Restoring Degraded Landscapes
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Item A collection of tools for land restoration(Working Paper, 2021-12-31) Pingault, N.; Meybeck, A.; Mehmood-Ul-Hassan, M.; Noordwijk, M. van; Minang, Peter A.; Gitz, V.Forests and trees have a major role to play to advance the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and address major global challenge such as: climate change, deforestation, forest and land degradation, biodiversity erosion, poverty and food insecurity. Over the last ten years, with the Bonn Challenge, the New York Declaration on Forests, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and several regional initiatives, forest and landscape restoration has gained increased traction on the political agenda. Successful and sustainable land restoration implies to consider a wide range of interconnected variables and, thus, requires a broad, diverse and transdisciplinary knowledge, as well as a deep understanding of local socio-ecological contexts. Research and development institutions play a central role in generating the needed knowledge and sharing it with the relevant stakeholders. This is why FTA, the CGIAR research program on forests, trees and agroforestry prepared with its partners this compilation of existing restoration tools developed by CGIAR research programs (CRPs), CGIAR cen ters and partner organizations. This document aims to inform the different stakeholders involved in restoration at different scales (policy makers, forest managers and restoration practitioners, land owners, project managers, conservation organizations, students and researchers) and help them find the tools they need to achieve their specific objectives in a given context.Item Restoring degraded landscapes. A synthesis of evidence generated by the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) to influence planning, investments, research, practice, capacity and policy(Brief, 2021-12-01) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems; International Water Management InstituteThis synthesis brief draws on the experiences of the Restoring Degraded Landscapes sub-program, part of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). The brief captures learning from a decade (2011-2021) of research in development work with different stakeholders including farmers and governments across the world to reverse landscape degradation. It provides an overview of effective approaches, innovations and solutions that can be taken forward and scaled up to meet current and future challenges from land degradation – as well as the opportunities that may arise.Item Sharing research data in a connected world for connected decisions: Lessons learned from the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)(Brief, 2021-12-01) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsTrends in data science demonstrate the utility of big, open access data in addressing global challenges such as land degradation, food and nutrition security, biodiversity loss and climate change. As vastly more data becomes accessible, new skill sets are required in order to collect, manage, curate, store, share and analyze these datasets. This brief provides lessons learned on collecting, managing and utilizing research data from a 10-year research-for-development program that aimed to advance research and innovation in the areas of soil, land, water and ecosystems. While institutional changes will take time, this paper advocates an integrated approach as a more immediate solution for managing large amounts of research data – from the outset of projects until the end with a specific focus on data ethics and reusability. Resources, capacities and organizational structures and norms must be built around these objectives.Item Contour Ridge Tillage for Improved Crops and Fodder Trees Production in the Villages of Kani and Noumpinesso, Southern Mali(Journal Article, 2021-06-10) Dembélé, C.O.; Traoré, K.; Karembe, M.; Zemadim, Birhanu; Samake, O.In rural Mali shortage of livestock feed is a challenging phenomenon worsening day by day, particularly in the villages of Kani and Noumpinesso. The significant decrease in crops yield and livestock are due to persistent and continuous land degradation and over grazing. Soil water erosion and inappropriate or ineffective farming systems led to land degradation over the many years. A purposeful growing of fodder plant (fast growing trees species) and crops in interacting combinations for a range of benefits would be required using a technology that is easily adaptable by the rural farming communities. Contour ridge (CR) technology is a holistic approach that protects farmlands from erosion; increases soil moisture, nutrient availability for crops and associated fast growing trees. The CR technology in combination with forage and improved crop production systems were applied in Kani and Noumpinesso villages of southern Mali and resulted indicated that at the end of rainy season of 2017 and 2018 the application of CR technology significantly increased (p < 0.05) Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala growth and development. Similar to 2017, in 2018 CR technology significantly increased (p < 0.05) sorghum, millet, maize, and cotton growth, yield, and economic benefit. At Kani during 2017 and 2018 season soil moisture was always significantly higher (p < 0.05) under fodder planted area than non-fodder planted area, and the difference was high with respect to farmlands without CR.Item Extent and management of acid soils for sustainable crop production system in the tropical agroecosystems: a review(Journal Article, 2021-08-31) Agegnehu, G.; Amede, T.; Erkossa, T.; Yirga, C.; Henry, C.; Tyler, R.; Nosworthy, M. G.; Beyene, S.; Sileshi, G. W.Increasing areas of agricultural land in high rainfall areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where crop production used to be reliable, are affected by soil acidity. This review focuses on the extent, causes and effect of soil acidity on soil properties and crop yield and its management from the context of SSA. Studies showed that the detrimental effects of soil acidity can be mitigated through liming, integrated acid soil management and the use of acid-tolerant germplasms. Application of lime resulted in yield increments of 34–252% in wheat, barley and tef, 29–53% in faba bean and soybean, and 42–332% in potato in Ethiopia, 111–182% in maize in Kenya, and 45–103% in Mucuna in Nigeria under moderate to severe acid soil conditions. This was accompanied by a corresponding increase in soil pH up to 1.9 units and a decrease in exchangeable acidity and aluminum up to 2.1 cmol kg−1. Use of acid-tolerant crop varieties such as maize expressing superior tolerance to Al toxicity resulted in a yield increase of 51% under low soil pH in Cameroon and Kenya. Overall, soil acidity covering ∼35% of SSA should be reclaimed with lime and integrated acid soil management interventions, which could significantly increase crop yield and enhance the resilience of the tropical agroecosystems.Item Special issue: Restoration for whom, by whom?(Journal Issue, 2021-06-01) Elias, Marlène; Joshi, Deepa; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) frames restoration as a momentous nature-based solution for achieving many of the ecological, economic, and social objectives outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, a critical void lies at the heart of this agenda: the lack of attention to social and political dimensions of nature and restoration initiatives. At this critical juncture, urgent attention is needed to the power and politics that shape the values, meanings, and science driving restoration; and to the uneven experiences of these processes as national restoration pledges touch down in diverse and unequal contexts. In this introduction to the special issue on “Restoration for Whom, by Whom?”, we critically examine the social inclusivity of restoration agendas, policies, and practices as these unfold across ecological and geographic scales. We argue that feminist political ecology (FPE), with its focus on gendered power relations, scale integration, and historical awareness, and its critique of the commodification of nature, offers a valuable lens through which to examine the socio-political and economic dynamics of restoration. Taking an FPE perspective, we elucidate how the ten papers comprising the special issue challenge mainstream narratives of environmental sustainability and suggest more grounded and nuanced ways forward for inclusive restoration initiatives. In conclusion, we highlight the urgency of addressing the systemic fault lines that create exclusions in restoration policies and practice; and the need to legitimize the plural voices, values, situated knowledges, and paths to sustainably transform degraded landscapes.Item Soil health and gender: Why and how to identify the linkages(Journal Article, 2021-07-04) Zhang, Wei; Elias, Marlène; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Swallow, Kimberly A.; Calvo-Hernandez, Carlos; Nkonya, Ephraim M.Item Rehabilitation of degraded rangelands in Jordan: The effects of mechanized micro water harvesting on hill-slope scale soil water and vegetation dynamics(Report, 2021-02-01) Strohmeier, S.; Fukai, S.; Haddad, M.; AlNsour, M.; Mudabber, M.; Akimoto, K.; Yamamoto, S.; Evett, S. R.; Oweis, T.Overexploitation and climate change accelerates the degradation of Jordan’s arid rangelands. Uncovered and crusted soils increase runoff and erosion and hinder the emergence of native vegetation. Micro water harvesting combined With shrub-seedling plantation has been widely applied to reverse land degradation trends. However, consequential soil water and vegetation dynamics have been rarely assessed, which constrains further out- scaling of the rehabilitation practice to complex environments. In Jordan, an experiment was set up to study the linkages between local rainfall characteristics, soil moisture, and the development of out-planted shrub-seedlings. Soil moisture was recorded at approximately weekly time-interval during the rainy and dry season 2017/2018 using a manually operated soil water sensor. Transect monitoring was pursued up and down the slope across four micro water harvesting pits and the interspaces. Data confirmed a significant soil moisture increase inside the pits - bridging intra-seasonal dry spells and soil water potentially deep-percolated into the karstic bedrock underneath. The study found that the out-planted shrubs’ stem diameter and height predominantly increased during post rainy season when the interspaces dried up while the pits continued providing moisture. The results are promising and contribute to integrated research towards halting land degradation and sustainable agro-pastoral development.Item Ten people-centered rules for socially sustainable ecosystem restoration(Journal Article, 2022-05) Elias, Marlène; Kandel, Matt; Mansourian, Stephanie; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Crossland, Mary; Joshi, Deepa; Kariuki, Juliet; Lee, Lynn C.; McElwee, Pamela; Sen, Amrita; Sigman, Emily; Singh, Ruchika; Adamczyk, Emily M.; Addoah, Thomas; Agaba, Genevieve; Alare, Rahinatu S.; Anderson, Will; Arulingam, Indika; Ḵung, SG̱iids; Bellis, Vanessa; Birner, Regina; Silva, Sanjiv de; Dubois, Mark J.; Duraisami, Marie; Featherstone, Mike; Gallant, Bryce; Hakhu, Arunima; Irvine, Robyn; Kiura, Esther; Magaju, Christine; McDougall, Cynthia; McNeill, Gwiisihlgaa Daniel; Nagendra, Harini; Huu Nghi, Tran; Okamoto, Daniel K.; Paez Valencia, Ana Maria; Pagella, Tim; Pontier, Ondine; Post, Miranda; Saunders, Gary W.; Schreckenberg, Kate; Shelar, Karishma; Sinclair, Fergus; Gautam, Rajendra S.; Spindel, Nathan B.; Unnikrishnan, Hita; Wilson, Gulx̱a taa'a gaagii ng.aang Nadine; Winowiecki, Leigh AnnAs the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins, there remains insufficient emphasis on the human and social dimensions of restoration. The potential that restoration holds for achieving both ecological and social goals can only be met through a shift toward people-centered restoration strategies. Toward this end, this paper synthesizes critical insights from a special issue on “Restoration for whom, by whom” to propose actionable ways to center humans and social dimensions in ecosystem restoration, with the aim of generating fair and sustainable initiatives. These rules respond to a relative silence on socio-political issues in diSacco et al.’s “Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits” on socio-political issues and offer complementary guidance to their piece. Arranged roughly in order from pre-intervention, design/initiation, implementation, through the monitoring, evaluation and learning phases, the 10 people-centered rules are: (1) Recognize diversity and interrelations among stakeholders and rightsholders’; (2) Actively engage communities as agents of change; (3) Address socio-historical contexts; (4) Unpack and strengthen resource tenure for marginalized groups; (5) Advance equity across its multiple dimensions and scales; (6) Generate multiple benefits; (7) Promote an equitable distribution of costs, risks, and benefits; (8) Draw on different types of evidence and knowledge; (9) Question dominant discourses; and (10) Practice inclusive and holistic monitoring, evaluation, and learning. We contend that restoration initiatives are only tenable when the issues raised in these rules are respectfully addressed.Item A Review of the Participation of Smallholder Farmers in Land-based Carbon Payment Schemes(Working Paper, 2021-11-23) Tamba, Y.; Wafula, J.; Magaju, C.; St-Jacques, B.; Stiem-Bhatia L.; Arias-Navarro, Cristina; Aynekulu, E.; Winowiecki, Leigh AnnThere is renewed interest in the engagement of smallholder farmers in carbon markets. This follows in the wake of commitments by governments and companies to reduce or avoid the release of greenhouse gases. It is well known that soil can store large amounts of carbon, and soil stewardship offers a means to harness this potential. However, issues around permanence and scaling in smallholder farmer systems must be addressed if progress is to be made in this area. In this review, we examine the engagement of smallholder farmers in carbon sequestration payment schemes that promote sustainable land management (SLM). Drawing on a review of documents from carbon payment projects, interviews with key informants, and scientific literature, we highlight approaches for smallholder engagement along the project cycle, identify key barriers to participation, and outline options to enhance farmers’ agency. In assessing a total of ten projects, we observe considerable variation in participation across the projects. Project design tools classified as co-decision tools were common, with 60 % of projects reporting the use of individualised land management plans, 30 % the use of participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) and 10 % participatory mapping. However, few projects featured detailed frameworks for the incorporation of community feedback. The key informant interviews and literature review revealed that low carbon revenues, insecure land tenure, and high transaction costs are the primary barriers to participation, placing disproportionate pressure on marginalised households. Further, designing and implementing rigorous, participatory, and cost-effective monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) methodologies remains a challenge for many project proponents. We also find that flexible contracts can foster broad participation by including details that are attractive to mallholders such as longer terms, local contract providers and low-cost SLM measures. Projects that strengthen community institutions and social capital can stimulate participation among the marginalised, reduce transaction costs, and promote equity as well as smallholder agency. Engagement with communitybased organisations or other civil society actors can facilitate communication between project proponents and farmers, bolster farmers’ bargaining power, and reduce transaction costs during implementation.Item Cassava Production Efficiency in Southern Ethiopia: The Parametric Model Analysis(Journal Article, 2021-11-22) Tafesse, Alula; Mena, Bekele; Belay, Abrham; Aynekulu, Ermias; Recha, John W.M.; Osano, Philip M.; Darr, Dietrich; Demissie, Teferi Dejene; Endalamaw, Tefera B.; Solomon, DawitDue to capital constraints and land scarcity in developing countries, introducing new technology to boost productivity is difficult. As a result, working to improve cassava production efficiency is the best option available. Cassava is increasingly being used as a food source as well as an industrial raw material in the production of economic goods. This study estimates cassava production efficiency and investigates the causes of inefficiency in southern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data from 158 households were collected using a systematic questionnaire. The Cobb-Douglas (CDs) stochastic frontier production model was used to calculate production efficiency levels. The computed mean result showed technical efficiency (TE), allocative efficiency (AE), and economic efficiency (EE) levels of 74, 90, and 66%, respectively. This demonstrated that existing farm resources could increase average production efficiency by 26, 10, and 34%, respectively. The study found that land size, urea fertilizer application, and cassava planting cut all had a positive and significant effect on cassava production. It was discovered that TE was more important than AE as a source of benefit for EE. Inefficiency effects modeled using the two-limit Tobit model revealed that household head age, level of education, cassava variety, extension contact, rural credit, off-farm activities involvement to generate income, and farm size were the most important factors for improving TE, AE, and EE efficiencies. As a result, policymakers in government should consider these factors when addressing inefficiencies in cassava production. It is especially important to provide appropriate agricultural knowledge through short-term training, to provide farmers with access to formal education, to access improved cassava varieties, and to support agricultural extension services.Item A Role for Drylands in a Carbon Neutral World?(Journal Article, 2021-11-05) Hanan, N.P.; Milne, E.; Aynekulu, E.; Yu, Q.; Anchang, J.Drylands are a critical part of the earth system in terms of total area, socioeconomic and ecological importance. However, while drylands are known for their contribution to inter-annual atmospheric CO2 variability, they are sometimes overlooked in discussions of global carbon stocks. Here, in preparation for the November 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), we review dryland systems with emphasis on their role in current and future carbon storage, response to climate change and potential to contribute to a carbon neutral future. Current estimates of carbon in dryland soils and vegetation suggest they are significant at global scale, containing approximately 30% of global carbon in above and below-ground biomass, and surface-layer soil carbon (top 30 cm). As ecosystems that are limited by water, the drylands are vulnerable to climate change. Climate change impacts are, however, dependent on future trends in rainfall that include both drying and wetting trends at regional scales. Regional rainfall trends will initiate trends in dryland productivity, vegetation structure and soil carbon storage. However, while management of fire and herbivory can contribute to increased carbon sequestration, impacts are dependent on locally unique ecosystem responses and climate-soil-plant interactions. Similarly, while community based agroforestry initiatives have been successful in some areas, large-scale afforestation programs are logistically infeasible and sometimes ecologically inappropriate at larger scales. As climate changes, top-down prescriptive measures designed to increase carbon storage should be avoided in favour of locally-adapted approaches that balance carbon management priorities with local livelihoods, ecosystem function, biodiversity and cultural, social and economic priorities.Item Challenges to operationalizing sustainable diets: Perspectives from Kenya and Vietnam(Journal Article, 2021-10-13) Hoey, Lesli; Khoury, Colin K.; Osiemo, Jamleck; Shires, Anna; Binge, Brenda; Duong, Thi Thanh; Jalang’o Anyango, Dorcas; Trinh, Huong Th; Huynh, Tuyen; Judelsohn, Alexandra; Haan, Stef de; Heller, Martin C.; Chege, Christine G. Kiria; Jones, Andrew D.Despite the urgent need for comprehensive food systems strategies, the challenge lies in defining feasible, evidence-based intervention points. Too little is known about issues food systems decision-makers and other change agents are running up against, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where food systems are the most vulnerable to a growing number of intertwined crises. We look at this question through the lens of sustainable diets, a growing area of research and a concept that is the basis of over 30 sets of national guidelines that aim to simultaneously address health, economic and environmental dimensions of food systems. Based on 114 interviews carried out in Kenya and Vietnam, we examine the extent to which food systems researchers, business and project managers and policy actors are attempting to intervene in food systems in ways that mirror the concept of sustainable diets. We also consider how they are managing two key ingredients that are critical to systems-change—interdisciplinary data and cross-sector collaboration. Most stakeholders we interviewed were carrying out systems-based projects, oriented—even if not explicitly—around many of the sustainable diets domains: agriculture, livelihoods, food security/access/nutrition and/or environment. The majority faced formidable challenges with both data and collaborations, however, showing why it can be so difficult to move from normative ideals like “sustainable diets” to practical realities, regardless of the context. To support more comprehensive food systems policies and interventions, our findings suggest the need for strategies that can improve the collection and accessibility of actionable, cross-sector data, and mechanisms to overcome institutional barriers that limit collaboration.Item How application of agricultural waste can enhance soil health in soils acidified by tea cultivation: A review(Journal Article, 2022-02) Le, Viet San; Herrmann, Laetitia; Hudek, Lee; Binh, Nguyen Thi; Bräu, Lambert; Lesueur, DidierItem Effects of mixed application of green manure with phosphate fertilizer on soil enzyme activity at a manure microsite(Journal Article, 2020) Zou, W.; Chen, S.; Huan, H.; Liu, G.; Chen, D.; Lesueur, D.Item Testing of commercial inoculants to enhance P uptake and grain yield of promiscuous soybean in Kenya(Journal Article, 2020-05-07) Faye, A.; Stewart, Zachary P.; Ndung’u-Magiroi, K.; Diouf, M.; Ndoye, I.; Diop, T.; Dalpé, Y.; Prasad, P.V.V.; Lesueur, D.The aim of this study was to assess the potential of commercial mycorrhizal inoculants and a rhizobial inoculant to improve soybean yield in Kenya. A promiscuous soybean variety was grown in a greenhouse pot study with two representative soils amended with either water-soluble mineral P or rock P to assess product performance. The performance of selected mycorrhizal inoculants combined with a rhizobial inoculant (Legumefix) was then assessed with farmer groups in three agroecological zones using a small-plot, randomized complete block design to assess soybean root colonization by mycorrhiza, nodulation, and plant biomass production in comparison to rhizobial inoculant alone or with water-soluble mineral P. Greenhouse results showed highly significant root colonization by commercial mycorrhizal inoculant alone (p < 0.001) and in interaction with soil type (p < 0.0001) and P source (p < 0.0001). However, no significant effect was shown in plant P uptake, biomass production, or leaf chlorophyll index. In field conditions, the e ects of mycorrhizal and rhizobial inoculants in combination or alone were highly context-specific and may induce either a significant increase or decrease in root mycorrhizal colonization and nodule formation. Mycorrhizal and rhizobial inoculants in combination or alone had limited effect on plant P uptake, biomass production, leaf chlorophyll index, and grain yield. Though some mycorrhizal inoculants induced significant root colonization by mycorrhizal inoculants, this did not lead to higher soybean yield, even in soils with limited P content. Our results are further evidence that inoculant type, soil type, and P source are critical factors to evaluate commercial inoculants on a context-specific basis. However, our results highlight the need for the identification of additional targeting criteria, as inoculant type, soil type, and P source alone were not enough to be predictive of the response. Without the identification of predictive criteria for improved targeting, the economic use of such inoculants will remain elusive.Item Sustainable tea production through agroecological management practices in Vietnam: a review(Journal Article, 2021-12) Viet, San Le; Lesueur, Didier; Herrmann, Laetitia; Hudek, Lee; Luu, Ngoc Quyen; Brau, LambertItem Phosphate fertilizer addition increases the movement distance and content of the acid soil inorganic phosphorus fractions at green manure microsites(Journal Article, 2020) Wang, Y.; Huang, J.; Huan, H.; Liu, G.; Lesueur, Didier; Hong, J.; Dong, R.Item Influences of farming practices on soil properties and the 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline content of Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice grains(Journal Article, 2020-12-21) Chinachanta, Kawiporn; Herrmann, Laetitia; Lesueur, Didier; Jongkaewwattana, Sakda; Santasup, Choochad; Shutsrirung, ArawanKhao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML105) is a premium fragrant rice variety and is widely grown in )ung Kula Rong Hai (TKR), northeast )ailand. In the present study, the influence of organic and conventional rice farming (ORF and CRF, respectively) in TKR farmers’ paddy fields on soil properties and their relationship with 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) in KDML105 rice grains were investigated. )e results indicated that the ORF system had a strong positive effect on major soil quality indicators and the 2AP content in the rice grains. )e soil organic matter (SOM) was approximately twice as much in the ORF than in the CRF system, thus leading to much higher total nitrogen (TN), humic acid (HA), and microbial populations in the ORF system.)ehigher SOM in the ORF system not only enhanced the soil quality indicators but also contributed to approximately 3.5 times higher 2AP than in the CRF system. Principle component analysis indicated a close correlation among SOM, TN, HA, and microbial population under the ORF system; these variables exhibited strong correlations with the 2AP contents in KDML105 rice grains.Item Traditional knowledge affects soil management ability of smallholder farmers in marginal areas(Journal Article, 2021-02) Occelli, Martina; Mantino, Alberto; Ragaglini, Giorgio; Dell’Acqua, Matteo; Fadda, Carlo; Pè, Mario Enrico; Nuvolari, AlessandroSoil fertility is key to sustainable intensification of agriculture and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, when soil nutrients are not adequately managed, smallholder farming practices slowly erode soils to almost inert systems. This case study contributes to the understanding of such failures in marginal areas. We integrate agronomic and social sciences approaches to explore links between smallholder households’ farming knowledge and soil fertility in an ethnopedological perspective. We interview 280 smallholder households in two areas of the Ethiopian highlands, while collecting measures of 11 soil parameters at their main field. By analyzing soil compositions at tested households, we identify a novel measure of soil management ability, which provides an effective empirical characterization of the soil managing capacity of a household. Regression analysis is used to evaluate the effects of household knowledge on the soil management ability derived from laboratory analysis. Results highlight the complexity of knowledge transmission in low-input remote areas. We are able to disentangle a home learning and a social learning dimension of the household knowledge and appraise how they can result in virtuous and vicious cycles of soil management ability. We show that higher soil management ability is associated with farmers relying to a great extent on farming knowledge acquired within the household, as a result of practices slowly elaborated over the years. Conversely, lower soil management ability is linked to households valuing substantially farming knowledge acquired through neighbors and social gatherings. The present study is the first to formulate the concept of soil management ability and to investigate the effects of the presence and the types of farming knowledge on the soil management ability of smallholder farmers in remote areas. We show that farming knowledge has a primary role on soil fertility and we advise its consideration in agricultural development policies.