A WAY TO SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION THROUGH SCIENTIST−FARMER ENGAGEMENT

doi:10.15302/J-FASE-2022467

Front. Agr. Sci. Eng.

2022, Vol. 9

Issue (4) : 577-587 https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2022467

RESEARCH ARTICLE

A WAY TO SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION THROUGH SCIENTIST−FARMER ENGAGEMENT

Yu GUO, Ran LI, Peng NING, Xiaoqiang JIAO(

)

National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Department of Plant Nutrition, College of Resource and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

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Abstract

● Farmer–scientist collaboration for improved farming was achieved.

● Wheat and maize yields of STB farmers improved by 13%.

● NUE increased 20% for wheat and maize production.

● GHG emissions and EEF decreased by 23% and 52%, respectively.

Feeding a large and growing population with scientifically sustainable food production is a major challenge globally, especially in smallholder-based agricultural production. Scientists have conducted a considerable theoretical research and technological innovation to synergistically achieve increased food production and reduced environmental impact. However, the potential and feasibility of synergistic smallholder-led agricultural production to achieve increased food production and environmental friendliness is not yet clear. Exploring the potential and feasibility of smallholders to synergistically achieve these two goals, this research collected survey data from 162 farmers implementing standard farming practices and 112 farmers engaged in Science and Technology Backyard (STB) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China. Grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and emergy ecological footprint (EEF) of the wheat-maize cropping system dominated by smallholders were analyzed. The results showed smallholders in the STB group improved wheat and maize yields by about 13% and NUE by 20%, respectively. Also, a reduction of 23% in GHG emissions and 52% in EEF were simultaneously achieved in the wheat-maize cropping system. Compared with standard farming practices, 75 kg·ha⁻¹ nitrogen-based fertilizer was saved in the STB farmers. In summary, this study shifts the main perspective of research from scientists to smallholder, and uses a combination of greenhouse gas emission calculations, EEF and material flow analyses to demonstrate from multiple perspectives that agricultural systems under the leadership of smallholders can synergistically achieve high crop yields and low resource use and environmental impacts. The results of this study also show that the smallholder-led scientist-farmer collaborative model established by STB can fully exploit the initiative and potential, and that this collaborative model can be a successful strategy for smallholders as operators to achieve food security at low environmental impacts. The results of this study can provide useful evidence for a sustainable shift toward more sustainable agricultural production systems.

Keywords food security scientists and farmers innovate together greenhouse gas emissions emergy ecological footprint environment footprint

Corresponding Author(s): Xiaoqiang JIAO

Just Accepted Date: 09 September 2022 Online First Date: 12 October 2022 Issue Date: 07 November 2022

Cite this article:

Yu GUO,Ran LI,Peng NING, et al. A WAY TO SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION THROUGH SCIENTIST−FARMER ENGAGEMENT[J]. Front. Agr. Sci. Eng. , 2022, 9(4): 577-587.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/10.15302/J-FASE-2022467
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/Y2022/V9/I4/577

Fig.1 Logical framework of the model of the nutrient-derived environment in wheat-maize production.

Tab.1 Comparison of grain yield, mineral N fertilizer, and N use efficiency of wheat-maize cropping system with standard farming practices (FP) and STB farming (STB) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China

Fig.2 Nitrogen flux (kg·ha⁻¹ N) of wheat-maize production based on standard farming practices (FP) (a) and STB farmers (STB) (b) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China.

Fig.3 GHG emissions (kg·ha⁻¹ CO₂-eq) of wheat-maize production based on standard farming practices (FP) and STB farmers (STB) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China.

Fig.4 Emergy ecological footprint (ha) of wheat-maize production based on standard farming practices (FP) and STB farmers (STB) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China.

Fig.5 Indexes of emergy ecological footprint of wheat-maize production based on standard farming practices (FP) and STB farmers (STB) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China: (a) environment load index, (b) resource load index, and (c) sustainability index.

Fig.6 Proportion (%) of N application rate for wheat and maize production (a), wheat and maize yield (b) for practices by STB farmers compared to standard farming practices (FP) in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, China.

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