Sustainable Intensification to Advance Food Security and Enhance Climate Resilience in Africa

Sustainable Intensification to Advance Food Security and Enhance Climate Resilience in Africa PDF Author: Rattan Lal
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319093606
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 657

Book Description
This 32-chapter volume represents the core of several oral and poster presentations made at the conference. In addition to Introduction and Conclusion sections, the book is thematically divided into 7 sections, namely, 1) Land Use and Farming Systems, 2) Effects of Climate Change on Crop Yield, 3) Soil Nutrient and Water Management for Carbon Sequestration, 4) Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands through Forestry and Agroforestry, 5) Management of Animal Production for Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 6) Smallholder Adaptation to Climate Change, and 7) Economic, Social and Policy Issues. It addresses these themes in the context of sustainable intensification (SI). It implies increasing agronomic production from the existing land while improving/restoring its quality and decreasing the C or environmental footprint. Simply put, SI means producing more from less.

Sustainable Intensification for Food Security and Climate Change Adaptation in Tanzania

Sustainable Intensification for Food Security and Climate Change Adaptation in Tanzania PDF Author: Patrick Ryan Bell
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 201

Book Description
Over 70% of Tanzanians live on less that $2 per day and over 75% of the population is involved in agriculture. Increasing agricultural productivity is seen as a way to decrease poverty and stimulate the economy. Sustainable Intensification (SI) is widely promoted as a means to sustainably increase agricultural production for smallholder farmers. Practices considered being SI should increase productivity on the same land with more efficient use of resources, in a way that minimizes negative effects on the environment. The objectives of these studies were to evaluate SI practices for their effect on agronomic productivity and soil quality for smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Further, these studies sought to identify the impact that these practices have on smallholder farmer profitability and water management within an irrigation scheme. These objectives were achieved through experiments carried out at three locations over three growing seasons within the Lower Moshi Irrigation Scheme (LMIS) in Mabogini Village, Kilimanjaro Region, United Republic of Tanzania. The studies each evaluated improved cropping systems that are appropriate for various areas within the scheme. The first three studies evaluated the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), crop rotations and nutrient management strategies, and reduced tillage for their effect on agronomic productivity and soil quality. Two further studies evaluated the profitability of SRI and the occurrence of dry spells in the region and the implications this has for rainfed maize (Zea mayes) production. Within continuous rice (Oryza sativa), SRI and conventional had similar yields to those under conventional practices in the region except for during the last season, in which SRI systems yielded on average 1.25 Mg ha-1 higher than conventional systems. If SRI is adopted throughout the LMIS, there is potential to increase rice production by 4,173 Mg due to increased water use efficiency and the ability to increase the area under rice production. This translates into a potential net income in the region of $622,000 annually. The study evaluating crop rotations indicated that improved nutrient management resulted in higher yields regardless of other management practices. However, in rice-maize rotations, these studies indicate that bulk density and effective rooting depth issues will need to be addressed over the long term as they both violate critical limits established for maize production in tropical soils. The dry spell occurrence analysis indicated that the region is under a dry spell of greater than 15 days for 63% of the seasons analyzed. However, while maize yields under reduced tillage and supplemental irrigation were not significantly different from conventional tillage, all treatments received supplemental irrigation and yields ranged from 3.5-4.1 Mg ha-1—4 fold higher than current farmer yields. While rainfed maize is not feasible in the region, effective water management and supplemental irrigation can increase production in the area and should be explored further. Results from all the studies underline the importance of field-testing agricultural technologies within the context they are to be promoted and used. Overall, SI practices can be appropriate to farmers in the region but will require modification to ensure long-term sustainability.

Sustainable Intensification

Sustainable Intensification PDF Author: Jules N. Pretty
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136529276
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 292

Book Description
Continued population growth, rapidly changing consumption patterns and the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are driving limited resources of food, energy, water and materials towards critical thresholds worldwide. These pressures are likely to be substantial across Africa, where countries will have to find innovative ways to boost crop and livestock production to avoid becoming more reliant on imports and food aid. Sustainable agricultural intensification - producing more output from the same area of land while reducing the negative environmental impacts - represents a solution for millions of African farmers. This volume presents the lessons learned from 40 sustainable agricultural intensification programmes in 20 countries across Africa, commissioned as part of the UK Government's Foresight project. Through detailed case studies, the authors of each chapter examine how to develop productive and sustainable agricultural systems and how to scale up these systems to reach many more millions of people in the future. Themes covered include crop improvements, agroforestry and soil conservation, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, horticulture, livestock and fodder crops, aquaculture, and novel policies and partnerships.

Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa

Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa PDF Author: Cyndi Spindell Berck
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351369504
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 403

Book Description
A changing climate is likely to have a drastic impact on crop yields in Africa. The purpose of this book is to document the effects of climate change on agriculture in Africa and to discuss strategies for adaptation to hotter weather and less predictable rainfall. These strategies include promoting opportunities for farmers to adopt technologies that produce optimal results in terms of crop yield and income under local agro-ecological and socioeconomic conditions. The focus is on sub-Saharan Africa, an area that is already affected by changing patterns of heat and rainfall. Because of the high prevalence of subsistence farming, food insecurity, and extreme poverty in this region, there is a great need for practical adaptation strategies. The book includes empirical research in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and other Sub-Saharan countries, and the conclusion summarizes policy-relevant findings from the chapters. It is aimed at advanced students, researchers, extension and development practitioners, and officials of government agencies, NGOs, and funding agencies. It also will provide supplementary reading for courses in environment and development and in agricultural economics.

State of Food and Agriculture

State of Food and Agriculture PDF Author: Food and Agriculture Organization
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization
ISBN: 9789251093740
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 196

Book Description
Unless action is taken now to make agriculture more sustainable, productive and resilient, climate change impacts will seriously compromise food production in countries and regions that are already highly food-insecure. The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, represents a new beginning in the global effort to stabilize the climate before it is too late. It recognizes the importance of food security in the international response to climate change, as reflected by many countries prominent focus on the agriculture sector in their planned contributions to adaptation and mitigation. To help put those plans into action, this report identifies strategies, financing opportunities, and data and information needs. It also describes transformative policies and institutions that can overcome barriers to implementation. The State of Food and Agriculture is produced annually. Each edition contains an overview of the current global agricultural situation, as well as more in-depth coverage of a topical theme."

A user guide to Tanzania Africa research in sustainable intensification for the next generation (Africa RISING) baseline evaluation survey data

A user guide to Tanzania Africa research in sustainable intensification for the next generation (Africa RISING) baseline evaluation survey data PDF Author: Azzarri, Carlo
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 18

Book Description
The Tanzania Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) Baseline Evaluation Survey (TARBES) was implemented during February-April 2014 as part of the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Africa RISING. The Africa RISING program aims to create—through action research and development partnerships—opportunities for smallholder farmers in Africa south of the Sahara to sustainably intensify their farming systems and to improve their food, nutrition, and income security. Initiated in 2012, the program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the U.S. government’s Feed the Future (FTF) initiative. As part of the program, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) leads a sustainable intensification effort focusing on the cereal-based farming systems in the Guinea Savannah Zone of West Africa (Ghana and Mali) and East and Southern Africa (Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia) while the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) leads the research activities focusing on the crop-livestock systems of the Ethiopian highlands. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has been tasked with M&E of the three projects. Tanzania Africa RISING is being implemented in Babati, Kongwa, and Kiteto districts in Tanzania. The research activities are led by IITA. TARBES collected detailed household- and plot-crop level data addressing various topics: employment (agricultural and non-agricultural); health; agricultural land; crop inputs, harvest, storage, and sale; livestock ownership, feed, and water; agriculture-related challenges and coping strategies; credit and off-farm income sources; housing conditions and ownership of various durable assets; subjective welfare and food security; household-level food consumption; non-food expenditure; agricultural shocks; and child and women anthropometry. The community survey collected data on access to basic services; access to extension services; social organizations, mobility, and village-level shocks; access to natural resources; metric conversion units; and prices of crops and food items. TARBES covered 810 households and 25 communities drawn from the three project districts. Data was collected using structured questionnaires in multiple local languages through Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (using Surveybe).

Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability

Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability PDF Author: Pius Z. Yanda
Publisher: CABI
ISBN: 1789242967
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 263

Book Description
This book provides a detailed analysis of the economic and environmental impacts of climate change on the tropical ecosystems in Tanzania. Topics covered include agriculture, marine resources, wildlife, and weather forecasting. The analyses concentrate on real and potential impacts of climate change, focusing on changes in temperature and precipitation. Adaptive capacity and strategies for enhancing resilience (such as changing crop types and crop patterns in farming) are described.

Save and Grow

Save and Grow PDF Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9251068712
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 116

Book Description
The book offers a rich toolkit of relevant, adoptable ecosystem-based practices that can help the world's 500 million smallholder farm families achieve higher productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency while enhancing natural capital.

Economic Analysis of Land Use in Global Climate Change Policy

Economic Analysis of Land Use in Global Climate Change Policy PDF Author: Thomas W. Hertel
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135978824
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 516

Book Description
Land has long been overlooked in economics. That is now changing. A substantial part of the solution to the climate crisis may lie in growing crops for fuel and using trees for storing carbon. This book investigates the potential of these options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, estimates the costs to the economy, and analyses the trade-offs with growing food. The first part presents new databases that are necessary to underpin policy-relevant research in the field of climate change while describing and critically assessing the underlying data, the methodologies used, and the first applications. Together, the new data and the extended models allow for a thorough and comprehensive analysis of a land use and climate policy. This book outlines key empirical and analytical issues associated with modelling land use and land use change in the context of global climate change policy. It places special emphasis on the economy-wide competition for land and other resources, especially; The implications of changes in land use for the cost of climate change mitigation, Land use change as a result of mitigation, and Feedback from changes in the global climate to land use. By offering synthesis and evaluation of a variety of different approaches to this challenging field of research, this book will serve as a key reference for future work in the economic analysis of land use and climate change policy.

Intensifying agricultural production sustainably

Intensifying agricultural production sustainably PDF Author: Zurek, Monika
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst; Climate Focus
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 64

Book Description
Sustainable Intensification (SI) has emerged as one of the key strategies for dealing with the ‘monumental’ challenges facing the global food system. This paper reviews current thinking on SI and proposes a decision support tool to enable decision makers to assess the impacts of policy and technology based interventions on food production, food security, incomes and the environment.