Productive and Resilient Farms, Forests and Landscapes

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/69089

This Bioversity International Initiative studies how both agricultural and wild biodiversity can improve soil characteristics, increase water quantity and quality, regulate pests and diseases, and enhance pollination to increase productivity and livelihood benefits, now and into the future.

The initiative works through two approaches:

Ecological Intensification and Diversification, and
Landscape Restoration and Management

Learn more here: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/initiatives/farms-forests-landscapes/

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 520

Metagenomic Insights of the Root Colonizing Microbiome Associated with Symptomatic and Non-Symptomatic Bananas in Fusarium Wilt Infected Fields
(Journal Article, 2020-06) Kaushal, Manoj; Mahuku, George S.; Swennen, Rony L.
Plants tissues are colonized by diverse communities of microorganisms called endophytes. They are key determinants of plant production and health, for example by facilitating nutrient exchanges or limiting disease development. Endophytic communities of banana plants have not been studied until very recently, and their potential role in disease development has not been explored so far. Roots from symptomatic and non-symptomatic banana plants were sampled from fields infected by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense race 1. The goal was to compare the endophytic microbiota between symptomatic and non-symptomatic plants through high throughput sequencing of 16s rDNA and shotgun metagenome sequencing. The results revealed that the endophytic root microbiome in bananas is dominated by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes followed to a lesser extent by Actinobacteria. The development of disease greatly impacted the endophytic microbial communities. For example, Flavobacteriales abundance was correlated with symptom development.
Key factors determining biochar sorption capacity for metal contaminants: a literature synthesis
(Journal Article, 2020-06) Thomas, Evert; Borchard, Nils; Sarmiento, Christian; Atkinson, Rachel; Ladd, Brenton
The sorption capacity and affinity of biochar for metals are both important attributes that determine biochar’s suitability as a soil amendment for contaminant mitigation, yet few analyses have considered both characteristics simultaneously. We present a systematic review of literature published between 2010 and 2018 to test the hypothesis that sorption capacity and affinity are affected by biochar properties, attributes of the metal contaminant, and experimental conditions, in that order. We used random forest (RF) and multi-objective optimization to analyze data of 559 individual Langmuir adsorption isotherms extracted from 133 studies covering the sorption capacity (Cmax) and affinity (KL) of biochar for 17 different metals, elaborated from six different feedstock classes, three different types of feedstock pretreatment, and five types of post-pyrolysis treatment. Highest sorption values were obtained for Pb(II), Cr(IV), and Cd(II). The feedstock used was the key determinant influencing biochar’s capacity and affinity to sorb metal contaminants (first and fourth most important variable in RF models for Cmax and KL, respectively) with best results obtained for biochar elaborated from nutrient-dense feedstocks (animal biowaste, sludge, and manure). Biochars that had both high sorption capacity and affinity were the result of a longer duration of pyrolysis; they had lower C and higher N and O content, as well as lower C/N and higher O/C and H/C ratios, higher pore volumes and higher pH. Applying some form of pretreatment was better than none, whereas chemical modification was the best of the post-treatment methods analyzed. This review demonstrates clearly that multiple parameters during the preparation process influence the effectiveness of biochar to immobilize metal contaminants. Future research that focuses on mechanisms and the underlying factors for the correlations observed should allow the development of biochar formulations that are even more effective at immobilizing metal contaminants in soils and sediments.
Xanthomonas Wilt of banana drives changes in land-use and ecosystem services across Infected landscapes
(Journal Article, 2020-05) Ocimati, Walter; Groot, Jeroen C.J.; Tittonell, Pablo A.; Taulya, Godfrey; Ntamwira, Jules Bagula; Amato, Serge; Blomme, Guy
Changes in land-use have been observed in banana-based systems in the African Great Lakes region affected by Xanthomonas wilt disease (XW) of banana. Through focus group discussions (FGDs) and the 4-cell method (to map the area under production and the number of households involved), changes in land-use were assessed in 13 XW-affected landscapes/villages along a 230 km transect from Masisi (where XW arrived in 2001) to Bukavu (XW arrived around 2014) in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Farmers’ perceptions on the sustainability of new land uses were also documented. Soil nutrient content and erosion levels were measured for five major land-use options/trajectories on 147 fields across 55 farms in three landscapes along the transect. From banana being ranked the most important crop (92% of landscapes) before XW outbreaks, its importance had declined, with it grown on smaller farms by most households in 36% of the landscapes, while in 64% of cases by few households on smaller plots. Farmers uprooted entire banana mats or fields, expanding land under other crops. Species richness did not change at landscape level, although 21 crops were introduced at farm level. Banana is, however, still perceived as more sustainable due to its multi-functional roles. Soils under banana had better chemical attributes, while high erosion levels (Mg ha−1 year−1) occurred under cassava (1.7–148.9) compared with banana (0.3–10.7) and trees (0.3–5.9). The shifts from banana could thus affect supply of key services and sustainability of the farming systems. This study offers a good basis for interventions in XW-affected landscapes.
The performance of a wide range of plantain cultivars at three contrasting altitude sites in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
(Journal Article, 2020-02-04) Blomme, Guy; Sivirihauma, Charles; Vutseme, Lusenge; Turner, David W.; Ocimati, Walter
Plantains (Musa spp., plantain subgroup in the AAB genome group), an important staple food and income crop for millions of people in Africa and Latin America, grow best at lower elevations (<1,200 m a.s.l.) characterized by high temperatures and humid conditions. In Africa, this includes the Congo basin that has a high diversity of plantains. Plantains are high in pro-vitamin A carotenoid content, and identifying cultivars suitable for mid- to high altitude sites could potentially increase their contribution to reducing the problem of vitamin A deficiency. This study evaluated 52 plantain cultivars sourced from eastern DR Congo (representing the majority of plantain diversity in Eastern DR Congo and less than 50% of the known diversity across the whole of DR Congo) for their interaction and adaptability to different altitudes/temperatures, with the aim of identifying cultivars suited to high/cooler altitudes. The performance of plantains declined with increasing altitude. Highest yields (18–50 tonnes ha-1 yr-1) occurred at 1,066 m compared with 11–35 at the mid-altitude (1,815 m), and only 0.6–3.5 tonnes ha-1 yr-1 at the high altitude (2,172 m) site. Most (65%) of the 52 plantain cultivars performed well at the mid-altitude site. Thus, and in agreement with previous reports on 5 plantains, a broad range of plantains sourced from Eastern DR Congo could be promoted at mid-altitude areas that have traditionally been known to be conducive for only the East African highland bananas (Musa AAA-EAH genome group). Studies to evaluate, at mid- to high elevation, a larger portion of the plantain diversity of the whole of DR Congo and even West Africa are warranted.
Responding to future regime shifts with agrobiodiversity: A multi-level perspective on small-scale farming in Uganda
(Journal Article, 2020-08) Kozicka, Marta; Gotor, Elisabetta; Ocimati, Walter; Jager, Tamar de; Kikulwe, Enoch Mutebi; Groot, Jeroen C.J.
We analyse the impact of two large-scale regime shifts caused by disease incidence or climate change, and associated crop productivity and price changes, on banana-based smallholders in Uganda. We evaluate these farmers' vulnerability and assess the potential of using increased crop diversity to improve their resilience. We further explore trade-offs and synergies between environmental, economic and nutritional outcomes faced by the farmers in their decision making when a regime shift occurs. We simulate the large-scale scenarios with the IMPACT model and use the results obtained to assess their effect at the local level using the bio-economic farm-household model, FarmDESIGN. Our results indicate that climate change can lead to a regime shift that expands revenue variance, increases soil erosion and reduces vitamin A yield for farmers. Banana disease can negatively impact income levels and species diversity. We show that under both scenarios farmers have scope to reconfigure their farms and recover farm performance. Specifically, we discuss the benefits of species diversity; increasing agrobiodiversity by adding new crops increases the farm's adaptive capacity and resilience, allowing for much higher revenues, on-farm crop diversity and vitamin A production. The conceptual approach and the method we developed can be applied to assess the local synergies and trade-offs between crop diversity conservation, nutrition, environmental protection and human nutrition that farmers face as a result of global drivers. Our results offer a further understanding of how biodiverse systems respond to regime shifts, which can inform effective policy design. Our method can be also useful to help farmers manage their farms in a way to better meet their complex needs.
Making room for manoeuvre: addressing gender norms to strengthen the enabling environment for agricultural innovation
(Journal Article, 2020-05-18) Badstue, Lone B.; Elias, Marlène; Kommerell, Víctor; Petesch, Patti; Prain, Gordon; Pyburn, Rhiannon; Umantseva, Anya
Local gender norms constitute a critical component of the enabling (or disabling) environment for improved agricultural livelihoods – alongside policies, markets, and other institutional dimensions. Yet, they have been largely ignored in agricultural research for development. This viewpoint is based on many years of experience, including a recent major comparative research initiative, GENNOVATE, on how gender norms and agency interact to shape agricultural change at local levels. The evidence suggests that approaches which engage with normative dimensions of agricultural development and challenge underlying structures of inequality, are required to generate lasting genderequitable development in agriculture and natural resource management.
Benefits from the adoption of genetically engineered innovations in the Ugandan banana and cassava sectors: an ex ante analysis
(Working Paper, 2020-05) Kikulwe, Enoch Mutebi; Falck-Zepeda, José B.; Oloka, Herbert; Chambers, Judith A.; Komen, John; Zambrano, Patricia; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; Hanson, Hillary
The Government of Uganda has implemented programs and policies to improve the agricultural sector’s recent underperformance. Uganda’s two main food security crops, bananas and cassava, have been critically affected by two diseases: Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) and Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD). The effectiveness of agronomic and cultural practices to control these diseases has been limited, requiring better alternatives. The Ugandan R&D sector in collaboration with international partners have developed genetically engineered innovations that can control both diseases. To examine the potential benefits to consumers and producers from the adoption of genetically engineered banana and cassava with resistance to BXW and CBSD, we use a set of economic impact assessment methods. These include an economic surplus model implemented via IFPRI’s DREAMpy framework, a real options model and a limited gender assessment. Results from the economic surplus approach suggest that the adoption of both technologies can benefit Uganda. These results were confirmed for the case of bananas and partially for the case of cassava using the real options and the gender assessment performed. Results from this assessment are predicated on Uganda maintaining an enabling environment that will ensure the deployment and use of both innovations. Looking forward, continuing to improve enabling environment for innovation in Uganda will require addressing current R&D, regulatory, technology deployment and product stewardship processes constraints.
Assessment of the resilience in SEPLS (Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes) in Yanuo Village, Xishuangbanna, Southwest China
(Journal Article, 2020-05) Yang, Yunhui; Bai, Keyu; Li, Guanhua; Jarvis, Devra I.; Long, Chunlin
Participatory ‘assessment workshops’ were held in 2018 in Yanuo Village, Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. The ‘Indicators of Resilience in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS)’ tool was used to provide the community with a framework for discussion and analysis of socio-ecological processes essential for resilience. Workshops were planned and implemented by local people together with researchers from outside the community. Discussion, including a scoring process, was undertaken using a subset of twenty indicators designed to capture the communities’ perceptions of factors affecting the resilience of their landscapes. The indicators were also used to provide the local community with a framework to discuss both current conditions of resilience and potential areas for improvement. A key result was that the existing community management approach did not include loss of traditional knowledge as a factor that would impact on the livelihoods and well-being of the community. A mechanism to encourage young people to inherit and actively use traditional knowledge was agreed to be necessary and included in economic activities. In addition, the socio-economic infrastructure in the community needs further improvement. This community management assessment framework in Yanuo Village can be scaled out to other communities in tropical montane regions with similar socio-economic environments by supporting stakeholders (policymakers, NGOs and development agencies, etc.).
Gathering honey from wild and traditional hives in the Miombo woodlands of the Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique: What are the impacts on tree populations?
(Journal Article, 2019-01) Ribeiro, Natasha Sofia; Snook, Laura K.; Nunes de Carvalho Vaz, Iva Carla; Alvesa, Teresa
Honey gathering is one of the activities sustaining people's livelihoods in the Miombowoodlands of southern Africa. Current practices involve killing trees and can cause un-controlledfires, affecting villages, animals and trees. This study aimed to understandhoney gathering and production and its impacts on the Miombo woodland vegetation, inLizongole village, Niassa National Reserve. Data was obtained through semi-structuredinterviews with 15 honey gatherers in one village and on 95 plots where all trees 10 cm, dbh (diameter at breast height), alive or dead, were identified at species level, andtheir dbh (cm) and heights (m) measured. Forty-seven percent of the respondents pro-duced and managed beehives and 100% gathered wild honey. Bark beehives are prefer-entially made fromJulbernardia globiflora(‘Ntchenga’) while wild honey is gathered fromnatural cavities in a diversity of tree species, typically by felling the tree. Both techniquesare destructive and primarily target larger trees (average dbh of 26.1±1.2 cm for debarkedtrees and 30.4±2.4 cm for trees felled). Impacts on tree populations varied among the 12species killed for honey, depending largely on their relative abundances. For nine species,felling and debarking were found to have reduced the number of larger trees by between40% and 100% compared to previous densities. This is diminishing the nectar resource, thenumber of bee colonies, and the number of trees suitable for wild hives. However, honeycan be gathered using non-destructive traditional practices based on tree climbing.Widespread adoption of such practices is needed to sustain honey production.
Temporal variations of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 population in a heavily infected banana field in Southwest China
(Journal Article, 2019-10-03) Bai, Tingting; Xu, Shengtao; Rupp, Franziska; Fan, Huacai; Yin, Kesuo; Guo, Zhixiang; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Baoming; Huang, Yuling; Li, Yongping; Li, Xundong; Zeng, Li; Zheng, Sijun
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities – An environmental justice perspective on implications for forests and people
(Book Chapter, 2019-12-12) Sijapati Basnett, Bimbika; Myers, Rodd; Elias, Marlène
SDG 10 calls for reducing inequalities within and among countries. This chapter evaluates the potential effects of addressing SDG 10 from an environmental justice perspective, which comprises three interrelated dimensions: representative, recognition and distributive justice. We find considerable synergies and complementarities between the SDG 10 targets and goals of environmental justice. However, the disjuncture between SDG 10 and environmental goals within the SDGs may undermine efforts to promote environmental justice. Trade is not included in SDG 10; this is an important gap as markets for forest products can drive forest resource extraction, exacerbating inequalities among actors within global production networks. If SDG 10 addresses structural inequalities, it is also likely to support distributive, representational and recognition justice for forest-dependent populations. However, the myopic translation of its aspirational targets into easily measurable indicators may dampen the potential effects of addressing SDG10 in advancing environmental justice. Addressing ‘migration’ related targets and indicators is likely to elevate the importance of these issues in forestry policy and research, while also prompting a re-thinking of some of the underlying assumptions informing existing research in forestry.
Controlling Xanthomonas wilt of banana: Influence of collective application, frequency of application, and social factors on the effectiveness of the Single Diseased Stem Removal technique in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
(Journal Article, 2019-04) Blomme, Guy; Ocimati, W.; Sivirihauma, Charles; Lusenge, V.; Bumba, M.; Ntamwira, J.
Neglected, underutilized, and future smart crop species in Nepal
(Journal Article, 2020-05-03) Joshi, B.K.; Shrestha, R.; Gauchan, D.; Shrestha, A.
Una clasificación de proyectos de restauración del paisaje forestal en América Latina y el Caribe
(Brief, 2019) Coppus, Ruben; Romijn, E.; Méndez Toribio, M.; Murcia, C.; Thomas, E.; Guariguata, Manuel R.; Herold, M.; Verchot, Louis V.
Exploring solution spaces for nutrition-sensitive agriculture in Kenya and Vietnam
(Journal Article, 2020-04) Timler, Carl J.; Álvarez, Stéphanie; DeClerck, Fabrice A.J.; Remans, Roseline; Raneri, Jessica Evelyn; Estrada-Carmona, Natalia; Mashingaidze, Nester; Abe Chatterjee, Shantonu; Chiang, Tsai Wei; Termote, Céline; Yang, Ray-Yu; Descheemaeker, Katrien K.; Brouwer, Inge D.; Kennedy, Gina; Tittonell, Pablo A.; Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Smallholder agriculture is an important source of livelihoods in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In these regions the highest concentrations of nutritionally vulnerable populations are found. Agricultural development needs to be nutrition-sensitive, and contribute simultaneously to improving household nutrition, farm productivity and environmental performance. We explored the windows of opportunities for farm development and the potential of crop diversification options for meeting household dietary requirements, whilst concurrently improving household economic performance in contrasting smallholder farm systems in Kenya and Vietnam. Farm and household features and farmer perspectives and priorities were integrated into a farm-household model that allowed quantification of a diverse set of nutritional, labour and productive indicators. Using a multi-objective optimization algorithm, we generated ‘solution spaces’ comprising crop compositions and management configurations that would satisfy household dietary needs and allowed income gains. Results indicated site-specific synergies between income and nutritional system yield for vitamin A. Diversification with novel vegetables could cover vitamin A requirements of 10 to 31 extra people per hectare and lead to greater income (25 to 185% increase) for some households, but reduced leisure time. Although the Vietnamese sites exhibited greater nutrient system yields than those in Kenya, the household diets in Kenya had greater nutrient adequacy due to the fact that the Vietnamese farmers sold greater proportions of their on-farm produced foods. We conclude that nutrition-sensitive, multi-method approaches have potential to identify solutions to simultaneously improve household income, nutrition and resource management in vulnerable smallholder farming systems.
How diverse is tree planting by farmers in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso?
(Conference Paper, 2019) Valette, M.; Vinceti, B.; Traoré, D.
Should agroforestry coffee have an O layer? Contributions of the agroforest floor to productivity and resilience
(Conference Paper, 2019) Staver, Charles; Barrios, M.; Navarrete, E.; Navarrete, L.; Sepulveda, N.
Conservation of cacao intraspecific diversity in la Convención provence, Peru
(Conference Paper, 2019) Lavoie, A.; Olivier, Alain; Thomas, E.
Not all roads lead to Rome: Inclusive business models and responsible finance in pursuit of sustainable cocoa in Ghana
(Conference Paper, 2019) Stoian, D.; Menza, G.
Gendered knowledge on food trees for addressing food security and nutrition in Uganda and Kenya
(Conference Paper, 2019) Gachuiri, A.; Paez Valencia, Ana Maria; Elias, Marlène; Carsan, S.; McMullin, S.

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