Abstract: Extension professionals are expected to help disseminate agricultural technologies, information, knowledge and skills to farmers. In order to develop valuable and long-lasting extension services, it is essential to understand the methods of extension that farmers find most beneficial. This understanding helps adopt improved practices, overcome barriers, provide targeted interventions and continuously improve agricultural extension programs. Thus, assessing factors affecting farmers' choice of agricultural extension methods is essential for developing extension methods that comply with farmers' needs and socio-economic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the factors affecting farmers' preferences in extension methods, using cross-sectional data collected from 300 households in two sample districts and 16 Kebelles in Ethiopia between September 2019 and March 2020. Four extension methods, including training, demonstration, office visits and phone calls were considered as outcome variables. We fitted a multivariate probit model to estimate the factors that influence farmers' choice of extension methods. The results of the study showed that the number of dependents in the household head, formal education and membership of Idir (an informal insurance program a community or group runs to meet emergencies) were negatively associated with farmers' choices to participate in different extension methods compared to no extension. On the other hand, the sex of the household head, farm experience, participation in non-farm activities, monetary loan access, owning a mobile phone, radio access and membership of cooperatives were found to have a statistically significant positive impact on farmers' choices of extension methods. Based on these findings, the government and the concerned stakeholders should take farmers' socio-economic and institutional traits into account when selecting and commissioning agricultural extension methods. This could help to develop contextually relevant extension strategies that are more likely to be chosen and appreciated by farmers. Furthermore, such strategies can aid policymakers in designing extension programs that cater to farmers' needs and concerns. In conclusion, farmers' socio-economic and institutional affiliation should be taken into consideration when selecting agricultural extension methods.

Abstract: This study evaluates the effects of climate change on the net revenue of farmers in Japan. We adopted the Ricardian model, which implicitly accounts for farmers’ full adaptation. The main findings of this study are as follows. First, the Ricardian regression shows that changes in temperature significantly impact farmers’ net revenue. In contrast, changes in precipitation have limited effects on farmers’ net revenue. The results of future predictions showed that the effects of climate change are positive across the country, with varying degrees between north and south. These results are more optimistic than those in the existing literature, which frequently reveal negative climate change impacts in southern Japan. However, it should be noted that this model assumes full adaptation and does not consider the transition costs of farmers, and understanding the actual adaptive measures is an important remaining issue.

Abstract: The emerging reductive catalytic fractionation biorefinery which is currently under development aims to convert woody biomass efficiently into high-value products. Despite its potential, the environmental consequences of its implementation are not well known. Therefore, a forward-looking consequential life cycle assessment examines greenhouse gas emissions associated with its products (pulp, phenolic monomers, and oligomers) compared to alternative market options. Findings indicate that current greenhouse gas emissions exceed those of the existing alternatives, with by-products and the gaseous waste stream as major contributors. Process adaption to (i) produce higher-valued products (bleached pulps, phenols, and propylene) and (ii) incinerate gaseous waste stream for energy are proposed, potentially reducing emissions by up to 50 %, outperforming alternative options. Compared to land-based transportation, waterways can increase feedstock availability by up to 1000 km without an increase in emissions. In conclusion, the consequential approach provides valuable insights for enhancing and optimizing the environmental performance of the process.

Abstract: Appropriate use of agricultural technologies and diversifying the farming activities is critical to addressing food security problems in Africa, including Ethiopia. The country is experimenting with the new Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) approach alongside the well-established Transfer of Technology (ToT) approach. This paper analyzes the gaps between policy discourses (as reflected in policy documents and strategic orientation documents) and extension practices (as reflected in the daily exchanges between farmers and the frontline staff of the Ethiopian extension system). It provides insights into the challenges faced and emphasizes the need for better coordination between policy formulation and implementation to enhance extension services. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers can benefit from the valuable perspectives the findings offer. The study contributes to understanding the relationship between policy discourses and extension practices, and its implications can inform policy design and implementation in similar contexts. A qualitative research approach was deployed to analyze policy discourse and practice. Data were collected in Fogera, a district in Northwest Ethiopia, between August 2018 and February 2019. The data for the paper were obtained from 23 Focus Group Discussions conducted with men and women. 13 Informant Interviews (KIIs) were also carried out with personnel at different levels of government agricultural services and departments. Transcripts of recordings of the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were analyzed using a deductive approach. The study focuses on rice crops in the Fogera district, which are crucial for food security and reducing poverty. Although the geographic area is limited, the results can be used to improve the extension system in other areas facing similar challenges. Specifically, the study suggests switching from the traditional transfer of technology approach to the agricultural innovation system approach. Furthermore, the study's techniques, such as qualitative interviews, may have limitations and not fully capture the intricacies of policy and extension practices. The findings demonstrate that, although the policy documents strongly adhere to agricultural innovation system principles, top-down transfer of technology approaches continues to dominate in practice. Moreover, we have found potential discrepancies between the training content delivered and the specific needs of smallholder farmers. Practically, prescriptive systems are still used because agricultural innovation system approaches are not well understood by the Extension Agents. To realize a genuine agricultural innovation system, Ethiopia's extension apparatus should move forward with building committed and robust relationships between farmers, extension agents, researchers, private sectors, and non-governmental organizations. To this end, more research, enhanced training, and improved institutions are needed on what genuine agricultural innovation system could look like at the grass-roots level. This also includes understanding the roles that different actors within Ethiopia's development army should assume how a multi-actor policy dialogue can be organized.

Abstract: Aside from potential environmental benefits, the implementation of circular economy principles in businesses can have merits for the labour market. The current unemployment in several regions of Europe and the qualitative mismatch between supply and demand could be countered by reskilling the labour force to adjust supply and demand to one another for increased reuse, repair, or recycling, among others. This study uses interviews to increase the focus of the research question and uses survey data to perform an ordered probit regression analysis to sketch the current and future landscape of startups’ skills in Flanders (Belgium), and to analyse the relationship between circular strategies and different types of skills. The results show that design to lower material use increases the need for transport and logistics skills, digitalisation increases the need for R&D and IT skills, and the recuperation of waste requires technical knowledge. Furthermore, gender, age, and experience of the entrepreneur influence the needed skills. The paper probed for policy recommendations for the uptake of circular strategies and recommendations for future research. The most asked policy measures by the respondents are innovation and collaboration support (subsidies), fiscal measures that support circular goods and services, and public procurement for circular goods and services. This research is of relevance for several stakeholders, such as startup ecosystems, sector organisations, policy makers in innovation policy and labour market policy, and educational institutions.

Abstract: Governments and international organizations are increasingly determined to create more sustainable food value chains (SFVCs). However, only little empirical evidence is available on how SFVCs are understood. Enquiring African food value chain actors allows gathering valuable insights into their perception of sustainability, which characteristics of sustainable food value chains they prioritize, and which obstacles to a sustainable transformation they identify. By means of a Q-methodology involving interviews with 33 Kenyan respondents, four perspectives were distinguished. The first perspective, “economic productivity and growth,” prioritizes economic growth and has only limited attention to the social dimension of sustainability. The second perspective, “food security and food availability,” believes that ensuring food security should be the key goal of SFVCs. The third perspective, “environment first,” is dedicated to the environmental dimension of sustainability; the perspective implies that protecting natural resources is the primary way to sustain this level of production. The fourth perspective, “transformative knowledge,” entails that by innovating and sharing knowledge, food value chains can become more sustainable in different areas. Overall, this study provides reliable insights into how Kenyan food value chain actors perceive sustainability in their sector and which elements they believe should be prioritized when rethinking food systems. The study results are valuable for policy-making to further define an SFVC in Kenya and to pave the way for a sustainable transformation of the food sector in developing countries.

Abstract: Climate change impact, food security concerns, and greenhouse gas emissions are pressuring agricultural production systems in developing countries. There is a need for a shift toward sustainable food systems. One of the concepts introduced to drive this shift is climate-smart agriculture (CSA), endorsed by international organizations to address multifaceted challenges. Despite widespread attention and support, the adoption of CSA among African farmers remains low. This systematic literature review aims to shed light on the factors influencing CSA adoption amongst African farmers. Within the articles identified as relevant, over 50 CSA practices and more than 40 factors influencing CSA adoption were distinguished. These influencing factors can be categorized as personal, farm- related, financial, environmental, and informational. The focus of this review is to identify and explain the overall impact (positive, negative, or mixed) of these factors on CSA adoption. Overall, many factors result in mixed effects, only some factors have an unambiguous positive or negative effect on CSA adoption. For instance, educational level emerges as a key personal factor, positively impacting CSA adoption, along with positive influences from farmers’ experience and farm size among farm-related factors. Financial factors reveal distinct patterns, with income from farming and access to credit positively influencing adoption, while off-farm income exhibits a negative effect. Environmental factors, though less researched, indicate positive impacts related to changes in rainfall patterns, temperature, and droughts. Lastly, informational factors consistently exhibit a positive effect on CSA adoption, with training, access to extension, group memberships, climate information, and CSA awareness playing crucial roles. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance CSA adoption in Africa, offering a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics at play.

Abstract: The anticipated development of decentralized electricity generation is expected to strengthen the opportunities of prosumers in the residential areas of cities, in line with the predicted establishment of renewable energy generation and storage. Based on academic research and on successful case studies, the opportunity for residential prosumers to organize in microgrids emerges as a viable and promising solution. This paper focuses on microgrids that are planned to generate electricity with a PV unit and use a shared storage system, and that opt to have a connection with the main grid. However, the point of common coupling needs to be agreed first between the microgrid operator and the network operator, and this agreement is determined by several factors and conditions beyond the basic technical and regulatory requirements. A survey of academic literature on the determinant factors for such an agreement exposes the fact that current research either focuses on the integration of individual prosumers in the main grid, or regards the point of common coupling as a given component of microgrids. We argue that neither of the two approaches is helpful in the case of microgrids vs. main grid, seeing as the agreement is not self-evident under just any circumstances, nor can the microgrid be equated to a single, large prosumer. Therefore this short paper compiles a set of determinant factors for the microgrid integration, as they emerge from academic literature, with the aim to document further research needs and support the discussion on microgrid integration.

Abstract: Many organic residue streams such as pig manure are not or inefficiently used, although they can be converted into valuable materials, as well as energy, using pyrolysis. The yield of the pyrolysis products (i.e. oil, gas and char) is dependent on the process conditions and the feedstock used. Char as a soil amendment or activated carbon are interesting options for valorization of biomass residues. Here, a review is presented of the techno-economic potential of both valorization options based on literature and own experiments with wood from phytoremediation, particle board and waste from beer production. The term “biochar” is specifically used to designate pyrolysis char that is intentionally applied to soil in order to enhance its structure and fertility. Biochar applications are often also motivated by the objective of climate change mitigation. Two main disadvantages for the economic feasibility of biochar applications have been discerned. Firstly, carbon sequestration in agricultural crops and soils is not yet eligible under the Clean Development Mechanism. Secondly, the impact of biochar on crop productivity is unclear. Activated carbon (AC) seems to have interesting adsorption characteristics resulting in potentially high sales prices. A preliminary techno-economic assessment showed that AC production is preferred above oil production for wood from phytoremediation as long as the market price of 2 kEUR.t(-1) for commercially available ACs can be attained. Whenever a feedstock with high nitrogen content is available (e.g. particle board with melamine urea formaldehyde resin), even higher market prices might be attained. This study shows that valorization of the pyrolysis char might be an answer to the slow adoption of pyrolysis in commercial applications. Focus in research and development, for instance in future research with regard to pig manure valorization, should therefore be on sustainable products with high economic value and direct utilization potential.