Transdisciplinary agroecological research on biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable and climate resilient farming systems in Malawi

Kpienbaareh, Daniel; Kerr, Rachel Bezner; Nyantakyi-Frimpong, Hanson; Amoak, Daniel; Poveda, Katja; Nagothu, Udaya Sekhar; Vogel, Cassandra; Iverson, Aaron; Mehreteab, Tesfai; Luginaah, Isaac; Steffan‐Dewenter, Ingolf; Wang, Jinfei; Küstner, Georg; Enloe, Stephanie; Mayer, Vera; Dakishoni, Laifolo; Lupafya, Esther; Shumba, Lizzie; Chunga, Timothy L.; Kanyimbo, Penjani; Munthali, Petros; Gondwe, Tinkani; Mhoni, Innocent; Mkandawire, Mwapi; Mkandawire, Tapiwa; Moyo, Pressings; Tembo, Yolice

doi:10.1016/bs.aecr.2022.04.001

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Within our study region, we chose 24 smallholder farms with nearby woodland patches. Farms were located in villages that were specifically selected because they spanned a gradient of woodland cover in a 1 km radius (15%–75%; Figure 1; Kpienbaareh et al, 2022). Details on how the surrounding landscape cover was quantified is given in SupportingInformation 1.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local and landscape scale woodland cover and diversification of agroecological practices shape butterfly communities in tropical smallholder landscapes

Vogel

Mayer

Mkandawire

et al. 2023

Journal of Applied Ecology

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The conversion of biodiversity‐rich woodland to farmland and subsequent management has strong, often negative, impacts on biodiversity. In tropical smallholder agricultural landscapes, the impacts of agriculture on insect communities, both through habitat change and subsequent farmland management, is understudied. The use of agroecological practices has social and agronomic benefits for smallholders. Although ecological co‐benefits of agroecological practices are assumed, systematic empirical assessments of biodiversity effects of agroecological practices are missing, particularly in Africa. In Malawi, we assessed butterfly abundance, species richness, species assemblages and community life‐history traits on 24 paired woodland and smallholder‐managed farmland sites located across a gradient of woodland cover within a 1 km radius. We tested whether habitat type (woodland vs. farmland) and woodland cover at the landscape scale interactively shaped butterfly communities. Farms varied in the implementation of agroecological pest and soil management practices and flowering plant species richness. Farmland had lower butterfly abundances and approximately half the species richness than woodland. Farmland butterfly communities had, on average, a larger wingspan than woodland site communities. Surprisingly, higher woodland cover in the landscape had no effect on butterfly abundance in both habitats. In contrast, species richness was higher with higher woodland cover. Butterfly species assemblages were distinct between wood‐ and farmland and shifted across the woodland cover gradient. Farmland butterfly abundance, but not species richness, was higher with higher flowering plant species richness on farms. Farms with a higher number of agroecological pest management practices had a lower abundance of the dominant butterfly species, but not of rarer species. However, a larger number of agroecological soil management practices was associated with a higher abundance of rarer species. Synthesis and applications: We show that diversified agroecological soil practices and flowering plant richness enhanced butterfly abundance on farms. However, our results suggest that on‐farm measures cannot compensate for the negative effects of continued woodland conversion. Therefore, we call for more active protection of remaining African woodlands in tandem with promoting agroecological soil management practices and on‐farm flowering plant richness to conserve butterflies while benefiting smallholders.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local and landscape scale woodland cover and diversification of agroecological practices shape butterfly communities in tropical smallholder landscapes

Vogel

Mayer

Mkandawire

et al. 2023

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…Agroecology has three strands. First, as a scientific discipline, agroecology is rooted in multiple disciplines, including agronomy and ecology, soil science, and plant physiology [43,54]. This implies that agroecologists can harness and apply the knowledge from these various disciplines in an integrated way and turn them into science-based actions to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change on agricultural production, as will be discussed in later sections.…”

Section: Agroecology As An Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Food Security, and Health: Harnessing Agroecology to Build Climate-Resilient Communities

2022

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Climate change threatens human health, food security, and ecological sustainability. In marginalized and vulnerable communities around the globe, there is a crucial need to initiate actions to reduce adverse climatic impacts and support sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly on food and health. Climate change’s multidimensional and complex impact on food and health has prompted calls for an integrated, science-based approach that could simultaneously improve the environment and nourish development-constrained communities. This paper examines a transdisciplinary practice of agroecology that bridges the gap between science, practice, and policy for climate action. We also analyze the significance of agroecology in building climate-resilient communities through sustainable food systems. We assert that the marriage of science and local knowledge that addresses access inequities through agroecology can lessen the impact of climate change on rural communities to achieve healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food systems. Furthermore, a transformative agroecological paradigm can provide farmers with a host of adaptive possibilities leading to healthier communities, improved food security, and restored lands and forests that can sequester greenhouse gases. Based on our findings, we call on the science and policy communities to integrate agroecology as part of the broader strategic approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

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The importance of shrubland and local agroecological practices for pumpkin production in sub-Saharan smallholdings

Vogel,

Mkandawire,

Mkandawire

et al. 2023

Basic and Applied Ecology

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Transdisciplinary agroecological research on biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable and climate resilient farming systems in Malawi

Cited by 4 publications

References 42 publications

Local and landscape scale woodland cover and diversification of agroecological practices shape butterfly communities in tropical smallholder landscapes

Local and landscape scale woodland cover and diversification of agroecological practices shape butterfly communities in tropical smallholder landscapes

Climate Change, Food Security, and Health: Harnessing Agroecology to Build Climate-Resilient Communities

The importance of shrubland and local agroecological practices for pumpkin production in sub-Saharan smallholdings

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