Artificial intelligence (AI) plays an essential role in agricultural mapping. It reduces costs and time and increases efficiency in agricultural management activities, which improves the food industry. Agricultural mapping is necessary for resource management and requires technologies for farming challenges. The mapping in agricultural AI applications gives efficiency in mapping and its subsequent use in decision-making. This study analyses AI’s current state in agricultural mapping through bibliometric indicators and a literature review to identify methods, agricultural resources, geomatic tools, mapping types, and their applications in agricultural management. The methodology begins with a bibliographic search in Scopus and the Web of Science (WoS). Subsequently, a bibliographic data analysis and literature review establish the scientific contribution, collaboration, AI methods, and trends. The United States (USA), Spain, and Italy are countries that produce and collaborate more in this area of knowledge. Of the studies, 76% use machine learning (ML) and 24% use deep learning (DL) for agricultural mapping applications. Prevailing algorithms such as Random Forest (RF), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) correlate mapping activities in agricultural management. In addition, AI contributes to agricultural mapping in activities associated with production, disease detection, crop classification, rural planning, forest dynamics, and irrigation system improvements.

Water is an essential element for agricultural sustainability. In volcanic islands, freshwater sources are limited, challenging the local farming water supply. Rainfall dependence in the Galapagos Islands limits continuous agriculture, and despite using natural water sources, their irrigation quality is little known. This study aimed to carry out a control–diagnosis of irrigation water quality of the natural sources of the four agrarian islands of the Galapagos, considering water quality parameters for the proposal of sustainability strategies in the water and agricultural context. The workflow included (i) freshwater supply situation diagnosis, (ii) physicochemical parameters measurement and hydrochemical characterisation, and (iii) irrigation analysis and sustainability strategies configuration. Results indicated that of the 34 sources analysed, 55.88% are suitable for irrigation and are located in San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. The remaining 44.12% showed problems with parameters such as faecal coliforms, salinity, metals, carbonates, BOD₅, and COD above the national permitted limits. Six strategies for water and agricultural sustainability are proposed, including periodic water monitoring, academy–government–community projects, community water board creation, water sowing and harvesting systems, effective management of effluent, and agricultural strengthening. The study guides comprehensive hydric management initiatives to benefit agrarian development and food security, aligning with SDGs 2 and 6.

The objective of this study was to determine the total irrigable area in the Santa Elena Peninsula Water Delivery System (TRASVASE) under several land use scenarios based on a simple water budget model requiring estimation of: (1) crop water requirements (CWR); (2) irrigation efficiency; and (3) dams and canals evaporation utilizing weather data. CROPWAT, a software package developed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was used to calculate CWR and irrigation requirements. The reference evapotranspiration ( ET0 ) was calculated using Santa Elena Peninsula historical average weather data and results used to create average monthly ET0 surface maps using ArcMap. Nine scenarios were created to calculate available agricultural water and irrigable area. The total calculated irrigable area during the dry season (June–November) was compared to estimate from the Commission for the Development of the Guayas River Basin in Ecuador (CEDEGE) and to the average estimate done by the farmers. C...

Peasant family farming in Ecuador is responsible for producing over two-thirds of the food required to sustain the country's nutrition and significantly contributes to agricultural exports. Despite this, rural areas in Ecuador experience the highest levels of poverty, leading to widespread undernutrition, particularly among pregnant women and infants. This stark disparity presents a social justice issue that demands urgent attention. Some analysts argue that the inefficiencies of peasant agriculture contributes these issues, labelling it as unsustainable due to its perceived low productivity and profitability. However, such assessments often overlook the sector's crucial role in food security, biodiversity preservation, and environmental balance. Family farming sustains local food supplies and promotes ecological stability through diverse, sustainable practices. Public policy orientation, particularly in support of small-scale farmers, is essential in determining these rural communities' sustainability and improved livelihoods, especially in the face of increasing pressures from modern corporate agriculture. Addressing these structural inequalities is key to ensuring that peasant family farming is economically viable, socially just, and environmentally sustainable.

Sustainable agricultural development in natural heritage sites poses a challenge, requiring food security without compromising the conservation of ecosystems and their outstanding universal values (OUV). The Galapagos Islands, recognized as a Natural World Heritage, have problems of scarce water and arable land, compounded by anthropogenic pressures such as high population and tourism growth and dependence on food imports. The objective of this research is to evaluate the environmental impacts of implementing agricultural greenhouses in the Galapagos by applying a traditional environmental matrix alongside a UNESCO World Heritage approach, integrated with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, to formulate strategies for strengthening local agriculture without compromising ecosystems. This study employed a semi-quantitative methodological approach, integrating three key aspects: (i) a baseline of agricultural information and water availability on the islands; (ii) an integrated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approach to greenhouse implementation; and (iii) sustainable agricultural development and environmental impact mitigation strategies. The results of the traditional EIA and the UNESCO approach through the OUV showed negative impacts classified as insignificant to moderately significant. For the evaluated design, these impacts can be managed through the active participation of academia, the community, and government entities. However, their scalability depends on a more in-depth analysis of the potential long-term risks associated with the availability of natural resources, microplastic pollution, and the use of agrochemicals. Among the proposed strategies, the importance of monitoring water and soil quality and of agricultural and environmental education campaigns in the community was highlighted. This study presents agricultural greenhouses as well-known alternatives for food self-sufficiency, adapted to the realities of the island territory and the objectives of ecosystem conservation. The proposed methodological approach can be applied in protected areas to promote conservation and sustainable agricultural production.