Journal of Energy Bioscience 2024, Vol.15, No.3, 160-170 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 167 6.2 Recommendations for policy improvements To further enhance the energy balance in agriculture, several policy improvements are recommended: (1)Incentivize Renewable Energy Use: Policies should provide financial incentives for the adoption of renewable energy sources in agriculture. This could include subsidies for solar panels, wind turbines, and bioenergy production (Lu et al., 2020). (2)Promote Energy Efficiency: Implementing standards and certifications for energy-efficient farming practices can help reduce overall energy consumption. For example, energy-efficiency standards have been successful in building energy savings and could be adapted for agricultural use (Lu et al., 2020). (3)Support Research and Development: Increased funding for research into sustainable agricultural practices and technologies can lead to innovations that reduce energy inputs and enhance outputs. This includes the development of low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA) technologies that minimize environmental trade-offs (Sarkar et al., 2020). (4)Encourage Integrated Management Practices: Policies should promote integrated nutrient and soil management practices that optimize energy use and improve crop yields sustainably (Shah and Wu, 2019). 6.3 Role of government and international organizations Governments and international organizations play a pivotal role in shaping and implementing policies that balance agricultural energy inputs and outputs. National governments can enact regulations and provide subsidies to encourage sustainable practices. For example, the French government has explored the potential of achieving energy neutrality in agriculture by balancing energy consumption with energy recovery from internal sources (Harchaoui and Chatzimpiros, 2018). International organizations, such as the United Nations and the European Union, can facilitate the sharing of best practices and provide frameworks for international cooperation. The Paris Agreement on climate change is a prime example of an international effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which includes commitments from the agricultural sector to adopt more sustainable practices (Platis et al., 2019). Additionally, organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) can support capacity-building initiatives and provide technical assistance to developing countries to implement sustainable agricultural practices (Sarkar et al., 2020). By working together, governments and international organizations can create a robust policy and regulatory framework that promotes the sustainable development of agriculture, ensuring that energy inputs are optimized and outputs are maximized in an environmentally friendly manner. 7 Challenges and Future Directions 7.1 Barriers to optimizing energy inputs and outputs Optimizing energy inputs and outputs in agriculture faces several significant barriers. One of the primary challenges is the lack of policies that promote innovative practices, which is a critical external barrier preventing the adoption of sustainable agricultural innovations (Campuzano et al., 2023). Additionally, unfavorable regulations and the high cost of agrochemicals further complicate efforts to optimize energy use, particularly in developing countries where subsistence farmers are most vulnerable to these economic pressures (Sarkar et al., 2020). Internal barriers such as epistemic closure and unskilled labor also hinder the adoption of new technologies and practices that could improve energy efficiency (Campuzano et al., 2023). Moreover, the structural energy deficiency in current agricultural systems, where the energy requirements almost equal the final produce, poses a substantial challenge to achieving energy neutrality (Harchaoui and Chatzimpiros, 2018). 7.2 Emerging technologies and innovations Emerging technologies and innovations offer promising solutions to the challenges of optimizing energy inputs and outputs in agriculture. Low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA) technologies, which aim to reduce the negative environmental impacts of agricultural production, are gaining traction. These technologies include crop
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