Dataset Information

Dataset for describing the diversity of household farming systems and the degree of crop-livestock diversification and integration in the Western part of Nile valley (Egypt).

ABSTRACT: The CLIMED household farm dataset comes from a data collection conducted from 2013 to 2014 in five zones of the New Reclaimed Lands in the western part of the Nile Delta (Egypt). The main objective was to describe the diversity of household farms’ assets and activities, the degree of crop and livestock integration at the farm level to assess the link between integration, diversification, efficiency, and livelihoods. This data set permitted to compare the diversity of farming systems of 175 household farms and to assess the economic and technical performances of crop-livestock systems along a geographical transect of reclaimed desert lands in Egypt. This dataset was the primary material in the research paper on “Multi-criteria assessment of the sustainability of farming systems in the reclaimed desert lands of Egypt” (See the related research article.). Data described the three main components of the family farm system, i.e., the land, livestock, and household systems, respectively. The description of each activity (mainly crop, animal, or off-farm) by detailing all the incoming and outgoing flows of inputs and outputs allowed investigating the economic and financial contribution of each activity and the degree of dependence or complementarity between them. The dataset provided two tables of analyzed data related to, respectively, ‘diversification and integration’ and ‘efficiency and wellbeing.’ Moreover, this dataset constitutes an original material regarding the living conditions and farm functioning in the new lands reclaimed over the last 50 years in Egypt. The survey data were entered into an Access database, checked with statistical cross-checking variables, and completed by field return for missed or non-coherent data.

SUBMITTER: Juanes X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7327799 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Agricultural intensification is a leading threat to bird conservation. Highly diversified farming systems that integrate livestock and crop production might promote a diversity of habitats useful to native birds foraging across otherwise-simplified landscapes. At the same time, these features might be attractive to nonnative birds linked to a broad range of disservices to both crop and livestock production. We evaluated the influence of crop-livestock integration on wild bird richness and density along a north-south transect spanning the U.S. West Coast. We surveyed birds on 52 farms that grew primarily mixed vegetables and fruits alone or integrated livestock into production. Crop-livestock systems harbored higher native bird density and richness relative to crop-only farms, a benefit more pronounced on farms embedded in nonnatural landscapes. Crop-livestock systems bolstered native insectivores linked to the suppression of agricultural pest insects but did not bolster native granivores that may be more likely to damage crops. Crop-livestock systems also significantly increased the density of nonnative birds, primarily European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) that may compete with native birds for resources. Models supported a small, positive correlation between nonnative density and overall native bird density as well as between nonnative density and native granivore density. Relative to crop-only farms, on average, crop-livestock systems exhibited 1.5 times higher patch richness, 2.4 times higher density of farm structures, 7.3 times smaller field sizes, 2.4 times greater integration of woody crops, and 5.3 times greater integration of pasture/hay habitat on farm. Wild birds may have responded to this habitat diversity and/or associated food resources. Individual farm factors had significantly lower predictive power than farming system alone (change in C statistic information criterion (?CIC) = 80.2), suggesting crop-livestock systems may impact wild birds through a suite of factors that change with system conversion. Collectively, our findings suggest that farms that integrate livestock and crop production can attract robust native bird communities, especially within landscapes devoted to intensified food production. However, additional work is needed to demonstrate persistent farm bird communities through time, ecophysiological benefits to birds foraging on these farms, and net effects of both native and nonnative wild birds in agroecosystems.

Project description:The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a great impact on the agricultural sector, especially in developing countries. In particular, it caused exceptional challenges to small and local-scale farmers. Field questionnaires and interviews were used to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on small-scale farmers in the Northern Nile Delta of Egypt. Agricultural farms in Southern Port Said City represent emerging agricultural communities on newly reclaimed land, while those in Damietta are stable agricultural communities (old land of the Nile Delta). The questionnaire was divided into four questions groups to identify and analyze the different reasons that contributed to the disruption of farming systems and the agricultural sector. These groups were farmers' data, the effect of COVID-19 on agriculture inputs, infection rates and precautionary measures against COVID-19, and potential measures and governmental policies for controlling the negative impacts of COVID-19 and achieving agricultural sustainability. Results showed that the effect of lockdown was slightly lower in Damietta as compared to Port Said. Although fertilizers and labors costs, as well as water availability near Port Said, was not considerably affected during the lockdown, the total income of the small-scale farmers' notability decreased. The reluctance of major traders to buy crop production and keep the required balance of cash during the pandemic dramatically affected the crop production selling prices. Results showed that in the absence of agricultural extensions possibilities, there is a lack of awareness toward improving agricultural practices and switching to smart irrigation systems as a way of saving water and increasing crop productivity. The resistance against applying new agricultural practices and switching to smart irrigation systems depends mainly on farmers' financial capability and the nature of agricultural land either old or new. Activating the agricultural extensions roles is considered a keystone for enhancing agricultural sustainability in small-scale farming not only in developing regions of Egypt but also in other similar agricultural communities worldwide.

Dataset Information

Dataset for describing the diversity of household farming systems and the degree of crop-livestock diversification and integration in the Western part of Nile valley (Egypt).

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