Xiaoqiang Jiao

China Agricultural University

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Fusuo Zhang

China Agricultural University

Haiqing Gong

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Jianbo Shen

China Agricultural University

Chong Wang

China Agricultural University

Yue Xiang

Shanghai Electric (China)

Hongyan Zhang

China Agricultural University

Gu Feng

China Agricultural University

Jiechen Wu

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Wenqi Ma

Inner Mongolia Agricultural University

Zhichao An

China Agricultural University

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China Agricultural University

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China

Northwest A&F University

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Wageningen University & Research

Anhui Agricultural University

Peking University

Tsinghua University

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Improving the sustainability of the wheat supply chain through multi-stakeholder engagement

Journal of Cleaner Production (2021)

Lijuan Deng Hongyan Zhang Chong Wang Wenqi Ma Annah Lake Zhu

Feeding the world's growing population, while producing economic benefits with limited environmental effects, is a major challenge faced by global food supply chains. This is especially apparent when the production stage is predominated by smallholders as they each face varying economic and environmental demands, making it difficult to mobilize them on the ground. This study investigated how the environmental and economic sustainability of wheat supply chains could be improved by analyzing the performance of all stakeholders, especially the smallholders. Results showed that 77% of GHG emissions came from wheat cultivation, and less than 8% of the total economic benefits were recouped during this stage. In contrast, smallholders in the Science and Technology Backyards, reduced their GHG emissions by 16.4% and improved their economic benefits by 1.3- fold. Furthermore, a 2.6-fold increase in profit (1808 USD) with GHG emission reduction was achieved simultaneously by integrating all individual stages as a whole. This study found that the sustainability of the wheat supply chain was mainly affected by wheat cultivation. It also demonstrated the potential efficacy of empowering smallholders and integration of all individual stages as a whole to improve the sustainability of food supply chains.

10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128837

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Citations (22)

A potential solution for food security in Kenya: implications of the Quzhou model in China

Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (2020)

Xiaoqiang Jiao Jianbo Shen Fusuo Zhang

Poor soil fertility due to low nutrient inputs is a major factor limiting grain production in Kenya. Increasing soil fertility for crop productivity in China has implications for food security in Kenya. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the historical patterns of grain production, nutrient inputs, soil fertility and policies in Quzhou, a typical agricultural county on the North China Plain, and to compare grain production in Quzhou County and Kenya to identify a potential approach for increasing grain production in Kenya. Grain yields in Quzhou increased from 1 to 3 t·ha⁻¹ between 1961 and 1987 by increasing manure application accompanied by small amounts of chemical fertilizer after soil desalinization. There was a further increase from 3 to 5 t·ha⁻¹ up to 1996 which can be mainly attributed to chemical fertilizer use and policy support. Hence, a beneficial cycle between soil fertility and plant growth in Quzhou grain production was developed and strengthened. In contrast, there was only a slight increase in grain yields in Kenya over this period, resulting from low soil fertility with limited external nutrient inputs, a consequence of poor socioeconomic development. It is suggested that grain yields in Kenya would likely be boosted by the development of a self-reinforcing cycling between soil fertility and plant growth with manure and chemical fertilizer use if supported by policy and socioeconomic development.

10.15302/j-fase-2020359

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Integrated Horticultural Practices for Improving Apple Supply Chain Sustainability: A Case Study in the North China Plain

Agronomy (2021)

Shan Jiang Yang Chen Yu Guo Xiaoqiang Jiao

Apple production provides smallholders with low economic benefits, while high environmental emissions limit the sustainability of the apple supply chain. Furthermore, coordination to achieve greater economic benefits and environmental protection, thereby improving the sustainability of the apple supply chain, remains underdeveloped. Here, we have analyzed the current status of the economic benefits and environmental emissions of the apple production process and explored the level of collaboration within the apple supply chain, based on an analysis of farmer horticultural practices for high production, high economic benefit, and low environmental emissions, in combination with substance flow analysis. Our study showed that compared with traditional practice, high-yielding, high-efficiency practice allowed fruit yield, partial productivity of nitrogen fertilizer, and economic benefit to increase by 33%, 61% and 49%, respectively, while soil nitrogen residue levels decreased by 13%. The improvement and adoption of technology in the apple-planting process significantly improved the sustainability of the apple supply chain: the economic benefit increased by 63%, while the nitrogen footprint decreased by approximately 68%. Additionally, the application of integrated nutrient management technology in the apple planting process significantly improved the sustainability of apple production, thereby synergistically improving the economic and environmental impact of the apple supply chain.

10.3390/agronomy11101975

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Citations (7)

Hierarchical Linkage between the Basic Characteristics of Smallholders and Technology Awareness Determines Small-Holders’ Willingness to Adopt Green Production Technology

Agriculture (2022)

Shilei Cui Yajuan Li Xiaoqiang Jiao Dong Zhang

As a collection of technologies that match the carrying capacity of resources and the environment, harmonize ecology and life, and balance the quantity and quality of agricultural products in agricultural production, green production technologies are regarded as an important means to help promote sustainable agricultural production. It includes scientific fertilization technology, water-saving irrigation technology, biological control technology, and conservation tillage technology. However, the smallholders’ low level of awareness and application of green production technology has become a key factor limiting the sustainable development of Chinese agriculture. Several technological innovations have been implemented to address these problems while many studies have been conducted on the smallholders’ willingness to adopt the technology. However, the correlation and the hierarchical structure among different factors are not clear. Therefore, to clarify these issues, we used the logit model and interpretative structural modeling (ISM) to analyze the factors influencing the adoption of green production technologies by smallholders and the hierarchical linkage between them based on a sample of 709 from 16 provinces in China. Our results revealed that scientific fertilization and biological control technology were most preferred by smallholders. Compared with wheat (38.8%, 43.2%) and maize (29.3%, 39.4%), rice smallholders (66.7%, 82.5%) were more willing to adopt the two technologies. In addition, the technology awareness and technology benefits were expected to significantly affect the smallholders’ willingness to adopt the technology directly. Household characteristics and land characteristics are the root factors affecting the smallholders’ willingness to adopt green production technology. Family characteristics and land characteristics also changed the willingness of smallholders to adopt green production technologies by changing their awareness of production technology and the technological benefits expected. Therefore, accelerating the promotion of green production technologies through the implementation of policies such as increasing the promotion of high-value-added agricultural products and cultivation techniques, increasing out-of-school knowledge education, and enhancing the construction of agricultural production infrastructure can be potentially viable ways to promote green transformation in agriculture. This study provides case support for increasing the smallholders’ adoption of green production technology.

Agricultural machinery

Emerging Technologies

10.3390/agriculture12081275

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Citations (23)

Science and Technology Backyard: A novel approach to empower smallholder farmers for sustainable intensification of agriculture in China

Journal of Integrative Agriculture (2019)

Xiaoqiang Jiao Hongyan Zhang Wenqi Ma Chong Wang Xiaolin Li

Sustainable feeding of the growing population in China without ecological destabilization is a grand challenge. In this populous country where agriculture is dominated by smallholder farming, developing innovative technology and translating scientific knowledge into action for smallholder farmers is a crucial step in addressing this challenge. Here, we present a novel approach for technology innovation and dissemination to achieve sustainable intensification in the fields of smallholder farmers. The Science and Technology Backyard (STB) is a hub in a rural area that links knowledge with practices to promote technology innovation and exchange. In this study, the framework and functions of STB are introduced, and the key implications for sustainable intensification across millions of smallholder farmers are explicitly stated: (i) develop innovative technology based on stated demands of farmers; (ii) disseminate technology by innovative social service models though combined top-down approaches with bottom-up measures to enable smallholders in rural areas. This paper provides a perspective on transformation of small-scale agriculture toward sustainable intensification in China and useful knowledge applicable to other developing countries.

10.1016/s2095-3119(19)62592-x

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Citations (56)

Optimizing wheat production and reducing environmental impacts through scientist–farmer engagement: Lessons from the North China Plain

Food and Energy Security (2020)

Wei Jiang Annah Lake Zhu Chong Wang Fusuo Zhang Xiaoqiang Jiao

Abstract Producing high economic benefits and high grain yields with limited environmental impacts is crucial for feeding the world's growing population. Yet it remains challenging to improve the performance of one objective without creating unintended consequences for other objectives. This is especially difficult for smallholders navigating a diverse array of environmental and personal demands. This study demonstrates how combining participatory research through the Science and Technology Backyards (STB) approach with Pareto‐based ranking modeling can increase smallholder production while also reducing environmental impact. Through an intensive farmer survey in a 1 × 1 km grid in Quzhou County, we demonstrate that farmers engaged in STBs performed better according to multiple objectives (i.e., optimizing overall grain yield, benefit‐cost ratio, and GHG emissions, without compromising any one of these objectives) than farmer's not engaged in STBs. Moreover, we used a Pareto optimization approach (OPT) to determine the optimal smallholder scenario. We found that under OPT, grain yield could reach 9.5 t/ha, with a benefit‐cost ratio of 2.1, a 100% N recovery efficiency, and 7,395 kg CO 2 eq ha −1 GHG emissions. With OPT as a final goal, our research team worked with STB farmers to improve economic and environmental outcomes without compromising yield. Our findings demonstrate that no significant difference was obtained between farmers engaged in STBs and these under OPT. Compared with non‐STB farmers, STB farmers’ grain yield improved by 18%, benefit‐cost ratio improved by 26% due to improved N recovery efficiency, and GHG emissions were reduced by 31%. These improvements demonstrate the power of scientist–farmer engagement for optimizing wheat production. Such engagement allows farmers to modify their agronomic practices to more closely match Pareto optimal conditions, thus improving environmental and economic benefits without compromising yield. Our results provide solid evidence of the potential for sustainable wheat production by combining modeling with participatory research.

10.1002/fes3.255

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Citations (18)

Dynamic growth pattern and exploitation of soil residual P by Brassica campestris throughout growth cycle on a calcareous soil

Field Crops Research (2015)

Xiaoqiang Jiao Haigang Li Zed Rengel Fusuo Zhang Jianbo Shen

Dry weight

10.1016/j.fcr.2015.05.016

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Citations (3)

Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Wheat Farmers: The Case of Qu Zhou County of China

International Journal of Agricultural Economics (2022)

Derara Sori Feyisa Xiaoqiang Jiao Dagne Mojo

Wheat is among the main crop produced next to rice and maize, in China. In wheat production, miracle achievement has been achieved, in the last several decades. However, the current production of wheat does not sufficiently meet its demand to the expected level. The yield is still low though improved agricultural technologies have been used by the farmers. As the productivity of wheat is not just determined by technological innovation alone but also by the efficiency with which available technologies are used, this study aims to estimate the technical efficiency of wheat producers and to identify the sources of its variation in the Qu Zhou County of China. A single-step stochastic frontier production model is used to analyze the data collected from the respondents through personal interviews. The result shows that the mean technical efficiency of wheat producers is 96 percent, indicating that, farmers have produced 4 percent less than the maximum output that can be produced. This shows that there is room for efficiency improvement and output can be maximized by 4 percent using the existing wheat production technologies without changing. The findings also show that agricultural inputs, in particular, fertilizer and insecticide have negative and significant effects on the wheat yield at 1 and 5 percent significance levels, respectively. This means increases in the amount of these inputs could lead to a reduction in wheat outputs. Conversely, a farm size allocated for wheat production has a positive and significant effect on wheat yield at a 10 percent significance level. Socioeconomic factors, such as education level, farming experience, seed cost, and soil fertility status are also observed sources of inefficiency in the study area. In general, the study has indicated that disparity between actual and potential yield is not a chance alone, but due to inefficiencies among the producers. Therefore, it is possible to make practical and effective interventions by focusing on factors that affect the technical efficiency of the wheat producer in Qu Zhou County.

Production–possibility frontier

10.11648/j.ijae.20220701.13

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Phosphorus-Use Efficiency Modified by Complementary Effects of P Supply Intensity With Limited Root Growth Space

Frontiers in Plant Science (2021)

Haiqing Gong Bilisuma Kabeto Wako Yue Xiang Xiaoqiang Jiao

Space availability and the maintenance of adequate phosphorus (P) supply in the root zone are essential for achieving high yield and P-use efficiency in maize production by manipulating the root morphology and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi colonization. A major trade-off exists between root growth and AM colonization that is influenced by soil P supply intensity and space availability. However, how soil P manipulates the root morphological characteristics and AM colonization to compensate for the limitation of root-growth space induced by high-planting density is not clear. Therefore, pot experiments were conducted to investigate interactions between the root growth and AM fungi by optimizing soil P supply to compensate for limited root growth space induced by high-planting density. Similar shoot biomass and P uptake values were obtained in P200 (200 mg P kg −1 soil) under D = 40 (i.e., diameter of the pot is 40 cm) and P400 under D = 30, and similar values were obtained for root length, tap root length, root angle, lateral root density, and AM colonization. However, the improvement in P supply in the root zone, shoot biomass, and P uptake in P400 under D = 20 were lower than in P200 under D = 30, and there were no significant differences in the root parameters between P200 and P400 under D = 20; similarly, the root growth and AM colonization exhibited similar trends. These results suggest that optimizing P supply in the root zone to regulate the interaction between root morphological traits and AM colonization can compensate for limited root-growth space. Although P supply in the root zone increased after the root-growth space was compressed, it could not meet the P demand of maize; thus, to achieve the most efficient use of P under intensive high-density maize production, it is necessary to optimally coordinate root growth space and P supply in the root zone.

Lateral root

Root system

DNS root zone

10.3389/fpls.2021.728527

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Citations (3)

Synergies in sustainable phosphorus use and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in China: Perspectives from the entire supply chain from fertilizer production to agricultural use

The Science of The Total Environment (2022)

Haiqing Gong Yu Guo Jiechen Wu Huijun Wu Peteh Mehdi Nkebiwe

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155997

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Citations (11)