>> Stavrianakis, G., Sentas, E., Stattegger, S.R., Tscheulin, T., Kizos, T. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, pp.1-24 (2024) Recent related articles in this category All articles in this category >>>

Climate Change Risks for the Mediterranean Agri-Food Sector: The Case of Greece

The study assesses the direct effects of climate change by 2060, including extreme events, on the productivity of regional crop farming and livestock in Greece, and the broader socio-economic effects on the agri-food and other sectors. Different approaches (i.e., agronomic models, statistical regression models, and equations linking thermal stress to livestock output) were combined to…

Optimizing Agroecological Measures for Climate-Resilient Olive Farming in the Mediterranean

In order to evaluate the potential of climate change mitigation measures on soil physiochemical properties, an experiment based on the application of five agroecological practices such as the addition of composted olive-mill wastes, recycling pruning residue, cover crops, organic insect manure, and reduced soil tillage, solely or combined, was conducted over two years (2020 to…