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Rights and access to land are major pressing issues among mainly first-generation agroecological farmers in the Netherlands. Due to short-term tenure contracts and high land prices, these farmers face an insecure future. Because of this, they are often unable to make long-term ecological investments, such as planting trees and taking measures to improve soil health. A growing group of farmers are devising new, more communal forms of land ownership and tenancy, that counter market forces and existing policies. In this article, we shed light on these farmers’ discourse and how it informs the construction of new forms of land ownership and tenancy. In the related research project written and led by farmers, information has been gathered in the form of meeting minutes, interviews covering problems and perspectives related to the land tenure regulation, and commons. This information has been systematized and validated by farmers. Agroecological farmers find themselves in an uncomfortable situation that is challenging in 2 ways. On the one hand, they are calling for revision of land tenure regulations to ensure long-term land contracts for their existence and on the other hand they are seeking to replace property rights in favor of more collective possession-based arrangements. Our analysis shows how a discourse of decommodification seems to underlie the strategies and practices implemented by farmers. It focuses on place-based developments to secure the autonomy of farmers and communities. We argue that, to safeguard the possession and use of land for agroecological farming in the future, both developments of land decommodification (long-term tenancy and commons) should be supported. This can be done by integrated policies on land sale and lease that align with the ecological carrying capacity and agroecological production capacity of land, and that ensure compensation for monetary downgrading of agricultural land.

CONTEXT: 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. OBJECTIVE: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: 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

O projeto científico INNOVATE, uma cooperação teuto-brasileira, investiga o uso sustentável de recursos naturais nas escalas da bacia hidrográfica do Rio São Francisco e ao redor do seu reservatório de Itaparica. O projeto estuda opções de manejo que sustentam tanto os serviços ecossistêmicos como o bem-estar da população num cenário de mudanças climáticas. Na escala da bacia estudam-se assuntos de vazão e qualidade de água, inclusive questões de alocação e governança da água. Na escala local, anos depois da construção da barragem, pesquisamos processos naturais da água e terra e sua gestão. Os pesquisadores enfrentam uma série de expectativas – gerar conhecimento, interagir com interessados e cientistas de outras disciplinas e culturas. Como uma síntese exemplar, são apresentadas as mudanças de serviços ecossistêmicos estudados sob diferentes condições de cenários possíveis. A integração dos resultados está atualmente em andamento, bem como a conversão de resultados em diretrizes úteis nas diferentes escalas., The INNOVATE project, a comprehensive Brazilian-German researchcollaboration, addresses sustainable land management in the São Franciscowatershed and its Itaparica reservoir. The project studies managementoptions, which promote sustainable ecosystem services and economicviability in climate change conditions. At basin scale, questions of waterquantity and quality prevail, including resource allocation and governance.Local and regional studies investigate natural land processes and waterresources in addition to their management post dam construction.Consortium researchers are confronted with a multitude of expectations,ranging from knowledge production to interacting with stakeholders andscientists of different disciplines and cultures. As an overview, we predictedpotential changes of studied ecosystem services under different conditionswithin possible scenarios. Further integration of results is ongoing, as is theconversion of scientific results into guidance for stakeholders.

A Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos prescreve um modelodescentralizado e participativo, donde os comitês se destacam comimportantes contribuições na governança em escala de bacias. A posição docomitê nas decisões regionais da água é às vezes contraditória à das demaisinstituições. A presente pesquisa vincula perspectivas inter/transdisciplinarese multiníveis sobre a gestão sustentável da bacia hidrográfica do Rio SãoFrancisco e do reservatório Itaparica para identificar interfaces da escala localde uma bacia, a fim de promover boa governança. Com base na metodologiade análise de constelação, foram detectadas dinâmicas e barreiras nas quaisse enfatizaram a pouca representatividade do Comitê da Bacia Hidrográficado Rio São Francisco (CBHSF) na população local e a falha na interação entreas instituições locais de gestão de água. Algumas estratégias são vistas porparticipação da sociedade civil nos futuros subcomitês e no fortalecimentoda escala local, por meio de capacitação e cooperação de atores do mesmoâmbito. Além disso, os instrumentos de planejamento estratégico edesenvolvimento trazem contribuição importante para o governo municipal., The National Water Resources Policy prescribes a model of decentralization and participation. Committees stand out as a major contributor to the governance of basins. Its position in regional water decisions has been sometimes contradictory by other institutions. This study combines inter-, transdisciplinary and multi-level perspectives on sustainable water management of the whole São Francisco watershed and Itaparica reservoir region to identify entry points for promoting good governance at different scales. By applying constellation analysis, we detected drivers and barriers in water management. The São Francisco Watershed Committee is not sufficiently represented in the local population and also is not connected with local institutions for water management. Strategies are identified in the participation of sub-committees and in strengthening the local level by “bottom up” approaches. Therefore, strategic planning and development instruments carry an important contribution at municipal government scale.

The National Water Resources Policy prescribes a model of decentralization and participation. Committees stand out as a major contributor to the governance of basins. Its position in regional water decisions has been sometimes contradictory by other institutions. This study combines inter-, transdisciplinary and multi-level perspectives on sustainable water management of the whole São Francisco watershed and Itaparica reservoir region to identify entry points for promoting good governance at different scales. By applying constellation analysis, we detected drivers and barriers in water management. The São Francisco Watershed Committee is not sufficiently represented in the local population and also is not connected with local institutions for water management. Strategies are identified in the participation of sub-committees and in strengthening the local level by “bottom up” approaches. Therefore, strategic planning and development instruments carry an important contribution at municipal government scale., A Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos prescreve um modelodescentralizado e participativo, donde os comitês se destacam comimportantes contribuições na governança em escala de bacias. A posição docomitê nas decisões regionais da água é às vezes contraditória à das demaisinstituições. A presente pesquisa vincula perspectivas inter/transdisciplinarese multiníveis sobre a gestão sustentável da bacia hidrográfica do Rio SãoFrancisco e do reservatório Itaparica para identificar interfaces da escala localde uma bacia, a fim de promover boa governança. Com base na metodologiade análise de constelação, foram detectadas dinâmicas e barreiras nas quaisse enfatizaram a pouca representatividade do Comitê da Bacia Hidrográficado Rio São Francisco (CBHSF) na população local e a falha na interação entreas instituições locais de gestão de água. Algumas estratégias são vistas porparticipação da sociedade civil nos futuros subcomitês e no fortalecimentoda escala local, por meio de capacitação e cooperação de atores do mesmoâmbito. Além disso, os instrumentos de planejamento estratégico edesenvolvimento trazem contribuição importante para o governo municipal.

In Northeastern Pará smallholder agriculturalists have established small pastures and manage small herds, mainly with the objective of investing profits in their crops, as a form of savings to meet the family's and property's future needs. There are indications of pasture and herd problems that limit production and sustainability, and threaten the crops that really sustain the property. This study sought to identify constraints and technological solutions, and make information available for public policies. In the 1st phase of this study and using 38 smallholdings sampled at random, the pastures and herd management were described, and in the 2nd phase, with a smaller sample of 12 smallholdings during 29-month period, the potential of these two components was evaluated. In general, the smallholdings have low-productivity and ranching is vulnerable. Due to the low soil fertility and the deficient management, pastures do not supply all the herd's feed needs, neither in quantity nor quality. Herd management deficiencies are characteristic of extensive production systems. However, these constraints can be overcome with well-known technologies of pasture establishment, maintenance and management, and herd reproduction, calf management, and herd health, allowing significant improvement. New exploitation models were suggested also.