Agricultural Biodiversity is Essential for Adapting to Climate Change

Kotschi, Johannes

doi:10.14512/gaia.16.2.8

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…These findings are similar to those found in other mountain contexts in the world, for example in the Himalayan mountains (Regmi et al 2009), in the Pamir mountains (Partoev 2012; Zimmerer 2014) and in the Andean mountains (Narloch et al 2012). As noted elsewhere, such strategies are risk-smoothing in the context of climatic variability (Kotschi 2007; Lipper and Cooper 2009; Pascual et al 2015), especially in low-intensity agro-ecosystems (Pascual et al 2011; Hellin et al 2014). Women are especially concerned with complementing agro-biodiversity management with social ties and knowledge system management mainly through exchanges of knowledge and planting materials (crops and varieties in different fields).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The diversity of gendered adaptation strategies to climate change of Indian farmers: A feminist intersectional approach

Ravera

Martín‐López

Pascual

et al. 2016

Ambio

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This paper examines climate change adaptation and gender issues through an application of a feminist intersectional approach. This approach permits the identification of diverse adaptation responses arising from the existence of multiple and fragmented dimensions of identity (including gender) that intersect with power relations to shape situation-specific interactions between farmers and ecosystems. Based on results from contrasting research cases in Bihar and Uttarakhand, India, this paper demonstrates, inter alia, that there are geographically determined gendered preferences and adoption strategies regarding adaptation options and that these are influenced by the socio-ecological context and institutional dynamics. Intersecting identities, such as caste, wealth, age and gender, influence decisions and reveal power dynamics and negotiation within the household and the community, as well as barriers to adaptation among groups. Overall, the findings suggest that a feminist intersectional approach does appear to be useful and worth further exploration in the context of climate change adaptation. In particular, future research could benefit from more emphasis on a nuanced analysis of the intra-gender differences that shape adaptive capacity to climate change.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-016-0833-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The diversity of gendered adaptation strategies to climate change of Indian farmers: A feminist intersectional approach

Ravera

Martín‐López

Pascual

et al. 2016

Ambio

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…These genepools could take the form of segregating populations from wide crosses, multilines, mixtures or simply accessions from the edges of the normal growing range. Indications are that this approach could speed the adaptation of farming systems to changed conditions more effectively than breeding that relies on additional external inputs [23,98].…”

Section: Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural Biodiversity Is Essential for a Sustainable Improvement in Food and Nutrition Security

2011

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Agricultural biodiversity has hitherto been valued almost exclusively as a source of traits that can be used in scientific breeding programs to improve the productivity of crop varieties and livestock breeds. We argue that it can make a far greater contribution to increased productivity. In particular, a wider deployment of agricultural biodiversity is an essential component in the sustainable delivery of a more secure food supply. Diversity of kingdoms, species and genepools can increase the productivity of farming systems in a range of growing conditions, and more diverse farming systems are also generally more resilient in the face of perturbations, thus enhancing food security. Diversity can maintain and increase soil fertility and mitigate the impact of pests and diseases. Diversity of diet, founded on diverse farming systems, delivers better nutrition and greater health, with additional benefits for human productivity and livelihoods. Agricultural biodiversity will also be absolutely essential to cope with the predicted impacts of climate change, not simply as a source of traits but as the underpinnings of more resilient farm ecosystems. Many of the benefits of agricultural biodiversity are manifested at different ecological and human scales, and cut across political divisions, requiring a cross-sectoral approach to reassess the role of agricultural biodiversity in sustainable and secure food production.

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“…Biotechnology has been advocated to create high yield, pest and environmentally resistant crops in the hands of small farmers. As a result, maintaining agrobiodiversity may be critical in developing climate-change-resistant crop and livestock varieties and genotypes, such as those resistant to drought, heat stress, disease, and saline conditions (Fowler, 2008;Kotschi, 2007), and to ensure the continued survival of crop wild relatives (Jarvis et al, 2008). Also, given the above-mentioned impacts of climate change on agricultural systems, practices that enhance soil conservation and sustainable use and maintain favorable microclimates are important for adaptation in agriculture.…”

Section: Conserving Agricultural Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 99%