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Prunus cercocarpifolia Villarreal (Rosaceae) is an endemic shrub species restricted to the Sierra Zapalinamé in southeastern Coahuila, Mexico. It is a refuge and food source for native fauna, but their populations have been affected by human activities. In this study, we evaluated 11 pregerminative treatments in seeds of this species. These treatments consisted of the imbibition in water and stratification at different times and temperatures. The treated seeds were sown, and we assessed the percentage of germinated, dark, and non-germinated seeds, as well as the proportion of normal and abnormal seedlings. The seed imbibition with endocarp for 48 h at 30°C reached the highest germination percentage (89%), with all seeds being germinated, and 58% of normal seedlings produced. With the stratification for 8 days at 5°C, all seeds were germinated and a 64% of normal seedlings was achieved. Implementing these treatments on nursery produc-tion can contribute to the conservation of this endemic species of northeastern Mexico., Prunus cercocarpifolia Villarreal (Rosaceae) es una especie arbustiva endémica, restringida a la Sierra Zapalinamé, en el sureste de Coahuila, México; sirve de refugio y alimento para fauna nativa, pero sus poblaciones han sido afectadas por actividades humanas. En este estudio, se evaluaron 11 tratamientos pregerminativos en esta especie, consistentes en la imbibición en agua y estratificación a diferentes tiempos y temperaturas. Se evaluó el porcentaje de semillas germinadas, duras y muertas, así como la proporción de plántulas normales y anormales. La imbibición de semillas con endocarpio por 48 h a 30°C logró el mejor porcentaje de germinación (89%), ninguna semilla sin germinar y 58% de plántulas normales. La estratificación por 8 días a 5°C logró ninguna semilla sin germinar y 64% de plántulas normales. La aplicación de estos tratamientos en la producción en vivero puede contribuir a la conservación de esta especie endémica del noreste de México.

Background and Aims: Agave angustifolia, or chelem, is the only wild species of the Yucatán Peninsula and is the ancestor of cultivated species with great economic and cultural values. It provides important environmental services such as food source for fauna, it fixes sandy soils and sequesters carbon in arid habitats with poor soils. It is a potential crop that may face the dryness exacerbation expected for the region and the genetic erosion of henequen. The aim of this work is to gather data about its population density, spatial pattern, size structure, and the relationship between its abundance and environmental factors of the Yucatán coastal scrublands, in order to assess the use of the species for ecological restau-ration purposes. Methods: Field work was carried out in three coastal sites: Chuburná (Ch), San Benito, (SB) and Río Lagartos (RL). Thirty six 4 m2 plots were placed in SB and RL; we estimated the relative cover of Agave angustifolia, shrubs higher than 1 m and litter in each plot. Potential of Hidrogen (pH), electric con-ductivity, total nitrogen, organic matter and gray scale were measured from the soil samples collected. Population density, spatial pattern and size structure of A. angustifolia in SB and Ch were also described. Key results: The cover of Agave angustifolia is negatively correlated to the shrubs and litter cover, as well as the amount of organic matter. The population density was lower than 0.1 individuals/m2, small individuals dominated the population structure and the spatial pattern is aggregated. Conclusions: Because its ability to live in poor soils, high temperatures and solar radiation, the species could be used to restore some ecological functions in the most arid habitats of the coast where the vege-tation has been severily damaged., Antecedentes y Objetivos: Agave angustifolia, o chelem, es el único maguey silvestre de la Península de Yucatán y es el ancestro de especies domesticadas de gran valor económico y cultural. Presta importantes servicios ambientales como recurso alimenticio para la fauna, fijación de suelos arenosos y captura de carbono en ambientes áridos con suelos pobres. Es un cultivo potencial de cara al aumento de las sequías predichas para la región y del empobrecimiento genético del henequén. El objetivo de este trabajo es recabar datos sobre la densidad de sus poblaciones, su patrón espacial, estructura poblacional y la relación entre su abundancia y los factores ambientales en el matorral costero de Yucatán, con el fin de evaluar su uso en la restauración ecológica. Métodos: Se muestrearon tres localidades costeras: Chuburná (Ch), San Benito (SB) y Río Lagartos (RL). En SB y RL se trazaron 36 cuadrantes de 4 m2; dentro de cada uno se estimó el porcentaje de cobertura de Agave angustifolia, el de los arbustos de más de 1 m de alto y la cobertura de mantillo. Se tomaron muestras de suelo a las que se analizó pH, conductividad eléctrica, nitrógeno total, materia orgánica e escala de gris. Se describieron la densidad poblacional, distribución espacial y estructura por tamaños de A. angustifolia en SB y Ch. Resultados clave: La cobertura de Agave angustifolia se correlaciona negativamente con la cobertura de arbustos y mantillo, y cantidad de materia orgánica. Las densidades de su población fueron inferiores a 0.1 individuos/m2, hubo una mayor proporción de plántulas y su distribución espacial es agregada. Conclusiones: Al soportar suelos pobres, altas temperaturas y radiación solar, la especie puede servir para restaurar algunas funciones ecológicas en las zonas más áridas de la costa donde la vegetación ha sido severamente dañada.

Over the past three decades, woody species potentially useful for reforestation, fuelwood, coal and timber production have been over-exploited along the Gulf of Mexico, which has led to a gradual decline in the plant population and the progressive degradation of the environment. The present research evaluated the establishment, growth, and production of fuelwood from a plantation of five eucalyptus species planted in randomly arranged plots on a cleared clayey loam alkali soil in a semi-arid region of northeastern Mexico for a 20 year period. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis and E. microtheca showed the highest average height growth rate (1.07 m year-1, 0.93 m year-1 and 0.85 m year-1, respectively). E. camaldulensis showed the highest volume values at 20 years (58.55 m3 ha-1), followed by E. tereticornis (54.15 m3 ha-1) and E. microtheca (51.91 m3 ha-1). E. sideroxylun and E. crebra yielded the lowest tree volumes (35.12 m3 ha-1 and 30.45 m3 ha-1, respectively). The results have shown that the adaptability of eucalyptus species to the climate of the subtropical regions allows their use in combination with the native vegetation to colonize degraded areas offering services in timber and non-timber products to the local population. In addition, the production of exotic trees with large trunk diameter with few side branches may increase the volume of the wood exploited and the income to the owner of the land and, thus, reduce the pressure on the native species., Resumen En las últimas tres décadas, las especies leñosas potencialmente útiles para la reforestación, producción de leña, carbón y madera han sido sobreexplotadas en la costa del Golfo de México, lo cual ha dado lugar a una paulatina disminución de la población vegetal y la degradación progresiva del ambiente. En la presente investigación se evaluó el establecimiento, la adaptabilidad, el desarrollo y la producción de leña y carbón de un cultivo de cinco especies de eucalipto por un período de 20 años en parcelas dispuestas al azar en un terreno desmontado con suelo profundo, franco-arcilloso y ligeramente alcalino de la región semiárida del noreste de México. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis y E. microtheca mostraron la mayor tasa de crecimiento en altura promedio (1.07 m año-1, 0.93 m año-1 y 0.85 m año-1, respectivamente). E. camaldulensis mostró los valores de volumen más altos a los 20 años (58.55 m3 ha-1), seguido de E. tereticornis (54.15 m3 ha-1) y E. microtheca (51.91 m3 ha-1). E. sideroxylun y E. crebra arrojaron los volúmenes arbóreos más bajos (35.12 m3 ha-1 y 30.45 m3 ha-1, respectivamente). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la adaptabilidad de las especies de eucalipto al clima de las regiones subtropicales permite su uso en combinación con la vegetación nativa en áreas degradadas ofreciendo servicios en productos maderables y no maderables a la población local. Además, la producción de árboles exóticos de gran diámetro y con pocas ramas laterales puede aumentar el volumen de la madera explotada, los ingresos del propietario de los terrenos y disminuir así la presión sobre las especies nativas.

Over the past three decades, woody species potentially useful for reforestation, fuelwood, coal and timber production have been over-exploited along the Gulf of Mexico, which has led to a gradual decline in the plant population and the progressive degradation of the environment. The present research evaluated the establishment, growth, and production of fuelwood from a plantation of five eucalyptus species planted in randomly arranged plots on a cleared clayey loam alkali soil in a semi-arid region of northeastern Mexico for a 20 year period. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis and E. microtheca showed the highest average height growth rate (1.07 m year-1, 0.93 m year-1 and 0.85 m year-1, respectively). E. camaldulensis showed the highest volume values at 20 years (58.55 m3 ha-1), followed by E. tereticornis (54.15 m3 ha-1) and E. microtheca (51.91 m3 ha-1). E. sideroxylun and E. crebra yielded the lowest tree volumes (35.12 m3 ha-1 and 30.45 m3 ha-1, respectively). The results have shown that the adaptability of eucalyptus species to the climate of the subtropical regions allows their use in combination with the native vegetation to colonize degraded areas offering services in timber and non-timber products to the local population. In addition, the production of exotic trees with large trunk diameter with few side branches may increase the volume of the wood exploited and the income to the owner of the land and, thus, reduce the pressure on the native species., Resumen En las últimas tres décadas, las especies leñosas potencialmente útiles para la reforestación, producción de leña, carbón y madera han sido sobreexplotadas en la costa del Golfo de México, lo cual ha dado lugar a una paulatina disminución de la población vegetal y la degradación progresiva del ambiente. En la presente investigación se evaluó el establecimiento, la adaptabilidad, el desarrollo y la producción de leña y carbón de un cultivo de cinco especies de eucalipto por un período de 20 años en parcelas dispuestas al azar en un terreno desmontado con suelo profundo, franco-arcilloso y ligeramente alcalino de la región semiárida del noreste de México. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis y E. microtheca mostraron la mayor tasa de crecimiento en altura promedio (1.07 m año-1, 0.93 m año-1 y 0.85 m año-1, respectivamente). E. camaldulensis mostró los valores de volumen más altos a los 20 años (58.55 m3 ha-1), seguido de E. tereticornis (54.15 m3 ha-1) y E. microtheca (51.91 m3 ha-1). E. sideroxylun y E. crebra arrojaron los volúmenes arbóreos más bajos (35.12 m3 ha-1 y 30.45 m3 ha-1, respectivamente). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la adaptabilidad de las especies de eucalipto al clima de las regiones subtropicales permite su uso en combinación con la vegetación nativa en áreas degradadas ofreciendo servicios en productos maderables y no maderables a la población local. Además, la producción de árboles exóticos de gran diámetro y con pocas ramas laterales puede aumentar el volumen de la madera explotada, los ingresos del propietario de los terrenos y disminuir así la presión sobre las especies nativas.

The study was conducted in the semi-arid northern Ethiopia aimed at selecting appropriate water harvesting techniques (WHTs) for implementation. A plot-scale experiment was set up, in the Gule catchment, on a farmland to monitor the effect of in-situ WHTs such as tied ridges and straw mulch mainly on event-based runoff, soil-moisture, and soil and nutrient losses. The off-site effect of WHTs such as check dams and percolation ponds on catchment-scale event-based runoff and sediment yield was also monitored in the Gule catchment (~12 km2) and Misbar sub-catchment (~2.4 km2), northern Ethiopia. First, a decision support approach was developed to aid the selection of WHTs in arid and semi-arid areas. The decision support approach was validated with a case study for WHTs in the upper Geba watershed in northern Ethiopia. Using the decision support methodology, eight potential WHTs were pre-selected for implementation in the watershed. Next, using suitability indicators for WHTs and a GIS-based multi-criteria analysis, suitable areas were identified for three of these WHTs, namely check dams, percolation ponds and bench terraces and suitability maps were generated. The multi-criteria analysis was validated by comparing the predicted suitable areas with the already existing locations of WHTs in the watershed. The result was that 90% of the existing check dams and 93% of the percolation ponds in the upper Geba watershed were correctly identified by the approach. The field study showed runoff reduction by WHTs from farmland between 40 to 88% and soil loss between 60 to 90%. Nutrient loss reduction from farmland by WHTs also ranged between 52 and 86%. Soil-moisture also improved due to the use of the in-situ WHTs. Model-based simulation at the Gule and Misbar outlets using LISEM showed that the current WHTs applied in the catchment are able to decrease event-based runoff by 41 and 45%, respectively. Similarly, sediment yield was reduced at both the Gule outlet and Misbar sub

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is an ancient traditional technology practised in many parts of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions (ASARs). ASARs represent 40% of the earth’s land surface and are characterised by low average annual rainfall and uneven temporal and spatial distributions of that rainfall. In these regions an efficient use of the limited amount of rainfall available is important, e.g. by collecting and using surface runoff (water harvesting). Lately, access to water for agriculture and domestic use has become worse because of increasing population, higher levels of human activity and the impacts of climate change. The inhabitants of ASARs have developed several RWH techniques to increase the water availability, thus coping with water shortages. RWH is an important mitigation strategy to the impact of climate change on water availability in ASARs. Four main methodologies of site selection were categorised, ranging from those based only on biophysical criteria to more integrated approaches that include socioeconomic criteria. Our analysis suggests that the integration of multi-criteria analysis (MCA) with a geographic information system (GIS) is the most advanced approach. It offers high potential in data-poor regions; GIS-based hydrological modelling is always recommended for data-rich regions. The potential for RWH in wadi Horan (western desert of Iraq) was identified using a GIS-based suitability model. The method for selecting suitable sites for RWH was then further developed into an evaluation and decision support tool for assessing the overall performance of existing RWH systems by integrating engineering, biophysical and socioeconomic criteria using MCA supported by GIS. It was tested in the wadi Oum Zessar in southeastern Tunisia. A simple but generally applicable water harvesting model (WHCatch) was developed to investigate and optimise the performance of the RWH systems under various scenarios of design and management, It was tested

In dit artikel wordt een op de droge gebieden van Kenia gericht NUFFIC-project beschreven. Het project is in 2013 gestart en wordt door een Nederlands-Belgisch consortium uitgevoerd. Het doel is om de South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) te ondersteunen bij de opbouw van opleidings- en trainingscapaciteit op het gebied van watermanagement en aquacultuur.

The following paper presented provides an overview of the multidisciplinary approach of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) in promoting the expansion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the developing world. The program currently pulls experts and ideologies from agricultural economics, technology networks/knowledge dissemination, soils, and gender fields within its CA research projects.

This poster provides an overview of the combined research efforts of the Cross-Cutting Research Activities (CCRAs) at the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP). They include analyses of economic impacts, gender, technology networks, and soil in the SANREM CRSP's Long Term Research Activities (LTRAs).

This article provides an overview of the Soils Cross-Cutting Research Activity (CCRA) within the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP). Through the Soils CCRA, a soil library compiling soil test results from all SANREM CRSP project sites (Haiti, Bolivia, Ecuador, Ghana, Mali, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, India, Nepal, Cambodia, and the Philippines) will be created. Samples will be tested on the basis of soil fertility, soil organic carbon content (SOC), and particulate organic matter (POM).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (SANREM) Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) seeks to determine the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) on soil fertility and carbon (C) sequestration in the developing world. Time 0 and Year 3 soil samples at 0 – 5 and 5 – 10 cm depths will be compared to determine the effects of CA on soil fertility and soil C. (Author's abstract).

The following poster provides an overview of the multidisciplinary approach of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) in promoting the expansion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the developing world. The program currently pulls experts and ideologies from agricultural economics, technology networks/knowledge dissemination, soils, and gender fields within its CA research projects.

Rangelands in Africa provide important forage resources for herbivores; particularly perennial grasses provide grazing for domestic and wild herbivores. However, semi-arid African rangelands experience severe vegetation and soil degradation due to heavy grazing, causing negative impacts on the ecosystems, livestock production and livelihoods of the people. Semi-arid African rangelands can be described by a state-and-transition models, often with three stable states, the first one being a state with ample herbaceous cover, perennial grasses and scattered trees, the second one as a state with a poor cover of annual grasses, absence of perennial grasses, and the third state with a high proportion of bare soil and/or often bush encroached. This thesis aims to fill important information gaps concerning soil seed banks that play in the recovery and possible restoration of degraded semi-arid African rangelands with particular emphasis on Ethiopia. This was done through investigating the mechanisms of how heavy grazing affects the soil seeds bank dynamics so as to understand stable states and transition processes of aboveground vegetation. In this thesis, aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank dynamics were studied under heavy and light grazing pressures in a field and experimental conditions. Results show that heavy grazing resulted in the disappearance of perennial grasses, a reduction in herbaceous species diversity and their plant abundance, standing biomass and basal cover, as well as a decrease in the soil nutrient conditions. The soil seed banks was correlated to differences in grazing pressure, with a greater seedling density under light grazing compared with heavy grazing. Immediately after seed dispersal, the seedling density increased over the first first three months until the eight months of soil sampling, and decreased thereafter. Under light grazing, perennial grass species dominated, whereas annual species were abundant at the heavily grazed sites, indica

Key words: agricultural frontier; smallholder; intensification; semi-arid area; wildlife; conservation agriculture; cotton; Zimbabwe. Increasing agricultural production and preventing further losses in biodiversity are both legitimate objectives, but they compete strongly in the developing world. In this study, current tensions between agricultural production and environmental conservation were described and analysed in Mbire District, an agricultural frontier shared with wildlife that lies in the Mid-Zambezi Valley, in the northern fringe of Zimbabwe. The potential of conservation agriculture (CA) to intensify agricultural production with minimum negative environmental effects was then explored. The population of Mbire District almost doubled between 1992 and 2002, while the livestock densities increased at rates above 15% in the early 1990s and the late 2000s. From 1980 to 2007, the expansion of farmland over the years was described by an exponential relationship. It was suggested that these changes affected elephant and buffalo numbers negatively. Increase in human population, increase in cattle population, and expansion of cotton farming were all drivers on the observed land use change. However, cotton farming was demonstrated to be paramount, enabling cattle accumulation and expansion of plough-based agriculture. The ‘environmental footprint’ per farm was increasing significantly with the area under cotton and with the number of draught animals owned. A kilogram of seed cotton required 50% more land, removed twice as much N, 50% more K and 20% more P than a kilogram of cereal. However, except for pesticide, one man-day invested in cotton production had a smaller environmental footprint than a man-day invested in cereal production. As farming in Mbire District is limited by labour more than by land, specialising in cereal production would increase the total area occupied by crops and fallows, whilst specializing in cotton production would reduce this area. There

The following paper presented provides an overview of the multidisciplinary approach of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) in promoting the expansion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the developing world. The program currently pulls experts and ideologies from agricultural economics, technology networks/knowledge dissemination, soils, and gender fields within its CA research projects.

This poster provides an overview of the combined research efforts of the Cross-Cutting Research Activities (CCRAs) at the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP). They include analyses of economic impacts, gender, technology networks, and soil in the SANREM CRSP's Long Term Research Activities (LTRAs).

This article provides an overview of the Soils Cross-Cutting Research Activity (CCRA) within the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP). Through the Soils CCRA, a soil library compiling soil test results from all SANREM CRSP project sites (Haiti, Bolivia, Ecuador, Ghana, Mali, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, India, Nepal, Cambodia, and the Philippines) will be created. Samples will be tested on the basis of soil fertility, soil organic carbon content (SOC), and particulate organic matter (POM).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (SANREM) Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) seeks to determine the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) on soil fertility and carbon (C) sequestration in the developing world. Time 0 and Year 3 soil samples at 0 – 5 and 5 – 10 cm depths will be compared to determine the effects of CA on soil fertility and soil C. (Author's abstract).

The following poster provides an overview of the multidisciplinary approach of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) in promoting the expansion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the developing world. The program currently pulls experts and ideologies from agricultural economics, technology networks/knowledge dissemination, soils, and gender fields within its CA research projects.

This presentation provides an overview of the need for and challenges to adapting Conservation Agriculture practices to local conditions and social context in Sub-Saharan Africa. Major constraints addressed are start-up costs coupled with longer term yield increases, poor access to markets, and the need for capacity building prior to implementation.

In savannas, trees and grasses co-exist and share resources such as water and nutrients. The ratio between the tree and grass components (i.e., vegetation structure) importantly controls productivity, animal assemblages and earth-atmosphere feedbacks. As the structure of savanna vegetation is inherently unstable and easily disturbed, finding out how the vegetation structure is controlled is of great importance for rangeland management and conservation. Currently four factors are believed to control the vegetation structure in savannas; namely, water, nutrients, herbivory and fire. While the water and fire factors have been intensely studied, the roles of nutrients and herbivores as factors are less well known. Improving our understanding of the role of nutrients in savannas is relevant, because it is increasingly realised that global change also alter the availability of nutrients, e.g., increased nitrogen deposition. How savanna systems respond to nutrient perturbations is uncertain. Changes in soil nutrient availability are also likely to feed back to changes in forage quality, which may influence large herbivore use and vegetation impact patterns, thus indirectly influencing vegetation structure. Moreover, it is increasingly realised that not only changes in the availability of nutrients influence plants and subsequently herbivores, but also how nutrients become spatially available. In fact, new ideas suggest that differences in the scale of spatial resource heterogeneity may control how resources are partitioned between co-existing species differing in size, e.g., large trees coexisting with small grasses in savanna systems. To test how changes in nutrient availability and spatial configurations influence savanna systems, several field experiments were conducted in a semi-arid savanna in South Africa. In the study area we found that nutrient (N, P and K) availability negatively affected tree (Colophospermum mopane) seedling establishment in fertilization experim

This presentation provides an overview of the need for and challenges to adapting Conservation Agriculture practices to local conditions and social context in Sub-Saharan Africa. Major constraints addressed are start-up costs coupled with longer term yield increases, poor access to markets, and the need for capacity building prior to implementation.

In this study, the effects of recent policy changes in Malawi are examined. A survey of 800 Malawian farms from 1997-1998 was used to determine the effects of two policies: implementation of the

In this study, the effects of recent policy changes in Malawi are examined. A survey of 800 Malawian farms from 1997-1998 was used to determine the effects of two policies: implementation of the

The objectives of this project were to evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora, examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of the ensiled material, and provide feed during the dry season.

Most developing countries strive to improve agricultural productivity by relaxing credit constraints, supplying better inputs, improving marketing and distribution. However the efficacy of these reforms needs to be examined in the context of the behavioral responses of farming households. This study examines gender biases within households that affect short-term input allocation decisions in agriculture. The study utilizes data from ICRISAT's village level studies in India (1975-85) to highlight the effects of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs. The main finding is that households with boys tend to use purchased inputs such as fertilizers and insecticides more intensively compared with households with girls. In general, household with boys also tend to have larger land holdings, and use animal and human labor to a greater extent than household with girls.

The objectives of this project were to evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora, examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of the ensiled material, and provide feed during the dry season.

There has been a tremendous loss of grassland due to tree and shrub encroachment in parts of New Mexico. This encroachment can be partially blamed on the lack of fire that used to be a natural part of the ecosystem. As a result, the project's focus is using controlled burning to rehabilitate public lands subjected to intense grazing pressure. This is done by allowing ranchers to put their cattle on good grazing land maintained by the grassbank, and taking the public lands out of production until they can be rehabilitated. The Valle Grande Grassbank project goals are to improve the ecological health of public grazing lands, advance the economic and environmental foundation ranching, and demonstrate a wide range of stakeholders can work together for a common goal.

The objective of this presentation was to (1) identify stratification of households in peasant economies as a result of differences in capitals and livelihood strategies, (2) to assess the extent in which risk perceptions and coping strategies respond to such differences, and (3) to analyze the extent in which such differences should be considered for the identification of rural financial services.

This presentation addresses climate variability in the climate change models for 20th and 21st centuries for the Altiplano Region. The models appear to simulate this mechanism in the present, but respond quite differently in 21st century climate. This poses a question: Is this related to

Most developing countries strive to improve agricultural productivity by relaxing credit constraints, supplying better inputs, improving marketing and distribution. However the efficacy of these reforms needs to be examined in the context of the behavioral responses of farming households. This study examines gender biases within households that affect short-term input allocation decisions in agriculture. The study utilizes data from ICRISAT's village level studies in India (1975-85) to highlight the effects of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs. The main finding is that households with boys tend to use purchased inputs such as fertilizers and insecticides more intensively compared with households with girls. In general, household with boys also tend to have larger land holdings, and use animal and human labor to a greater extent than household with girls.

African smallholder farmers face perennial food shortages due to low crop yields. The major cause of poor crop yields is soil fertility decline. The diversity of sites and soils between African farming systems isgreat,therefore strategies to solve soil fertility problems should suit the opportunities and problems encountered in the different climatic regions. This thesis characterizes the semi-arid regions of south-western Zimbabwe and explores some of the strategies that can be used to provide farmers with more options for soil fertility improvement.Resource flow maps were used to study the characteristics of the semi-arid farming system of Tsholotsho (Mkhubazi)in south-westernZimbabwe. The results revealed that farmers in the region face perennial cereal grain shortages, but the poorly-resourced farmers are the most affected. Nutrient management is limited to the use of limited amounts of manure by the better-resourced and medium-resourced farmers. Poorly-resourced farmers did not apply any nutrients to their crops.The use of low rates of manure and fertilizer is one option that farmers in the semi-arid regions can adopt. Farmers who had access to small amounts of manure and fertilizer were able to increase cereal yields through farmer participatory research experiments. Previously the farmers did not apply manure to crops. In 2003-2004, with good rainfall maize yields due to manure applications at 3 and 6 t ha −1 were 1.96 and 3.44 t ha −1 compared to 1.2 and 2.7 t ha −1 from plots without. Top dressing with 8.5 kg N ha −1 increased yields to 2.5 t ha −1 with 3 t ha −1 of manure, and to 4.28 t ha −1 with 6 t ha −1 of manure. In dry years manure in combination with N fertilizer increased grain yield by about 0.14 and 0.18 t ha −1 .The research results also showed that it is possible to successfully grow grain legumes under the semi-arid conditions and derive substantial residual yield benefits to sorghum grown after the legumes. New varieties of grain legumes seem

The objectives of this project were to evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora, examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of the ensiled material, and provide feed during the dry season.

The objective of this presentation was to (1) identify stratification of households in peasant economies as a result of differences in capitals and livelihood strategies, (2) to assess the extent in which risk perceptions and coping strategies respond to such differences, and (3) to analyze the extent in which such differences should be considered for the identification of rural financial services.

This presentation addresses climate variability in the climate change models for 20th and 21st centuries for the Altiplano Region. The models appear to simulate this mechanism in the present, but respond quite differently in 21st century climate. This poses a question: Is this related to

There has been a tremendous loss of grassland due to tree and shrub encroachment in parts of New Mexico. This encroachment can be partially blamed on the lack of fire that used to be a natural part of the ecosystem. As a result, the project's focus is using controlled burning to rehabilitate public lands subjected to intense grazing pressure. This is done by allowing ranchers to put their cattle on good grazing land maintained by the grassbank, and taking the public lands out of production until they can be rehabilitated. The Valle Grande Grassbank project goals are to improve the ecological health of public grazing lands, advance the economic and environmental foundation ranching, and demonstrate a wide range of stakeholders can work together for a common goal.

Most developing countries strive to improve agricultural productivity by relaxing credit constraints, supplying better inputs, improving marketing and distribution. However the efficacy of these reforms needs to be examined in the context of the behavioral responses of farming households. This study examines gender biases within households that affect short-term input allocation decisions in agriculture. The study utilizes data from ICRISAT's village level studies in India (1975-85) to highlight the effects of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs. The main finding is that households with boys tend to use purchased inputs such as fertilizers and insecticides more intensively compared with households with girls. In general, household with boys also tend to have larger land holdings, and use animal and human labor to a greater extent than household with girls.

The objectives of this project were to evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora, examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of the ensiled material, and provide feed during the dry season.

Most developing countries strive to improve agricultural productivity by relaxing credit constraints, supplying better inputs, improving marketing and distribution. However the efficacy of these reforms needs to be examined in the context of the behavioral responses of farming households. This study examines gender biases within households that affect short-term input allocation decisions in agriculture. The study utilizes data from ICRISAT's village level studies in India (1975-85) to highlight the effects of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs. The main finding is that households with boys tend to use purchased inputs such as fertilizers and insecticides more intensively compared with households with girls. In general, household with boys also tend to have larger land holdings, and use animal and human labor to a greater extent than household with girls.

This presentation reviewed the current state of knowledge related to anthropogenically forced global climate change and projections from climate model simulations performed for the IPCC fourth assessment. While the global projections consistently describe a continued and enhanced warming trend in the 21st century, the models are less consistent in their representation of South American precipitation trends in the Amazon basin and monsoon regions. In addition, a review of recent published literature related to observed climate variability and trends in the Altiplano was presented. There is clear observational evidence of an increasing temperature trend and the effects on receding glaciers in the region. With respect to variability, recent studies suggest that reduced (enhanced) rainfall in the Altiplano is associated with enhanced (reduced) westerly winds, i.e., low level winds and moisture flow from the east are related to wet conditions during the rainy season.

This presentation reviewed the current state of knowledge related to anthropogenically forced global climate change and projections from climate model simulations performed for the IPCC fourth assessment. While the global projections consistently describe a continued and enhanced warming trend in the 21st century, the models are less consistent in their representation of South American precipitation trends in the Amazon basin and monsoon regions. In addition, a review of recent published literature related to observed climate variability and trends in the Altiplano was presented. There is clear observational evidence of an increasing temperature trend and the effects on receding glaciers in the region. With respect to variability, recent studies suggest that reduced (enhanced) rainfall in the Altiplano is associated with enhanced (reduced) westerly winds, i.e., low level winds and moisture flow from the east are related to wet conditions during the rainy season.

This paper provides perspectives on the value of participatory research in empowering rural communities in transition. It highlights one collaborative community-university research alliance in coastal British Columbia and illustrates the benefits and challenges of close linkages between social scientists and communities. It discusses how participatory research can build capacity for successful community economic and social transitions in rural British Columbia, and how challenges and key considerations of community- researcher partnerships are addressed.

The Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (SAfMA) evaluated the relationships between ecosystem services and human well-being at multiple scales, ranging from local through to sub-continental. Trends in ecosystem services (fresh water, food, fuel-wood, cultural and biodiversity) over the period 1990-2000 were mixed across scales. Freshwater resources appear strained across the continent with large numbers of people not securing adequate supplies, especially of good quality water. This translates to high infant mortality patterns across the region. In some areas, the use of water resources for irrigated agriculture and urban-industrial expansion is taking place at considerable cost to the quality and quantity of freshwater available to ecosystems and for domestic use. Staple cereal production across the region has increased but was outstripped by population growth while protein malnutrition is on the rise. The much-anticipated wood-fuel crisis on the subcontinent has not materialized but some areas are experiencing shortages while numerous others remain vulnerable. Cultural benefits of biodiversity are considerable, though hard to quantify or track over time. Biodiversity resources remain at reasonable levels, but are declining faster than reflected in species extinction rates and appear highly sensitive to land-use decisions. The SAfMA sub-global assessment provided an opportunity to experiment with innovative ways to assess ecosystem services including the use of supply-demand surfaces, service sources and sink areas, priority areas for service provision, service "hotspots" and trade-off assessments.

Effective natural resource management (NRM) in Mali must address methods of conflict avoidance and management. Collaborating with local Natural Resource Management Advisory Committees (NRMACs), SANREM researchers have outlined a process for improving conflict and natural resource management at the commune/multi-village level.

In semi-arid Kenya, episodes of agricultural droughts of varying severity and duration occur. The occurrence of these agricultural droughts is associated with seasonal rainfall variability and can be reflected by seasonal soil moisture deficits that significantly affect crop productivity. The aim of this study was to analyse agricultural drought, and to evaluate soil and water management options and strategies for sustainable crop production in drought-prone semi-arid Kenya. Research was conducted at an experimental site in Katumani and in Iiuni watershed, both in Machakos district. First the occurrence of dry and wet spells in Iiuni was modelled using a Markov model. The study revealed that the short rains (October-December) are more reliable for crop production than the long rains (March-May). A literature review on tillage methods for soil and water conservation in eastern Africa showed the importance of appropriate tillage practices and the benefits of residue management for improved soil moisture conditions. Especially conservation tillage techniques were found to be promising for the improvement of crop productivity under semi-arid climatic conditions. Moreover, farm yard manure application in combination with tillage appeared effective in reducing surface runoff from a crusting and compacting soil, especially during the early stages of the rainy season. At the watershed scale, the AGNPS model was applied to evaluate the effect of land use changes on watershed runoff volume. Changes in land use covering a period of nearly 20 years were significant, with an dramatic increase in the area for crop cultivation, but this did not have a significant effect on the hydrology. The reason is the widespread adoption of soil and water conservation measures (mainly bench terracing) that occurred during the same period. The last part of the thesis deals with suitable options for watershed conservation in semi-arid Kenya. Apart from technical solutions, the enabling condition

This paper provides perspectives on the value of participatory research in empowering rural communities in transition. It highlights one collaborative community-university research alliance in coastal British Columbia and illustrates the benefits and challenges of close linkages between social scientists and communities. It discusses how participatory research can build capacity for successful community economic and social transitions in rural British Columbia, and how challenges and key considerations of community- researcher partnerships are addressed.