Indonesia merupakan penghasil kelapa sawit terbesar di dunia, dan sekitar 40% dipasok oleh kebun sawit rakyat. Di Kabupaten Aceh Tamiang, kelapa sawit merupakan komoditas perkebunan dengan area terluas. Sama seperti dengan daerah lain di Indonesia, permasalahan umum yang dijumpai dalam kebun sawit rakyat adalah peremajaan kebun agar tingkat produktifitas tetap bisa dipertahankan, pengelolaan kebun yang sesuai dengan standar berkelanjutan an pemasokan kelapa sawit stabil sesuai permintaan pasar, baik secara kualitas maupun kuantitas.
Tag: crop production
Policy Change and Expected Policy Impacts: An ACF Analysis of the Roadmap to Deforestation-free Cocoa in Cameroon
Cameroon’s ambition to produce 600,000 metric tons of cocoa by 2025 and double this target by 2030 is often interpreted as a threat to remaining forests because Cameroon cocoa is traditionally established on forest land. Signing the Roadmap to Deforestation-free Cocoa can be considered a major policy milestone in the cocoa sector in Cameroon, and thus provides a case to use the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to understand actors’ beliefs and links to policy change. The case study is useful because the Roadmap is intended to enhance sustainable cocoa production in the country, but it is entangled by positive and opposing objectives of government, farmers, the private sector, and other stakeholders. Specifically, this chapter uses the ACF lens to identify and map actors in the deforestation-free cocoa policy subsystem and processes, analyze the drivers of policy change, and assess actors’ perceptions, motivations, and beliefs that desired changes can be achieved through the proposed policy instrument.
Women in plant science around the world
This publication presents perspectives from researchers working in agricultural and environmental sciences on the importance of place-based research environments and institutional collaborations. Drawing on experiences from Nairobi (Kenya), Toronto (Canada), and the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA), the discussion highlights how diverse ecological conditions, advanced research infrastructure, and strong links between science and practice shape research outcomes. Nairobi is portrayed as a strategic center for studying biodiversity, agroforestry, restoration, and rural development due to its diverse landscapes and proximity to real-world land-use challenges. Toronto offers access to world-class scientific infrastructure, interdisciplinary expertise, and advanced technologies that support cutting-edge research in plant biology and related fields. Meanwhile, UNINA provides a unique setting where longstanding agricultural traditions intersect with contemporary scientific research, enabling investigation of crop production challenges, plant health, and sustainable agricultural systems. Collectively, these perspectives demonstrate how research institutions and regional contexts can foster innovation, collaboration, and knowledge generation to address agricultural, environmental, and socio-ecological challenges.
Exploring knowledge and uses of Moringa oleifera and understanding its cultivation constraints and proposed solutions: a case from Bangladesh
Multipurpose trees, like the moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), have become extremely popular in an attempt to reduce food, nutritional, and economic instability. The significant benefits of moringa’s leaves, pods, seeds, roots, and flowers are used in a wide range of commercial fields, including medicine, cosmetics, food, animal feed, water purification, and more. We applied a questionnaire-based survey to reveal the uses, problems and solutions related to the knowledge, uses and constraints of moringa in the region of Chapainawabganj and Kushtia districts in Bangladesh. Including the easiest propagation process and the lowest cultivation costs, year-round flowering, and production provide moringa with a wide window of opportunity. Besides using regular pruning of moringa branches, respondents make trees bushy to increase fruit and leaf production. Respondents from both regions opined that moringa has a good market value, increases family income, increases opportunity for fallow land utilization, enhances employment opportunities, and is known as a nutritive and multipurpose tree. We were pleased to find that moringa output regularly exceeded previous production records in Bangladesh from 2014–16 to 2020–21. Furthermore, our survey shows that a 5-year-old moringa tree provides a satisfactory yield per season with its high market price and demand. Despite the extensive use of moringa fruits and leaves by respondents, its commercial potential remains largely undeveloped and unknown to them. Constraints like limited scientific knowledge and technological infrastructure are the reasons why the elusive potential of moringa in Bangladesh persists. There is ample opportunity to enhance moringa production via effective management techniques, which will satisfy community demand and create market opportunities both locally and internationally. As a result, smallholder farmers’ livelihoods and food and nutritional security can be improved.
Agronomic levers to increase maize and soybean productivity across the Chinyanja Triangle, southern Africa
This study characterizes maize and soybean production systems in the Chinyanja Triangle, a major agricultural region spanning parts of Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique, and evaluates opportunities to sustainably increase crop productivity. Maize is the principal staple crop in southern Africa, while soybean is rapidly expanding because of its economic and nutritional value. Using crop-cut measurements from 485 maize fields and 509 soybean fields, farmer surveys, climate and soil data, and simulations with the DSSAT crop model, the study assessed actual yields, yield gaps, and the main factors limiting production. Machine-learning approaches were applied to identify key drivers of yield variability and diagnose production constraints across locations. The study identifies practical agronomic interventions that can help reduce yield gaps and improve crop performance across diverse farming environments. These findings provide evidence to guide technology development, extension services, and agricultural investment strategies aimed at enhancing sustainable intensification, strengthening smallholder livelihoods, and improving regional food security in southern Africa.
The potential of short duration improved fallows with selected trees and shrubs for crop productivity enhancement in the highlands of western Kenya
The potential of short-duration improved fallow (6–12 months) with MPTs for crop production in the highlands of Western Kenya was investigated through a series of experiments comprising species screening, establishment methods and determination of optimum planting densities. In the first experiment, 12 multipurpose trees and shrubs were compared. The highest biomass productivity and nutrient yields (nitrogen and phosphorus) after one season’s (6 months) growth were obtained from Crotalaria grahamiana (300 kg N and 27 kg P/ha), Crotalaria mucronata (252 kg N and 16 kg P/ha) and Crotalaria striata (219 kg N and 16kgP/ha). In the second experiment, six herbaceous legumes were tested. The most productive species in terms of nutrient yields were Calopogonium mucunoides, Desmodium uncinatum, Macroptilium atropurpureum and Glycine wightii (more than 150 kg of N and 19 kg of P/ha after 6 months). In a third experiment, an improved fallow system was tested with four species and two methods of planting over two seasons (12 months). The fastest growth was obtained with T. vogelii and T. diversi folia which produced 100 kg of N each at 6 months. Sesbania sesban was more productive at 12 months (161 kg/ha) compared with 6 months (60–73 kg/ha). In terms of nutrient yields, direct seeded plants of T. vogelii were as productive as transplanted seedlings. For S. sesban, the fastest growth was obtained by seedlings, but at 12 months the productivity of S. sesban from seedlings and that from direct seeding was similar The highest maize grain yield following 12 months of fallow was obtained with S. sesban (3840–5089 kg/ha) and T. vogelii (4162–4849 kg/ha) compared to natural fallow (1968 kg/ha) which was not significantly different from continuous cropping (1854 kg/ha). In a fourth trial, seven densities (from 10,000 to 160,000 plants/ha) were tested. In terms of biomass and nutrient yields 2 months after planting the performance of the different densities were similar. Maize grain yields following 12 months of fallow were also similar and were not different from those obtained from continuous cropping and natural fallow treatments without inorganic P application. The difference in maize grain yield between improved fallow with sesbania (2875 to 3343 kg/ha) couch grass-infested natural fallow (1277 kg/ha) and continuous cropping (12017 kg/ha) were significant (P0.05) when inorganic P was applied.
Increasing the scope for food crop production on sloping lands in Asia: contour farming with natural vegetative strips in the Philippines
Alternative, agroecological or low-input agricultural production systems emphasize reliance on the resources present within the farm (Altieri, 1995; Pretty, 1995). Conversely, ‘conventional’ approaches to agricultural development are characterized as depending more heavily on external inputs. Our task in this collaborative effort has been to assess the extent to which so-called alternative agriculture can contribute to increased world food production in the future. This issue is significant for those making decisions on how to invest in agricultural research, and for those involved in assisting farmers to apply that research on the land. There is reason to feel some discomfort with classifying agricultural practices into ‘alternative’ or ‘conventional’. It can be more of an ideological divide than a logical one. The dichotomy is not particularly useful either scientifically or practically since most real-world systems defy such classification. A number of the cases in Part 2 have discussed practices or combinations of practices that might be identified as being either alternative or conventional depending upon one’s point of view, or that have changed over time. The traditional rainfed systems analysed in Chapter 7 originally used local resources available to the household but now incorporate some external inputs to maintain soil fertility as population has grown, chemical fertilizer has become available and cash incomes have increased. On the other hand, some high-input conventional systems such as the irrigated rice systems considered in Chapter 16 are evolving towards alternative approaches through less pesticide use.
Effect of natural vegetative filter strips density on crop production and soil loss
Natural vegetative filter strips (NVS) are an attractive contour hedgerow system because they are simple to establish and maintain, control erosion effectively, and compete less with associated annual crops than other alternatives. They recommended practices has been to space the hedgerows every 1 meter drop in elevation. This results in close hedgerow spacing (3-6m apart) which removes considerable area from crop production. We hypothesized that acceptable soil loss may be possible with fewer hedgerows, and tested the effect of hedgerow density on soil loss in an experiment on a field with 50 meters slope length and 45% slope. A single NVS reduced soil loss by one half compared with the open-field control. As hedgerow density increased (4m, 2m, 1m) soil loss declined, but at a decreasing rate. Erosion did not differ significantly from the 2m and 1m drop, although the number hedgerows doubled. Maize yield declined with increasing number of hedgerows. We conclude that it is most practical to establish hedgerows at a 2m or 4m elevation distance. Even a single hedgerow is a good start for a farmer to tackle erosion with minimal investment and without significant loss of crop area.
Training Manual on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)
Rwanda’s agriculture sector is the largest contributor to national greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 45.6% of the total, while the majority of the population depends on subsistence farming on increasingly degraded land. Climate change impacts—such as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts—pose growing risks, particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions. In response, the Government of Rwanda and its partners have prioritized climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a pathway to enhance climate resilience, reduce emissions, and support sustainable development in line with the Paris Agreement. This manual aims to strengthen the capacity of extension agents and farmers by promoting CSA practices that integrate climate-resilient crop and livestock systems, improve agricultural productivity, enhance biodiversity through a gender-responsive agroecological approach, and support the development and implementation of effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Woody species diversity and structure across natural forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, and homegarden coffee in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Ethiopia
Natural forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, and homegarden coffee are generally seen as beneficial for biodiversity conservation, but this may not always be the case. While they are widely recognized for their biodiversity conservation values, their impact on woody species diversity, composition, and structure still remains a gap. This study examined the impact of natural forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, and homegarden coffee on woody species diversity and structure in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Ethiopia. Three coffee production systems were considered for the study, namely homegarden coffee, semi-forest coffee, and natural forest coffee. In all, 90 sample plots were randomly selected and surveyed. A total of 27 woody species belonging to 17 families were recorded. Natural forest coffee maintains the highest structural complexity and continuous regeneration of shade trees as compared to homegarden and semi forest coffee. All diversity indices confirmed that there was significantly higher biodiversity in natural forest coffee. Structural attributes, including stem density, diameter at breast height (DBH), and basal area, were significantly greater in natural forest coffee and semi-forest coffee than in homegarden coffee (p 0.05). Both the Jaccard and Sørensen similarity coefficients indicate a strong overlap in woody species composition between natural forest coffee and semi-forest coffee (Jaccard = 0.67 and Sørensen = 0.80). Natural forest coffee and homegarden coffee showed the lowest similarity (Jaccard = 0.38; Sørensen = 0.56), reflecting substantial differences in species composition. Rarefaction analyses confirmed adequate sampling coverage. The findings emphasize the highly significant role of natural forest coffee and semi-forest coffee for biodiversity conservation.