Systems-oriented approaches to harness the potential of

multifunctional farms and landscapes for sustainable

intensification in the humidtropics

Jeroen Groot, Piet van Asten, Katrien Descheemaeker

Humidtropics

SI and multifunctionality

• SI requires assessment of systems for multiple functions

and services

• Explore solution spaces to examine tradeoffs and

synergies

Groot et al (2009) Journal of Environmental Management 90, S147-S160.

Best guess

scenarios

Single objective

optimization

Constrained

optimization

Multi-objective

optimization

F1 F1 F1 F1

F2 F2 F2 F2

Means vs. goal oriented

• Means-oriented assumes a priority superiority

(sustainability) of particular practices or techniques

• Goal-oriented is based on comparison of the productive,

environmental and social performance to a set of goals

Goal definition Formulation of a case-specific

perception of multifunctionality

Indicator set Metrics to evaluate the

performance of the system

System definition Definition of the system,

components and process

Integrative model Expresses system performance

in terms of indicator set

Multifunctionality

assessment

Rossing et al., 2007. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment.

Relate land-use and mgt. to indicators

• How can we adjust:

– Crop areas, product composition, use

– Animal number, mgt., productivity, product composition, use

– Manure management

– Food acquisition

– Labor use

– And other farm and household choices

• To improve performance of multiple functions?...

• …and which tradeoffs and synergies do we face?

Ecological

Quality

(Goal 2)

Economic

Returns

(Goal 1)

Current situation

Differently managed landscapes

Solution space

Solution spaces change

Natural

resource

base

Profitability

• Income contribution by crop sales is highly

diverse between households in same region

• Nebbi all HH`s dependant and mostly on crop

sales

• Moyo: off farm largest income source, large

portion no crop sales

Diversity in income sources

in West-Nile – HH survey data

• Crop enterprises highly diverse in

profit margin and returns on labor

• HHs enterprise selection deviates

largely from profitability levels

Profitability comparisons

Differences between regions

Food self sufficiency

in West-Nile districts, UG

Food security – incl off-farm

Potential is not the problem

Decision

making

->

Adoption

Farmers adapt stepwise

Gap = cost of risk insurance

+ gender preferences?

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Farm

incomeinUgandan

Shillingsinoneyear

Current,plannedandop malrevenuescenario

Currentrevenue

Plannedrevenue

Op malrevenue

• In-depth study shows

that resource

endowments may be

less important for

technology adoption

than often thought.

• Attitudes of farmers

plays an important role

• Understanding

attitudes will give

further insights into

farmer decision-

making.

… I don’t like your attitude?

Thank you