Date post: | 27-Nov-2014 |
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Science |
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Who maintains fruit tree diversity on farm?Hugo Lamers, Francesco Caracciolo, TM Gajanana et al
21 August 2014, International Horticulture Conference, Brisbane, Australia
Mango growers in Malihabad, UP, India
Outline
• Introduction and purpose
• Research question
• Methodology
• Data and results
• Conclusions and recommendations
Introduction
• Increasing interest for on-farm conservation programs next to ex situ conservation
• Often assumed that crop diversity is maintained by the poor
• Which social and economic factors or farm practices of households can explain or are highly associated with a high level of on-farm diversity
in partnership with
The Tropical Fruit Tree Project
On-farm and in situ conservation throughCommunity Biodiversity Management
How to intervene?
CBM
• 4 countries
• 22 sites
• 36 communities
• 15,000 households
Three types of benefits from TFT diversity
• Fundamental source for new seedling material through open pollination and human & natural selection
• Ecosystem services (pollination, lower pest & disease pressure)
• Risk management (economic, agronomic, climate)• Source of food items (nutritional diversity)• Source of non-food items• Source of income
Why on-farm and in situ conservation of PGR?
• Sustains the evolutionary process to create new diversity
• Sustains ecosystem services and beneficial interactions with other species
• Sustains the cultural and traditional knowledge that is associated with the species or varieties
• Recognizes farmers’ rights - farmers as breeders
• Fruit tree species are recalcitrant
• Field genebanks are expensive and lack space
Who maintains fruit tree diversity on farm?
And why?
Methodology
1. Household questionnaire• Random sampling of approx. 10% of the fruit farmers in each
community• Total of 944 respondents• Intraspecific diversity of mango, family characteristics, assets,
farm practices, income, market distance and use of services (microfinance, technical assistance)
2. Semi-structured interviews with ‘custodian farmers’• Households who maintain most diversity and knowledge• Identified by researchers, development workers or fellow
villagers
Sites
• 5 sites
• 18 communities
• 7,000 Households
Selection indicators• Range of
agroecosystems
• Traditional farming area with low incomes
• Fruit trees important for livelihoods
• Availability of local institutions
Results 1-.
4-.
20
.2.4
Wea
lth I
ndex
Amravati Chittoor Malihabat Pusa Sirsi
01
23
45
Ric
hnes
s in
tras
peci
fic
man
gife
ra
Amravati Chittoor Malihabat Pusa Sirsi
05
1015
20
-2 0 2 4 6Wealth index
Ric
hnes
s in
tra-
spec
ific
_man
gife
ra
Results 2
• The wealth index affects positively both the diversity indexes
• Intraspecific diversity affects positively the wealth index; however there is no evidence of the effect of Simpson index on the wealth index
• Weighted orchard age affects positively the intraspecific diversity of mango, there is no effect on Simpson index
• Factors affecting intraspecific diversity of mango are: household location, received technical assistance (+).
• Factors affecting the Simpson index are: household location, received technical assistance (+) irrigation (+) number of female household members (+) weeding (-) and market distance (-)
Results 3
cultural celebrationshobby
incomeadaptationforefathers
loss of diversityhome use
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
36%
52%
62%
74%
85%
86%
91%
Why do you maintain a wide range of different fruit tree species and varieties at your farm?
No Yes
Don’t know
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
35%
53%
12%
I earn more income if I replace and grow commercial types
Conclusions• Mango diversity maintained most likely by wealthier households
in traditional agricultural regions
• Motivations of custodian households are not only private and economic but also common and social – secure crop diversity, heritage from forefathers
• Different profiles for ‘users’ and ‘custodians’ of fruit tree diversity
So what?• Policy makers, donors and
practitioners often link crop diversity directly to poverty
• To improve impact and effectiveness of interventions
Recommendations• Need for tailored interventions to
custodians and users
• How to facilitate beneficial linkages between both groups
Thank You