Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia

One of the main drivers of deforestation in Zambia is the expansion of agricultural land for increasing production areas and for shift cultivation due to poor crop management practices. Land expansion was also echoed by farmers in Northwestern province as they aim to increase yield via land expansio...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Masikati, Patricia, Sisito, G., Chipatela, F., Tembo, H., Winowiecki, Leigh Ann
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Informa UK Limited 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114452
_version_ 1855513404058370048
author Masikati, Patricia
Sisito, G.
Chipatela, F.
Tembo, H.
Winowiecki, Leigh Ann
author_browse Chipatela, F.
Masikati, Patricia
Sisito, G.
Tembo, H.
Winowiecki, Leigh Ann
author_facet Masikati, Patricia
Sisito, G.
Chipatela, F.
Tembo, H.
Winowiecki, Leigh Ann
author_sort Masikati, Patricia
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description One of the main drivers of deforestation in Zambia is the expansion of agricultural land for increasing production areas and for shift cultivation due to poor crop management practices. Land expansion was also echoed by farmers in Northwestern province as they aim to increase yield via land expansion. It was therefore important to understand possible associated socio-ecological trade-offs in agricultural extensification and identify pathways to improve ecosystem services delivery and reduce trade-offs. We used the Tradeoff Analysis model for Multi-Dimensional (TOA-MD) and Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) to assess trade-offs in both current and future farming systems under extensification (CP) and sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI). Thirty-year simulations showed that agricultural extensification will lead to loss of soil organic carbon) and total soil nitrogen of about 23% and 22%, respectively leading to yield reductions of about 35% and increased poverty levels. However, SAI approach results showed that poverty can be reduced by about 20% for farmers with land holdings of 3 ha while those with 2 and 5 ha can be reduced by 10% and 5% respectively. The proposed SAI has potential to reduce poverty, maintain good current and future crop production, and potentially aid farmers to reduce opening new fields.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace114452
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Informa UK Limited
publisherStr Informa UK Limited
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1144522024-08-27T10:34:39Z Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia Masikati, Patricia Sisito, G. Chipatela, F. Tembo, H. Winowiecki, Leigh Ann farming systems small scale farming agricultural land One of the main drivers of deforestation in Zambia is the expansion of agricultural land for increasing production areas and for shift cultivation due to poor crop management practices. Land expansion was also echoed by farmers in Northwestern province as they aim to increase yield via land expansion. It was therefore important to understand possible associated socio-ecological trade-offs in agricultural extensification and identify pathways to improve ecosystem services delivery and reduce trade-offs. We used the Tradeoff Analysis model for Multi-Dimensional (TOA-MD) and Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) to assess trade-offs in both current and future farming systems under extensification (CP) and sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI). Thirty-year simulations showed that agricultural extensification will lead to loss of soil organic carbon) and total soil nitrogen of about 23% and 22%, respectively leading to yield reductions of about 35% and increased poverty levels. However, SAI approach results showed that poverty can be reduced by about 20% for farmers with land holdings of 3 ha while those with 2 and 5 ha can be reduced by 10% and 5% respectively. The proposed SAI has potential to reduce poverty, maintain good current and future crop production, and potentially aid farmers to reduce opening new fields. 2021-11-02 2021-07-29T07:45:39Z 2021-07-29T07:45:39Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114452 en Open Access Informa UK Limited Masikati, P., Sisito, G., Chipatela, F., Tembo, H. and Winowiecki, L.A., 2021. Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1907108
spellingShingle farming systems
small scale farming
agricultural land
Masikati, Patricia
Sisito, G.
Chipatela, F.
Tembo, H.
Winowiecki, Leigh Ann
Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title_full Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title_fullStr Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title_short Agriculture extensification and associated socio-ecological trade-offs in smallholder farming systems of Zambia
title_sort agriculture extensification and associated socio ecological trade offs in smallholder farming systems of zambia
topic farming systems
small scale farming
agricultural land
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114452
work_keys_str_mv AT masikatipatricia agricultureextensificationandassociatedsocioecologicaltradeoffsinsmallholderfarmingsystemsofzambia
AT sisitog agricultureextensificationandassociatedsocioecologicaltradeoffsinsmallholderfarmingsystemsofzambia
AT chipatelaf agricultureextensificationandassociatedsocioecologicaltradeoffsinsmallholderfarmingsystemsofzambia
AT temboh agricultureextensificationandassociatedsocioecologicaltradeoffsinsmallholderfarmingsystemsofzambia
AT winowieckileighann agricultureextensificationandassociatedsocioecologicaltradeoffsinsmallholderfarmingsystemsofzambia