Water, Land and Ecosystems - Journal Article

Tri-trophic defenses as a central pivot of low-emission, pest-suppressive farming systems

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:59:38 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Wyckhuys, Kris A.G.
Wei Zhang
Colmenarez, Yelitza C.
Simelton, Elisabeth
Sander, Bjorn O.
Yanhui Lu

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the intricate connections between human and planetary health. Given that pesticide-centered crop protection degrades ecological resilience and (in-)directly harms human health, the adoption of ecologically sound, biodiversity-driven alternatives is imperative. In this Synthesis paper, we illuminate how ecological forces can be manipulated to bolster ‘tritrophic defenses’ against crop pests, pathogens, and weeds. Three distinct, yet mutually compatible approaches (habitat-mediated, breeding-dependent, and epigenetic tactics) can be deployed at different organizational levels, that is, from an individual seed to entire farming landscapes. Biodiversity can be harnessed for crop protection through ecological infrastructures, diversification tactics, and reconstituted soil health. Crop diversification is ideally guided by interorganismal interplay and plant–soil feedbacks, entailing resistant cultivars, rotation schemes, or multicrop arrangements. Rewarding opportunities also exist to prime plants for enhanced immunity or indirect defenses. As tritrophic defenses spawn multiple societal cobenefits, they could become core features of healthy, climate-resilient, and low-carbon food systems.

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Wyckhuys, Kris AG; Zhang, Wei; Colmenarez, Yelitza C.; Simelton, Elisabeth; Sander, Bjorn O.; and Lu, Yanhui. 2022. Tri-trophic defenses as a central pivot of low-emission, pest-suppressive farming systems. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 58(October 2022): 101208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2022.101208

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/125503

Are landscape approaches possible under authoritarianism? multi-stakeholder governance and social transformation in Myanmar

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 12:11:28 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Land Management

Languageen

Authors

Forsyth,T.
Springate-Baginski, O.

Landscape Approaches have been proposed as a transferable model of multi-stakeholder governance, yet assume conditions of ideal speech, trust, and transparency that seem untransferable to authoritarian regimes. This paper argues that building Landscape Approaches under authoritarian conditions cannot be based on a governance deficit model of awaiting idealized political conditions, but instead needs to pay attention to how local social and political structures influence what is deliberated, and by whom. The paper presents evidence from a multi stakeholder environmental intervention around Lake Indawgyi in Kachin State, Myanmar, to draw lessons for transferring Landscapes Approaches under conditions of political authoritarianism, sporadic violent conflict, and rapid socio-economic change. Using information gathered from village surveys and interviews with policy makers, the paper analyzes how multifunctionality, stakeholder engagement, and deliberation are achieved, and with whose influence. The paper argues that common principles of Landscapes Approaches need to acknowledge more how state-led agendas can influence agendas and participation in conservation; but also how the composition and interests of stakeholders are not fixed under socio-economic transformation. Focusing on local and contextual drivers of environmental change and political inequality are more useful for transferring Land scape Approaches to authoritarian regimes than adhering to optimistic principles, or testing associations between variables without reference to context. Indeed, the latter risks depoliticizing conflictual processes, and implicitly endorsing political inequalities. The 2021 military coup in Myanmar has added to these inequalities.

Download

Download

Citation

Forsyth,T.; Springate-Baginski, O. 2021. Are landscape approaches possible under authoritarianism? multi-stakeholder governance and social transformation in Myanmar. Environmental science and policy. pp:124(2021)359-369

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/121011

Solutions

Landscape Restoration

Effects of training duration and the role of gender on farm participation in water user associations in southern Tajikistan: implications for irrigation management

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 12:17:31 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Balasubramanya, Soumya

This paper examines whether longer training increases farm participation in community-managed water user associations, in a context where assignment to training duration was not randomized and none of these institutions existed before training began. We also examine whether participation is affected when farm managers migrate and leave farm operations to other workers, in a context where only managers have been directly trained, almost all managers are male, and females are increasingly operating farms. We collected microdata from 1855 farms in Southern Tajikistan, where farm managers in 40 subdistricts received longer training, while those in the other 40 received shorter training. These ‘treatment’ and ‘control’ subdistricts were selected by constructing propensity scores and matching without replacement to address observable selection effects that may affect assignment to training duration. Farms were then selected from a census using a stratified random sampling process. A difference-in-difference technique with right-hand-side covariates is employed, where both sets of data were collected after training was completed. This choice of econometric methods controls against farm-level selection effects, but introduces a potential bias due to measurement error. Longer training has a causal effect on increasing participation in WUAs. Results also demonstrate that when male workers not directly trained operate farms, participation is not affected; however, participation is negatively affected when female workers operate farms. These results provide evidence for designing irrigation management programs to target female workers directly, in order to strengthen institutions whose success depends on active farm participation.

Citation

Balasubramanya, Soumya. 2019. Effects of training duration and the role of gender on farm articipation in water user associations in southern Tajikistan: implications for irrigation management. Agricultural Water Management, 216:1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2019.01.019

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99291

Optimising the water we eat—rethinking policy to enhance productive and sustainable use of water in agri-food systems across scales

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 12:42:16 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Uhlenbrook, Stefan
Yu, W.
Schmitter, Petra
Smith, Douglas Mark

Sustainable and resilient food systems depend on sustainable and resilient water management. Resilience is characterised by overlapping decision spaces and scales and interdependencies among water users and competing sectors. Increasing water scarcity, due to climate change and other environmental and societal changes, makes putting caps on the consumption of water resources indispensable. Implementation requires an understanding of different domains, actors, and their objectives, and drivers and barriers to transformational change. We suggest a scale-specific approach, in which agricultural water use is embedded in a larger systems approach (including natural and human systems). This approach is the basis for policy coherence and the design of effective incentive schemes to change agricultural water use behaviour and, therefore, optimise the water we eat.

Download

Download

Citation

Uhlenbrook, Stefan; Yu, W.; Schmitter, Petra; Smith, Douglas Mark. 2022. Optimising the water we eat—rethinking policy to enhance productive and sustainable use of water in agri-food systems across scales. Lancet Planetary Health, 6(1):E59-E65. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00264-3]

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117373

Impact of raised beds on surface runoff and soil loss in Alfisols and Vertisols

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 12:41:26 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Hydrology
Rainwater
Soil
Water Management

Languageen

Authors

Garg, K. K.
Anantha, K. H.
Dixit, S.
Nune, R.
Venkataradha, A.
Wable, P.
Budama, N.
Singh, R.

Hydrological monitoring is crucial to designing agricultural water management (AWM) interventions. This study characterizes the soil hydraulic properties of Alfisols and Vertisols and develops rainfall-runoff-soil loss relationships through long-term hydrological monitoring. Two types of landform management techniques, i.e., raised bed and flat bed, were followed in three paired watersheds of 2–5 ha, characterized by deep Vertisols, medium deep Vertisols and Alfisols. Surface runoff and soil loss were monitored at the outlet of the respective watersheds for 8–12 years. In addition, 29 infiltration tests were conducted using a tension disc infiltrometer by applying a suction of −150 mm, −100 mm, −50 mm, and −20 mm. Soil macro porosity and hydraulic conductivity in the raised bed landform were found to be almost double those in the flat beds at −50 mm suction head in both the soil types. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was found higher in Alfisols compared to Vertisols; however, less runoff was generated in Vertisols compared to Alfisols. This phenomenon is largely explained by the high water storage capacity of Vertisols. Runoff generated from both the soils was less than 2% of total rainfall (<500 mm) received in dry years. In normal years (600–900 mm), runoff coefficient for Vertisols ranged from 7–11% of total rainfall compared to 16–17% in the case of Alfisols. However, runoff generated from fallow land was 17% in deep Vertisols due to higher soil moisture content and limited available storage compared to the cropped land. The raised bed method reduced surface runoff by 15–20 mm in Alfisols compared to 35–40 mm in Vertisols. Runoff from the raised beds was significantly lower during light and moderate intensity rainfall compared to the flat bed method; however, this difference was not significant during events of high and very high intensity rainfall. In addition, raised beds reduced soil loss by 30–60% compared to flat beds. The results of this study are useful in designing evidence-based AWM strategies under rainfed conditions.

Download

Download

Citation

Garg, K. K.; Anantha, K. H.; Dixit, S.; Nune, R.; Venkataradha, A.; Wable, P.; Budama, N.; Singh, R. 2021. Impact of raised beds on surface runoff and soil loss in Alfisols and Vertisols. Catenac. 211:105972. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105972

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117372

Solutions

Impact of agricultural water management interventions on upstream–downstream trade-offs in the upper Cauvery catchment, southern India: a modelling study

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 12:40:51 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Groundwater
Water Management
Watersheds

Languageen

Authors

Wable, P. S.
Garg, K. K.
Nune, R.
Venkataradha, A.
Anantha K. H.
Srinivasan, V.
Ragab, R.
Rowan, J.
Keller, V.
Majumdar, P.
Rees, G.
Singh, R.
Dixit, S.

The Cauvery basin in southern India is experiencing transboundary issues due to increasing water demand. This study analysed water balance components and the impact of agricultural water management (AWM) interventions in the upper Cauvery catchment of the Cauvery basin. Results showed that the study catchment receives an average of 1280 mm of annual rainfall. Of this, 29% (370 mm) flows downstream, 54% (700 mm) contributes to evapotranspiration (ET) and 17% (215 mm) contributes to groundwater recharge and surface storage. Rainfall varies from 700 to 5400 mm and the Western Ghats (mountain pass) are the main source of freshwater generation. The estimated ET in different catchments ranged from 500 to 900 mm per annum. An increase in the allocation of fresh water supplied by all three reservoirs (Hemavathi, Harangi and KRS) was observed in the canal command areas, from 1450 million cubic metres (MCM) yr‾¹ in 1971–1980 to 3800 MCM yr‾¹ in 2001–2010. AWM interventions harvested 140–160 MCM (13–20 mm) of surface runoff upstream of the upper Cauvery and reduced inflow into the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir by 2–6%. The study findings are useful for designing and planning suitable water management interventions at basin scale.

Download

Download

Citation

Wable, P. S.; Garg, K. K.; Nune, R.; Venkataradha, A.; Anantha K. H.; Srinivasan, V.; Ragab, R.; Rowan, J.; Keller, V.; Majumdar, P.; Rees, G.; Singh, R.; Dixit, S. 2021. Impact of agricultural water management interventions on upstream–downstream trade-offs in the upper Cauvery catchment, southern India: a modelling study. Irrigation and Drainage.2021:1–23. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2662

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117358

Solutions

Transforming livestock productivity through watershed interventions: A case study of Parasai-Sindh watershed in Bundelkhand region of Central India

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 12:40:51 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Livestock
Watersheds

Languageen

Authors

Dev, I.
Singh, R.
Garg, K. K.
Ram, A.
Singh, D.
Kumar, N.
Dhyani, S. K.
Singh, A.
Anantha, K. H.
Akuraju, V.
Dixit, S.
Tewari, R. K.
Dwivedi, R. P.
Arunachalam, A.

CONTEXT: Global experiences reveal the positive impact of watershed-based interventions in improving livelihoods and environmental security. In the drylands, increasing forage resources and improving livestock productivity is a critical challenge. OBJECTIVES: The overarching aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of watershed-based interventions on livestock population, productivity, fodder resources, and biomass availability. The paper describes the interrelationship between land, water, crop, and livestock and how the gap in forage deficit can be bridged through a range of watershed interventions. METHODS: The study was undertaken in the Parasai-Sindh watershed of Central India between 2011 and 2016. A 300-year-old defunct haveli (a traditional rainwater harvesting structure) was renovated and nine check dams along the drainage line were constructed. Nearly 25,000 running-meters of field bunds were constructed. Large fields (2-3 ha) were divided into relatively smaller plots (0.3–0.5 ha) to reduce runoff velocity. The impact of watershed interventions on water availability, livestock productivity, forage yield, and income was studied through hydrological monitoring, primary household survey and principal component analysis (PCA) biplot and hierarchical clustering. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The watershed interventions enhanced groundwater availability leading to greater fodder availability, 22% increase in livestock population (ACU) and a 120% increase in milk production over a period of five years. The bovine population recorded a surge of 193% (cattle) and 32% (buffalo) over this period. Mean dry matter (DM, fodder) availability also increased from 10 t/household/year to 16.7 t/household/year owing to improved water availability. Groundnut (rainy season) and wheat (post rainy season) contributed significantly as forage resources. There was an annual forage demand of 5560 t DM for a livestock population of 2175 ACU in 2011 and of 6770 t DM for a livestock population of 2650 ACU in 2016. Annual forage biomass availability was estimated at 4219 t DM in 2011 and 6977 t DM in 2016. There was a deficit of 1341 t DM (24%) in 2011 which turned into a 3% surplus of 210 t DM in 2016 through watershed-based interventions. With increased cropping intensity and milk production, average annual household income increased from US$ 1325 to US$ 2430 over the five-year period. SIGNIFICANCE: This case study clearly illustrates the impact of watershed-based interventions on livestock population, productivity, forage resources, and biomass availability to bridge the gap in forage deficit. Its findings serve as a guide to widely scale up watershed-based interventions for improved water and biomass availability, and livestock productivity in semi-arid and dryland regions.

Citation

Dev, I.; Singh, R.; Garg, K. K.; Ram, A.; Singh, D.; Kumar, N.; Dhyani, S. K.; Singh, A.; Anantha, K. H.; Akuraju, V.; Dixit, S.; Tewari, R. K.; Dwivedi, R. P.; Arunachalam, A. 2021. Transforming livestock productivity through watershed interventions: A case study of Parasai-Sindh watershed in Bundelkhand region of Central India. Agricultural Systems. 196:103346. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103346

Accessibility

Limited Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117344

Contour Ridge Tillage for Improved Crops and Fodder Trees Production in the Villages of Kani and Noumpinesso, Southern Mali

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:40:40 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Agricultural production
Land Management
Soil

Languageen

Authors

Dembele, C. O.
Traore, K.
Karembe, M.
Zemadim, B.
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.

Citation

Dembele, C. O.; Traore, K.; Karembe, M.; Zemadim, B.; Samake, O. 2021. Contour Ridge Tillage for Improved Crops and Fodder Trees Production in the Villages of Kani and Noumpinesso, Southern Mali. Journal of Agricultural Studies, 9(2):550-572. ISSN 2166-0379 doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.5296/jas.v9i2.18513

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117340

Solutions

Landscape resource management for sustainable crop intensification

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:40:40 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Groundwater
Livelihoods
Soil
Water Balance

Languageen

Authors

Anantha, K. H.
Garg, K. K.
Singh, R.
Akuraju, V.
Dev, I.
Petrie, C. A.
Whitbread, A. M.
Dixit, S.

Crop intensification is required to meet the food demands of an increasing population. This paper presents data from three paired scaling-up initiatives to compare the benefits of landscape-based interventions over individual plot-level interventions using evidence generated in the Indian semi-arid tropics. A range of soil and water conservation interventions were implemented in a decentralized manner following the landscape-based approach. The plot-level approach focused only on balanced fertilizer application and improved crop cultivars while the landscape-based interventions primarily addressed moisture availability, which was the key to reducing risks of crop failure besides aiding productivity gain and enhanced land and water-use efficiency. These interventions have additionally harvested 50–150 mm of surface runoff and facilitated groundwater recharge in 550–800 mm rainfall zones. Individual plot-level interventions also improved the crop yield significantly over the control plots. However, crop intensification was not achieved due to limited moisture availability. Landscape-based interventions produced 100%–300% higher crop production per year, greater income generation (>100%), and improved water productivity. Landscape-based interventions were also found to be beneficial in terms of reducing soil loss by 75%–90% and improving base flow availability additionally by 20–75 d in a year compared to untreated watersheds. With increased moisture availability, fallow lands in respective watersheds have been utilized for cultivation, thereby enhancing crop intensification. The findings of the study provide critical insights into the design of approaches suitable for scaling-up projects in order to both create impact and target the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Download

Download

Citation

Anantha, K. H.; Garg, K. K.; Singh, R.; Akuraju, V.; Dev, I.; Petrie, C. A.; Whitbread, A. M.; Dixit, S. 2021. Landscape resource management for sustainable crop intensification. Environmental Research Letters. 17:014006 doi: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac413a

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117343

Solutions

Challenges to operationalizing sustainable diets: Perspectives from Kenya and Vietnam

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 12:41:38 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Hoey, Lesli
Khoury, Colin K.
Osiemo, Jamleck
Shires, Anna
Binge, Brenda
Duong, Thi Thanh
Jalango, 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.

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Hoey, L.; Khoury, C.K.; Osiemo, J.; Shires, A.; Binge, B.; Duong, T.T.; Jalango, D.; Trinh, H.; Huynh, T.; Judelsohn, A.; de Haan, S.; Heller, M.C.; Chege, C.; Jones, A.D. (2021) Challenges to operationalizing sustainable diets: Perspectives from Kenya and Vietnam. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 5: 690028. ISSN: 2571-581X

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Restoring Degraded Landscapes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115409