Christa Hoffmann

Comparison of energy consumption and economic performance of organic and conventional soybean production — A case study from Jilin Province, China

Abstract Modern agriculture heavily depends on energy consumption, especially fossil energy, but intensive energy input increases the production cost for producers and results in environmental pollution. Organic agricultural production is considered a more sustainable system, but there is lack of scientific research on the energy consumption between organic and conventional systems in China. The analysis and comparison of energy use between the two systems would help decision-makers to establish economic, effective and efficient agricultural production. Thus, the objectives of the present study are to analyze energy inputs, outputs, energy efficiency, and economic benefits between organic and conventional soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) production. A total of 24 organic farmers and 24 conventional farmers in Jilin Province, China, were chosen for investigation in 2010 production year. Total energy input was 71.55 GJ ha−1 and total energy output was 96.18 GJ ha−1 in the organic system, resulting in an energy efficiency (output/input) of 1.34. Total energy input was 9.37 GJ ha−1 and total energy output was 113.4 GJ ha−1 in the conventional system, resulting in the energy efficiency of 12.1. The huge discrepancy in energy inputs and respective efficiencies lies in the several times higher nutrient inputs in the organic compared to the conventional production system. Finally, the production costs ha−1 were 33% higher, and the net income ha−1 25% lower in the organic compared to the conventional soybean production system. It is recommended to improve fertilizer management in organic production to improve its energetic and economic performance.

Quality assurance and traceability of foods of animal origin: major findings from the research project IT FoodTrace

Based on the information needs of stakeholders (from animal feed to consumers, including the authorities and organizations involved) an integrated IT-system without structural fractures and barriers shall be developed. It will be designed to enable the merging, internal exchange and utilization of relevant data and parameters. Subprojects of the interdisciplinary research consortium cover the entire supply chain and also address cross-section issues, such as logistics, costs and benefits, veterinarian services, quality assurance systems, a comprehensive IT-solution including data format standards (agroXML), and requirements for sustainability. Substantial added value has been generated from intensive interdisciplinary co-operation. The interdisciplinary research project IT FoodTrace (http://www.itfoodtrace.de) aims at achieving traceability and quality assurance along the food chain of “meat and meat products”. The aim of this paper is the presentation of (a) the complexity of underlying problems, (b) the project structure, (c) available results from selected sub-projects and (d) the added values from interdisciplinary co-operation. Selected findings include an optimized single animal data collection and information management in livestock systems, benefits gained by linking animal-health-related information to an integrated animal-health system, requirements and features of an integrated IT-System, including consequences for data protection and security, and findings from a Delphi-based cost–benefit-analysis of an integrated quality assurance and traceability system.

The situation and perspectives of agricultural cooperatives in the surrounding area of the Itaparica reservoir in northeast Brazil

Over 20 years after the implementation of irrigation schemes in the surroundingarea of the Itaparica Reservoir, in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, insufficientinfrastructure and low market power still impact smallholders’ incomes anddevelopment of market strategies to support rental increase from the smallholders.Lack of access to credit, high input costs, and low producer prices for major cropshave helped to maintain the poverty status of smallholders that equally affectssmall agricultural producers like cattle breeders. Agricultural cooperatives havecontributed to increase their members’ market power in agricultural commerce andfacilitate their access to credit and agricultural expansion. To analyze the historicalcontext of this situation, as well as the potentials and constraints of agriculturalcooperatives and associations, 24 qualitative expert interviews were conductedamong members of cooperatives or associations and consultants involved withtechnical assistance to smallholders. During the study period, no active agriculturalcooperatives could be identified. Financial problems related with lack of financialresources, inadequate government support, absence of leadership and poororganization, and missing solidarity and mistrust were considered the main reasonsfor the cooperatives’ poor situation. However, the potential of these cooperativesare illustrated by the efficiency of the fishery and apiculture associations.