Sustainable agricultural mechanization in Timor-Leste:status,challenges and further action

Despite many efforts over two decades of independence,Timor-Leste's cereal production and agricultural productivity have decreased dramatically,reflected by high food insecurity and rural poverty.This paper analyses the country's current agricultural mechanization efforts to guide future actions that aim to stimulate growth through sustainable mechanization.We combined information from scientific publications,governmental and international cooperation communications,and data collected during field missions to assess the situation.Our study provides recommendations to reverse a failed tractorization campaign and presents a comprehensive overview of a strategy,in alignment with a proposed and renewed national agricultural mechanization policy,that would enable the modernization and sustainable intensification of current food production systems in a nutrition-sensitive,climate-smart,economically viable,and gender-inclusive fashion.The recommendations suggest a focus on scale-appropriate solutions that respond to upland smallholder farmers'capacities and consider good rural transport options,with the first steps to redirect the situation already taken through a technical cooperation program between FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture.Beyond this,a reform of the current government mechanization hire schemes is needed:integrated approaches,as found from business model analyses and training exercises during field missions,are needed,that entail context-specific solutions for targeted rural communities,with special attention given to participatory extension,inclusive co-validation of technologies,and private sector-led business model development around mechanization service delivery.Finally,the authors hope the presented way forward can serve as a roadmap for smallholder farmers and developing nations in similar conditions elsewhere in the world.

A Study of the Development of Agricultural Mechanization in Kunming

Kunming City has entered the rapid development stage of urbanization. In the course of building the urban modern agriculture, the agricultural mechanization of Kunming City is being faced with excellent development opportunity. In this paper, the author scientifically analyzed current development situations of agricultural mechanization in Kunming City and explored existing problems in the course of development. On the basis of analysis, the author put forward recommendations, including increasing scientific research input for agricultural machinery, supporting agricultural machinery enterprises, promoting scientific and technical innovation, taking characteristic industries (such as flowers and vegetables) as pillar industry, speeding up development of modern facility agriculture, and upgrading primary processing of agricultural products. These will play significant role in the development of agricultural mechanization in Kunming City.

Research of Primary Agricultural Mechanization in Developing Countries

For providing a correct and reasonable strategy to develop agricultural mechanization in developing countries, this paper took China as the representative to analyze the poor agricultural equipment service condition. It also put forward the ecology and social crisis brought out by the long-term and large-scale primary mechanization. According to the characteristics of national condition, this paper brought forward several certain policies and solutions, such as compelling to shorten the continuance cycle of traditional primary stage, seeking for new economic growth poles of high-added-value agricultural production by fully using the abundant labor force, etc. It is a feasible technical program to develop harmonious agricultural modernization in developing countries

The Influence of Agricultural Mechanization on the Development of Agricultural Economy in Chongqing City

The impact of the agricultural mechanization development on the agricultural economy has caught public attention. In this paper,the role of the agricultural mechanization in the agricultural economic development of Chongqing is analyzed with the qualitative and quantitative methods based on econometrics and agricultural engineering theory,and its contribution rate is 30. 6%. Moreover,the development of agricultural mechanization of the agricultural economy will play a leading role in the 21 st century,and will change the traditional economic development mode featured by increasing agricultural labor and chemical fertilizer. The quality and quantity of agricultural labor force mastering modern science technology is the key to the development of modern agricultural economy.

Exploration and Practice of Personnel Cultivation for Agricultural Mechanization and Automation Specialities

Firstly, based on significance of developing agricultural mechanization and automation and current situations of agricultural mechanization and automation specialities in colleges and universities, we put forward objectives of personnel cultivation for agricultural mechanization and automation specialities. Then, we analyze the exploration and practice of personnel cultivation for agricultural mechanization and automation specialities from four aspects, including course system setting, teaching materials construction, laboratory construction, and construction of practical teaching link. Finally, it is expected to provide references for running schools and cultivating excellent professional personnel.

Impacts of Agricultural Mechanization on Agricultural Production in Guangdong Province

Agricultural machinery represents modern method and modern condition of production, and Agricultural mechanization is the key basis and symbol of modern agriculture. Based on analyses of agricultural mechanization development in Guangdong Province from 1988 to 2008, production function was developed to estimate the effects of agricultural mechanization on agricultural production. The results indicated that the contribution of agricultural mechanization to production continues to increase. The agricultural mechanization increased by 1%, and grain production by0.35%. Therefore, government should encourage development of agricultural mechanization in order to improve agricultural production in Guangdong Province.

Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agricultural Mechanization Technologies by Women Farmers in the Karaga District of Ghana

Labour-saving or mechanization technologies have become the driving force behind modern agriculture, yet adoption of these technologies remains low in many parts of the developing world, particularly among female farmers in Ghana. This study aims to investigate the factors that hinder the adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies by female farmers in the Karaga District of the Northern Region of Ghana. This region is known for its large agricultural lands and significant role in commercial farming. The research was conducted using qualitative research methodology and involved interviewing 60 female farmers using an interview guide. The principle of sample saturation was used, meaning that further interviews were deemed unnecessary after the 60th interview. The results showed that low adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies is due to poor access to commercial lands, gender biases, lack of access to credit, and poor awareness about the benefits of these technologies. In conclusion, the low adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies is preventing women farmers in the Karaga District and elsewhere in Ghana from fully participating in commercial agricultural production. It is recommended that gender biases and cultural stereotypes be addressed to improve women farmers’ access to lands and credit, which will facilitate the adoption of mechanization technologies and lead to improved agricultural production.

High-tech Enterprise—Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences

Chinese Academy Of Agricultural MechanizationSciences(CAAMS)is the largest research organizationwith the strongest innovation ability engaged infundamental,application sciences with multiple disciplines,comprehensiveness and gives priority to R&D on modernagriculture equipment while facing the needs of agriculture,countryside and farmers.Since the establishment of CAAMS40 years ago,it coordinated the related Ministries andCommissions of our country to finish researching andmanufacturing over 3000 kinds of agricultural machineries of9 categories,gained more than 2000 scientific and

Global Change in Agricultural Flash Drought over the 21st Century

Agricultural flash droughts are high-impact phenomena, characterized by rapid soil moisture dry down. The ensuing dry conditions can persist for weeks to months, with detrimental effects on natural ecosystems and crop cultivation. Increases in the frequency of these rare events in a future warmer climate would have significant societal impact. This study uses an ensemble of 10 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP) models to investigate the projected change in agricultural flash drought during the 21st century. Comparison across geographical regions and climatic zones indicates that individual events are preceded by anomalously low relative humidity and precipitation, with long-term trends governed by changes in temperature, relative humidity, and soil moisture. As a result of these processes, the frequency of both upperlevel and root-zone flash drought is projected to more than double in the mid-and high latitudes over the 21st century, with hot spots developing in the temperate regions of Europe, and humid regions of South America, Europe, and southern Africa.

The role of agricultural mechanization technology in the promotion of scientific and technological achievements in agriculture

Agricultural mechanization is to the use advanced and applicable agricultural machinery and equipment in agriculture to improve agricultural production conditions, and continuously improve the production technology and economic, ecological processes of agriculture. The level of agricultural science and technology depends largely on the degree of agricultural mechanization promotion. An agricultural country level depends on the degree of modern agricultural mechanization level of the application, and the era of mechanization in agriculture can not only save a lot of labor, reduce labor intensity, but also improve labor efficiency, and enhance resistance to natural disasters. The importance of agricultural mechanization technology in the scientific and technological achievements in agriculture is visible.

Health risk assessment of trace metal(loid)s in agricultural soils based on Monte Carlo simulation coupled with positive matrix factorization model in Chongqing, southwest China

This study aimed to investigate the pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risks associated with trace metal(loid)s(TMs) in the major agricultural producing areas in Chongqing, China. We analyzed the source apportionment and assessed the health risk of TMs in agricultural soils by using positive matrix factorization(PMF) model and health risk assessment(HRA) model based on Monte Carlo simulation. Meanwhile, we combined PMF and HRA models to explore the health risks of TMs in agricultural soils by different pollution sources to determine the priority control factors. Results showed that the average contents of cadmium(Cd), arsenic (As), lead(Pb), chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), nickel(Ni), and zinc(Zn) in the soil were found to be 0.26, 5.93, 27.14, 61.32, 23.81, 32.45, and 78.65 mg/kg, respectively. Spatial analysis and source apportionment analysis revealed that urban and industrial sources, agricultural sources, and natural sources accounted for 33.0%, 27.7%, and 39.3% of TM accumulation in the soil, respectively. In the HRA model based on Monte Carlo simulation, noncarcinogenic risks were deemed negligible(hazard index <1), the carcinogenic risks were at acceptable level(10^(-6)<total carcinogenic risk ≤ 10^(-4)), with higher risks observed for children compared to adults. The relationship between TMs, their sources, and health risks indicated that urban and industrial sources were primarily associated with As, contributing to 75.1% of carcinogenic risks and 55.7% of non-carcinogenic risks, making them the primary control factors. Meanwhile, agricultural sources were primarily linked to Cd and Pb, contributing to 13.1% of carcinogenic risks and 21.8% of non-carcinogenic risks, designating them as secondary control factors.

Analysis and Reflections on Some Problems of Agricultural Mechanization

With the development of agriculture, mechanization has shown its great advantages in its development process. From the development side, based on the experience of relevant experience of developed countries and some regions of the experiment, the mechanization of agriculture can contribute fully to the development of agriculture and other aspects of the scale. Thus, agricultural mechanization can be said that the latest form of agriculture in the 21st century. But from a practical point of view, although the mechanization of agriculture has unparalleled advantages, but also in the process of operation exposed a lot of problems.

Perception of the Mechanization of Rice Cultivation and Its Effects on the Soil in the Senegal River Valley

In Senegal, particularly in the Senegal River valley, agricultural mechanization remains limited, mainly due to a lack of agricultural equipment, a lack of expertise in agricultural machinery and an apprehension of the consequences on soil quality. To better understand agricultural mechanization of rice cultivation, this survey study has been carried out in the Senegal river valley. Precisely, this work aimed to characterize farm machinery and its effects on soil and rice cultivation. A questionnaire was administered to 304 out of 1270 farmers, spread over 8 rice-growing areas, 4 of which are located in the Podor department, three in Dagana and one in Saint-Louis. The results showed that 99.3% of farmers used motorized equipment, with 95.7% using tractor and 3.6% a power tiller. Offset tillage, which is a shallow cultivation practice carried out to break up hard soil without turning it over, was most widespread among growers (95.4%). 78.3% of the valley’s farmers felt that the machinery used to carry out tillage operations was inefficient. According to the farmers, the main constraints on the use of agricultural machinery in the valley were: the upkeep and maintenance of equipment (57%), the lack of expertise in mechanization (31%), and issues adapting machinery to local conditions (12%). Those constraints have contributed to a drop in yields in recent years, the spread of weeds on cultivated plots and the gradual degradation of the soil in the area according to 78% of farmers.

Spatio-Temporal Agricultural Drought Quantification in a Rainfed Agriculture, Athi-Galana-Sabaki River Basin

This study employs a quantitative approach to comprehensively investigate the full propagation process of agricultural drought, focusing on pigeon peas (the most grown crop in the AGS Basin) planting seasonal variations. The study modelled seasonal variabilities in the seasonal Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Agricultural Drought Index (SADI). To necessitate comparison, SADI and SPI were Normalized (from −1 to 1) as they had different ranges and hence could not be compared. From the seasonal indices, the pigeon peas planting season (July to September) was singled out as the most important season to study agricultural droughts. The planting season analysis selected all years with severe conditions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2022) for spatial analysis. Spatial analysis revealed that most areas in the upstream part of the Basin and Coastal region in the lowlands experienced severe to extreme agricultural droughts in highlighted drought years. The modelled agricultural drought results were validated using yield data from two stations in the Basin. The results show that the model performed well with a Pearson Coefficient of 0.87 and a Root Mean Square Error of 0.29. This proactive approach aims to ensure food security, especially in scenarios where the Basin anticipates significantly reduced precipitation affecting water available for agriculture, enabling policymakers, water resource managers and agricultural sector stakeholders to equitably allocate resources and mitigate the effects of droughts in the most affected areas to significantly reduce the socioeconomic drought that is amplified by agricultural drought in rainfed agriculture river basins.

Evolving patterns of agricultural production space in China:A network-based approach

The agricultural production space,as where and how much each agricultural product grows,plays a vital role in meeting the increasing and diverse food demands.Previous studies on agricultural production patterns have predominantly centered on individual or specific crop types,using methods such as remote sensing or statistical metrological analysis.In this study,we characterize the agricultural production space(APS)by bipartite network connecting agricultural products and provinces,to reveal the relatedness between diverse agricultural products and the spatiotemporal characteristic of provincial production capabilities in China.The results show that core products are cereal,pork,melon,and pome fruit;meanwhile the milk,grape,and fiber crop show an upward trend in centrality,which is in line with diet structure changes in China over the past decades.The little changes in community components and structures of agricultural products and provinces reveal that agricultural production patterns in China are relatively stable.Additionally,identified provincial communities closely resemble China's agricultural natural zones.Furthermore,the observed growth in production capabilities in North and Northeast China implies their potential focus areas for future agricultural production.Despite the superior production capa-bilities of southern provinces,recent years have witnessed a notable decline,warranting special attentions.The findings provide a comprehensive perspective for understanding the complex relationship of agricultural prod-ucts'relatedness,production capabilities and production patterns,which serve as a reference for the agricultural spatial optimization and agricultural sustainable development.

Agricultural intensity for sustainable regional development:A case study in peri-urban areas of Karawang Regency,Indonesia

Peri-urban areas are playing an increasingly crucial role in the agricultural development and intensification in Indonesia.Peri-urban agriculture is highly vulnerable to change compared with urban and rural agriculture,due to its location in transitional areas.Indicators of peri-urban agricultural intensity can help guide regional development.In this study,we assessed the sustainability of peri-urban areas based on agricultural intensity in Karawang Regency,Indonesia.We developed a village-based index to assess the region’s agricultural intensity by rescaling the village agriculture index(VAI)and combining the local sustainability index(LSI)with factor analysis.Since the unit of analysis is the village,we modified the LSI to the village sustainability index(VSI).In addition,we also developed a logical matrix analysis to determine the level of agricultural sustainability(LoAS)of each village.The combined results of the three indices(VAI,VSI,and LoAS)generated information about agricultural sustainability.The results indicated that peri-urban villages with high agricultural intensity tended to exhibit low levels of social welfare,economic development,and disaster risk.Moreover,high agricultural intensity did not necessarily ensure the prosperity of the people.Instead,there was the economic disparity among the villages in the study area.Encouraging diversity of agricultural intensity seems to be more critical than promoting agricultural intensity itself.Overall,this study highlights the distinctive characteristics and dynamic of peri-urban areas.New approaches,variables,and information regarding the combination of agricultural intensity and sustainability need to be developed as valuable tools for regional planning.

Unveiling the impact and mechanism of digital technology on agricultural economic resilience

Enhancing the economic resilience of agriculture is essential for promoting sustainable and high-quality agricultural development.The emergence of digital technology has created new opportunities in this field.However,existing research predominantly focuses on traditional agricultural factors and technologies.Therefore,the impact of digital technology on agricultural economic resilience within the broader context of the“production-operation-industry”system in agriculture has not been comprehensively explored.To bridge this gap,this study analyzes panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020.It employs the static Van Dorn’s law and a dynamic spatial panel model to examine how digital technology empowers agricultural resilience.The findings indicate a continuous strengthening of digital technology development in China,albeit with significant polarization and spatial imbalances.Moreover,the resilience of the agricultural economy undergoes notable fluctuations,initially narrowing and subsequently displaying an upward trend.Digital technology clearly plays a pivotal role in empowering resilience through agricultural scale operation,industrial transformation,and technological progress.Its impact,particularly on the promotion of resilience in the eastern region and non-grain-producing areas and on high-level agricultural economies,also shows regional and technological variations.

Assessing Financial Management Practices and Accounting Mechanisms in Agricultural Cooperatives:A Case Study From Nepal

The study focuses on assessing the financial management practices and accounting mechanisms in agricultural cooperatives in Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan,Dang District,Nepal with a focus on understanding their implications for financial performance and organizational effectiveness.The sample size of total cooperatives(n=46)was divided into Savings and Credit Cooperatives(n=18)and Multipurpose Cooperatives(n=28),respectively,with a total number of respondents(n=138)categorized into managing directors,employees,and general members.Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative analysis of financial data with qualitative insights gathered through interviews and surveys,the study emphasizes the importance of modern financial practices,improved reporting mechanisms,and relevant staff training for long-term sustainability.Recommendations include the integration of criteria and evaluation tools to assess cooperative performance,with Hamro Pahunch Multipurpose Cooperative identified as a high performer.Emphasizing the need for robust financial management strategies to navigate the complexity of the agricultural sector,manage risks,and achieve sustainable development,the study notes frequent preparation of financial management reports on a monthly and annual basis,and predominantly annual accounting management.Most cooperatives are using computerized models to present financial positions,but face challenges such as lack of marketing infrastructure,cooperative skills,and technical support.Ultimately,the study advocates for educating policy makers,cooperative leaders,practitioners and stakeholders on the role of effective financial management and accounting in enhancing the resilience,expansion and socio-economic impact of agricultural cooperatives,thereby fostering their long-term prosperity and viability as drivers of rural development and empowerment.

Thoughts on Pairing Assistance to Tibet for Promoting Agricultural High-quality Development in Southern Tibet from the Perspective of Agricultural Power

In the new era,there is an urgent need to further promote pairing assistance to Tibet,promote the simultaneous construction of a strong agriculture in Tibet and the China's Mainland,and compose a Chinese-style modernization.Southern Tibet,located in the southeastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region,includes Shannan City and Nyingchi City,is a region assisted by four provincial partners including Hubei Province.This paper introduces the agricultural environment in southern Tibet,studies its agricultural characteristics,and analyzes the main issues of its pairing assistance.Taking forging the strong consciousness of the Chinese national community as the main line,the paper explores strategies for promoting agricultural high-quality development in southern Tibet through pairing assistance to Tibet from the perspective of agricultural power,and proposes some strategies,such as inheriting agricultural cultural heritage,promoting the upgrading of modern seed industry,enhancing the characteristic advantages of highland barley(naked barley)and animal husbandry industries,and developing edible fungi and cold water fish industries.

Continual Reinforcement Learning for Intelligent Agricultural Management under Climate Changes

Climate change poses significant challenges to agricultural management,particularly in adapting to extreme weather conditions that impact agricultural production.Existing works with traditional Reinforcement Learning(RL)methods often falter under such extreme conditions.To address this challenge,our study introduces a novel approach by integrating Continual Learning(CL)with RL to form Continual Reinforcement Learning(CRL),enhancing the adaptability of agricultural management strategies.Leveraging the Gym-DSSAT simulation environment,our research enables RL agents to learn optimal fertilization strategies based on variable weather conditions.By incorporating CL algorithms,such as Elastic Weight Consolidation(EWC),with established RL techniques like Deep Q-Networks(DQN),we developed a framework in which agents can learn and retain knowledge across diverse weather scenarios.The CRL approach was tested under climate variability to assess the robustness and adaptability of the induced policies,particularly under extreme weather events like severe droughts.Our results showed that continually learned policies exhibited superior adaptability and performance compared to optimal policies learned through the conventional RL methods,especially in challenging conditions of reduced rainfall and increased temperatures.This pioneering work,which combines CL with RL to generate adaptive policies for agricultural management,is expected to make significant advancements in precision agriculture in the era of climate change.