Agro-biodiversity and Dietary Diversity Assessment in

Chinyanja Triangle-Ntcheu District-Malawi

Agro-biodiversity and Dietary Diversity Assessment in

Chinyanja Triangle-Ntcheu District-Malawi

BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL , CIAT, CIP, DARS & LUANAR

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Dietary diversity

On-farm diversity Market diversity

Self-consumption

Sale

Purchase

Income

Food security & dietary quality

Ecosystem & EvolutionaryServices

Influencing factors

Influencing factorsInfluencing factors

Information flow

Nutrition & Health status

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR AGROBIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENTS

Aims of the assessment To identify and quantify all the useful plants, animals, and

aquatic species utilized by rural households and communities Information covering consumption (cultivated crops and perennial plants, livestock, plant species collected from the wild; species purchased from markets or exchanged; key socioeconomic characteristics of Households).

Data and information collected will be used in characterizing available resources, identify constraints, opportunities and drivers of change in status of agricultural biodiversity:

(1) In production systems(2) In nutrition and dietary diversity(3) Income and markets

Study Area-Ntcheu District

• Ntcheu district has a population of 471589 according to the 2008 Census. This means the population currently is at 557,433 (NSO Projections).

• The district has 7 extension planning areas namely, Njolomole, Kandeu, Bilira, Nsipe Sharpvale, Tsangano and Manjawira; and

• The Agriculture Extension Development Coordinator (AEDC) oversees the EPA, which is also divided into Sections.

• The Agriculture Extension Development Officer (AEDO) oversees the section

Nsipe

Manjawila

Bilila

Tsangano

Kandeu

Njolomole

Sharpe Valley

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Ntcheu EPAs

Ntcheu_EPAsBililaKandeuManjawilaNjolomoleNsipeSharpe ValleyTsangano

N

Malawi EPAs

Ntcheu districtMalawi EPAs

Sampling MethodologyReconnaisance survey –(sought to understand farming and

livelihoods systems)

• Visiting Ntcheu District Agricultural Office, District Survey Office plus other relevant offices- gather district and EPAs crop production statistics, spatial maps/variables and seek survey clearances.

• Visit and characterize all the EPAs and decide on selections capturing ecological variability and farming systems applying stratified random block sampling approach.

• Select the sections and villages within EPAs for actual survey.

Reconnaissance Survey Findings- COMPLEXITY!!

• There are sub-ecosystems within the proposed system (Dry vs wetlands; Highlands vs Lowlands)

Two Sub-systems within the system

Very Dry

Wet

Reconnaissance Survey Findings- COMPLEXITY!!

• Interactions between agriculture management , local and national governance….EPAs which are production and management blocks straddles across TA which are local governance and administrative units

agriculture

Local Administration

National governance structure

Selected EPAs- Stratified Random Design

#S#S

#S

#S

Nsipe

ManjawilaTsangano

Sharpe Valley

Ntcheu Boma

Balaka Town

Dedza TownshipMonkey Bay Urban

N

Selected EPAs and Towns

Ntcheu districtSelected epas

#S Towns

EPA Agro-ecology StatusTsangano Upper - high altitude XX

Njolomole High altitude

Nsipe Mid –altitude –Irrigation scheme

XX

Kandeu Mid- altitude

Manjawira Low altitude and drier XX

Sharpvale/Bilira Low altitude/lakeshore XX

Survey MethodsFocused Group Discussions (Separated Men and Women)

Four cell Analysis toolCommunity timelines-capture trends in crops and varietiesCrop calendars (Information on food availability & security)Seed networks (Social and Markets)

Household Surveys • Interview questionnaires gathered information on ABD

role at household level (Household head=male/female)

• Food systems characterization, diets and contributions of ABD at household level (Woman)Individual dietary diversity scores (women & Children)Food calendars

FGD-Four Cell AnalysisAssessing Useful biological diversity in the production system

It is very important to draw the group’s attention to squares (3) and (4). Because species on those squares they are usually ignored, but they can be important and particularly have potential!

Men-FGD

Women - FGD

Selected EPAs- Stratified Random Design

#S#S

#S

#S

Nsipe

ManjawilaTsangano

Sharpe Valley

Ntcheu Boma

Balaka Town

Dedza TownshipMonkey Bay Urban

N

Selected EPAs and Towns

Ntcheu districtSelected epas

#S TownsSections=12Farming hh=30,102HH Interviewed=90Fgd=3

Sections=10Farming hh=22,702HH Interviewed=83Fgd=4

Sections=8Farming hh=18,422HH Interviewed=80Fgd=4

Sections=10Farming hh=31,112HH Interviewed=85Fgd=3

• 13 FGDs • 340 hh sampled

Survey preliminary findings/observations

Next Steps

• A great diversity of ABD available for consumption and income—in some cases not appropriately utilized

• Constraints exist in diversifying crops to mitigate shortages during lean seasons---case of using residual moisture in dambos

• Challenges in accessing inputs—seeds and fertilizer—from FGDs feedbacks

• Need to links of on farm conservation- market and food and nutritional security to identify options and entry points- Alot of opportunities exist

• Data entry, decoding and cleaning—On-going• Data Analysis to identify the entry points

• Statistics• GIS/Remote Sensing—models• Gather more bioclimatic data for FIGS

like analysis

A LOT OF OPPORTINITIES EXIST!!-implications for options by context in systems research

Markets and value chains

Goats for sale—no buyer

Potato—no transport to market

Conservation Agriculture

Maize Granary

Crop Diversification

Variety

On-farm

MonocropsMonocrops

Natural resource management

Tree cutting

Woodlot

Charcoal—alternative fuel!?

Innovations

River course

Water diversion

Irrigated farm

Infrastructure

Water Provision

Residence

Out-door office

Lunch

Breakfast

SIKOMO!!!!