Exploring pathways to link agrobiodiversity and human health

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Growing evidence indicates that the overall reduction of biodiversity in agricultural systems is concomitant to dietary simplification and related health effects, yet our understanding of the complex relationship between agrobiodiversity and health is still poor. This chapter explores pathways that could mediate this relationship at the local level. It begins by revisiting the definition of agrobiodiversity to disentangle its social components. In addition, the concept of health is broadened from the physical perspective. Pathways are then explored to link agrobiodiversity with physical health (diet, nutrition, and beyond) and mental health, including considerations of how food culture and traditional agrobiodiversity management knowledge contribute to identity and self-esteem. Discussion follows on the social aspects related to the production and consumption of agrobiodiversity that promote health and well-being. In conclusion, the chapter contextualizes how issues addressed at the local level fit within a broader political context

La proximitat dels avis i el coneixement tradicional sobre plantes medicinals dels nens : un estudi en dues escoles semi-rurals de la Península Ibèrica

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Des de l'ICTA (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambiental)-UAB s'ha explorat si la proximitat entre avis i néts està relacionada amb la transmissió del coneixement sobre propietats medicinals de les plantes i el seu ús pràctic per parts dels avis als néts. Al contrari de l'esperat, demostren que no hi ha relació entre aquests dos fets tot i que destaquen la importància d'entendre aquests mecanismes d'adquisició i transmissió de coneixements i emfatitzen la necessitat de crear iniciatives per fomentar-los mitjançant altres mitjans.Desde ICTA (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambiental)-UAB se ha explorado si la proximidad entre abuelos y nietos está relacionada con la transmisión del conocimiento sobre propiedades medicinales de las plantas y su uso práctico por parte de los abuelos a los nietos. Al contrario de lo esperado, demuestran que no hay relación entre estos dos hechos aunque destacan la importancia de entender estos mecanismos de adquisición y transmisión de conocimientos y enfatizan la necesidad de crear iniciativas para fomentarlos mediante otros medios

Indigenous knowledge for conservation

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) is critical for conservation. Yet, gaps in published research on ILK might bias assessments that largely rely on it. Such fragmented documentation calls for alternative approaches to bring ILK into conservation

CONECT-e, plataforma que contribueix a conservar el coneixement agroecològic com a bé digital comú

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Des de l'ICTA-UAB (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) s'ha dut a terme el projecte CONECT-e, una plataforma oberta al públic general que recull el coneixement agroecològic tradicional en bens digitals comuns per tal de preservar-lo. Aquesta eina permet als agricultors gestionar de manera eficient amb els seus propis recursos les transicions agroecològiques.Desde ICTA-UAB (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) se ha llevado a cabo el proyecto CONECT-e, una plataforma abierta al público general que recoge el conocimiento agroecológico tradicional como un bien digital común para preservarlo. Esta herramienta permite a los agricultores gestionar de manera eficiente con sus propios recursos las transiciones agroecológicas

Storing and sharing : A review of indigenous and local knowledge conservation initiatives

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MDM-2015-0552Despite its relative adaptive capacity and its many values, indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) is rapidly eroding. Over the past decades a myriad of efforts have emerged to prevent this erosion. In this work, we reviewed and systematically coded 138 ILK conservation initiatives published in academic papers in order to explore trends in participation, digitalization, timing, location, and approach of the initiatives. We also explored factors influencing initiative inclusiveness. Our findings reveal that ILK holders are generally absent from most phases of the studied initiatives, although IT-based and in situ initiatives (i.e., education and community based conservation) appear as the exceptions. We also found that ex situ initiatives (i.e., research/documentation and policy/legislation efforts) are predominant, despite the challenges they reportedly face. These findings call for re-formulating the ways in which ex situ ILK conservation is done and for supporting in situ and IT based initiatives, as they offer the potential to lead the participatory turn

Traditional agricultural knowledge as a commons

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552In this chapter we explore the governance of traditional agricultural knowledge (TAK) under the commons framework, or the idea that knowledge can be governed as a commons, i.e., as a resource used by a group of people who have self-developed a set of rules to manage the social dilemmas derived from the resource collective use. To illustrate the governance of TAK under the commons framework, we present two case studies in which TAK is shared by communities of users who operate at different scales. The first case illustrates the local governance of TAK as commons by a close community with tight social bonds; the second case provides an example of how digitalized TAK could be governed by a peer-to-peer governance system and become part of the global digital commons. We conclude by exploring the degree to which a commons-based governance can be considered a contestation to commodification and enclosure movements that threaten the maintenance of TAK systems, and thus supports people's ability to sustain environmentally and culturally adapted food systems

Climate change in the Catalan Pyrenees intersects with socioeconomic factors to shape crop diversity and management

Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICUnidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MMost studies on climate change's impacts on agriculture focus on modeling techniques based on large-scale meteorological data, while few have investigated how farmer's perception of climate change's impacts can affect crop diversity and crop management practices, especially in industrialized contexts. To fill this gap, we conducted 24 semi-structured interviews in a study site located in the Catalan Pyrenees. Our results show for the first time in an industrialized context that farmers perceive multiple interrelated climate change impacts on local agroecosystems. For instance, snowfall and freeze events have decreased, which respondents associated with the increase of pests and diseases affecting both wild flora and cultivated plants. Similarly, changes in precipitation patterns lead to a perceived decrease in useful rain for agriculture. Farmers are also reporting changes in their management practices, such as increased irrigation or use of pesticides, which respond to these climatic factors but also to changes in the crops that are cultivated. Crop diversity is in decline in the area both at the species and landrace levels, especially in rainfed fields. This is mainly driven by socioeconomic factors such as agricultural abandonment or access to commercial seeds, although climate change factors such as increased pests or decreased rainfall can have an impact. Despite the crop diversity losses found, many landraces have been maintained, mainly due to their cultural value, and also new crop species have been introduced, which are now viable due to the increase in temperature. Although we focused on a specific case study, we found several trends that are also present in other contexts. Therefore, the results of this research are relevant at a global scale since they show that climate change is affecting mountain agroecosystems in industrialized contexts and may affect more drastically both agrobiodiversity and crop management practices in agroecosystems worldwide

Emmagatzemar i intercanviar el coneixement indígena i local : una revisió de la literatura

En aquest estudi del grup de recerca LASEG de l'ICTA-UAB es reivindica el coneixement indígena i local (CIL) que guarda relació especial amb la natura i la tradició mil·lenària i que és tan vàlid com la ciència. Preservar-lo significa contribuir a la sostenibilitat i lluitar contra el canvi climàtic, de tota manera, l'anàlisi d'estudis que promouen la conservació d'iniciatives d'aquest caire mostra que les acadèmies dirigeixen el procés i que algunes empreses ho usen per al seu profit, tot supeditant aquestes tècniques i el teixit social que en domina el saber.En este estudio del grupo de investigación LASEG de ICTA-UAB se reivindica el conocimiento indígena y local (CIL) que guarda relación especial con la naturaleza y la tradición milenaria y que es tan válido como la ciencia. Preservarlo significa contribuir a la sostenibilidad y luchar contra el cambio climático, de todos modos, el análisis de estudios que promueven la conservación de iniciativas de este tipo muestra que las academias dirigen el proceso y que algunas empresas lo usan para en su provecho y supeditan estas técnicas y el tejido social que domina este saber

Participation in Biocultural Diversity Conservation: Insights from Five Amazonian Examples

The past three decades have seen the emergence of myriads of initiatives focused on conserving, revitalizing, and maintaining Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) as part of biocultural approaches to conservation. However, the extent to which these efforts have been participatory has been often overlooked. In this chapter, we focus on five prominent ILK conservation initiatives in the Amazon Basin to examine the participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in ILK conservation. Our review illustrates several examples of ILK conservation initiatives offering substantial opportunities for meaningful IPLC participation over the long term. Overall, our case studies suggest that the development of robust and inclusive decision-making processes is essential to optimize IPLC participation in ILK conservation, thereby increasing the legitimacy of these initiatives. Our review is not an exhaustive account of the breadth and depth of all initiatives promoting participatory biocultural conservation in this region, but it illustrates that there are many strategies that can help foster IPLC engagement and lead the participatory turn in biocultural conservation.Peer reviewe

Globalized conflicts, globalized responses. Changing manners of contestation among indigenous communities

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Altres ajuts: Fundació Autònoma SolidàriaIn a globalized world, environmental conflicts affecting indigenous communities (including hunter-gatherer groups) have intensified and grown in their transnational character. These changes have affected the choice of manners of contestation of these groups, favouring in some cases the emergence of alternative responses based on the use of new technologies and scientifically gathered evidence. In this chapter, we examine these interlinked changes, describing also - through two case studies- an emerging methodology of scientific enquiry that aims to enable indigenous communities to lead scientific activities and confront conflicts through a truly bottom-up approach. The chapter ends discussing how, despite the potential of such new manners of contestation, the power imbalances that currently underpin many indigenous conflicts are first to be addressed