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\"After years of working at the ends of the earth in human rights and development, Brent Preston and his wife were die-hard city dwellers. But when their second child arrived, the shine came off urban living. In 2003 they bought a hundred acres and a rundown farmhouse and set out to build a real farm, one that would sustain their family, nourish their community, heal their environment, and turn a profit. The New Farm is Preston's memoir of a decade of grinding toil and perseverance. Farming is a complex and precarious business, and they made plenty of mistakes along the way. But as they learned how to grow food, and to succeed at the business of farming, they also found that a small, sustainable, organic farm could be an engine for change, a path to a more just and sustainable food system. Today, The New Farm supplies top restaurants, supports community food banks, hosts events with leading chefs, and grows extraordinary produce. Told with humor and heart, The New Farm is a joy, a passionate book by an important new voice.\" -- Amazon.com.

To evaluate and analyze the small farmers fund, one of the funds financed by the allocation of the Supreme Committee for the Agricultural Initiative, this fund finance the unconditioned plastic houses, beekeeping, field crops, winter and summer vegetable crops, protected tomato houses, olive trees services, planting of green silage by fixed sprinkler irrigation and to construct consulting offices. As the total number of loans granted to this fund reached nearly 481 billion dinars in all governorates, amounting to 38991 beneficiaries, constituting about 23% of the total loans disbursed during the study period, Baghdad governorate has 68.6 billion of total amounts of that fund and that consist 16.6% of it, then Anbar came in the second rank by 14.7% then Wasit came in the third rank by 12%, while Kirkuk came in the last. The study reached an analysis of the achievement ratios of the small farmers fund for the period 2009-2018 for all governorates, the provinces of Baghdad and Basra were highest share of this fund  for the year 2009, while the lowest share for these year were for Mysan and Kirkuk.  In 2010, Anbar has the highest share while Kirkuk was the lowest. In 2011-2012, the governorate of Baghdad ranked first, and the lowest were for Kirkuk governorate, in 2013, Anbar came to the first, the lowest was Kirkuk governorate, then Wasit governorate returned to first place with collection rates for 2014 and in 2015 Najaf was the first and for 2016 and 2017, the governorate of Baghdad came first. There is a clear decrease in the rates of late loan repayment in this fund because these loans are closely related to the guarantees that document the loans. Most of the guarantees of these loans are the bill only, whereby the amount of withdrawals loans of all kinds is proportional to the amount of the guarantee on the bill of exchange 40 million dinars. The study recommended the necessity of conducting a field survey of all the purposes that the small farmers fund.

Background Indigenous village chickens, or (IVCs), significantly contribute to rural livelihoods. Although natural selection has a disproportionate impact on the genetic structure of IVCs, farmers have developed locally tailored breeding practices to get the most out of their flocks. Objectives Small‐scale farmers’ insights on trait breed preferences and family flock breeding practices are presented in this cross‐sectional study. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted in two agroecological zones using face‐to‐face individual interviews with 119 general informants. Results Farmers prefer IVCs because they are multipurpose birds. Unlike policymakers, who usually underestimate the importance of IVCs, small‐scale farmers acknowledge the coexistence of local and commercial chickens. Only 15.7% of farmers recruited homegrown cocks, whereas 47.9% outsourced breeding cocks from local markets and 36.4% from neighbours (χ‐squared = 15.976, df = 2, p = 0.0003395). About 49.2% of small‐scale farmers believed that consanguineous mating‐induced inbreeding has only trivial effects. High flock turnover significantly reduces inbreeding. Regardless of the low production capacity, small‐scale farmers prefer local (rank = 1.47) chickens to commercial (rank = 1.61). For cocks, fertility and growth traits were highly sought after, whereas for hens, maternal instincts and laying performance were prioritized. Compared to the highlands, the lowlands had a longer egg storage period (t = 2.677, df = 117, p = 0.009, 95% CI: −3.7607, −0.5622). Conclusions This study documented the wisdom of small‐scale farmers and encouraged the incorporation of their insights into a sustainable genetic improvement program. Graphical : Local chickens significantly contribute to the rural livelihood of the less developed world. The trait and breed preference of small‐scale farmers and their nonconventional breeding practices are primarily driven by the adaptive characteristics of local chickens and the demographic structure of the small‐scale farmers. A sustainable breeding plan that addresses the preference of small‐scale farmers and matches the production environment needs to consider the heterogeneity of small‐scale farmers’ breeding practices and their practical application in rural settings.

The global agrifood system faces significant threats due to rapid and interconnected social‐ecological changes, including climate change, land‐use shifts, demographic changes and emerging diseases. Small‐scale farmers are among the most vulnerable groups to these changes due to their direct dependence on their environment. The resilience of small‐scale farming livelihoods may be influenced by several social‐ecological filters, which are the coupled human–nature factors that could either hinder or increase resilience, directly impacting local agrifood systems. Our study aims to assess how different social‐ecological filters (i.e. sociodemographic factors, diversity of agroecosystems and on‐farm landscape composition), operating at multiple levels, are associated with small‐scale farmers' livelihood resilience in the Chiloé Archipelago, a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System within a Global Biodiversity Hotspot in southern Chile. We conducted 100 household surveys with small‐scale farmers to calculate the diversity of agroecosystems within each farm and an Index of Livelihood Resilience (ILR) based on indicators of five capital assets (i.e. social, physical, natural, financial and human). We also took aerial photographs of their farms, from which we derived information on landscape composition. Using Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models, we tested the association between eight different social‐ecological filters and the ILR. We found that the age of the household head and shrubland surface in the farm were negatively associated with livelihood resilience, while the diversity of agroecosystems within the farms was positively associated with the livelihood resilience of small‐scale farmers. Identifying factors that enhance the livelihood resilience of small‐scale farmers is essential for developing effective initiatives and policies aimed at ensuring global and local food security and sovereignty. Based on our results, we propose recommendations to strengthen small‐scale farmers' livelihood resilience to mitigate the global agrifood crisis. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Resumen El sistema agroalimentario global enfrenta amenazas significativas debido a cambios socioecológicos rápidos e interconectados, como el cambio climático, las transformaciones en el uso del suelo, los cambios demográficos y la aparición de nuevas enfermedades. Los agricultores a pequeña escala se encuentran entre los grupos más vulnerables frente a estos cambios, debido a su dependencia directa del medioambiente. La resiliencia de los medios de vida de la agricultura a pequeña escala puede estar influenciada por diversos filtros socioecológicos, entendidos como factores acoplados entre sistemas humanos y naturales que pueden obstaculizar o fortalecer la resiliencia, impactando directamente los sistemas agroalimentarios locales. Nuestro estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar cómo diferentes filtros socioecológicos (i.e. factores sociodemográficos, diversidad de agroecosistemas y composición del paisaje en los predios), que operan a múltiples niveles, se asocian con la resiliencia de los medios de vida de agricultores a pequeña escala en el Archipiélago de Chiloé, un Sistema Importante del Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial (SIPAM) ubicado en un Hotspot de Biodiversidad Global en el sur de Chile. Realizamos 100 encuestas jefes/as de hogares que fueran agricultores a pequeña escala, para calcular la diversidad de agroecosistemas dentro de cada predio y calcular un Índice de Resiliencia de los Medios de Vida, basado en indicadores de cinco tipos de capital (social, físico, natural, financiero y humano). También tomamos fotografías aéreas de sus predios, a partir de las cuales obtuvimos información sobre la composición del paisaje. Usando Modelos Lineales Mixtos Generalizados, analizamos la asociación entre ocho filtros socioecológicos diferentes y el Índice de Resiliencia de los Medios de Vida. Encontramos que la edad del jefe/a del hogar y la superficie de matorrales en el predio se asociaron negativamente con la resiliencia de los medios de vida, mientras que la diversidad de agroecosistemas dentro del predio se asoció positivamente con la resiliencia de los medios de vida de agricultores a pequeña escala. Identificar los factores que fortalecen la resiliencia de los medios de vida de la agricultura a pequeña escala es esencial para desarrollar iniciativas y políticas efectivas que garanticen la seguridad y soberanía alimentaria a nivel global y local. Con base en nuestros resultados, proponemos recomendaciones para fortalecer la resiliencia de los agricultores a pequeña escala frente a la crisis agroalimentaria global. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Are agroforestry systems still realistic methods to balance forestation and livelihood for small-scale farmers? To answer this question, the author continuously monitored a 48-year agroforestry management system from the perspective of land management history and tree growth. The study plot is located in Tenggarong district, East Kalimantan Province, Borneo, Indonesia. The site covers a total area of 2 ha and has been managed by a farmer since 1974. Chronological data on the cultivated crops and tree growth were collected through direct observations and mensuration by local university researchers. As of 2022, an Agathis forest with a standing stock volume of 632.4 m3 had been created by agroforestry practices. On the other hand, the average income he generated was US$ 1231/year from 1974 to 2016. The gross cash income of the farmer was below or at the same level as the provincial minimum wage for 23 years or 48% of the entire management period. The results of the current study showed that the main income source changed over the years. This change was influenced by many factors, such as family member life stage, social demand supported by the increasing population, Agathis tree growth and farmer age. In response to change, the farmer planted many kinds of crops and selected the most profitable commodity in each period. Due to this trial-and-selection approach, his income source was diversified and generated a stable cash income not only throughout the year, but also throughout the 48 years management period. The results of the current case study showed that the agroforestry system is a realistic method for forestation and long-term management for small-scale farmer. On the other hand, it is not the optimal method if the purpose is to maximize cash income.

Small‐scale farmers (SSFs) globally face numerous challenges, exacerbated by climate change, which severely affect their farming activities. This literature review paper reflects on poor, rural SSFs' climate‐smart strategies (CSS) providing possibilities to infuse artificial intelligence (AI) for resilience building in Zimbabwe. Currently, Zimbabwe is a country where climate change, socio‐economic and political challenges, along with power outages threaten rural livelihoods and food security. The research gaps are outlined on CSS, SSFs' challenges to respond proactively and using AI technologies for building resilience. The contribution of the article is thus to take stock of the current scholarship on CSS used by poor, rural SSFs. Recommendations deriving from this review can be used to intensify climate action for resilience building in Zimbabwe. A resilience framework guided the extraction of relevant literature. Using the AI tool ‘Ai2 paper finder’, we identified 64 relevant published articles and 13 publications of grey literature on CSS and SSFs' need to build resilience. The grey literature focused on identifying the common CSS being actioned elsewhere in Africa but relevant for Zimbabwe. Thematic content analysis was merged with storyline analysis and stories of successful resilience outcomes provide evidence on SSFs' resilience building. The findings revealed promising strategies: livelihood diversification, zero tillage, the adoption of weather‐tolerant small grains, climate smart livestock strategies and irrigation farming. Thus, micro‐, meso‐ and macro‐scale initiatives are advanced for resilience. The existing socio‐economic challenges hamper the use of CSS with advanced AI features. We argue that a combination of indigenous CSS and AI‐based weather prediction models and crop recommendation systems could empower SSFs in Zimbabwe to better adapt to climate change. However, multiple stakeholders need to commit to provide resources for Zimbabwe's SSFs given the limited investment by the country which has been plagued by decades of political and socio‐economic turmoil. Short Small‐scale farmers across the world face numerous challenges exacerbated by climate change which severely affects their farming activities. Similarly in Zimbabwe, small‐scale farmers are struggling to adapt to the vagaries of climate change due to low adaptive capacity. This review paper is gleaned from a desktop study, using both grey and published literature reflecting on climate smart strategies: localising climate action and possibilities for AI in resilience building for small‐scale farmers in Zimbabwe, a country where climate change, socio‐economic and political challenges, threaten rural livelihoods.

Worldwide, more people are migrating to the forest frontier, significantly altering land use in smallholder farming communities, yet there is limited empirical evidence on the environmental impacts of this migration. The common assumption is that migrants disproportionately contribute to resource degradation. In this study, we investigate if migration drives deforestation in Madagascar, using national census data, global land cover datasets, and qualitative insights from drought‐affected migrant‐sending and forest‐margin migrant‐receiving areas. Quantitative analysis showed no evidence of spatial overlap between net positive in‐migration and forest loss, and only a marginally significant negative relationship between in‐migration and forest cover for extreme in‐migration. The qualitative findings suggested that while in‐migrants may sometimes access lands through clearing forestlands, they were no more likely than local people to clear land. These results challenge narratives of migrants as primary drivers of environmental degradation and highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of migration–environment interactions.

Developing countries in Asia widely use manual seed broadcasting methods due to a lack of appropriate seeding machinery. The agricultural sector is currently facing labor shortages and high labor costs, especially seasonal labor shortages for broadcasting and transplanting operations. However, the primary constraint in adopting existing broadcasting seeders for small-scale farmers in developing countries is the high initial purchase costs. Therefore, developing locally commercial accessible technology for small-scale farmers is an urgent requirement. In this regard, attempt was taken to develop a new low-cost 3D printed seeder that can be used for multi-crop seed broadcasting operations when integrated with an autonomous terrain vehicle. A new seed metering mechanism was proposed for seed broadcasting that can be controlled electronically from the autonomous terrain vehicle. Positional sensors based on the real time kinematics—global navigation satellite system (RTK-GNSS) were used to record positional information. The best observation was noted at a vehicle operational speed of 0.351 ms−1 and had a coefficient of variation (CV) referring to the distribution uniformity of seeds of 19% for green peas, 22% for cowpeas, and 25% for chickpeas. The developed seeder could spread multi-crop seeds and adjust the seed rates electronically at the different ranges of rotational speeds. Therefore, the use of 3D printed fabricated prototype seed broadcasting units with small-scale autonomous vehicles can be implemented to help in labor supplements and perform the broadcasting of different seeds.

Promoting the sustainable agricultural practices at an individual farm level is essential to ensure agricultural sustainability. This study analyzed whether and how various factors related to farm or farmers’ characteristics influence the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices. We used a negative binomial regression model to fit the data collected from a mail survey of farmers in Kentucky, USA. Our results showed that the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices varied significantly among agricultural districts in Kentucky. Farmers who grew row crops, had irrigation facilities, and were in favor of crop diversification were significantly more likely than their respective counterparts to adopt more sustainable agriculture practices. Similarly, having a college education and participating in the Tobacco Buyout Program also positively and significantly affected the intensity of adopting sustainable agriculture practices among Kentucky farmers. In contrast, a lack of adequate knowledge about sustainable farming and an unfamiliarity with technology significantly and negatively related to less adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.

How is life in a criminalized ecology in the Andean-Amazonian foothills of southwestern Colombia? In what way does antinarcotics policy that aims to eradicate la mata que mata (the plant that kills) pursue peace through poison? Relatedly, how do people keep on cultivating a garden, caring for forest, or growing food when at any moment a crop-duster plane may pass overhead, indiscriminately spraying herbicides over entire landscapes? Since 2000, the U.S.–Colombian War on Drugs has relied on the militarized aerial fumigation of coca plants, coupled with alternative development interventions that aim to forcibly eradicate illicit livelihoods. Through ethnographic engagement with small farmers in the frontier department of Putumayo, the gateway to the country’s Amazon and a region that has been the focus of counternarcotic operations, this article explores the different possibilities and foreclosures for life and death that emerge in a tropical forest ecology under military duress. By following farmers, their material practices, and their life philosophies, I trace the ways in which human-soil relations come to potentiate forms of resistance to the violence and criminalization produced by militarized, growth-oriented development. Rather than productivity—one of the central elements of modern capitalist growth—the regenerative capacity of these ecologies relies on organic decay, impermanence, decomposition, and even fragility that complicates modernist bifurcations of living and dying, allowing, I argue, for ecological imaginaries and life processes that do not rely on productivity or growth to strive into existence.