Date 23 Jun 2020
Jim Hallett of the Society for Ecological Restoration reviews major recent book by World Agroforestry ICRAF, JIRCAS, WeForest and universities.
Reading this remarkable book, I recalled a figure in, The Limits to Growth, (1972) labeled ‘Human Perspectives’. The x-axis is time from next week to the lifetime of our children. The y-axis is space from family to neighbourhood, nation and world. Most people are concerned only with family or friends at short time spans. Fewer look farther ahead over larger areas. Very few have a long global perspective; it is hard when you struggle to survive. But those of us who have the luxury to look to the future and the global picture need to amplify the lessons of this book.
At first glance, you might think that Climate-smart agriculture: enhancing resilient agricultural systems, landscapes, and livelihoods in Ethiopia and beyond has a narrow focus on agricultural livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly, Ethiopia. But that would be a mistake: its papers present a comprehensive view of what a large proportion of humanity faces.
A product of World Agroforestry (ICRAF), Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, WeForest and Mekelle and Oregon State universities, Climate-smart agriculture addresses how to ensure ecosystem services and livelihoods in areas particularly vulnerable to land degradation and desertification.
The fragility of these socio-ecological systems comes from dependence on subsistence farming, increased variation in rainfall distribution, and concomitant soil erosion and degradation. Further climate change will result in extreme droughts and floods. And unchecked climate change will shift the climate envelope to a range of temperatures well above those historically habitable by people (Xu et al 2020). Land is likely to be abandoned with ensuing greater desertification and human migration.
This volume recognizes the difficulty and complexity of turning this catastrophe around.
In Part I, editors Kiros Meles Hadgu, Badege Bishaw, Miyuki Iiyama, Emiru Birhane, Aklilu Negussie, Caryn M. Davis and Bryan Bernart define climate-smart agriculture and its three pillars: sustainable increases in productivity; adaptation to climate change; and mitigation of greenhouse gases.
Part II addresses how to operationalize these pillars on smallholdings for enhanced soil fertility and sustainable production. The authors describe the effectiveness of conservation agriculture, water and nitrogen contributions in production of ‘teff’ (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter). Traditionally, farmers till up to seven times, exposing plant residues to decomposition and mineralization and increasing greenhouse-gas emissions, erosion and loss of soil organic matter.
Solutions include ‘climate-smart integrated soil fertility’ techniques, such as minimum tillage and better crop residue management. Smallholders need such information in ways they can understand and usefully employ. Adoption of best practices will help reduce poverty, improve human well-being, reduce further degradation.
Starting Part III on a high note, Hagdu, Berhane and Hadush give context to restoration in Ethiopia and document the famous recovery of Abreha we Atsbeha. Historically, restoration actions motivated farmers to pursue better agricultural practices and maintain and grow trees and shrubs on individual and communal allotments. For agroforestry to succeed, groups prohibited free grazing. Water scarcity necessitated equitable distribution among stakeholders. Further analysis of how local governance can ensure equitable outcomes would be welcome.
Chapters 7–9 describe restoration techniques that increase ecosystem services and resilience, such as ‘area exclosures’ from which livestock are excluded to improve soil carbon and nutrients. Tony Rinaudo, the famous proponent of farmer-managed natural regeneration, gives input on assisted natural regeneration to recover forest and tree cover.
Part IV examines how to ‘climate smart’ livelihoods, such as forestry, energy and livestock. Much will involve technology transfer and capacity building. Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa; governance capacity and participatory management of shared rangelands is essential for pastoral communities. Better husbandry practices can result in more sustainable grazing systems. Improved cook stoves and energy production can reduce use of fuelwood.
Part V is on how to increase adoption of climate-smart approaches. Among others, Adimassu addresses contraints like land size and Teama and Hagas address weather-index crop insurance. Farmers make decisions based on ability to invest, the incentives to do so, and support such as extension. A male bias in climate-smart agriculture hampers women’s agency. Well thought-out policies can equip poor and vulnerable people to adapt to climate change. Ethiopia appears in proud possession of these, including its cash transfer Productive Safety Net Program and Forest Conservation and Utilization Policy and Strategy.
Part VI branches out to all Sub-Saharan Africa on how to use remote-sensing and climate data to identify degradation hot spots. Led by Tamane, one chapter with global authors, such as Quang Bao, Kizito and Bossio, examines scenarios to restoring land. An intervention to exclude livestock would require either incentives or provision of alternate livelihoods.
This is an exceptionally useful book, rich in detail. I would recommend it as essential reading for any UN or NGO official moving to Ethiopia or working in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides a grounding in how a highly agrarian society might make the best of its land and move forward.
Hadgu KM, Bishaw B, Iiyama M, Birhane E, Negussie A, Davis CM, Bernart B, eds. 2019. Climate-smart agriculture: enhancing resilient agricultural systems, landscapes, and livelihoods in Ethiopia and beyond. 2019. Nairobi, Kenya: World Agroforestry (ICRAF).
Xu C, Kohler TA, Lenton TM, Svenning J-C, Scheffer M. 2020. Future of the human climate niche. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 201910114. http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/04/28/1910114117.abstract.
The book can be purchased at no profit to ICRAF from Amazon.co.uk HERE or downloaded from the link above.
Jim Hallet is a research ecologist and adjunct professor in Biology at Eastern Washington University, chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration and vice-chair of the Global Partnership for Forest and Landscape Restoration
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific and development excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment. Knowledge produced by ICRAF enables governments, development agencies and farmers to utilize the power of trees to make farming and livelihoods more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable at multiple scales. ICRAF is one of the 15 members of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. We thank all donors who support research in development through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.