Are We There Yet? Sustainable Intensification Indicators Role in Feeding the Future.

An emerging area of science is ‘Sustainable Intensification’, with a focus on efficient use of resources for agriculture, with attention to equity and environmental services. Our multidisciplinary team is developing a framework and set of indicators for assessing sustainable intensification for use in agricultural research in development. The framework resulted from consultation with researchers on the metrics and indicators in relationship to sustainable intensification and a literature review.  The sustainable intensification indicators framework is a ‘living document’ that reflects an iterative process.  The framework includes systematic consideration of five domains: productivity, economic, environmental, social and human condition. Documentation was through semi-quantitative interviews and causal loop diagram exercises conducted during site visits with Africa RISING farming systems researchers in Malawi. The protocols in use by scientists were collected and assessed to document types of sustainable intensification indicators and metrics. A causal loop diagram exercise was introduced for researchers to consider indicators in all five domains and the interactions among them to explore potential tradeoffs and synergies that might arise.  A comparison was conducted of metrics in use and how these could be expanded or refined. At all locations productivity and economic sustainable intensification indicators were being used in assessment of technology performance and farming systems outcomes; at some sites environmental indicators were monitored as well whereas the domains of social and human capacity building were rarely considered in a systematic manner. The later domains, including nutrition and equity indicators, were judged by many participants to provide new insights into aspects of sustainable intensification. Overall, the framework provides a systematic means to assess and compare different technologies in terms of the multiple domains of sustainable intensification and to explore refinements in those technologies that lead to increased productivity with fewer tradeoffs.

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See more from this Division: ASA Section: Global Agronomy
See more from this Session: Symposium--Feed the Future - Impacts, Successes and Challenges

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