Multifunctionality of smallholder Multifunctionality of smallholder farming: A way towards farming: A way towards

sustaining Food Security and sustaining Food Security and Adapting to Climate ChangeAdapting to Climate Change

Hailu Araya (PhD)Institute for Sustainable Development

(hailuara@yahoo.com)

26 October 2012

The mountainous EthiopiaThe mountainous Ethiopia

Mountainous …contMountainous …cont

Opportunities and ProblemsOpportunities and ProblemsWide area with potential for agricultural

production (1.12m Km2), pop. (>80m)One of the oldest agrarian countries with IKHigh land degradationSmallholder farmers with open access

grazingForest encroachment, declined agro-

biodiversity & low agricultural productionHigh level of food insecurity –

unemployment

ChallengeChallengeHigh over-grazing High over-grazing

Deep, wide and long Deep, wide and long gulliesgullies

AgricultureAgricultureEthiopia - total emission is 150 Mt

CO2e Agriculture- 50 percentMethane 65 Mt CO2eFertilizer ~10 Mt CO2eForestry- 37 percent55 Mt CO2e (deforestation for

agricultural land, fuel wood logging)All transport, Industry, power and

buildings – 13 percent

By 2030 Under Business as Usual – 400 Mt By 2030 Under Business as Usual – 400 Mt CO2e – more than doubleCO2e – more than double

Agriculture (4.4%) increase from 75 to 185 Mt CO2e due to increase in cattle population, increase in cultivated land (crops production) and synthetic fertilizer

Forestry (2.6%) - average growth of cropland and increase in population leading to higher fuel wood consumption

The opportunity for carbon sink in the The opportunity for carbon sink in the agriculture sectoragriculture sector

The CRGE planned the GHG to be around 250 Mt CO2e based on four pillars:

One of them is - Improving crop and livestock production practices for higher food security and farmer income while reducing emissions.

Therefore, we can work in soil, water, agronomy, etc

Vegetation – mixed agriculture – agroforestry

A replication of the following examples

Healing and Healing and greening the greening the landland

Gullies are treated physically and

biologically

Adi Nefas before (1997) and after (2003) -

All the components being usedPhysical

-Trench bunds-Terraces- Check dams-Water points

Biological-Planting MPT-Hedge plants- Protect existing trees

Wheat yield, Hintalo Wejerat (Waza), 2010 – drier areaWheat yield, Hintalo Wejerat (Waza), 2010 – drier areaimpact of bioslurry compost compared with chemical impact of bioslurry compost compared with chemical fertilizer from one year’s applicationfertilizer from one year’s application

Tef yield by input and without input in Ude Tef yield by input and without input in Ude kebele of Ada’a wereda – wet area (2010)kebele of Ada’a wereda – wet area (2010)

SustainabilitySustainability – the higher compost – the higher compost application results in increasing productivityapplication results in increasing productivity

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2005 2006 2007

Year of harvest

Cu

mu

lati

ve P

rod

uc

tivi

ty v

alu

e

(%)

Control MF 3.2 t/ha 6.4 t/ha

Tef - transplant right and broadcast left

Tef plants - transplant left and

broadcast right

Agronomic practices - System of Crop Intensification

Transplanted finger millet - 58 tillers

With >3t/ha

compost

With 6t/ha

compost

Animal and Animal and forage forage developmentdevelopment

Alfalfa

Napier grass

Enset

Healthy Cow and

calf

Beekeeping is multifunctional

Food security Natural resource

conservation Biodiversity

Trainees making their

beehives

A woman making a

beehive with ‘chika’

Biodiversity to support

beekeeping

Leucas ‘siwa karni’ flowers all year where

there is moisture

Becium ‘tibeb’ the source of famous white honey of

Tigray

Hypoestes ‘gerbiya’ that flowers all year

SHF managed seed supply chain in TigraySHF managed seed supply chain in Tigray

Personal saving Neighbors/

relativesLocal

market

Community seed bank

Government seed supply

If not “b”

a b

cdIf not “d”

85-90% seed is from local source

If not “c”

Reliable cultivars at local level

The soil makerThe soil maker

Building series of terracesCrushing rocks & mulching

A

A

• Rocky landscape – almost no soil•No options for living

I change it like this

Nutrient cycling through mixed farmingNutrient cycling through mixed farming

Compost

Compost

Plant litter

Household litter

Farm residue

Manure

Nutrient cycling through compost at family levelNutrient cycling through compost at family level

An average HH produces about 7t/yr of compost.1,029kg OM/ 602kg OC77kg TN2.7kg P20.3kg K

14.7% (OM), 8.6% (OC)>1% (TN)0.04% (P)0.29% (K)

Good compost

Just do or dieJust do or die

Improved water supply for irrigationImproved water supply for irrigation

Integrated watershed management results in:Re-appearance of springs and streamsMicro-irrigation through hand dug wells at

household levelImproving food security by enhancing family

income and nutritionAgrobiodiversity - restoredRural families are better resilient to Climate

Change

Some evidences on Sustain. AgSome evidences on Sustain. AgSoil carbon stock increase (Luske and

Kamp, 2009) – 0.7-1.14t C/ha/year – FYM

application(3t/ha)0.66t C/ha/year – long term legume

experiment2.7-3.8 t C/ha/year – Compost application

in the first yearsSmallholder rainfed dry/cold can sequester

carbon 0.26 ±0.035 ton C/ha/year through sustainable agriculture practices (Menale Kassie and Precious Zikhali, 2009).

 

Zero tillage In intensive arable results in

accumulation of 0.3-0.6 t C /ha/year, with mixed rotations and cover

crops can accumulate 0.66-1.3 t C/ha/year.

The growth rates at the humid tropics (0.2-0.5 t C/ha/yr), and in the semi-arid tropics (0.1-0.2 t C/ha/yr). Pretty and Ball (2001)

ConclusionConclusionProjects under smallholder farming practices solve

many problems through recycling of organic matterMixed farming practice is interconnecting each other

and diversify means of income, survival, diversity, innovation, etc based on social problems.

Landscape approach become attractive the government – satisfying all

The government policy is supportive for such projects - they coincide with the government policy and Growth and Transformation Plan, National Action Plan for Adaptation

RecommendationsRecommendationsEnough attention and respect for smallholder

farming b/c it improves environment, livelihood, social

Adequate promotion, including training and follow-up in low inputs and mixed agriculture could contribute substantially to becoming food secure

Government and Civil Society cooperation is very fundamental for scaling up/out

Clarity – requiredClarity – required

Who should know the gain and loss of the Climate change

How do we collaborate for a stronger result?

Do we need to see the contribution of smallholder farming by one eye (carbon)? Why not beyond? – where is the value of biodiversity & food security?

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsIt is my pleasure to extend my thanks to Farmers, experts and local authorities- Implementing such projectsSSNC - Supporting the project, this study and

inviting to this meetingISD- support community projects

Let me try - my father was doing like this.