Facilitating multi-stakeholder innovations that integrate ecological conservation, agricultural production and livelihood goals

Background/Question/Methods

Agriculture and agrarian-based livelihoods are becoming increasingly precarious at this historical moment.  As weather patterns become more uncertain due to climate change and global markets fluctuate under increased demands for agricultural products, agrarian communities are facing considerable economic and environmental risks.  In the aftermath of the 2009 food crisis, the issue at hand is, how can agriculture meet the food, fiber, and economic needs of communities while simultaneously adapting to and mitigating climate change?  Addressing this question requires action on multiple scales, from farm management to global and national political change.  Our paper reviews emergent resiliency approaches to agricultural development and presents a resiliency framework for agriculture and ecosystem management at multiple scales and socio-ecological interfaces.  We draw on insights from contemporary debates in conservation biology, coupled social-ecological systems, political ecology, agreocology, ecoagriculture, and rural and agricultural development through these literatures and strategic interviews.  We also review development agency reports and conduct interviews with practitioners engaged in resiliency projects.

Results/Conclusions

The integration of ecosystems, agroecosystems, livelihoods, and institutions in landscape management offers a promising framework for community-based socio-ecological resilience in the context of climate change.  The concept of resilience is used as a conceptual tool through which to approach management of ecosystems and resources. Combining a socio-ecological resilience approach with numerous contributions emanating from the new conservation paradigm, our framework emphasizes the relationships and dynamism between four landscape scales: agroecosystems, ecosystems, livelihoods, and institutions.  Management strategies at each of these landscape scales are directed towards reducing vulnerabilities and promoting adaptive capacities through the production and maintenance of agricultural, economic, and ecological diversity.  The framework offers a coherent focus for discussion, debate and concerted action among multiple stakeholders in land and water management from which innovations can emerge that capture synergies and limit tradeoffs and conflict. While the framework has general application to vulnerable communities affected by climate change, it must be adapted to the specific historical and cultural contexts.  To address these challenges, we argue for the implementation of participatory methods to facilitate collaboration between locally-situated and scientific knowledges in the design of appropriate and effective management strategies.  When situated reflexively, our framework offers significant potentials for designing and promoting systems capable of meeting food and livelihood security and ecological resilience.