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Aims Current comprehensive meta-analysis study aims to explore how agroforestry practices influence soil quality across different climate zones. Since numerous studies proposed agroforestry as the promising agroecological farming systems over conventional monoculture systems to maintain soil quality and to regenerate disturbed soil to counteract the negative consequences of global extensive agricultural approaches. Methods By employing the comprehensive meta-analysis technique on data from 125 studies conducted in tropical, temperate, and Mediterranean environments, we quantitatively assessed the effects of agroforestry on physical, chemical, and biological soil quality indicators. Results Rates of soil erosion, the most important indication of land degradation, were improved in agroforestry systems compared to monocultures, especially in temperate (-138%) and Mediterranean soils (-40%), due to agroforestry-induced improved soil texture, aggregate stability, and soil water regulation. Soil acidification was decreased in tropical (-128%) and Mediterranean soils (-96%), but increased in temperate soils (+ 104%) due to agroforestry practices. Low temperate soil pH suggests high Ca 2+ leaching losses as evidenced by decreased Ca 2+ (-68%) and increased Fe 2+ (+ 129%) and Al 3+ (+ 235%) contents. Agroforestry systems increased organic matter accumulation in temperate (+ 86%) and Mediterranean soils (+ 65%), carbon sequestration in all climatic zones (+ 48%: 33–73%), and respiration rates in temperate (+ 119%) and tropical soils (+ 105%). Soil microbial communities, enzyme activities as well as nutrient cycling and availability were generally enhanced in agroforestry systems compared to monocultures. Conclusions Our results provide compelling evidence that agroforestry practices can contribute substantially to sustainable improvement of global soil quality.

Fazekašova D., Boltižiar M., Bobuľska L., Kotorova D., Hecl J., Krnačova Z.: Development of soil parameters and changing landscape structure in conditions of cold mountain climate (case study Liptovska Teplička). Ekologia (Bratislava), Vol. 32, No. 2, p. 197-210, 2013. Soil physical, chemical and biological properties and the content of heavy metals were investigated between 1997 and 2010 and changing landscape structure was evaluated for years 1948-2010 under production conditions in the investigated area Liptovska Teplička (48° 57´ N; 20° 05´ E), situated in the marginal region of north-eastern Slovakia. Research showed that soil physical properties get adjusted after a long-term application of ecological farming system and the measured values were stabilised. High doses of organic fertilizers had positive effect on soil fertility, and thus indirectly on maintaining soil pH, available nutrients content and accumulation of humus in soil. The values of soil enzymes activities changed minimally during the research period. At the same time, it was proven that increasing the content of soil organic matter promotes natural protection of soil enzymes. This study underscores the importance of long-term, quantitative soil monitoring in determining the changes in agricultural land and ecosystem processes over time. Statistically significant effect of experimental year on all observed soil parameters was confirmed by analysis of variance. Effect of experimental locality, with the exception of pH/CaCl2, Cox and Nanorg, on other soil parameters was also statistically significant. This area represents a specific mountain grassland-arable landscape with conservation of traditional agriculture. The results of this paper also analyse landscape structure changes by using the historical maps and aerial photographs of the past 160 years.

Agroecology has been criticized for being more labor-intensive than other more industrialized forms of agriculture. We challenge the assertion that labor input in agriculture has to be generally minimized and argue that besides quantity of work one should also consider the quality of work involved in farming. Early assessments on work quality condemned the deskilling of the rural workforce, whereas later criticisms have concentrated around issues related to fair trade and food sovereignty. We bring into the discussion the concept of contributive justice to welcome the added labor-intensity of agroecological farming. Contributive justice demands a work environment where people are stimulated to develop skills and learn to be productive. It also suggests a fairer distribution of meaningful work and tedious tasks. Building on the notion of contributive justice we explore which capabilities and types of social relationships are sustainably promoted and reinforced by agroecological farming practices. We argue that agroecological principles encourage a reconceptualization of farm work. Farmers are continuously stimulated to develop skills and acquire valuable experiential knowledge on local ecosystems and agricultural techniques. Further, generalized ecological studies recognize the significance of the farmer’s observations on natural resources management. This contributes to the development of a number of capabilities and leads to more bargaining power, facilitating self-determination. Hereby farm work is made more attractive to a younger generation, which is an essential factor for safeguarding the continuity of family farms.

During the last decade, research has shown the environment and human health benefits of growing buckwheat ( Fagopyrum spp.). This comprehensive review aims to summarize the major advancements made in the study of buckwheat from 2013 to 2023, focusing on its agronomic characteristics, nutritional value, and potential applications in sustainable agriculture. The review examines the diverse applications of buckwheat in organic and agroecological farming systems, and discusses the ability of buckwheat to control weeds through allelopathy, competition, and other sustainable farming methods, such as crop rotation, intercropping and green manure, while improving soil health and biodiversity. The review also explores the nutritional value of buckwheat. It delves into the composition of buckwheat grains, emphasizing their high protein content, and the presence of essential amino acids and valuable micronutrients, which is linked to health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels, controlling diabetes and acting against different types of cancer, among others. Finally, the review concludes by highlighting the gaps in current knowledge, and proposing future research directions to further optimize buckwheat production in organic or agroecological farming systems. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches to unlock the full potential of buckwheat as a sustainable crop.

Agroecological farming is widely considered to reconcile improved working and living conditions of farmers while promoting social, economic, and ecological sustainability. However, most existing research primarily focuses on relatively narrow trade-offs between workload, economic and ecological outcomes at farm level and overlooks the critical role of contextual factors. This article conducts a critical literature review on the complex nature of agroecological farm work and proposes the holistic concept of sustainable farm work (SFW) in agroecology together with a heuristic evaluation framework. The latter was applied to ten case studies to test its relevance, affirming positive outcomes of agroecology on SFW, such as improved food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, and social inclusiveness, but also showing trade-offs, including increased workload and potential yield reductions. Further, results show that contextual factors, such as policy support, market regulation, and access to resources, heavily influence the impact of agroecological practices on SFW. This article strongly argues for the importance of a holistic understanding of SFW and its contextualization within multiple socio-ecological system levels. The proposed framework establishes clear relationships between agroecology and SFW. An explicit recognition of these multidimensional relationships is essential for maximizing positive outcomes of agroecology in different contexts and fostering SFW. On a theoretical level, this research concludes that, from a holistic perspective, work is an entry point to studying the potential of agroecology to drive a sustainable agroecological transition in economic, social, and ecological terms.

This study investigates the effects of risk perception, buffering ability, self-organization ability and learning ability on the fishermens'ecological farming willingness in Yangtze River, China. Using the Yangtze River basin fishermen as a case study, this study simultaneously used the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) to explore the linear and nonlinear dynamic impacts among the variables. PLS-SEM analysis revealed that livelihood resilience positively affect ecological farming willingness of retired fishermen; risk perception and livelihood resilience can positively influence ecological farming willingness through buffering, self-organization and learning abilities. The fs/QCA revealed that simple antecedent variables do not constitute a necessary condition for promoting fishermens' strong ecological farming willingness, which depends on the conditions combined with another element. The analysis also elucidates the optimized combination of support policies for fishermen in different regions. In the eastern region, a compensation configuration that emphasizes \"livelihood capital\" through natural and material resources is identified as the most effective approach. This strategy aims to enhance the stock of livelihood capital for fishermen, thereby ensuring stability and sustainability in their livelihoods. Conversely, the central region is most effectively served by \"policy-driven\" assistance measures. These measures emphasize enhancing policy implementation to promote the transformation and restoration of livelihoods. Simultaneously, in the western region, an optimal comprehensive support model, characterized as \"integrated capital -policy-community-skills,\" comes to the fore. This approach empowers communities and offers substantial support for the sustainable development of fishermen's livelihoods.

Industrial agriculture has extensive environmental and social costs, and efforts to create alternative farming systems are widespread if not yet widely successful. This study explored how a set of grain farmers and rotational graziers in Iowa transitioned to agroecological management practices. Our focus on the resources and strategies that farmers mobilized to develop opportunities for, and overcome barriers to, transitioning to alternative practices allows us to go beyond the existing literature focused on why farmers transition. We attend to both the ecological and socioeconomic context of innovation by comparing processes of technical change in two contrasting regions of Iowa. Farmers cultivated farm-level biodiversity and enterprise diversity, developed new cognitive and psychological competencies, and overcame barriers to innovation by developing external network linkages with peers, knowledge organizations, and federal policies. Our research provides insights into how biophysical, cognitive, structural and market considerations can be integrated into research efforts that aim to make sense of innovation toward sustainable agriculture.

Conventional banana farming is pesticide-intensive and leads to high exposure of farmworkers. Ecuador is the world’s biggest exporter of bananas. In this field study in 5 communities in Ecuador, we recorded potentially pesticide-associated subjective health symptoms in farmworkers and compared pesticide users to workers in organic farming. With one exception, symptom rates were always higher in the pesticide-exposed group. Significance was reached in 8 out of 19 investigated symptoms with the highest odds ratios (and smallest p-values) for local irritation like skin and eye irritation (OR = 3.58, CI 1.10–11.71, and 4.10, CI 1.37–12.31, respectively) as well as systemic symptoms like dizziness (OR = 4.80, CI 1.55–14.87) and fatigue (OR = 4.96, CI 1.65–14.88). Moreover, gastrointestinal symptoms were reported more frequently by pesticide users: nausea (OR = 7.5, CI 1.77–31.77) and diarrhea (OR = 6.43, CI 1.06–30.00). The majority of farmworkers were not adequately protected from pesticide exposure. For example, only 3 of 31 farmworkers that had used pesticides recently reported using gloves and only 6 reported using masks during active spraying. Improved safety measures and a reduction in pesticide use are necessary to protect the health of banana farmworkers.

Eco-efficiency is commonly used as an indicator of sustainability since it expresses the efficiency with which natural resources are utilized to meet people’s needs. Agriculture relies heavily on these ecological resources and by-produces significant environmental burdens, shifting the interest of researchers and policymakers toward the promotion of ecological practices. However, limited evidence exists regarding eco-efficiency across various ecological approaches like low input, conservation, and organic farming. This paper contributes to the existing literature and provides insight into the eco-efficiency of Cretan olive farms managed under different ecological approaches. Olive oil production is vital for the socio-economic sustainability of Mediterranean agriculture, a significant element of the region’s culture, and the basis of the well-known “Mediterranean diet”; therefore, it is crucial to investigate eco-efficient management options for olive farmers. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and a second-stage statistical analysis are employed to estimate the eco-efficiency of olive farms and investigate factors affecting it. Composite indicators for biodiversity, soil, and input management are incorporated in the eco-efficiency model. The results indicate that organic farms achieve the highest eco-efficiency scores, followed by other ecological approaches. Additionally, eco-efficiency seems to be explained by farmers’ dependency on subsidies, commitment to farming activity, and environmental awareness.

The economic and ecological effects of three shrimp farming models commonly adopted in China, including the indoor super-intensive culture model (ISIC), the pond integrated multi-trophic aquaculture model (PIMTA), and the pond mono-culture model (PMC) were evaluated in this study. The economic and ecological effects of the three models were quantitatively estimated using a series of statistical analyses. The break-even analysis of the three models indicated that the unit output of ISIC and PMC was comparatively higher than others. Meanwhile, the variable cost of ISIC and PMC was much higher than the fixed cost, while PIMTA presented the opposite result. However, the cost-benefit study showed that PIMTA had the greatest profit margin. Regarding ecological effects, the comparison of water quality factors and pollutant emissions indicated that the PIMTA model could comparatively decrease the nitrogen and phosphorus discharge from aquaculture sewage and prevent water eutrophication. Moreover, PIMTA led to a higher bacterial diversity than ISIC. Furthermore, the analysis of the carbon sink capacity of the three cultivation modes showed that the PIMTA model had the highest carbon sink capacity of 812.21 g kg−1. When PIMTA shrimp production is 0.72 times higher than the total production of ISIC and PMC, the goal of zero CO2 emissions can be achieved. By combining ISIC high-density farming with PIMTA ecological farming, companies can effectively balance the ecological damage caused by shrimp farming by adjusting the ratio of ISIC and PIMTA while addressing the market demand for shrimp.