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Tebkew M, Asfaw Z, Worku A. The role of agroforestry systems for addressing climate change livelihood vulnerability of farmers of Northwestern Ethiopia. Heliyon 2024; 10:e36196. [PMID: 39281649 PMCID: PMC11400621 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Farmers in Ethiopia have been vulnerable to climate change in recent decades. In the face of this change, farmers have managed agroforestry systems to maintain their livelihoods. However, studies exploring the role of agroforestry in reducing household vulnerability are lacking in Northwestern Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate households' livelihoods vulnerability to climate change in Northwestern Ethiopia; (iii) assess the role of agroforestry in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change on farmers livelihoods. Key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, household surveys (387), and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, the X2-test, and the t-test were run to analyze the data. The findings revealed that households are vulnerable to rising temperatures, rainfall variability, frost, disease and pests, erosion, hailstorms, price hikes, wildlife damage to crops, and health stress. Agroforestry non-practitioners had a higher livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) (0.42 ± 0.081) than practitioners (0.46 ± 0.079). The Livelihood Vulnerability-Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Index (LVI-IPCC) showed that AF non-practitioners had a higher exposure (0.58), sensitivity (0.54) index, and a lower adaptive capacity index (0.44) than the exposure (0.34), sensitivity (0.38), and adaptive capacity index (0.51) of practitioners. Plant diversity, income level and diversity, livelihood activities, social network, and food security status of farmers were improved by agroforestry. Farmers were therefore less susceptible to adverse climate shocks. Thus, the AF system could be part of future adaptation and resilience programs that provide dependable tools to minimize households' vulnerability to climate shocks. However, management guidelines, such as understanding local ecosystems, setting clear objectives, choosing suitable species, planning for diversity, considering the market, and regular maintenance and monitoring, are needed for agroforestry to improve its contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zebene Asfaw
- Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
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Wan Zaki WM, Yahya MS, Norhisham AR, Sanusi R, van der Meer PJ, Azhar B. Agroforestry orchards support greater butterfly diversity than monoculture plantations in the tropics. Oecologia 2023; 201:863-875. [PMID: 36914820 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05348-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale deforestation in the tropics, triggered by logging and subsequent agricultural monoculture has a significant adverse impact on biodiversity due to habitat degradation. Here, we measured the diversity of butterfly species in three agricultural landscapes, agroforestry orchards, oil palm, and rubber tree plantations. Butterfly species were counted at 127 sampling points over the course of a year using the point count method. We found that agroforestry orchards supported a greater number of butterfly species (74 species) compared to rubber tree (61 species) and oil palm plantations (54 species) which were dominated by generalist (73%) followed by forest specialists (27%). We found no significant difference of butterfly species composition between agroforestry orchards and rubber tree plantation, with both habitats associated with more butterfly species compared to oil palm plantations. This indicates butterflies were able to persist better in certain agricultural landscapes. GLMMs suggested that tree height, undergrowth coverage and height, and elevation determined butterfly diversity. Butterfly species richness was also influenced by season and landscape-level variables such as proximity to forest, mean NDVI, and habitat. Understanding the factors that contributed to butterfly species richness in an agroecosystem, stakeholders should consider management practices to improve biodiversity conservation such as ground vegetation management and retaining adjacent forest areas to enhance butterfly species richness. Furthermore, our findings suggest that agroforestry system should be considered to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Mamat Wan Zaki
- Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Syafiq Yahya
- Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad R Norhisham
- Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Laboratory of Bioresource Management, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ruzana Sanusi
- Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Laboratory of Bioresource Management, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Peter J van der Meer
- Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 9001, 6880 GB, Velp, The Netherlands
| | - Badrul Azhar
- Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Biodiversity Unit, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Xiao J, Xiong K. A review of agroforestry ecosystem services and its enlightenment on the ecosystem improvement of rocky desertification control. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158538. [PMID: 36067859 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Agroforestry (AF) has become an important strategy in reconciling the contradictory requirements of environmental protection and economic development in ecologically fragile areas, and whose multiple ecosystem services provide effective ways to promote the restoration of degraded ecosystems in the region. However, agroforestry ecosystem services (AFES) are usually constrained by their generative elements (vulnerability, structure, function, and ecological assets) and service management-both crucial for informed decision-making which enhances AFES supply capacity and AF sustainable management. Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is a typical case in an ecologically fragile area, and within the KRD region greatly relevant for promoting AFES as a strategy for restoring degraded regional ecosystems and for achieving sustainable development goals. In this study, a total of 164 publications related to AFES that met a set of inclusion criteria were obtained through the Scopus database using the literature review method of searching, appraisal, synthesis, and analysis. From the systematic literature review results, (i) we found that the number of relevant publications generally exhibited a year-on-year growth trend, with AFES generation elements being the most common topic (68.11 % of publications), and service management research being the second most common (31.89 % of publications); (ii) we summarised the main progress and landmark results of AFES generation elements and service management research and explored the relevant key scientific questions; and (iii) the above information enlightened the key improvement areas of KRD control ecosystem within three aspects: natural environment, agricultural development, and human-environment relationship. This study provides agroforestry practitioners and relevant decision-makers with information for improving and managing the supply capacity of AFES, and also presents important insights on the KRD control ecosystem to land degradation restoration technicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xiao
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, People's Republic of China; State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, People's Republic of China
| | - Kangning Xiong
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, People's Republic of China; State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, People's Republic of China.
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