Novel technological and management options for accelerating transformational changes in rice and livestock systems

Abstract

Agricultural producers grapple with low farm yields and declining ecosystem services within their landscapes. In several instances, agricultural production systems may be considered to be largely unsustainable, in socioeconomic and ecological (resource conservation and use and impact on nature) terms. Novel technological and management options that can serve as vehicles to promote provision of multiple benefits, including improvement of smallholder livelihoods, are needed. We call for a paradigm shift to allow designing and implementing agricultural systems that are not only efficient (serving as a means to promote development based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste), but can also be considered synergistic (symbiotic relationship between socio-ecological systems) by simultaneously contributing to major objectives of economic, ecological and social (equity) improvement of agro-ecosystems. These transformations require strategic approaches that are supported by participatory system-level research, experimentation and innovation. Using data from several studies conducted, we here provide evidence for technological and management options that could be optimized, promoted and adopted to enable agricultural systems to be efficient, effective and, indeed, sustainable. Specifically, we present results from a study conducted in Colombia, which demonstrated that in rice systems, improved water management practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) could reduce both water input and methane emissions (~70%). We also show how women can play a key role in AWD adoption. For livestock systems, we present in vitro evidence showing that the use of alternative feed options such as cassava leaves contribute to livestock feed supplementation and cost-effective reduction of enteric methane emissions (22-55%). We argue that to design and benefit from sustainable agricultural systems, there is a need for better targeting of interventions that are co-designed, co-evaluated and co-promoted with farmers as allies of transformational change (as done in the climate-smart villages), not as recipients of external knowledge. Moreover, for inclusive sustainability that harnesses existing knowledge and influences decision-making processes across scales, there is need for constant, efficient, effective and real trans-disciplinary communication and collaboration.

Authors

Ngonidzashe Chirinda (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Laura Arenas (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Sandra Loaiza (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Catalina Trujillo (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Maria Katto (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Paula Chaparro (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Jonathan Nunez (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Arango Jacobo (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Deissy (Ciat-ccafs) Martinez (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Ana Maria Loboguerrero (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Luis Augusto Becerra (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Ivan Camilo Avila (Fedearroz)
Myriam Guzmán (Fedearroz)
Michael Peters (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Jennifer Twyman (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Maria Garcia (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Laura Patricia Serna (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Daniel (Ciat) Escobar (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Diksha Arora (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Jeimar Tapasco (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Lady Johanna Mazabel (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Fernando Correa (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Manabu Ishitani (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Mayesse Aparecida Da Silva (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Eduardo Jose Graterol (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Santiago Jaramillo (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Adriana Pinto Brun (Ministry of environment - Colombia)
Andres Felipe Zuluaga (Fedegan)
Nelson Enrique Lozano (Ministry of agriculture - Colombia)
Ryan Byrnes (University of UC DAVIS)
Carolina Alvarez (INTA - Argentina)
Idupulapati Rao (International Center of Tropical Agriculture)
Gabriel Lahue (University of California, Davis)
Rolando Barahona (Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL), Medellín,)

Topic Area

2b Food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture

Session

2B-2 » 2b Food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture (10:15 - Friday, 16th June, SD 702)

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