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The São Francisco River Basin in Brazil's Northeast region suffered from a serious multi-year drought, which started in 2012. This drought was characterized by long periods of water stress, variability and unpredictability of levels and flows of rivers and reservoirs, decreases in hydropower generation, and rising of conflicts between agricultural and electrical sectors. Besides, the electricity sector faced a crisis due to its dependency on hydroelectricity generation. Applying a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) can contribute to resolve such conflicts. Particular challenges are establishing transparent rules for water level management at the dams and securing electricity supply. Ultimately, identifying options to invest in sustainable power sources may positively impact the regional electricity matrix. We used Soft Systems Methodology to structure the decision-making context and set the main objectives to be considered in the MCDA. Different scenarios of reservoir management were simulated using the Soil and Water Integrated Model and Incomplete Pairwise Comparison, while bibliographic research and expert interviews led to the selection of indicators for structuring the MCDA. We present projections for hydropower generation and meeting of water demands of further users, based on two climate change projections. The driest scenario shows a reduction in hydropower generation, indicating the necessity to reconfigure the composition of electricity sources, considering economic, technical and social-environmental constraints. These elements of the structuring phase are prerequisites for the evaluation phase of the MCDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Where the main purpose of cattle keeping is not for meat and milk production, their valuation should be based on other functions, which may be deduced from the origin and meaning of the term 'live stock'. By way of example, the monetary value was calculated of the market and non-market functions of cattle kept on Amazonian smallholdings. These cows were kept primarily for savings and financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balsa trees are native to neotropical forests and frequently grow on fallow, degraded land. Balsa can be used for economic and ecological rehabilitation of farmland with the aim of restoring native forest ecosystems. Although Ecuador is the world's largest producer of balsa, there is a lack of knowledge about production indicators for management of balsa stands in the country. The aim of this study was to develop growth and yield models (i.e., site index (SI) curves and stem volume models) for balsa plantations in the coastal lowlands of Ecuador. Balsa trees growing in 2161 plots in seven provinces were sampled. Here we present the first growth and yield models for the native, although underutilized, balsa tree. Three curve models were fitted to determine SI for balsa stands, differentiating five site quality classes. Eight volume models were compared to identify the best fit model for balsa stands. The mean annual increment was used to assess balsa production. The generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) equation yielded one of the best results for the height–age and diameter–age models. The Newnham model was the best volume model for balsa in this comparative study. The maximum annual increment (i.e., for the best stand index) was reached in the second year of plantation. The fitted models can be used to support management decisions regarding balsa plantations. However, the models are preliminary and must be validated with independent samples. Nevertheless, the very fast development of the native balsa tree is particularly promising and should attract more attention from forest owners and politicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land management needs to cope with persistent environmental and societal changes. This requires functional governance systems. The purpose of this research is to develop a good governance framework for the implementation of sustainable land management. Good governance theory is extensive, although its operationalization remains difficult. We derived a set of good governance attributes from the literature: (i) the functionality of the regulatory framework, (ii) the legitimacy and accountability of the actors, (iii) the fairness and transparency of the decision-making processes, and (iv) quality control and adaptiveness. These constitute a framework which, supported by guiding questions, facilitates the evaluation of governance attributes to assess sustainable land management practices. We applied the scheme to a case study in Northeast Brazil regarding sustainable land management where biological pest control is considered to be a biodiversity-related ecosystem service. Since its adoption often falls short of expectations, we scrutinized its governance system. First, experts answered our guiding questions, and second, we involved local stakeholders in the discussion of good governance attributes through the participatory approach of constellation analysis. Trust in agricultural consultants and issues of the practical application of pest control turned out to be crucial. The workshop participants requested a model farm to build more trust and experience. There was considerable demand for policy at the national planning level to formulate and monitor the content of the agricultural advisory program. Our conceptualized framework of good governance questions provides systematization for planning and steering the implementation of sustainable land management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water management is important for delivering water for different users and uses. Reservoirs are built to overcome the stochastic nature of river flows and to increase the reliability of water supply. Reservoir operation affects the ecology of downstream river sections, and there has been a discussion of a more ecologically oriented flow regime, although ecosystems of reservoirs themselves are rarely taken into account. For reservoirs, it is important to identify multiple impacts and trade‐offs of different management options. This information can be used in a multidisciplinary and multiparticipatory decision‐making process to assess the management options. This study develops, applies, and discusses reservoir operation options for the São Francisco River basin (Brazil): (a) Reference; (b) Environmental discharge; (c) Reduced daily water‐level variation; and (d) Reduced annual water‐level variation. In the simulation study, the operation option with reduced daily water‐level variation in reservoirs turned out to be the most flexible, guaranteeing hydropower generation and water supply in the dry season, while considering the ecology of the reservoirs and rivers. The simulations are exemplary for decision makers, requiring further assessment after agreeing on priority setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jatropha is promoted as a pro-poor bioenergy plant, while basic information about its productivity, age of maximum production, and oil content are missing. This study aims to determine the seed yield (dry weight) for three INIAP elite jatropha accessions, and to evaluate the changes in physical and chemical seed traits at the different fruit ripening stage in a split-plot design. Maximum seed production occurred four years after planting for the accessions CP041 and CP052, while for accession CP054, it occurred after the first year. CP041 was the most productive, with a mean of 316.46 g tree−1 year−1 (±76.50) over the 8-year study period. No significant differences in oil content were found among accessions, fruit ripening stage, and their respective interactions. Seed moisture content decreased drastically as the fruit ripening stage increased, from 40.5% ± 1.0% at fruit ripening stage 1 (greenish-yellow) down to 13.8% ± 0.4% at fruit ripening stage 4 (black-brown). No significant differences in seed weight were found among accessions, but it decreased as maturation progressed. Yellow fruits (stage 2) were the heaviest (62.4 g ± 1.5 g) and the black-brown fruits the lightest (44.3 g ± 1.9 g). The oil content (%) increased with seed weight up to the point of 58.3 g, but then decreased for heavier seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ethiopia, many agricultural interventions have been introduced for mixed farm types in different biophysical and socioeconomic conditions. The contribution of such interventions to multi-objectives at farm level and beyond remains unclear. To derive insights into interaction of multi-objectives on economic profit-, nutrition security-, and environmental performance that are relevant for improvement of farm household living income in Amhara, Ethiopia. FarmDESIGN model evaluated performance of four stylized medium- and small-scale farm types in a low (Lay Gayint)- and high (South Achefer)- potential district: LG-M, LG-S, SA-M and SA-S. Pareto-based multi-objective optimization was performed to maximize farm profit, livestock density, dietary energy and vitamin A yield, and minimize GHG and soil N losses. Further analysis resulted in 3–4 clusters per farm type with varied farm configurations. Higher dietary energy- and vitamin A- yield that meets household and Ethiopian society requirements increased synergistically with profit in three of the four farm type clusters, while LG-S clusters could only increase vitamin A yield substantially with profit. Only LG-M clusters intensified livestock by addition of 4–8 crossbred cows and 1–10 chickens, supported by imported feed and off-farm grazing but face strong environmental trade-offs of increased GHG and soil N losses. Chicken production (eggs and chicken meat) is an option to reduce environmental impact, increase profit and contribute to both human nutrition requirements. In LG-S, SA-M and SA-S farm type clusters, profit was generated mainly from sale of eucalyptus, maize, potato, carrot, finger millet, garlic, beetroot and banana, with eucalyptus accounting at least 35% of the crop profit. Livestock diversification in these clusters also contributed to farm revenue, but always to a smaller extent, due to relatively high management costs. A living income from farming activities was only achieved on SA-M3 as 3.96 USD/capita/day (+0.36 above the threshold). This cluster had a 2.90 ha land area, farm income almost equally generated from crop and livestock production, and successfully met all set objectives except maximizing livestock density. Our study infers the need to increase land area, expand poultry and rear crossbred cows, and cultivate high value crops to realize a living income solely from agricultural activities. For implementation, current land-use policies should support farm area expansion. The suggested agricultural options, which already align with current Ethiopian development plans, must utilize sustainable measures that will not lead to short- or long-term challenges as higher GHG and soil nutrient mining. [Display omitted] • Four contrasting stylized farm types from a low and high potential district in Amhara, Ethiopia were modelled. • Stakeholders were allowed to prioritize objectives resulting in 15 clusters of the generated farm configurations. • The results give insight into agricultural options that meet multi-objectives in different pillars of sustainability. • Poultry was a promising short-term option to meet all set objectives, and cultivation of eucalyptus was highly profitable. • To meet a living income solely from agricultural activities in this region, farm size should be a minimum of 2.9 ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of ecosystem services (ES), that aim at informing decisions on land management, are increasing in number around the globe. Despite selected success stories, evidence for ES information being used in decision making is weak, partly because ES assessments are found to fall short in targeting information needs by decision makers. To improve their applicability in practice, we compared existing concepts of ES assessments with focus on informing land use decisions and identified opportunities for enhancing the relevance of ES assessments for decision making. In a process of codesign, building on experience of four projects in Brazil, China, Madagascar, and Vietnam, we developed a step-wise approach for better targeting ES assessments toward information needs in land use decisions. Our problem-oriented approach aims at (1) structuring ES information according to land use problems identified by stakeholders, (2) targeting context-specific ES information needs by decision makers, and (3) assessing relevant management options. We demonstrate how our approach contributes to making ES assessments more policy relevant and enhances the application of ES assessments as a tool for decision support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]