Agricultural Land
Small scale eucalyptus cultivation and its socioeconomic impacts in Ethiopia: A review of practices and conditionsBackgroundIn order to support growing populations in developing countries such as Ethiopia, people turn to fast-growing crop and timber species to support their livelihoods. Eucalyptus is introduced to Ethiopia for its fuel and construction as well as for its high growing rate and low maintenance costs. There is a current conflict around Eucalyptus cultivation, with many smallholder communities depending on it but clear environmental issues and expansion across farmland boundaries. Open access copy available |
Climate-Smart Conservation Agriculture, Farm Values and Tenure Security: Implications for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Congo BasinBackgroundThe Congo Basin forest houses a high amount of biodiversity and is an important area to conserve in light of climate change. This region is also important for agriculture and local livelihoods, though current practices are degrading the forest. Certain policy issues surrounding land tenure and investments may be hindering climate smart agriculture. Open access copy available |
Lightly-harvested rustic cocoa is a valuable land cover for amphibian and reptile conservation in human-modified rainforest landscapesBackgroundTropical biodiversity is impacted by anthropogenic land covers such as agriculture. Land use has the ability to both negatively and positively impact tropical biodiversity. In the tropics, important crops are grown in tropical forested landscapes such as coffee and cocoa. These forest understories are also important habitats for highly sensitive and ecologically vulnerable amphibian species. Amphibians and reptiles are an understudied taxa in conservation ecology and targeted in this study. Open access copy available |
Tropical fruit production depends on wild insect communities: bees and lychees in ThailandBackgroundMost of the agricultural crops around the world depend on wild animal/insect pollination. Insect pollination is the most common in tropical regions, and is something that tropical tree fruits such as the native Asian lychee (Litchi chinensis). The roles of wild insects on lychee production in northern Thailand has not yet been evaluated. Available with subscription or purchase |
Towards integrated pest and pollinator management in tropical cropsBackgroundInsect-mediated services such as pollination and pest control are important for agriculture. Nearly 75% of the worlds’ crops depend on animal pollination. Overuse of pesticide impacting the health of agricultural landscapes and animal species is a growing concern. Integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) co-manages pollination and pest control with preventative and biodiversity-based practices. However, IPPM is newly conceptualized and remains mostly theoretical. Available with subscription or purchase |
Our land, our life: A participatory assessment of the land tenure situation of the Indigenous peoples in Guyana. Report for Region 8BackgroundFrom 1995 onwards, the government of Guyana began to address undecided Amerindian claims by demarcating land in villages where titles had already been granted, granting title extensions, and grant new titles. This report outlines the findings and recommendations of a participatory assessment of land tenure security among indigenous people in present-day northwestern Guyana. Open access copy available |
Improving land and water managementBACKGROUNDThis working paper from World Resources Institute (WRI) gives a glimpse of the challenges experienced by smallholder farmers across developing countries. Issues on land – from insecure tenure to degradation, exacerbated by pressures from climate change, has resulted into a significant drop in crop yield. This led to more poverty and food insecurity. However, linkages between scientists and farmers provide some hope in terms of possible solutions to increase agricultural production. Improved land and water management is at the center of all this. Open access copy available |
Can short-term payments for ecosystem services deliver long-term tree cover change?BackgroundWhile payment for ecosystem services (PES) has been lauded has been an effective strategy, particularly to increase tree cover in agricultural areas. Yet, there has been limited evaluation of long-term success, such as that after the payment period. Goals & MethodsTo determine the the long-term effectiveness of PES, the author compares tree cover before and after 13 years of a PES project that promoted silvopastoral systems in Colombia, which was quantified via satellite images. Available with subscription or purchase |
Vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change in Central America and Mexico: current knowledge and research gapsBackgroundThis article recognizes that smallholder farmers are both critical to the global agricultural sector yet are one of the most vulnerable populations to climate change. Specifically, farmers in Central America and Mexico are experiences particularly high threats, thus the authors focus on this subgroup. Open access copy available |
A tree-based approach to biomass estimation from remote sensing data in a tropical agricultural landscapeIntroductionDue to increasing agricultural landcover throughout the world, it is critical to develop methods that estimate above ground biomass and carbon in order to accurately monitor terrestrial carbon stocks and predicting carbo dynamics. This paper claims that while active remote sensing data may be a means to achieve these estimates, the plot-based methods may not be suitable for these agricultural areas. Thus, the authors seek an alternative. Available with subscription or purchase |
