How Could Sustainable Agriculture Increase Climate Resilience? A Systematic Review

Climate change, changes in the natural environment, changing markets, price volatility, etc. pose tension and threats to the future of European Union farms. The uncertain future of family farms requires farm resilience—the ability to survive, adapt, and grow in the face of turbulent change. The limited resilience of family farms has become an important concern for rural and agricultural policy. The main goal of this work is to identify disturbances affecting Lithuanian family farms, assess their influence, investigate the general resilience of Lithuanian family farms, propose measures to reduce the vulnerability of farms, and increase the general resilience and sustainability. We used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to conduct the research. Survey research was conducted using a semi-structured expert interview in which various types of variables were collected. The survey questionnaire, consisting of 38 groups of questions, was sent by email to 500 randomly selected family farmers in January 2024 and collected in the same month. The statistical analysis of the data from the 205 duly filled-out questionnaires was carried out using correlation analysis. In this article, we apply the concept of general resilience of the family farm in the direction of robustness, adaptability, and transformability. We identify the main factors influencing the general resilience of the family farm and study the main attributes of the resilience of family farms. We find some links between family farm characteristics, vulnerability factors, and general resilience capabilities, and we make several proposals to increase family farms’ resilience. The obtained results prove that higher education, larger farm sizes, higher agricultural sales, and employment of permanent workers are associated with better resilience. Furthermore, increasing environmentally friendly practices positively impacts resilience. Older farms and farmers, longer durations of farming activity, and risk-averse behaviors tend to decrease resilience. Due to local and global circumstances, economic and social changes have occurred very quickly in recent years, so the results obtained in the study may not be valid in the long term. Similar surveys after several years will be necessary to study the resilience of Lithuanian farms, including deeper economic analyses that evaluate factors such as price sensitivity, the level of farm debt, and market access.

Economic, Social, and Environmental Factors Impacting Resilience and Disturbances of Lithuanian Family Farms

Kurlavičius,

Žukovskis,

Gozdowski

et al. 2024

The Role of Fertilization on Soil Carbon Sequestration in Bibliometric Analysis

Zheng,

Xu,

Wang

et al. 2024

The soil carbon pool is the largest and most dynamic carbon reservoir in terrestrial ecosystems. Fertilization, an important component of agricultural management, is a significant factor influencing soil carbon sequestration. This study analyzed literature from the Web of Science from 2008 to 2024 using CiteSpace. The results revealed a steady increase in publications on this topic, with a significant surge in the recent four years. The analysis highlighted key collaborations among countries, institutions, and authors, and identified main journal sources and seminal works in the research on the role of fertilization in soil carbon sequestrations. Keyword analysis indicated that current research hotspots include ‘soil organic carbon dynamics and organic matter decomposition’, ‘microbial community dynamics and carbon cycling’, and ‘agricultural management practices on carbon sequestration’. In the context of climate change, future research is likely to focus on enhancing sustainable agricultural practices, promoting biochar and resource utilization, and utilizing microbial communities to optimize soil carbon sequestration. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the role of fertilization in soil carbon sequestration, providing important insights for improving soil carbon sequestration strategies.

Integrating Thermo-Ombroclimatic Indicators into Sustainable Olive Management: A Pathway for Innovation and Education

Piñar-Fuentes,

Peña-Martínez,

Cano-Ortiz

2024

The study explores the integration of thermo and ombroclimatic bioindicators into sustainable agricultural practices, focusing on olive production in the Mediterranean. Given the increasing challenges posed by climate change, the study highlights the critical role of bioindicators in optimizing crop resilience and yield. Using data from the CHELSA model and long-term olive production records, the research identifies the impact of key climatic factors, such as temperature and precipitation, on olive yield variability. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that geographical location, precipitation, and thermal extremes significantly influence productivity. Furthermore, a multiple linear regression model confirmed the ombroclimatic index (Io) as a strong predictor of yield, emphasizing the necessity of balanced climatic conditions. The findings advocate for the integration of bioclimatic principles into agricultural training programs, promoting a holistic approach to crop management. Ultimately, the study underscores the need for informed decision-making and adaptive practices to ensure sustainable agricultural production under varying climatic conditions. This research provides a framework for future studies aiming to enhance crop resilience and address climate challenges, suggesting a pathway towards an innovative, sustainable agricultural model.