Emmanuel Torquebiau

Tree Biodiversity, Land Dynamics and Farmers’ Strategies on the Agricultural Frontier of Southwestern Burkina Faso

In the sub-humid part of Burkina Faso, population growth, migrations and new marketing opportunities have induced rapid land-use changes and social reorganization, leading to new approaches to natural resource management. The objective of this study was to evaluate tree biodiversity parameters in agroforestry parklands (scattered trees in crop land) as population increases and fallows become shorter. Out of about 100 tree species existing in the area, and 50 commonly found in traditional parklands, only 3 indigenous and 2 non-native species hold a significant importance for farmers, all for their fruits. No indigenous tree species are planted, but a few are protected when clearing the land. Planted cashew nut orchards develop rapidly and are seen as a land tenure guarantee and an important source of income. Given these facts, the perspectives for tree biodiversity management in farmers’ land may appear bleak. Yet, the importance given by farmers to specific tree products demonstrates that trees do play a part in land development and farmers’ strategies. Existing practices of farmers show potential for improved land-use and spatial patterning of the land, as revealed by emerging parklands and orchards. Our data do not confirm common statements that migrant farmers do not manage the land as sustainably as native farmers do. Rather than trying to conserve tree biodiversity as it is, researchers and developers should identify with farmers the complementarities between trees and farms and promote tree biodiversity through existing practices.

Natural resource management by rural citizens in developing countries: innovations still required

We summarise the main issues related to Community-Based Natural Resource Management which were discussed at an International Workshop organized in Niamey, Niger, in March 2008. The objective of the workshop was to compare and contrast different development-oriented biodiversity conservation and natural resource management approaches as they exist across Africa. These approaches were explored following (1) the fundamentals of natural resource management in relation to local development and livelihoods and (2) the multi-functional nature of land use. The major topics subject to debate were the dichotomy between strictly protected areas and conservation areas including human activities; the importance of legitimate, people-centred conservation, as opposed to legal (drawn from the law) conservation; the key role of market instruments, participatory approaches, interdisciplinarity and local governance; and finally the strong relationships between agriculture and biodiversity conservation, especially at landscape level. We then provide a short summary of the 12 papers addressing the above topics and selected for the Special Issue of Biodiversity and Conservation on “Natural Resource Management and Local Development” (Vol xx, No xx, 2009).

Barriers and coping mechanisms relating to agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers in Gutu District, Zimbabwe. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology was based on field data collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and direct observations. Findings: Major findings reveal that traditional agroforestry was common in the study area. There were no cases of innovative agroforestry other than dwindling remnants from a former trees-with-pasture project. Majority of respondents were willing to adopt innovative agroforestry technologies to improve yields and income. Damage and destruction of plants by pests and animals due to lack of fences emerged as the major challenges to the adoption of agroforestry. Other challenges included seed availability and labour requirements. Possible coping strategies, identified through consulting farmers and other stakeholders, would include local initiatives and support from outside the community. Local and external efforts are required especially to secure inputs and raise awareness, knowledge and skills with respect to specific agroforestry technologies. Practical Implications: The paper presents pointers on the involvement of women in agroforestry and on the cultural significance of indigenous and exotic fruit trees. It provides practical lessons useful to extension or rural development workers in a localised set-up. Originality/Value: The case study gives an insight into the problems faced by peasant farmers and the requirements to make agroforestry successful. Practitioners in southern Africa could learn a great deal about issues relating to smallholder farmers from reading this paper.

Community visioning in a transfrontier conservation area in Southern Africa paves the way towards landscapes combining agricultural production and biodiversity conservation

This study employed participatory approaches to establish ways of engaging local communities within a transfrontier conservation area, towards achieving the goals of integrated agricultural production and biodiversity conservation at a landscape level, known as ecoagriculture. We facilitated farmers meetings to create charts of local environmental and livelihood concerns and of their vision of the future. Water scarcity, bad road conditions, unemployment and low harvests emerged among the most prevalent concerns. Through a visioning process, participants arrived at a desired future that was largely inclined towards improved livelihoods, with comparatively little attention on biodiversity enhancement. We conclude that stakeholder-driven ecoagriculture could be a sustainable strategy to simultaneously achieve the communitys vision and the goals of transfrontier conservation areas, provided biodiversity management strategies are linked to infrastructure improvement and income generating activities. We recommend a community visioning process as an effective approach to encourage collective action and to support local ownership of development programmes.

Unique Combinations of Stakeholders in a Transfrontier Conservation Area Promote Biodiversity-Agriculture Integration

The world seeks to balance biodiversity protection and food production. Transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) provide unique opportunities for strategies that combine agriculture with biodiversity conservation at a landscape level, known as ecoagriculture. We identified and consulted ecoagriculture stakeholders in a smallholder farming community within a TFCA. Data were obtained through key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys. Eighty-eight percent of key informants indicated that planned ecoagriculture was feasible in the area and 95% of interviewed farmers positively considered to plan the integration of biodiversity conservation and farming. Potential conflicts of interest were revealed among stakeholders but to a large extent, stakeholder roles and interests were complementary, creating an environment conducive to effective coordinated ecoagriculture planning.

Biodiversity Conservation Through Farming: A Landscape Assessment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The integration of agriculture and biodiversity has become an acknowledged solution to concurrently address the development of sustainable food production systems and the preservation of natural resources. However, there are few alternative farming systems combining agricultural commodities with ecosystem services. We examined the farm and landscape dynamics of an area in South Africa which has been isolated from mainstream agriculture for several decades. We used a time series of aerial photographs as well as farm surveys and interviews to analyze how historical and present trends can explain land use features. Results show that todays landscape is the consequence of dramatic socioeconomic transformations that have turned original transhumant livestock keepers into sedentary farmers. Although poverty is widespread, we found a well-balanced landscape with a regularly increasing tree cover and a high biodiversity potential. Beyond farm and household size, the main landscape impact factors are herd size and management as well as soil fertility management practices, including fallowing. We show that these conditions represent a good potential toward a multifunctional landscape, provided the relationships between farmers practices and biodiversity are better formalized and there are tangible benefits for farmers to opt for this approach.

Farming does not necessarily conflict with tree diversity in the mid-Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe

We tested whether cultivation and fallowing have any significant effect on tree species diversity and dominance in semi-arid Zimbabwe. To this end, we quantified tree species diversity and physiognomy on two soil types (mutapo and bandati) stratified into three land-use categories, i.e., cultivated land, fallow land and woodland. Results showed that tree species diversity was significantly different on the two soil types. Tree species diversity was high on bandati soil and low on mutapo soil. Results also showed that there was significant difference in tree species diversity among the three land-use categories on mutapo soil but no differences on bandati soil. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in species diversity between paired categories on mutapo soil but no significant differences on bandati soil. Tree physiognomy was significantly different among all three land use categories. Colophospermum mopane and Diospyros kirkii were the dominant species within woodlands, while Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa replaced them as the dominant species within the fallow land category. These results indicate that woodland conversion for cultivation purposes has no immediate significant effect on tree species diversity on bandati soil, while it has a pronounced effect on mutapo soil, at least in the short term.

Introduction to the special issue: Reconciling production and conservation at the landscape scale

The need to reconcile agriculture and the environment is widely shared by scholars and the subject of many papers in recent scientific literature. However, the means to reach this goal are varied. Some solutions offer minor adjustments to existing practices. Adjusting fertilizer use through precision agriculture techniques, for example, or substituting tillage with herbicides, like in conservation agriculture, are solutions that basically rely on the same conventional paradigm of modifying the environment, mainly through the use of external inputs. A recent paper in a widely respected journal (Foley et al. 2011) proposes strategies to address the twin challenges of food security and environmental sustainability by 1) stopping clearing new land for farming, 2) increasing yields, 3) increasing resource use efficiency (e.g. water, nutrients), and 4) increasing food delivery (shifting diets and reducing wastes). These approaches basically do not consider it possible to farm and at the same time protect and maintain a natural environment. It is either one or the other. They try to prevent problems and reduce risks (pollution, wastes, excessive irrigation, etc.) but do not propose alternatives. Such approaches may decrease agricultures environmental footprint, but will certainly not get to the bottom of our food system problems. As Einstein once put it: Problems cant be solved by applying the same ideas that created them. (Resume dauteur)

Analysis of landscape performance assessment by key stakeholders in a transfrontier conservation area

Abstract Stakeholder engagement has become an important aspect of sustainable natural resources management. This study analysed a landscape performance assessment by local and ‘external’ stakeholders in a transfrontier conservation area in Southern Africa. The landscape was divided into three agro-ecological zones and focus group discussions were facilitated for stakeholders to evaluate the landscape based on four ecoagriculture dimensions (production, conservation, livelihoods and institutions). The conservation dimension showed the best performance and the overall score for the landscape was 2.97, implying a fairly good performance. Perceptions and ratings did not significantly differ by age, gender or stakeholder groups. We conclude that despite their low levels of formal education and training, communal farmers can assess the performance of local landscapes in a consistent way. This study provides information about the degree to which the landscape under focus conformed to the main ecoagriculture goals and can guide development planning and extension service provision.