Fallows, agroforests and forests: should tropical silviculture go beyond the forest margin?

Over the recent years, studies on small scale, chainsaw logging in a number of countries of West and Central Africa have documented the gap between timber production as recorded in official statistics vs. actual national production. The latter includes both the large-scale, industrial, export-oriented, forestry sector and the small-scale, artisanal one, largely feeding domestic and regional timber markets. In countries such as Ghana and Cameroon preliminary findings indicate that timber informally harvested in a range of agricultural land use units, such as fallows and cocoa-agroforests, contributes to about half of national production. We present the preliminary results of a series of studies conducted in two regions of Cameroon to assess timber stock and production in the rural mosaic and assess the sustainability of present exploitation practices. Results indicate that timber harvesting intensely focuses on, and is rapidly depleting, a handful of useful trees that farmers traditionally maintained on the rural land. Density, diameter distribution and basal area vary significantly by species and across the various agricultural units. Some species regenerate, in particular in the fallow units, but fuel wood extraction and pole production combined to field preparation practices seriously mine the reconstitution of the timber stock and its preservation across the fallow cycles. We conclude that models to join production of forestry and agricultural crops should be developed at the landscape level with a particular focus on the integration of the land uses that represent the largest portion of the rural mosaic, i.e. those with fallows, agroforests and secondary forests. Production and management tradeoffs (e.g. fallow length versus trees growth rates, damages to main crops, competition), and the factors that could enable the adoption of those models (e.g. land and trees tenure, options for alternative land uses) have to be carefully assessed. (Résumé d'auteur

Agricultural intensification as a strategy for climate mitigation in Ghana

In Ghana, as in many other tropical landscapes of West Africa, the expansion of extensive low input agriculture has resulted in significant deforestation with concomitant loss of biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. Of the many crops grown in Ghana, cocoa has had the largest expansion in area extent and is a strategic crop for the country's development. The story of cocoa in Ghana in recent years is a tale of two very different expansion episodes—the first episode witnessed an increase in the area cultivated by smallholders using extensive cocoa technology and took place in the 90s; the second episode has consisted of intensive cocoa technology adoption by smallholders induced by policy actions and growing land pressures in the decade of the 00s. A case study of cocoa intensification and the Cocobod High Tech program was conducted by the Sustainable Tree Crops Program of IITA in 2011 to better understand the potential of the intensified perennial tree production systems as a potential tool for addressing rural poverty and climate change mitigation. The objectives of this study include: 1. Quantification of the factors underlying increased cocoa yields and incomes in Bia (Juabeso). 2. Estimation of the rates of deforestation post intensification and the area of deforestation and forest degradation mitigated because of the adoption of intensified land use systems. 3. Analysis of the institutions required for the sustainable intensification of cocoa farming systems. 4. Examination of the characteristics and predictors of households adopting the intensified production of cocoa. 5. Analysis of the economic and environmental tradeoffs between shaded and full sun cocoa

Small scale palm oil producers and supply chains left out from existing certification schemes. [ID781]

Agricultural history explains most of current palm oil production models (organization of actors including oil palm growers and supply chains). An indigenous non-timber forest product in Central Africa which plant was domesticated and integrated into family farming, later joined by colonial industrial plantations. An imported cash crop in Southeast Asia, dominated by industrial producers while smallholders have still to learn artisanal milling to get their autonomy from industrial mills. Also an imported cash crop in Latin America, but whose production models evolved in the confrontation with social agrarian reforms, ending with original 'social models'. These production models have a great diversity of social, economic and environmental impacts. Taking into consideration national specificities (social organization, market, public policies, and environment) and local knowledge regarding palm oil, can we draw lessons learnt from one place to improve palm oil local and global benefits in another? Industrial models are targeted to promote sustainable and zero-deforestation in the palm oil sector, because industries are generally considered as the main culprits of deforestation and land grabbing resulting from oil palm plantations expansion in Southeast Asia. However the expansion patterns in the original producing countries of Africa or in Latin America might prove different. Hence, are certification schemes efficient to shape sustainable oil palm landscapes? In an attempt to answer these questions, we built on pantropical expertise in palm oil producing countries (Indonesia, Central African countries, Colombia) with strong field experience, on literature review and on recent field work in Mexico and Peru, to argue on the inadequacy of certification schemes to reach non-industrial palm oil production models. Furthermore, we highlight some social and economic risks reinforced by this strategy, such as exclusion of smallholders from supply chains, or the development of informal supply chains not regulated regarding working conditions and environment impacts

Mapping Landscapes: Integrating GIS and Social Science Methods to Model Human-Nature Relationships in Southern Cameroon

Participatory mapping and GIS are both necessary to model the interactions between humans and their environment. A case study from the forest margin in the Congo Basin demonstrates how data from participatory community mapping and other social science methods can be prepared for quantitative modelling. This approach bridged the gap between spatial modelling data and social decision-making in space by elaborating a geographically consistent social representation of the landscape and giving a geographical base to the connection between land use, its cultural representation, and its social management. This was achieved through an iterative process of GIS cartography, using feedback from village informants and field checking, to transpose the spatial references from participatory mapping sketches into reliable geographic locations. As well as demonstrating the utility of such data for modelling, this work clarified the distribution of land rights among the six main owner-clans spread through the eight hamlets in the watershed. The 'basin' of spatial resources and its relation to the rules of land use and natural resource management were defined for each clan. Land-use systems at the forest-agriculture interface in the study area proved to be complex, strongly driven by social rules and influenced by history and settlement strategies. These social and historical aspects established the framework within which communities make current decisions and interventions

Los árboles fuera del bosque en la NAMA forestal de Colombia. Elementos conceptuales para su contabilización

Limitaciones técnicas, financieras y normativas hacen que la agroforestería y los sistemas basados en arboles (TBS) no sean visibles en los Inventarios Nacionales de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (INGEI) a pesar de que en muchos países han expresado voluntad politíca de promoverlos como medida de adaptación y mitigación del cambio climático. Su potencial de mitigación permanece así desconocido y no reconocido, limitando su intragración en las planificaciones de los sectores productivos agrícola, ganadero y forestal. Colombi ahace parte de los países que proponen NAMAs con sistemas agroforestales (SAF) y TBS, prooniendo una NAMA Forestal (en elaboración) enfocada en paisajes forestales sostenibles. A parte, icnorpora de manera indirecta (en las emisiones/remociones de las tierras forestales) y todavía parcial los TBS y SAF en su INGEI. Retan el reporte directo (MRV nacional): i) la falta de una clara definición de los SAF y TBS, ii) el acceso a información de calidad y iii) la definición de responsabilidades claras sobre reporte para evitar traslapes y doble contabilidad con medidas y actividades del sector agropecuario. Se contribuye a la construcción y definición de la estructura del MRV de la NAMA y a su articulación con las demás iniciativas en el sector AFOLU proponiendo una clasificación y elementos conceptuales para visibilizar SAF y TBS en el MRV nacional.Technical, financial and regulatory constraints mean that agroforestry and tree based systems (TBS) are not visible in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (INGEI) despite the fact that in many countries they have expressed a political will to promote them as a climate change adaptation and mitigation measure. Their mitigation potential thus remains unknown and unrecognized, limiting their intrusion into the planning of the agricultural, livestock and forestry productive sectors. Colombia is part of the countries that propose NAMAs with agroforestry systems (SAF) and TBS, proposing a Forest NAMA (under development) focused on sustainable forest landscapes. In addition, it incorporates indirectly (in emissions/removals from forest lands) and still partially the TBS and SAF in its INGEI. Direct reporting (national MRV) is challenged by: i) the lack of a clear definition of PAS and TBS, ii) access to quality information and iii) the definition of clear reporting responsibilities to avoid overlaps and double counting with agricultural sector measures and activities. It contributes to the construction and definition of NAMA's MRV structure and to its articulation with the other initiatives in the AFOLU sector by proposing a classification and conceptual elements to make SAF and TBS visible in the national MRV

MASTER IN “GEOGRAPHY, GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMICS. INSTRUMENTS, METHODS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT” OF UNIVERSITY OF VERONA. OVERVIEW, REFERENCE DOCUMENTS AND CARTOGRAPHIC PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Analisi del territorio, interpretazione della sua complessità, individuazione delle dinamiche di sviluppo (o di regressione) e formulazione di scenari funzionali alle scelte politiche territoriali rappresentano idee guida intorno alle quali si è strutturata l’iniziativa formativa cui si riferisce nel presente contributo. Si mostreranno in sintesi, inoltre, la “mappa” del cofinanziamento al servizio della formazione, gli obiettivi programmati, i protagonisti, i quadri strategici e le priorità di intervento sulla base dei quali si sono realizzate esperienze di stage nell’ambito della rappresentazione cartografica strettamente connessa ad un quadro di sviluppo relativo alle nuove tecnologie ICT applicate al territorio. Fondi strutturali, politiche di coesione, regolamenti CE, obiettivi connessi, in primis, la cooperazione territoriale e la competitività della Regione Veneto si intersecano ed esplicano attraverso la creazione di competenze rivolte alla gestione di territori complessi. All’interno di questi ultimi si innervano dinamiche strettamente legate alla nascita di sistemi locali e di innovativi approcci di governance per il governo del territorio.Territorial analysis, interpretation and identification of development paths, scenario-building exercises represent the concepts to which we referred when structuring the master degree henceforth presented. The paper is divided into two parts (reflecting the organization given to the course). In the first one - in order to facilitate the understanding of current trends - we describe the rational behind such a project and discuss its theoretical underpinnings [making explicit reference to the debate over local (economic) development)]. Emerging local and regional systems act progressively more as gateways through which (economic) knowledge is transferred and as key nodes of the worldwide network channelling economic efficiency and growth. Policies aimed at enhancing competitiveness gain more relevance, also because of the societal and territorial re-organization those processes imply. In order for the students to acquire the theoretical tools necessary to better understand territorial dynamics, part of the degree focuses on analysing participatory governance mechanisms currently implemented (baring in mind the role social relationships play as a structuring factor that triggers interactive learning and interconnects individuals and organizations). In the second part of the article, we offer an overview of the EU co-funding schemes aimed at improving human capital training. We give information on objectives, actors involved, national and regional strategic frameworks programmes and priorities, structural funds regulations and the cohesion policy. A final paragraph will be specifically dedicated to describe internship experiences. The latter have been designed, in fact, in such a way that students were asked to both work within the field of cartographic/territorial research and use the latest ICT tools available (the training for which was given in a specific module)

Cocoa-based agroforestry vs fallow: what option for soil quality regeneration in the Peruvian amazon?

In the Peruvian Amazon, a significant amount of the agricultural landscape is cultivated with cocoa (Theobroma cacao) mostly grown under the shade of Musacea and timber trees. There, deforestation and its control are one of the main environmental issues for the Peruvian government and further, for the international community. In these landscapes, farmers who want to establish new plantations have the choice between tropical forest and degraded lands. Most of the latest are abandoned pastures or annual crops with mostly red ferralitic soils heavily unsaturated. As a response to the loss of fertility, farmers have currently two alternatives: entering illegally into the natural forest or practicing shifting cultivation on a long term basis that can reach more than 15 years. In this last case, the fallow lands, locally called “Purma”, are named under three categories according to the height of the pioneer vegetation: (i) low (10 years). Our study has been conducted with former coca farmers moved 20 years ago by the Peruvian government to the Ucayali department to produce cocoa. There, we compared soil quality, cadmium content and plant biomass including fine roots at 0-20 and 20-50 cm depth, among three land uses: (i) 31 agroforestry cocoa plantations at different ages, (ii) 24 low, 24 medium and 22 high “purmas”, and finally (iii) 22 forest patches as a control. Our results provide an interesting basis to discuss the ability of cocoa-based agroforestry systems to maintain and even restore soil fertility in degraded landscape at the Amazonian forest margin. The evolution of Cadmium content depending on land use and fallow period gives interesting indications for further investigations. (Résumé d'auteur

The Adaptive Reuse Toolkit. How Cities Can Turn their Industrial Legacy into Infrastructure for Innovation and Growth

Felloship Research report in collana di working papers del German Marshall Fund of the US, Urban and Regional Studie