The input reduction principle of agroecology is wrong when it comes to mineral fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa

Gatien Falconnier Marc Corbeels Frédéric Baudron Antoine Couëdel leonard rusinamhodzi bernard vanlauwe Ken Giller (2023, [Artículo])

Can farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) boost crop yields and improve food availability without using more mineral fertilizer? This question has been at the center of lively debates among the civil society, policy-makers, and in academic editorials. Proponents of the “yes” answer have put forward the “input reduction” principle of agroecology, i.e. by relying on agrobiodiversity, recycling and better efficiency, agroecological practices such as the use of legumes and manure can increase crop productivity without the need for more mineral fertilizer. We reviewed decades of scientific literature on nutrient balances in SSA, biological nitrogen fixation of tropical legumes, manure production and use in smallholder farming systems, and the environmental impact of mineral fertilizer. Our analyses show that more mineral fertilizer is needed in SSA for five reasons: (i) the starting point in SSA is that agricultural production is “agroecological” by default, that is, very low mineral fertilizer use, widespread mixed crop-livestock systems and large crop diversity including legumes, but leading to poor soil fertility as a result of widespread soil nutrient mining, (ii) the nitrogen needs of crops cannot be adequately met solely through biological nitrogen fixation by legumes and recycling of animal manure, (iii) other nutrients like phosphorus and potassium need to be replaced continuously, (iv) mineral fertilizers, if used appropriately, cause little harm to the environment, and (v) reducing the use of mineral fertilizers would hamper productivity gains and contribute indirectly to agricultural expansion and to deforestation. Yet, the agroecological principles directly related to soil fertility—recycling, efficiency, diversity—remain key in improving soil health and nutrient-use efficiency, and are critical to sustaining crop productivity in the long run. We argue for a nuanced position that acknowledges the critical need for more mineral fertilizers in SSA, in combination with the use of agroecological practices and adequate policy support.

Manure Crop Yields Smallholder Farming Systems Environmental Hazards CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION LEGUMES NUTRIENT BALANCE SOIL FERTILITY AGROECOLOGY YIELD INCREASES LITERATURE REVIEWS

Closing the yield gap of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril) in Southern Africa: a case of Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique

Siyabusa Mkuhlani Isaiah Nyagumbo (2023, [Artículo])

Introduction: Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are increasingly producing soybean for food, feed, cash, and soil fertility improvement. Yet, the difference between the smallholder farmers’ yield and either the attainable in research fields or the potential from crop models is wide. Reasons for the yield gap include low to nonapplication of appropriate fertilizers and inoculants, late planting, low plant populations, recycling seeds, etc. Methods: Here, we reviewed the literature on the yield gap and the technologies for narrowing it and modelled yields through the right sowing dates and suitable high-yielding varieties in APSIM. Results and Discussion: Results highlighted that between 2010 and 2020 in SSA, soybean production increased; however, it was through an expansion in the cropped area rather than a yield increase per hectare. Also, the actual smallholder farmers’ yield was 3.8, 2.2, and 2.3 times lower than the attainable yield in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique, respectively. Through inoculants, soybean yield increased by 23.8%. Coupling this with either 40 kg ha−1 of P or 60 kg ha−1 of K boosted the yields by 89.1% and 26.0%, respectively. Overall, application of 21–30 kg ha-1 of P to soybean in SSA could increase yields by about 48.2%. Furthermore, sowing at the right time increased soybean yield by 300%. Although these technologies enhance soybean yields, they are not fully embraced by smallholder farmers. Hence, refining and bundling them in a digital advisory tool will enhance the availability of the correct information to smallholder farmers at the right time and improve soybean yields per unit area.

Decision Support Tools Digital Tools Site-Specific Recommendations CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS LEGUMES YIELDS SOYBEANS

Seasonal climate forecasts (SCFs) based risk management strategies: A case study of rainfed rice cultivation in India

Nand Lal Kushwaha Paresh Shirsath Dipaka Ranjan Sena (2022, [Artículo])

FResampler1 Seasonal Climate Forecasts Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS YIELDS RICE RISK MANAGEMENT

Unanswered questions and unquestioned answers: the challenges of crop residue retention and weed control in Conservation Agriculture systems of southern Africa

Christian Thierfelder Blessing Mhlanga Hambulo Ngoma Paswel Marenya Md Abdul Matin Adane Tufa (2024, [Artículo])

Production and utilization of crop residues as mulch and effective weed management are two central elements in the successful implementation of Conservation Agriculture (CA) systems in southern Africa. Yet, the challenges of crop residue availability for mulch or the difficulties in managing weed proliferation in CA systems are bigger than a micro-level focus on weeds and crop residues themselves. The bottlenecks are symptoms of broader systemic complications that cannot be resolved without appreciating the interactions between the current scientific understanding of CA and its application in smallholder systems, private incentives, social norms, institutions, and government policy. In this paper, we elucidate a series of areas that represent some unquestioned answers about chemical weed control and unanswered questions about how to maintain groundcover demanding more research along the natural and social sciences continuum. In some communities, traditional rules that allow free-range grazing of livestock after harvesting present a barrier in surface crop residue management. On the other hand, many of the communities either burn, remove, or incorporate the residues into the soil thus hindering the near-permanent soil cover required in CA systems. The lack of soil cover also means that weed management through soil mulch is unachievable. Herbicides are often a successful stopgap solution to weed control, but they are costly, and most farmers do not use them as recommended, which reduces efficacy. Besides, the use of herbicides can cause environmental hazards and may affect human health. Here, we suggest further assessment of the manipulation of crop competition, the use of vigorously growing cover crops, exploration of allelopathy, and use of microorganisms in managing weeds and reducing seed production to deplete the soil weed seed bank. We also suggest in situ production of plant biomass, use of unpalatable species for mulch generation and change of grazing by-laws towards a holistic management of pastures to reduce the competition for crop residues. However, these depend on the socio-economic status dynamics at farmer and community level.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS CROP RESIDUES ZERO TILLAGE SOCIAL NORMS SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION WEED CONTROL

The contribution of strong and weak ties to resilience: The case of small-scale maize farming systems in Mexico

Tania Carolina Camacho Villa Ernesto Adair Zepeda Villarreal Julio Díaz-José Roberto Rendon-Medel Bram Govaerts (2023, [Artículo])

Social Network Analysis Farm Typologies Social Ties Strong Ties CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA INNOVATION NETWORKS PERSISTENCE SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS MAIZE FARMING SYSTEMS

How a holobiome perspective could promote intensification, biosecurity and eco-efficiency in the shrimp aquaculture industry

Eric Daniel Gutiérrez Pérez RICARDO VAZQUEZ JUAREZ FRANCISCO JAVIER MAGALLON BARAJAS MIGUEL ANGEL MARTINEZ MERCADO GRISEL ALEJANDRA ESCOBAR ZEPEDA Paola Magallón Servín (2022, [Artículo])

"The aquaculture industry faces many challenges regarding the intensification of shrimp rearing systems. One of these challenges is the release of excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into coastal areas, causing disruption in nutrient cycling and microbial equilibrium, which are important for coastal productivity. Biosecurity within the shrimp rearing systems can also be compromised by disruption to the nutrient fluxes, and as consequence the microbiome of the system. In certain conditions, these changes could lead to the blooming of potentially pathogenic bacteria. These changes in the external microbiome of the system and the constant fluctuations of nutrients can affect the intestinal microbiome of shrimp, which is involved in the growth and development of the host, affecting nutrient absorption, regulating metabolic processes, synthesising vitamins, modulating the immune response and preventing growth of pathogenic bacteria. It has been suggested that specific changes in the intestinal microbiome of Litopenaeus vannamei may be an avenue through which to overcome some of the problems that this industry faces, in terms of health, growth and waste. Recent research, however, has focussed mainly on changes in the intestinal microbiome. Researchers have overlooked the relevance of other aspects of the system, such as the microbiome from the benthic biofilms; zooplankton, plankton and bacterioplankton; and other sources of microorganisms that can directly affect the microbial status of the intestinal and epiphytic communities, especially in rearing systems that are based on intensification and microbial maturation processes, such as a biofloc system. It is therefore necessary to place holobiome studies into context, including the ‘holobiome of the aquaculture system’ (microbiomes that make up the culture system and their interactions) and not only the intestinal microbiome. Thus, we describe factors that affect the shrimp microbiome, the methodology of study, from sampling to bioinformatic workflows, and introduce the concept of the ‘holobiome of the aquaculture system’ and how this enables us to promote the intensification, biosafety and eco-efficiency of shrimp farming. The holobiome perspective implies a greater investment of resources and time for research, but it will accelerate the development of technology that will benefit the development and sustainability of the aquaculture industry."

litopenaeus vannamei, microbiome, intensification, biofloc, holobiome of aquaculture systems CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS PRODUCCIÓN ANIMAL NUTRICIÓN NUTRICIÓN

The social responsibility of tobacco production in Nayarit. Who pays the price?

Dagoberto De Dios Hernández Jesús Antonio Madera Pacheco (2023, [Artículo, Artículo])

In Nayarit, Mexico, there is an Integrated System of Tobacco Production (SIPT) which operates mainly with the participation of campesino families. However, for some preparatory work and to guarantee the harvest, local jornaleros and indigenous migrant families from the mountainous regions of Nayarit, Jalisco, Durango, and Zacatecas are hired, manly on a temporarily basis. They live for several months in precarious conditions in the houses and yards of the growers and on the agricultural plots. Since the Marco’s Convention and the General Law on Tobacco Control, the companies that control the SIPT have adopted new narratives and strategies for managing and sustaining their businesses, mainly emphasizing the so-called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The objective of this article is to analyze the CSR actions of the tobacco companies from an approach of accumulation by dispossession, understanding CSR as a capitalist tool for the extraction of surplus value. With the support of a qualitative methodology, based on bibliographic and hemerographic review, direct observation, field diaries and interviews, also corporate actions comprised between 2018 and 2023 have also been documented. British American Tobacco and Tabacos del Pacífico Norte have "sponsored" the operation of the Florece centers and the Sustenta program in the tobacco fields of Nayarit, even though, in the tobacco reality of the tobacco industry the operation of such programs and their costs are assumed and absorbed by the growers, while the companies disseminate an image of sustainable business management.

Tobacco Social Responsibility Tobacco companies Indigenous families CMCT Tabaco Responsabilidad social Empresas tabacaleras Familias indígenas CIENCIAS SOCIALESCIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES

The social responsibility of tobacco production in Nayarit. Who pays the price?

Dagoberto De Dios Hernández Jesús Antonio Madera Pacheco (2023, [Artículo, Artículo])

In Nayarit, Mexico, there is an Integrated System of Tobacco Production (SIPT) which operates mainly with the participation of campesino families. However, for some preparatory work and to guarantee the harvest, local jornaleros and indigenous migrant families from the mountainous regions of Nayarit, Jalisco, Durango, and Zacatecas are hired, manly on a temporarily basis. They live for several months in precarious conditions in the houses and yards of the growers and on the agricultural plots. Since the Marco’s Convention and the General Law on Tobacco Control, the companies that control the SIPT have adopted new narratives and strategies for managing and sustaining their businesses, mainly emphasizing the so-called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The objective of this article is to analyze the CSR actions of the tobacco companies from an approach of accumulation by dispossession, understanding CSR as a capitalist tool for the extraction of surplus value. With the support of a qualitative methodology, based on bibliographic and hemerographic review, direct observation, field diaries and interviews, also corporate actions comprised between 2018 and 2023 have also been documented. British American Tobacco and Tabacos del Pacífico Norte have "sponsored" the operation of the Florece centers and the Sustenta program in the tobacco fields of Nayarit, even though, in the tobacco reality of the tobacco industry the operation of such programs and their costs are assumed and absorbed by the growers, while the companies disseminate an image of sustainable business management.

Tobacco Social Responsibility Tobacco companies Indigenous families CMCT Tabaco Responsabilidad social Empresas tabacaleras Familias indígenas CIENCIAS SOCIALESCIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES

¡MIENTRAS LAS MUJERES SE HACEN FEMINISTAS NUESTROS JÓVENES SE ESTÁN VOLVIENDO AFEMINADOS!: PRÁCTICAS Y REPRESENTACIONES DE GÉNERO EN EL EJÉRCITO NACIONAL (1917-1942)

Daniel Arias Osorio (2023, [Tesis de doctorado])

“Esta tesis se pregunta de manera amplia por las prácticas y representaciones de género en las fuerzas armadas desde 1917, año que se funda el Ejército Nacional hasta 1942, momento que se instaura el servicio militar obligatorio en el país. Para dar respuesta a estas preguntas este documento recurrió a diversas fuentes documentales, tales como documentos de carácter oficial, publicaciones periódicas de las fuerzas armadas, correspondencia militar y prensa que versó sobre las principales políticas del ejército de la época. Al ser una tesis con un tema de investigación ambicioso las herramientas metodológicas que utilizo para llevar a respuestas innovadoras y pertinentes son variadas. En primera instancia acojo los principales postulados de la historiografía militar, aquellos los pongo en diálogos con herramientas provenientes de los estudios de género y feministas al igual que desde otras ciencias sociales como: masculinidades, historia de las emociones, performatividad, prácticas corporales, violencia contra las mujeres y ciudadanía. A partir de ellos ofrezco pinceladas sobre las prácticas y representaciones en las fuerzas armadas mexicanas. Ingresar a la historia militar es también una ventana para entender un lenguaje y unas formas. En muchas ocasiones no sabemos la diferencia entre el arma de caballería y un servicio, como la Intendencia Militar. Es así como este manuscrito se detiene en primera instancia en mostrar cómo en la modernización del Ejército Nacional se definió y amplió un lenguaje que está directamente vinculado con el género que se estipuló con la instauración en unas políticas de reclutamiento, aquí expongo variados argumentos que desde disciplinas políticas, médicas y psicológicas determinaron unas diferencias sexuales y arguyeron una superioridad masculina de acuerdo con dichos argumentos. Gran parte de la historiografía militar ha señalado que las fuerzas armadas de la época estuvieron integradas por un grupo de hombres con una muy mala reputación”.

Afeminados en el ejército - Condición jurídica, leyes, etc. Afeminamiento - México. Masculinidades - México. Homosexuales militares. Hombres - Homosexuales militares - México - Siglo XX. Mujeres - lesbianas militares - México - Siglo XX. Tesis - Doctorado en Historia, Peninsular. CIENCIAS SOCIALES HISTORIA HISTORIA DE PAÍSES HISTORIA LOCAL HISTORIA LOCAL

LA GEOGRAFÍA DEL TRANSPORTE DE PASAJEROS EN EL VALLE DE MÉXICO DEL SIGLO XIX (1824-1910)

Brian Alexis Ley Pérez (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

“Como parte de la formación del virreinato de la Nueva España (s. XVI-XVIII) y posteriormente del estado-nación mexicano (s. XIX) fue indispensable tender una red de comunicaciones para conectar todo su territorio. Aunque esto no fue posible en su totalidad, si generó una srie de caminos estatales y nacionales. Las atenciones, uso y percepción de estas vialidades estaban marcadas por las características de su tiempo teniendo elementos gremiales durante la mayor parte de la etapa colonial. En los últimos años del siglo XVIII y la primera mitad del XIX, hubo un viraje hacia un perfil más institucionalizado, como parte del carácter secularizador y libertad con el que se dio entrada al ahora estado-nación mexicano. El uso cotidiano de estos corredores conformó toda una dinámica transportista, misma que podía conectar distintas localidades, regiones o el país entero. Los viajes solían realizarse en lomo de mula para el traslado de mercancías y sobre carruajes en el caso de las personas. Los desplazamientos eran ejecutados a partir de rutas con una serie de paradas protagonistas y otras complementarias que funcionaban como puntos de abasto y descanso para los viajeros a lo largo de su travesía. Todo ello formó una geografía del transporte, dónde los caminos fungieron como redes y las paradas a modo de nodos. De entre estos nodos, la ciudad de México era el principal de ellos, al ser el articulador general de todas las rutas de transporte nacional. No obstante igualmente poseía gran influencia en su región, a partir de una serie de viabilidades que permitían la conexión con los poblados aledaños en el valle. Si bien esta conectividad ya había generado una geografía del transporte a nivel regional desde siglos antes, esta se vio fortalecida con la aparición de una serie de servicios transportistas durante el siglo XIX”.

Transporte urbano - México - Siglos XIX-XX. Ferrocarriles - Tránsito de pasajeros. Viajes en ferrocarril - México - Siglos XIX-XX. Ferrocarriles - México - Historia. Ferrocarriles - México - Leyes y legislación. Tesis - Maestría en Historia, Peninsular. CIENCIAS SOCIALES HISTORIA HISTORIA DE PAÍSES HISTORIA LOCAL HISTORIA LOCAL