CIMO - Artigos em Proceedings Não Indexados à WoS/Scopus
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- Perceptions and Challenges of Silvopastoralism in Trás-os-Montes: Insights from the Agricultural SectorPublication . Dias, Estefânia; Ribeiro, Maria Isabel; Castro, MarinaSilvopastoralism is a traditional land-use practice that integrates extensive livestock farming with forestry, generating both economic and environmental advantages. Over time, however, it has declined in relevance and the number of practitioners threatening its continuity and the ecosystem services it provides. This study aims to explore the perceptions of farmers and agricultural stakeholders in the Trás-os-Montes region concerning silvopastoral practices, while identifying the main barriers to their implementation and ways to encourage their adoption. A total of 60 anonymous surveys were carried out for this purpose. The results indicate that respondents see silvopastoralism as highly valuable in terms of wildfire prevention, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable natural resource management. It is particularly regarded as suitable for implementation in mature forest areas and regions with high levels of biomass. Nevertheless, several challenges hinder its adoption, including the lack of technical assistance, low economic returns, and limited awareness of existing research projects in this field. Another significant point raised by this research is the importance of preserving autochthonous livestock breeds, which are deeply connected to silvopastoral practices but increasingly at risk due to their decline. The study also emphasizes the urgent need to rethink rural land management models-especially by developing support mechanisms for producers who engage in silvopastoralism. The future of this practice in Trás-os-Montes will rely not only on the ability of farmers to adapt to modern-day challenges, but also on the broader societal recognition of its environmental benefits and the political will to strengthen and promote it.
- Interdisciplinary investigations identify local knowledge important for pastoralist adaptation to climate change in Montesinho (Portugal)Publication . Aleixo-Pais, Isa G.; Castro, José; Frazão-Moreira, Amélia; Castro, João Paulo; Castro, MarinaPastoralists are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change and variability, as they depend on bioclimatic conditions for livestock forage biodiversity and production. In the complex socio-ecological system of the mountainous area of Montesinho Natural Park (north-east Portugal, Western Europe), traditional pastoralists are impacted by climate change in their rangelands (e.g. average monthly temperature increase, shifts in precipitation patterns) (Castro et al. 2021; Oliveira 2023). To understand the adaptive responses of local pastoralists to environmental change, this interdisciplinary research applied a three-step method. Firstly, we performed walking ethnographies with shepherds for over two years and used dialogues and observations to identify perceptions and local adaptations. Secondly, adaptive practices from other pastoral groups that could be viable in the study area were identified from the literature. And thirdly, co-participatory consultation workshops with pastoralists and representatives of local and national entities were developed to discuss and assess the adaptive measures for its practicality and sustainability. Shifts in precipitation patterns, drought and higher temperatures in the winter were identified as climate changes by local pastoralists, and several adaptive practices for water provision and conservation, additional fodder supply and livestock thermal comfort were listed by all local stakeholders involved in the project, as feasible solutions to overcome regional ecosystem shocks and trends. Local knowledge and climate perceptions were important for the documentation of adaptations at the rangeland level. This integrative approach, which resulted in a good practices guide, promotes practitioners and decision-makers to identify and discuss measures that will contribute to the resilience of traditional mountain pastoralism in the protected area of Montesinho and similar agro-pastoral systems
- Silvopastoralism as an Agroforestry Systems: Survey Analysis of Perceptions in the Agricultural Sector of Trás-os-Montes region, PortugalPublication . Dias, Estefânia; Ribeiro, Maria Isabel; Castro, MarinaSilvopastoralism, as a traditional agroforestry practice that combines extensive livestock production with forestry, offering both economic and environmental benefits, has been losing prominence, thus compromising the ecosystem services it provides. This research arises from the need to understand the obstacles to its adoption in Trás-os-Montes, a region marked by vulnerability to rural wildfires and demographic desertification. Despite the scientific recognition of the environmental and social benefits of silvopastoralism, there remains a significant gap in knowledge regarding the perceptions and challenges experienced by producers in its implementation. Based on the SILFORE project, this study involved 60 face-to-face surveys with various stakeholders in the agroforestry sector in the Trás-os-Montes region. The objective was to identify perceptions of the usefulness of silvopastoralism and the main constraints to its application. The data collected were statistically analyzed using frequency measures and measures of central tendency. The results reveal a clear appreciation for the role of silvopastoralism in wildfire prevention, biodiversity conservation, and the preservation of native breeds. However, factors such as low economic profitability, lack of technical support, and the absence of tailored public policies compromise its viability. It is concluded that the revitalization of silvopastoralism depends on integrated strategies involving technical assistance, institutional recognition, and the valorisation of associated products—contributing to the resilience of rural territories.
- Revalorizar as florestas autóctones de carvalho e azinheira através dos serviços de ecossistema de regulação: o caso do sequestro de carbonoPublication . Podsclan, Caroline Barradas; Souza, Júlio Henrique Germano de; Castro, Marina; Castro, João PauloOs bosques de carvalho negral (Q. pyrenaica Willd.) e azinheira (Q. rotundifolia Lam.) são habitats protegidos pela Diretiva Habitats (9230, 9340) em Portugal. Estes bosques possuem um enorme valor natural, histórico e cultural, tendo ao longo dos tempos, fornecido bens e serviços às comunidades rurais que com eles coexistiam. As comunidades rurais e os sistemas agrícolas tradicionais, dependiam destas áreas para pastoreio, recolha de materiais para o fabrico dos estrumes essenciais ao cultivo de cereais, produção de lenhas para aquecimento de habitações, madeira, entre outros. Atualmente, estas espécies e os habitats que as mesmas constituem enfrentam diversas ameaças, essencialmente associadas às alterações climáticas, incêndios e falta de gestão florestal sustentável. Além disso, ao estarem protegidos, enfrentam diversas restrições à sua utilização, nomeadamente no que se refere ao corte, o que nem sempre é compreendido pelas populações locais. Assim, tratando-se de habitats protegidos localizados no Parque Natural de Montesinho, importa encontrar formas de valorização alternativas que possam simultaneamente responder às necessidades de conservação e às legítímas expectativas das populações de rentabilidade dos seus recursos naturais. A conservação dos recursos naturais em causa implica a sua valorização através do reconhecimento dos serviços de ecossistema prestados pelos mesmos, particularmente os de regulação e suporte. Este trabalho centra-se no serviço de regulação associado ao sequestro de carbono destes bosques e à potencialidade de conversão do mesmo em rentabilidade para as comunidades rurais, permitindo o duplo objetivo anteriormente descrito. Neste estudo, quantificou-se o volume, a biomassa total com casca e a quantidade de carbono em florestas de Q. rotundifolia e Q. pyrenaica localizadas no Parque Natural de Montesinho, região nordeste de Portugal. Para isso, foi realizado um inventário florestal em áreas destas duas espécies. Para avaliar a biomassa arbórea, empregou-se estimativas de densidade específica das espécies obtidas da literatura. Para determinar o conteúdo de carbono foi considerado que 50% da biomassa seca corresponde a carbono orgânico. Os resultados revelaram um padrão diferenciado entre os dois bosques: o povoamento de Q. pyrenaica apresentou uma biomassa mais elevada, com uma média de 106,6±9,7 Mgha-1, e um teor de carbono de 53,32±4,21 Mgha-1. Por outro lado, o povoamento de Q. rotundifolia registrou valores inferiores, com 39,8±3,83 Mgha-1 de biomassa e 19,9±1,91 Mgha-1 de carbono, respectivamente.A potencialidade evidenciada no sequestro de carbono dos bosques autóctones de carvalho negral e azinheira nesta área protegida poderá constituir uma ferramenta inovadora para a conservação dos mesmos ao permitir a valorização económica alternativa aos cortes de lenhas e madeira.
- Smart Small Ruminant Device: An IoT-Based System for Real-Time Monitoring and Management of Sheep and Goat MobilityPublication . Araujo, Mateus; Castro, José; Castro, Marina; Leitão, Paulo; Bernuy, MiguelThe traditional agricultural practice of silvopastoralism, combining cultural heritage and ecological management, plays a vital role in food production and landscape management. This article explores the integration of precision livestock farming (PLF) into silvopastoral landscapes, using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for monitoring and data transmission. Commercially available tracking devices lack interesting ergonomics, price and autonomy, and most companies do not focus on goats and sheep. A customized IoT device was developed and tested on goats, employing temperature/humidity sensors, relative position, geolocation and a longrange communication module. The system architecture enabled real-time data flow through the sensing, service and interface layers, resulting in data visualization. The results demonstrate the high reliability, low cost, interesting autonomy and appropriate ergonomics of the device, with the animals exhibiting normal behavior during the tests. The study highlights the effectiveness of IoT-enabled PLF for understanding grazing dynamics and animal behavior in silvopastoral systems, highlighting its potential for sustainable landscape management and the welfare of goats and sheep.
- Strategies to Reduce Mechanical Harvesting Costs in Traditional Olive OrchardsPublication . Almeida, Arlindo; Fernandes-Silva, AnabelaOlive harvesting mechanization is adopted in different types of olive orchards: traditional, intensive, in hedgerows. In Mediterranean basin, traditional olive orchards have an important economic value. In this type of olive orchards planting densities are 100 to 240 trees per hectare, and over 30 years old. In these olive orchards, the most used mechanical harvesting system is based on a trunk shaker to detach fruits, and an inverted umbrella to collect them. With this harvesting system it is usual to collect 70% to 90% of the production. The olives that remain in the tree is a problem. To solve it, farmers adopt manual harvesting as a complementary task. This procedure increases the cost of harvesting with the addition of labour and reduces the mechanical harvesting system work rate (trees hour-1). It is important to understand if this complementary manual harvesting is advantageous or not. In field tests carried out in the Northeast of Portugal on traditional olive orchards with “Cobrançosa” and “Verdeal Transmontana”, cultivars, two different procedures were compared: (I) mechanical harvest performance complemented by manual harvesting; (II) mechanical harvest performance without the addition of manual work. In both procedures were evaluated: a) work rate (trees hour-1); b) production harvested; b) associated costs; c) harvest efficiency considering it as the percentage of fruits collected in relation to total production. To evaluate work rate system, a methodology based on measurement of each elementary operation time (in minutes) was adopted. Costs was computed under international standards for agricultural machinery management. The reduction in work rate and the increase in harvesting costs with complementary harvesting may be balanced by the increase in production that is harvested in this way. However, this does not seem to be the case, given the results presented. Complementary manual harvesting may be a solution, but an evaluation of other agronomic and mechanical solutions is recommended.
- Impact of Sustainable Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors on the Intention to Purchase Organic Products in Portugal: A Survey Study.Publication . Santiago, Cesário Luís Nobre; Fernandes, António; Ribeiro, Maria IsabelIdentifying sustainable factors that impact the intention to purchase organic food was the topic chosen for this study since organic food consumption is a very current subject. In fact, the demand for these unique products has been increasing over the last few years in Portugal and worldwide. The consumption of organic products is globally perceived as beneficial for health and the environment. Furthermore, producing these products values animal welfare and promotes economic development, improving the living conditions of rural populations in more peripheral regions. Thus, the general objective of this research was to contribute to the production of knowledge about the attitudes, preferences, habits, and behaviors of Portuguese consumers about organic food. The data was collected through an online questionnaire between January 9, 2024, and February 6, 2024. A sample consisting of 413 consumers of Portuguese nationality was selected. The average age was 44.7 years old (SD = 11.069), and the median and mode were 47 and 48, respectively. The majority of respondents lived in urban areas (69.2%) of the Bragança (64.0%), Porto (10.4%) and Vila Real (5.1%) districts. Most consumers had a positive level of knowledge about organic food (83.8%) and recognized the European Union organic logo (68.0%). Fresh vegetables (62.7%) and fresh fruits (59.6%) were the most frequently consumed products. These products were usually purchased directly from the producer (50.5%). This research showed that attitudes, environmental concerns, health awareness, and perceived price, in addition to having a positive impact, explained 57.5% of the intention to purchase organic food.
- Knowledge about bioeconomy: an exploratory study with African higher education studentsPublication . Ribeiro, Maria Isabel; Fernandes, Ana Isabel Ribeiro; Fernandes, António Pedro; Fernandes, AntónioBioeconomy is seen as a means and an end to achieving sustainability encompassing the social, environmental, and economic spheres, with a scientific framework based on technological innovations that increase social well-being through promoting and disseminating knowledge. In this context, this research aimed to examine African higher education students' understanding and level of knowledge about Bioeconomy. Effectively, they will be the ones who will act as qualified labor for sustainable and biotechnological development, and they will be the future leaders of nations. To this end, a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was developed based on a questionnaire applied to 407 African higher education students between April and May 2022. A non-probabilistic sampling was chosen for convenience, as this is an exploratory study. The questionnaire was created on the Google Forms platform and subsequently published on the researchers' social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The questionnaire was organized into two sections. The first section contained questions that allowed the characterization of the student. The second section included 16 statements with 3 possible answers, namely “True,” “False,” or “I don’t know”. Questions identified correctly were assigned 1 value, and those selected incorrectly or “I don't know” were assigned 0 values. Then, the level of knowledge was classified as follows: (1) 0-19%: very insufficient; (2) 20-49%: insufficient; (3) 50-69%: sufficient; (4) 70-89%: good and (5) 90%-100%: very good. The sample included students of five nationalities, namely Cape Verdean (50.9%), Guinean (20.1%), Santomean (14.0%), Angolan (11.8%) and Mozambican (3.2%). The majority of students came from rural areas (88.0%), were female (56.0%), and lived in a household consisting of, at most, 4 members (69.3%) with a household income of less than 705 euros/month. Although the sample includes students from 74 institutions located outside or in Portuguese territory, most were undergraduate students at the Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (65.8%). The results showed that all respondents knew the term “Bioeconomy” (51.1%). The terms related to Bioeconomy known by the largest number of respondents were “Recycling economy” (53.1%) and “Green economy” (52.3%). The least known term was “Linear economy” (36.1%), followed by the terms “Sharing economy” (38.8%) and “Ecoeconomy” (46.9%). The level of knowledge about Bioeconomy was insufficient. Considering the respondents' nationality, it was found that the level of knowledge was higher and sufficient among Mozambicans and lower and insufficient among Angolans. The distribution of respondents by level of knowledge was as follows: 25.6% very insufficient, 22.4% insufficient, 36.4% sufficient, 15.5% good, and 0.2% very good. Regarding the students' opinion on the process of replacing fossil resources with renewable ones, favoring the transition to a sustainable Bioeconomy, on a scale from 1 (absolutely against) to 7 (absolutely in favor), the average recorded was 5.29 (SD = 1,596). In the present study, respondents of Mozambican nationality were more favorable to the process than respondents of Santomean nationality, followed by Guineans, Cape Verdeans, and Angolans. Gaps in students' knowledge about Bioeconomy were identified, which can and should be addressed by higher education institutions.
- Perceptions and expectations of African higher education students about bioeconomyPublication . Ribeiro, Maria Isabel; Fernandes, Ana Isabel Ribeiro; Fernandes, António Pedro; Fernandes, AntónioBioeconomy offers new approaches to dealing with environmental challenges, such as replacing fossil fuels with sustainable and renewable resources and fuels. So, knowing how African higher education students perceive Bioeconomy is important. To achieve this objective, an exploratory and quantitative study based on a convenience sample of 407 students was conducted. The data was collected using an adapted questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The majority of students came from rural areas (88.0%), were female (56.’%), and were between 18 and 22 years old (52.3%). Students favor replacing fossil resources with renewable ones so that the transition to a sustainable Bioeconomy can be achieved (89.2%). The three main measures to be implemented if students were responsible for preparing a transformation plan for the Bioeconomy, are: (1) improvement of knowledge and information about Bioeconomy; (2) improving the participation of the population and companies in the transformation process; (3) developing of recycling and reuse of materials. Furthermore, the majority of students consider that the transition to the Bioeconomy could reduce the amount of plastic waste in the environment and oceans (67.1%), the loss of natural environments (55.4%), the emission of carbon (54.1%), species extinction (52.6%) and particle pollution (52.3%). Regarding students' perceptions about the beneficial contributions that Bioeconomy can provide, in economic, social, and environmental terms, students believe that Bioeconomy is capable of promoting major improvements, namely, creating new jobs (78.1%), achieving a more sustainable international development model (68.1%), improving access to new areas of research and education (64.6%), improving economic performance and regional and international competitiveness (63.6%), reducing dependence energy (58.7%) and ensuring the security and stability of the energy network (56.5%). This study also shows that students do not consider themselves adequately informed about pertinent topics related to the Bioeconomy since only around 27% reported being quite familiar with the sustainable development objectives defined by the United Nations. Furthermore, topics such as genetic engineering in agriculture, the cultivation of energy crops, and the digitalization of agriculture are only familiar to just over 10% of respondents. When asked which sources of information about the Bioeconomy they trust most, environmental and farmer organizations stand out positively, and national and local governments negatively. Regarding pro-environmental actions carried out by students in the last 12 months, the majority highlights the conscious purchases of regional food products (63.4%), neglecting other types of equally important actions, namely, the change in mobility behavior, the abandonment of packaged products, the use of renewable energy, the purchase of green products, among others. Finally, concerning interests and values, students believe that it is possible, by managing resources well, to avoid environmental catastrophes even though they realize that the environment is very fragile and that any human interference can result in devastation. Perhaps for this reason, the majority are not defenders of the free market and economic growth at the expense of the environment. There are gaps in understanding the advantages, visions, and topics associated with the Bioeconomy.
- Rede de inovação de modelos de negócio agroflorestais (AF4EU)Publication . Pousa, Eduardo; Farias, Ana Carolina; Castro, José; Castro, João Paulo; Pereira, José; Castro, MarinaO aumento da população mundial exige maior produção alimentos e simultaneamente um uso da terra mais sustentável. Face às propriedades multifuncionais dos sistemas agroflorestais, estes apresentam alternativas no que respeita aos fatores de sustentabilidade, ambientais, económicos ou sociais. É urgente atuar em resposta a estas necessidades, e nesse sentido o projeto AF4EU financiado pela UE, pretende promover os sistemas agroflorestais europeus, com o desenvolvimento de uma rede agroflorestal ampla, interativa e impulsionada pela inovação. Serão partilhadas práticas de trabalho bem-sucedidas e conhecimento científico, com recurso a ferramentas de TIC, dando especial atenção ao desenvolvimento e implementação de novas práticas rentáveis, modelos de negócio e serviços de extensão agroflorestal, considerando toda a cadeia alimentar, incluindo os consumidores. O AF4EU inclui 11 Redes Regionais de Inovação Agroflorestal (RAIN), em toda a Europa, com atores relevantes (agricultores e produtores florestais, investigadores, conselheiros, consumidores, ONGs, retalhistas e responsáveis políticos) e grupos operacionais. No decurso do projeto, serão analisados um conjunto de 33 modelos de negócio agroflorestais em toda a Europa, sob a perspetiva do trinómio de sustentabilidade económica, ambiental e social. Este projeto inspirado em iniciativas anteriores (H2020) visa desenvolver uma plataforma de conhecimento agroflorestal que integra um usuário final: (i) nuvem de conhecimento, (ii) manual, (iii) ferramenta de apoio à decisão empresarial de inovação agroflorestal (Afi-Bus DSS), incluindo uma análise e um ambiente de negócios visando a política agroflorestal na Europa, assim como, um Curso Online Multilingue (MOOC) com módulos de formação direcionados aos agricultores e conselheiros. O AF4EU dará um contributo fundamental para a implementação e adoção dos sistemas agroflorestais em toda a Europa, graças ao fornecimento de técnicas de modelos de negócio rentáveis e a um planeamento de comunicação, disseminação e exploração bem-sucedido, que despertará a atenção de grande número de pessoas na Europa.