scholarly journals Root traits for low input agroecosystems in Africa: lessons from three case studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mame Sokhatil Ndoye ◽  
Jimmy Burridge ◽  
Rahul Bhosale ◽  
Alexandre Grondin ◽  
Laurent Laplaze
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Root System Architecture ◽  
Low Input ◽  
The Face ◽  
Bean Yield ◽  
Small Holder

In Africa, agriculture is largely based on low-input and small-holder farming systems that use little inorganic fertilizers and have limited access to irrigation and mechanization. Improving agricultural practices and developing new cultivars adapted to these low-input environments, where production already suffers from climate change, is a major priority for ensuring food security in the future. Root traits improving water and nutrient uptake could represent a solution toward achieving these goals. In this review, we illustrate how breeding for specific root traits could improve crop adaptation and resilience in Africa using three case studies covering very contrasted low-input agroecosystems. First, we review how targeted changes in root system architecture allowed a dramatic increase in common bean yield in low input agroecosystems of South East Africa. We next discuss how root traits could be targeted to improve the productivity and resilience of dryland cereals in the face of climate change and soil degradation. Finally, we evaluate how root traits could be mobilized to develop water-saving rice agroecosystems for West Africa. We conclude with a discussion on how to prioritize target root traits, how they could be validated and made available to breeders and farmers through participatory approaches.

scholarly journals Root traits for low input agroecosystems in Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mame Sokhatil Ndoye ◽  
Jimmy Burridge ◽  
Rahul Bhosale ◽  
Alexandre Grondin ◽  
Laurent Laplaze
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Small Holder ◽  
New Cultivars

In Africa, agriculture is largely based on low-input and small-holder farming systems that use little inorganic fertilizers and have limited access to irrigation and mechanization in comparison to modern agricultural systems. Improving agricultural practices and developing new cultivars adapted to these low-input environments, where production already suffers from climate change, is a major priority for ensuring food security in the future. Root phenes improving water and nutrient uptake could represent a solution toward achieving these goals. In this review, we illustrate how breeding for specific root phenes could improve crop adaptation and resilience in Africa using three case studies covering very contrasted low-input agro-ecosystems. We conclude with a discussion on how these phenes could be validated and made available to breeders and agronomists.

Megadrought and Collapse

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Societal Collapse ◽  
The Face ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Paleoclimate Proxy ◽  
Habitat Tracking

This is the first book to treat the major examples of megadrought and societal collapse, from the late Pleistocene end of hunter–gatherer culture and origins of cultivation to the 15th century AD fall of the Khmer Empire capital at Angkor, and ranging from the Near East to South America. Previous enquiries have stressed the possible multiple and internal causes of collapse, such overpopulation, overexploitation of resources, warfare, and poor leadership and decision-making. In contrast, Megadrought and Collapse presents case studies of nine major episodes of societal collapse in which megadrought was the major and independent cause of societal collapse. In each case the most recent paleoclimatic evidence for megadroughts, multiple decades to multiple centuries in duration, is presented alongside the archaeological records for synchronous societal collapse. The megadrought data are derived from paleoclimate proxy sources (lake, marine, and glacial cores; speleothems, or cave stalagmites; and tree-rings) and are explained by researchers directly engaged in their analysis. Researchers directly responsible for them discuss the relevant current archaeological records. Two arguments are developed through these case studies. The first is that societal collapse in different time periods and regions and at levels of social complexity ranging from simple foragers to complex empires would not have occurred without megadrought. The second is that similar responses to megadrought extend across these historical episodes: societal collapse in the face of insurmountable climate change, abandonment of settlements and regions, and habitat tracking to sustainable agricultural landscapes. As we confront megadrought today, and in the likely future, Megadrought and Collapse brings together the latest contributions to our understanding of past societal responses to the crisis on an equally global and diverse scale.

scholarly journals Farmers’ Adoption of Climate Smart Practices for Increased Productivity in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 495-508
Author(s):  
B. E. Fawole ◽  
S. A. Aderinoye-Abdulwahab
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Rural Farmers ◽  
The Face ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Yield

AbstractIn a bid to reinforce the efforts of agricultural professionals within the domain of climate change studies and with particular emphasis on rural farmers in Nigeria, this chapter explores the mechanics for adoption of climate smart agricultural practices among rural farmers for an increased agricultural productivity. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is paramount to the success of farming activities today in the face of the menace of the impact of climate change. Climate Smart Agricultural Practice (CSAP) is one of the major keys that agricultural development approaches aimed at; to sustainably increase productivity and resilience, while also reducing the effects; as well as removing emissions of greenhouse gases. It is pertinent to note that most of the CSAPs adopted by the rural farmers in this study are conservation agriculture, use of organic manure, crop diversification, use of wetland (Fadama), planting of drought tolerant crops, relocation from climate risk zones, prayers for God’s intervention, and improvement on farmers’ management skills. This study divulged and showcased the import of CSAP in boosting agricultural yield and also highlights the bottlenecks inhibiting agricultural farming practices such as lack of practical understanding of the approach, inadequate data and information, lack of suitable tools at local and national levels, supportive and enabling policy frameworks, and socioeconomic constraints at the farm level. The study concluded by recommending an aggressive awareness and mobilization campaign to boost the adoption of CSAPs in Nigeria.

Supporting Farmer Innovation to Enhance Resilience in the Face of Climate Change in Farming Systems in Machakos and Kitui Counties, Kenya

2017 ◽  
pp. 677-688
Author(s):  
Eunice Karanja ◽  
Geoffrey Kamau ◽  
Chris Macoloo ◽  
Makonge Righa ◽  
Laurens van Veldhuizen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The Face

scholarly journals The Role of Magnetometry in Managing Arctic Archaeological Sites in the Face of Climate Change

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Hodgetts ◽  
Edward J. H. Eastaugh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Site Structure ◽  
The Face ◽  
Glacial Tills

ABSTRACTClimate change is impacting archaeological sites around the globe, and Arctic sites are among the most vulnerable because the region is experiencing particularly rapid change. In the face of this threat, archaeologists, heritage managers, and northern communities need to develop strategies for documenting and monitoring Arctic sites and prioritizing them for further investigation. Using three case studies from Banks Island in the western Canadian Arctic, we demonstrate how magnetometer survey could assist in this process, despite the region's poorly developed soils, widespread glacial tills, and periglacial geomorphology, which pose challenges for the technique. The case studies illustrate the utility of magnetometry in mapping both archaeological and permafrost features in the Arctic, allowing it to rapidly investigate site structure and assess the level of threat due to climate change.

scholarly journals Commercialisation Pathways and Climate Change: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Semi-Arid Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khamaldin Mutabazi ◽  
Gideon Boniface
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Dryland Farming ◽  
The Face ◽  
Change Climate ◽  
Semi Arid

The semi-arid drylands of central Tanzania have been characterised by low and erratic rainfall coupled with high evapotranspiration. Up until now, farmers of these local dryland farming systems have been able to cope with these climate conditions. However, climate change has led to new weather patterns that overwhelm traditional dryland farming practices and re-shape farmers’ commercialisation pathways. This paper explored the pathways in which smallholder farmers in Singida region in Tanzania engage with markets and commercialise in the face of climate change. The paper also examined how farm-level decisions on commercial crops and the commercialisation pathways they are part of, affect current and future resilience to climate change. Climate resilient commercialisation of smallholder dryland agriculture remains the centrepiece of inclusive sustainable development.

scholarly journals Sustainability of the rice-shrimp farming system in Mekong Delta, Vietnam: a climate adaptive model

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huy Duc Dang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Mekong Delta ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Shrimp Farming ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Integrated Agriculture

PurposeAgricultural systems in Mekong Delta have transformed to cope with climate change. Various researches pointed out that integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) farming systems (i.e., rice-shrimp, rice-fish…) emerged as potential climate adaptive practices. However, limited studies are attempting to assess the sustainability of these agricultural practices. Therefore, it is essential to assess whether or not these systems will be sustainable in the context of climate change and what can be done to make it sustainable. The present study conducted the sustainability assessment of the rice-shrimp system to identify potential areas for improvement as well as policy implication to increase resilience and adaptation of coastal IAA system which could contribute to the understanding of other coastal agricultural deltas around the globe.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative approach including the assessment protocol of van Asselt et al. (2014), the assessment framework of Vanloon et al. (2005), and the MCA methodology to flexibly and holistically assess the sustainability level of agricultural systems.FindingsResults concluded that rice-shrimp systems have the potential to improve livelihood, food security, and adaptation of coastal farmers. Major improvements should be considered for productivity, efficiency, and equity themes, while minor improvements can be made for stability, durability, and compatibility themes.Originality/valueThis research could be used as a guideline for sustainability assessment in a context-specific case study of IAA, which showed a potential for the application of other climate-smart IAAs in similar contexts around the globe.

scholarly journals Benefits and challenges of serious gaming – the case of “The Maladaptation Game”

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese Asplund ◽  
Tina-Simone Neset ◽  
Janina Käyhkö ◽  
Lotten Wiréhn ◽  
Sirkku Juhola
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Knowledge Systems ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Interactive Technologies ◽  
Serious Gaming ◽  
Future Challenges

AbstractThe use of digital tools and interactive technologies for farming systems has increased rapidly in recent years and is likely to continue to play a significant role in meeting future challenges. Particularly games and gaming are promising new and innovative communication strategies to inform and engage public and stakeholders with scientific research. This study offers an analysis of how a research based game on climate change maladaptation can support, but also hinder players’ sense-making processes. Through the analysis of eight gaming workshops, this study identifies challenges and support for the players’ sense-making. While it concludes that conceptual thinking of game content sometimes clashes with players’ everyday experiences and practice, possibly resulting in loss of credibility, this study also concludes that gaming may function as an eye-opener to new ways of thinking. Overall, this paper suggests that the communication of (social) science and agricultural practices through serious gaming has great potential but at the same time poses challenges due to different knowledge systems and interpretive frameworks among researchers and practitioners.

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