As the world’s population is increasing exponentially, human diets have changed to less healthy foods resulting in detrimental health complications. Increasing vegetable intake by both rural and urban dwellers can help address this issue. However, these communities often face the challenge of limited vegetable supply and accessibility. More so, open field vegetable production cannot supply all the vegetable needs because biotic and abiotic stress factors often hinder production. Alternative approaches such as vegetable production in greenhouses, indoor farms, high tunnels, and screenhouses can help fill the gap in the supply chain. These alternative production methods provide opportunities to use less resources such as land space, pesticide, and water. They also make possible the control of production factors such as temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide, as well as extension of the growing season. Some of these production systems also make the supply and distribution of nutrients to crops easier and more uniform to enhance crop growth and yield. This paper reviews these alternative vegetable production approaches which include hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics and soilless mixes to reveal the need for exploring them further to increase crop production. The paper also discusses facilities used, plant growth factors, current challenges including energy costs and prospects.

Changes in land cover (LC) can lead to environmental challenges, but few studies have investigated LC changes at a country wide scale in Ghana. Tracking LC changes at such a scale overtime is relevant for devising solutions to emerging issues. This study examined LC changes in Ghana for the past almost two and half decades covering 1995–2019 to highlight significant changes and opportunities for sustainable development. The study used land cover data for six selected years (1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2019) obtained from the European Space Agency. The data was analyzed using R, ArcGIS Pro and Microsoft Excel 365 ProPlus. The original data was reclassified into eight LC categories, namely: agriculture, bare area, built-up, forest, grassland, other vegetation, waterbody, and wetland. On average, the results revealed 0.7%, 131.7%, 23.3%, 46.9%, and 11.2% increases for agriculture, built-up, forest, waterbody, and wetland, respectively, across the nation. However, losses were observed for bare area (92.8%), grassland (51.1%), and other vegetation (41%) LCs overall. Notably, agricultural land use increased up to 2015 and decreased subsequently but this did not affect production of the major staple foods. These findings reveal the importance of LC monitoring and the need for strategic efforts to address the causes of undesirable change.

Different strategies are reported in the literature for energy saving in Closed Plant Production Systems (CPPS). However, not reliable evidences about energy consumption with the use of pulsed LED light technique in lighting system available in Plant Factory and Vertical Farm. In this work, three key points to determine the effects of pulsed LED light versus continuous LED light are presented: (1) A mathematical model and its practical application for stabilizing the energy equivalence using LED light in continuous and pulsed mode in different light treatments. (2) The quantum efficiency of the photosystem II was used to determine positive and/or negative effects of the light operating mode (continuous or pulsed) on chili pepper plants (Capsicum annuum var. Serrano). (3) Evaluation of energy consumption with both operation modes using ten recipes from the literature to grow plants applied in Closed Plant Production Systems, different Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density at 50, 110, and 180 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, Frequencies at 100, 500, and 1000 Hz, and Duty Cycles of 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90%. The results show no significant statistical differences between the operation modes (continuous and pulsed LED light). For each light recipe analyzed, a pulsed frequency and a duty cycle were obtained, achieving significant energy savings in every light intensity. The results can be useful guide for real-life applications in CPPS.

Agriculture in West Africa is constrained by several yield-limiting factors, such as poor soil fertility, erratic rainfall distributions and low input systems. Projected changes in climate, thus, pose a threat since crop production is mainly rain-fed. The impact of climate change and its variation on the productivity of cereals in smallholder settings under future production systems in Navrongo, Ghana and Nioro du Rip, Senegal was assessed in this study. Data on management practices obtained from household surveys and projected agricultural development pathways (through stakeholder engagements), soil data, weather data (historical: 1980–2009 and five General Circulation Models; mid-century time slice 2040–2069 for two Representative Concentration Pathways; 4.5 and 8.5) were used for the impact assessment, employing a crop simulation model. Ensemble maize yield changes under the sustainable agricultural development pathway (SDP) were −13 and −16%, while under the unsustainable development pathway (USDP), yield changes were −19 and −20% in Navrongo and Nioro du Rip, respectively. The impact on sorghum and millet were lower than that on maize. Variations in climate change impact among smallholders were high with relative standard deviations (RSD) of between 14% and 60% across the cereals with variability being higher under the USDP, except for millet. Agricultural production systems with higher intensification but with less emphasis on soil conservation (USDP) will be more negatively impacted by climate change compared to relatively sustainable ones (SDP).

Cover cropping serves as a promising technique with great potential to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC), boost crop productivity, and improve soil quality. The implementation of cover crops as a sustainable agricultural practice has gained popularity worldwide. To further evaluate the role of cover cropping, this systematic review examines empirical evidence from 38 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 to assess the impact of cover cropping on these key outcomes. Studies were selected based on strict inclusion criteria requiring original field data or validated modeling results that evaluated all three outcomes, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data on cropping system, duration, type of cover crop, and outcome metrics were extracted. More than 80% of the literature reported benefits. Multi-species cover crop mixtures that were managed long-term enhanced SOC by 5–30%, with 87% and 55% of studies demonstrating enhanced soil quality and yield, respectively. However, some studies recorded yield reductions in drought-prone regions or when cover crops were terminated at inappropriate times. In some studies, improvements in microbial function and nutrient cycling were observed while several United States (U.S.) studies focused more on physical and biological indicators under dryland conditions. Although outcomes vary by context, cover crops are widely recognized as a viable strategy for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable soil management. To optimize benefits, there is a need for region-specific incentives, targeted agricultural policies, and standardized agronomic guidelines. Cover crops represent a key strategy for climate change mitigation and sustainable soil management. This review reveals that species diversity and long-term adoption are crucial for achieving reliable results. With the integrative focus of this review on the tripartite relationship between SOC, crop yield, and soil quality, as well as its comparative lens on global versus U.S. practices, it is novel because it offers crucial insights for evidence-based policy development and region-specific cover cropping strategies.

Wood vinegar (WV) is a biostimulant and a biopesticide that contains pyroligneous acid and is used as a crop growth enhancer and biocontrol agent, but insufficient information exists on WV’s effects on soil quality and cowpea production in Ghana. A field study (2 years) was conducted to determine the appropriate method of applying WV for soil health and cowpea production, and to determine the economic benefits of WV. Assessments were on nodulation, shoot biomass, yield, value–cost ratio, soil enzymes, soil respiration, microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC), mineralizable C, soil pH, available nitrogen and phosphorus. Results revealed soil drenching and foliar application are efficient methods of applying WV to achieve greater shoot dry matter, nodulation and grain yield of cowpea. Economically, soil drenching, followed by foliar application, generated better economic returns than the control. Adding WV to cowpea using soil drenching and foliar application improved soil health indicators. Soil enzymes and MBN were enhanced by WV applied foliarly and through soil drenching. Soil drenching with WV produced greater POXC and mineralizable C compared to the other treatments. Conclusively, WV applied foliarly and through soil drenching improved soil health, nodulation and yields of cowpea, and enhanced profitability.