MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa
The research and development needed to achieve sustainability of African smallholder agricultural and natural systems has led to a wide array of theoretical frameworks for conceptualising socioecological processes and functions. However, there are few analytical tools for spatio-temporal empirical a...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2023
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132879 |
| _version_ | 1855534485109473280 |
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| author | Mponela, Powell Le, Quang Bao Snapp, Sieglinde Villamor, Grace B. Tamene, Lulseged D. Borgemeister, Christian |
| author_browse | Borgemeister, Christian Le, Quang Bao Mponela, Powell Snapp, Sieglinde Tamene, Lulseged D. Villamor, Grace B. |
| author_facet | Mponela, Powell Le, Quang Bao Snapp, Sieglinde Villamor, Grace B. Tamene, Lulseged D. Borgemeister, Christian |
| author_sort | Mponela, Powell |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The research and development needed to achieve sustainability of African smallholder agricultural and natural systems has led to a wide array of theoretical frameworks for conceptualising socioecological processes and functions. However, there are few analytical tools for spatio-temporal empirical approaches to implement use cases, which is a prerequisite to understand the performance of smallholder farms in the real world. This study builds a multi-agent system (MAS) to operationalise the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) theoretical framework (MASSAI). This is an essential tool for spatio-temporal simulation of farm productivity to evaluate sustainability trends into the future at fine scale of a managed plot. MASSAI evaluates dynamic nutrient transfer using smallholder nutrient monitoring functions which have been calibrated with parameters from Malawi and the region. It integrates two modules: the Environmental (EM) and Behavioural (BM) ones.
• The EM assess dynamic natural nutrient inputs (sedimentation and atmospheric deposition) and outputs (leaching, erosion and gaseous loses) as a product of bioclimatic factors and land use activities.
• An integrated BM assess the impact of farmer decisions which influence farm-level inputs (fertilizer, manure, biological N fixation) and outputs (crop yields and associated grain).
• A use case of input subsidies, common in Africa, markedly influence fertilizer access and the impact of different policy scenarios on decision-making, crop productivity, and nutrient balance are simulated. This is of use for empirical analysis smallholder's sustainability trajectories given the pro-poor development policy support. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace132879 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1328792025-12-08T09:54:28Z MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa Mponela, Powell Le, Quang Bao Snapp, Sieglinde Villamor, Grace B. Tamene, Lulseged D. Borgemeister, Christian sustainability productivity simulation models subsidies nutrient balance behavioural responses agent-based models multi-agent systems maize farm productivity re-orienting farm input subsidy farmer behaviour The research and development needed to achieve sustainability of African smallholder agricultural and natural systems has led to a wide array of theoretical frameworks for conceptualising socioecological processes and functions. However, there are few analytical tools for spatio-temporal empirical approaches to implement use cases, which is a prerequisite to understand the performance of smallholder farms in the real world. This study builds a multi-agent system (MAS) to operationalise the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) theoretical framework (MASSAI). This is an essential tool for spatio-temporal simulation of farm productivity to evaluate sustainability trends into the future at fine scale of a managed plot. MASSAI evaluates dynamic nutrient transfer using smallholder nutrient monitoring functions which have been calibrated with parameters from Malawi and the region. It integrates two modules: the Environmental (EM) and Behavioural (BM) ones. • The EM assess dynamic natural nutrient inputs (sedimentation and atmospheric deposition) and outputs (leaching, erosion and gaseous loses) as a product of bioclimatic factors and land use activities. • An integrated BM assess the impact of farmer decisions which influence farm-level inputs (fertilizer, manure, biological N fixation) and outputs (crop yields and associated grain). • A use case of input subsidies, common in Africa, markedly influence fertilizer access and the impact of different policy scenarios on decision-making, crop productivity, and nutrient balance are simulated. This is of use for empirical analysis smallholder's sustainability trajectories given the pro-poor development policy support. 2023-12 2023-11-09T14:55:19Z 2023-11-09T14:55:19Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132879 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Mponela, P., Le, Q. B., Snapp, S., Villamor, G. B., Tamene, L., & Borgemeister, C. (2023). MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa. In MethodsX (Vol. 11, p. 102467). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2023.102467 |
| spellingShingle | sustainability productivity simulation models subsidies nutrient balance behavioural responses agent-based models multi-agent systems maize farm productivity re-orienting farm input subsidy farmer behaviour Mponela, Powell Le, Quang Bao Snapp, Sieglinde Villamor, Grace B. Tamene, Lulseged D. Borgemeister, Christian MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title | MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title_full | MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title_fullStr | MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title_short | MASSAI: Multi-agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in Africa |
| title_sort | massai multi agent system for simulating sustainable agricultural intensification of smallholder farms in africa |
| topic | sustainability productivity simulation models subsidies nutrient balance behavioural responses agent-based models multi-agent systems maize farm productivity re-orienting farm input subsidy farmer behaviour |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132879 |
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