CO₂ enrichment in protected agriculture has been extensively studied as a strategy to enhance crop productivity, resource use efficiency, and climate resilience. This systematic review examines the scientific literature on CO₂ enrichment in greenhouses, vertical farms, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems, with a focus on its impact on crop physiology, photosynthesis, agricultural yield, modeling and simulation techniques, injection technologies, and sustainability challenges. A comprehensive bibliometric and systematic search was conducted in the Scopus database using key terms related to CO₂ enrichment and sustainable protected agriculture, following the PRISMA methodology. From an initial set of 212 documents, 171 were selected after removing duplicates, inaccessible articles, and studies not directly relevant to this context. The findings indicate that CO₂ enrichment can significantly improve photosynthetic efficiency, water use efficiency, and crop productivity, although its impact varies depending on species, environmental conditions, and application strategies. Computational models, such as CFD and machine learning, have optimized CO₂ distribution in controlled environments, contributing to more precise and resource-efficient agricultural practices. However, environmental and economic concerns, particularly energy consumption, carbon footprint, and the sustainability of CO₂ sources, remain critical challenges. To ensure the sustainable adoption of CO₂ enrichment, it is essential to integrate renewable energy sources, carbon capture and reuse technologies, and advanced CO₂ injection systems. This review provides a holistic assessment of current knowledge, identifying opportunities and barriers for the development of climate-smart protected agriculture systems that align with global sustainability goals and contribute to food security and environmental stewardship.

This paper examines the essential role of artificial lighting in protected agriculture, a crucial sector in addressing the increasing global food demand and the challenges posed by climate change. It explores how advanced lighting technologies, particularly LED systems, have revolutionized productivity and sustainability in greenhouses and indoor or urban farming systems. These technologies enable precise control over key factors influencing crop growth, optimizing both yield and resource efficiency. The methodology was based on a bibliometric analysis developed in four phases: collection of information in the scientific database Scopus, filtering and selection of relevant documents, quantitative and qualitative analysis of trends, and visualization of the results using tools such as VOSviewer. The study included scientific publications between 1974 and 2024, focusing on keywords related to greenhouse lighting technologies and protected agriculture systems. Key findings identified a significant increase in research over the last two decades, with countries such as the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and China leading the way in scientific output. The main trends in artificial lighting for protected agriculture include the use of specific light spectra (particularly red and blue) to optimize photosynthesis and morphogenesis, as well as the integration of LED systems with digital sensors and controllers for enhanced precision. However, in developing countries such as Colombia, the adoption of these technologies remains in its early stages, presenting significant opportunities for implementation and expansion. Additionally, this bibliometric analysis provides a robust foundation for identifying key areas for improvement and guiding future research toward more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.

CO₂ enrichment in protected agriculture is a key strategy for enhancing crop productivity and quality, optimizing photosynthetic efficiency, and mitigating the impacts of climate change. In this study, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on CO₂ enrichment is conducted by compiling and evaluating 171 relevant documents published between 1982 and 2024 in Scopus, utilizing R-Studio and VOSviewer for data processing. The analysis explores scientific output trends, predominant research methodologies, influencing factors, and emerging applications in controlled-environment agriculture. The findings reveal an exponential growth in scientific publications since 2015, with Asia and Europe leading the research landscape. The physiological and agronomic benefits of CO₂ enrichment in C3 crops, particularly tomatoes and lettuce, include enhanced photosynthesis, improved nitrogen assimilation, and reduced abiotic stress. Additionally, advancements in sustainable CO₂ capture and delivery technologies, such as industrial capture and fermentation-based systems, have been documented. However, significant challenges remain regarding the economic feasibility, accessibility for small-scale farmers, and environmental sustainability of CO₂ enrichment strategies. A network analysis of scientific collaboration highlights an increasing trend of international cooperation, with China, the United States, and Japan emerging as key contributors. The integration of plant physiology, agricultural engineering, and environmental sustainability reflects a transition toward multidisciplinary approaches aimed at optimizing CO₂ utilization in controlled environments. This study underscores the potential of CO₂ enrichment as a transformative tool in protected agriculture. However, its large-scale adoption necessitates international collaboration, rigorous research on socio-economic and environmental impacts, and the development of context-specific technologies. Strengthening global research networks and fostering applied innovation will be essential to ensuring the widespread and sustainable implementation of CO₂ enrichment strategies in protected agriculture.

Within the framework of sustainability analysis regarding the processes developed by man, water resources in rural scenarios have been a priority due to the impact generated by population growth and climate changes in tropical regions. In Colombia, the shortage of drinking water from aqueducts has become a problem especially in rural areas, even though its administration has been set and led by local community organizations. In this sense, in this research, the aim was to understand the dynamics of sustainable livelihoods in rural areas and their relationship with water resources in Boyacá, Colombia. For this purpose, surveys were carried out in two rural aqueducts in the municipalities of Boyacá and Oicatá paying special attention to the variables that affect human, social, technical, physical, natural, and financial capital. According to the results, the water supplied by community organizations directly affects the daily activities of family units, as well as the agricultural production systems. In addition, significant relationships were identified between human and financial capital, as well as social and technical capital; however, population increment and the accentuation of dry seasons have become a threat in these regions in Colombia. In conclusion, the analysis of the work developed by the organizations of rural aqueducts allows us to understand that water plays a fundamental role in the construction of society.

Worldwide, a comprehensive characterization has been implemented in different farming systems but not in sugarcane agroecosystems for panela production in high Andean regions. In Colombia, panela is an important staple food, being the second largest producer in the world; however, the predominant cropping systems in different regions have not yet been fully described. Using secondary information, as well as the implementation of semi-structured surveys with farmer participation, together with geographic information system analysis tools, 341 farms and management measures were identified in a large sugarcane productive region in Colombia. Sufficient soil and climatic conditions were found for production, siltstone parent material (38.84%), predominant spine relief (83.23%), rainfall (1,000 mm), relative humidity (86%) and annual temperature (23 °C). The types cropping systems were determined, characterizing their management, as well as variables of the socioeconomic structure of the region. The production systems were classified into five gropus, were the typification of farms was mainly by three cutting systems called “parejo”, “entresaque” and a new cutting system was identified, called “parejo” without renewal. As a complement, deficiencies were found in socioeconomic, technical and technological aspects in the province of Gualivá (Cundinamarca), being a generalized panorama in this important productive system in the country.