Patterns in the conservation and use of traditional vegetables from the New Guinean biodiversity hotspot
Svein Øivind Solberga,b, Philmah Seta-Wakenc, Tania Pauld, Gomathy Palaniappane,
and Ellen Iramua
aWorld Vegetable Center, Tainan, Taiwan; bFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agriculture Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway; cNational Agricultural Research Institute, Southern Regional Center, Papua New Guinea; dSchool of Primary Industries, Charles Darwin University, School of Primary Industries, Darwin, Australia; eSchool of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we survey traditional leafy vegetables linked to the New Guinea biodiversity hotspot. More than 30 species
were identified, and data on occurrences and global genebank holdings were retrieved. The result revealed that traditional
vegetables from this hotspot are highly under-represented in the global conservation system for plant genetic resources. Among targeted perennial tree or shrub species, no single accessions were reported as conserved in genebanks. We argue for the importance of safeguarding crop diversity for future generations and for promoting the traditional knowledge linked to cultivation and use of such nutritional plants.
KEYWORDS
Conservation; food system; genetic resources; traditional knowledge; sustainability
Life cycle assessment applied to different citrus farming systems in Spain and Italy
Bruno Francesco Nicolò a, Maria Cristina De Salvoa, Clara Ramirez-Sanzb, Vicente Estruchc, Neus Sanjuan d, Giacomo Falcone a, and Alfio Strano a
aDepartment of Agriculture, Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, Reggio Calabria, Italy; bDepartment of Food Technology, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; cDepartment of Economics and Social Sciences, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; dTecnologia de Alimentos, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
ABSTRACT
The increasing environmental awareness of the actors of agrofood supply chains has led to the implementation of new tools
to analyze the impacts generated during agricultural practices. The impacts depend not only on the production system but
also on the farmer’s management choices, in terms of input allocation, and on the production site, in terms of soil and
climate conditions. In order to assess the environmental impact of conventional and organic farming systems on citrus growing
in Italy and Spain, a life cycle assessment method has been implemented. The results show the organic system to be more
sustainable than conventional and they could be useful indicators for correcting and modifying agricultural practices.
KEYWORDS
Life cycle assessment; citrus farming systems; environmental performances; environmental sustainability
Crop diversification and productivity in semiarid and sub-humid maize-legume production systems of Ethiopia
Mekonnen Sime Kidane and Edilegnaw Wale Zegeye
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
ABSTRACT
Two-period plot-level panel data from semiarid and sub-humid areas of Ethiopia are used to analyze crop diversification and its
influence on crop productivity. Results indicated that diversification increased during the study period. Higher diversification
occurred in sub-humid, high-potential agroecological areas. The association between diversification and productivity was found
to be negative, although statistically non-significant. Accordingly, agrobiodiversity being a strategy to mitigate risks, risk-prone
environments should be targeted and complemented with relevant institutional services that support smallholders’ diversification objectives. Complementing diversification with research findings can improve crop productivity.
KEYWORDS
Agroecological zones; climatic variability; crop diversification; productivity; risk of failures; semiarid; sub-humid
Agroecology-based farming provides grounds for more resilient livelihoods among smallholders in Western Guatemala
Claudia Irene Calderóna, Claudia Jerónimob, Alexandra Praunc, Jaime Reynac, Ivan Dimitri Santos Castillod, Raquel Leóne, Rose Hoganf, and José Pablo Prado Córdovag
aDepartment of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA; bEscuela de Estudios de Postgrado, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala, Guatemala; cIndependent Consultant, Guatemala, Guatemala; dSubárea de Manejo de Suelos y Agua, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala; ePrograma de Medios de Vida Sostenible, Trocaire, Guatemala; fSustainable Agricultural and Natural Resource Adviser, Trocaire, Maynooth, Ireland; gSubárea de Ciencias Sociales y Desarrollo Rural Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala, Guatemala
ABSTRACT
A set of sustainability attributes was estimated in Western Guatemala by characterizing 20 small-scale farming families with the aim of exploring food security- and climate resilience-related conditions. Solidarity-based economies spawn a stronger social network among agroecological farms. Gender roles in agroecology-adopting families seem to be moving to a more balanced scenario. Differences between agroecologybased and semi-conventional farmers suggest that shares of commercialized produce, gross agricultural income, and plant diversity are significantly higher and thus more resilient in the former. Challenges to agroecological adoption, however, include limited public infrastructure, dearth of supporting policies, and external threats posed by utility-inspired economic agents.
KEYWORDS
Agroecology; resilience; small-scale farming; solidarity-based economy; Western Guatemala
Pathways for the amplification of agroecology
Clara I. Nichollsa and Miguel A. Altierib
aInternational and Area Studies, University of California, Berkeley and Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology (SOCLA), Berkeley, California, USA; bDepartment of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
ABSTRACT
A transition to an agriculture based on agroecological principles would provide rural families with significant socioeconomic and environmental benefits. If agroecology has such great potential to feeding the world, why it is not adopted more widely by farmers? Most research analyzing factors needed for scaling up agroecology focuses on the social and policy dimensions. Herein we argue that a key challenge for the amplification of agroecology lies in the translation of agroecological principles into practical strategies for soil, water, and biodiversity management to enhance production and resilience. We use old and recent case studies to understand how amplification of agroecology has happened, both in numbers of farmers and at a larger geographical scale. We
focus on two main strategies that have proven effective in the past: (a) the revival of traditional agricultural systems which offer promising models of sustainability and resilience and (b) the creation of “agroecological lighthouses” from which principles radiate out to local communities, helping them to build the basis of an agricultural strategy that promotes efficiency, diversity, synergy, and resiliency. Such agroecological strategies must be complemented by policies and solidarity market arrangements to provide economic viability to the amplification of agroecology.
KEYWORDS
Agroecology; traditional agriculture; scaling-up; food systems; social movements
