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Analysing reduced tillage practices within a bio-economic modelling framework

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  • Townsend, Toby J.
  • Ramsden, Stephen J.
  • Wilson, Paul

Abstract

Sustainable intensification of agricultural production systems will require changes in farm practice. Within arable cropping systems, reducing the intensity of tillage practices (e.g. reduced tillage) potentially offers one such sustainable intensification approach. Previous researchers have tended to examine the impact of reduced tillage on specific factors such as yield or weed burden, whilst, by definition, sustainable intensification necessitates a system-based analysis approach. Drawing upon a bio-economic optimisation model, ‘MEETA’, we quantify trade-off implications between potential yield reductions, reduced cultivation costs and increased crop protection costs. We extend the MEETA model to quantify farm-level net margin, in addition to quantifying farm-level gross margin, net energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. For the lowest intensity tillage system, zero tillage, results demonstrate financial benefits over a conventional tillage system even when the zero tillage system includes yield penalties of 0–14.2% (across all crops). Average yield reductions from zero tillage literature range from 0 to 8.5%, demonstrating that reduced tillage offers a realistic and attainable sustainable intensification intervention, given the financial and environmental benefits, albeit that yield reductions will require more land to compensate for loss of calories produced, negating environmental benefits observed at farm-level. However, increasing uptake of reduced tillage from current levels will probably require policy intervention; an extension of the recent changes to the CAP (‘Greening’) provides an opportunity to do this.

Suggested Citation

  • Townsend, Toby J. & Ramsden, Stephen J. & Wilson, Paul, 2016. "Analysing reduced tillage practices within a bio-economic modelling framework," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 91-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:146:y:2016:i:c:p:91-102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2016.04.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glithero, N.J. & Ramsden, S.J. & Wilson, P., 2012. "Farm systems assessment of bioenergy feedstock production: Integrating bio-economic models and life cycle analysis approaches," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 53-64.
    2. Knowler, Duncan & Bradshaw, Ben, 2007. "Farmers' adoption of conservation agriculture: A review and synthesis of recent research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 25-48, February.
    3. Wilson, Paul, 2014. "Farmer characteristics associated with improved and high farm business performance," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 3(4), pages 1-9.
    4. Glithero, N.J. & Wilson, P. & Ramsden, S.J., 2015. "Optimal combinable and dedicated energy crop scenarios for marginal land," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 82-91.
    5. Šarauskis, Egidijus & Buragienė, Sidona & Masilionytė, Laura & Romaneckas, Kęstutis & Avižienytė, Dovile & Sakalauskas, Antanas, 2014. "Energy balance, costs and CO2 analysis of tillage technologies in maize cultivation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 227-235.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Iwona Jaskulska & Dariusz Jaskulski & Lech Gałęzewski, 2022. "Peas and Barley Grown in the Strip-Till One Pass Technology as Row Intercropping Components in Sustainable Crop Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Glenk, Klaus & Shrestha, Shailesh & Topp, Cairstiona F.E. & Sánchez, Berta & Iglesias, Ana & Dibari, Camilla & Merante, Paolo, 2017. "A farm level approach to explore farm gross margin effects of soil organic carbon management," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 33-46.
    6. Houshyar, Ehsan & Grundmann, Philipp, 2017. "Environmental impacts of energy use in wheat tillage systems: A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) study in Iran," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 11-24.
    7. Václav Voltr & Jana Wollnerová & Pavel Fuksa & Martin Hruška, 2021. "Influence of Tillage on the Production Inputs, Outputs, Soil Compaction and GHG Emissions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, May.

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