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The recently released Farm to Fork Strategy sets, for the first time ever, pesticide reduction goals at the EU level: 50% reduction in overall use and risk of chemical pesticides and 50% use reduction of more hazardous pesticides. However, little guidance is provided to achieve these targets. In this study, we compiled the characteristics and recommended application rates of 230 EU approved, synthetic, open-field use active substances and explored the potential of eight pesticide reduction scenarios (defined based on application rates, pesticide type, persistence, and hazard) to achieve the reduction goals. Our approach revealed that all 230 substances are potentially harmful to humans or ecosystems, and that only severe pesticide use restrictions such as full conversion to organic farming or allowing only low hazard substances will result in 50% reductions. Our results emphasis the need of an EC action plan on how to achieve and maintain the aimed reduction levels.
Vera Silva; Xiaomei Yang; Luuk Fleskens; Coen Ritsema; Violette Geissen. Environmental and human health at risk – scenarios to achieve the EU’s 50% pesticide reduction goals. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleVera Silva, Xiaomei Yang, Luuk Fleskens, Coen Ritsema, Violette Geissen. Environmental and human health at risk – scenarios to achieve the EU’s 50% pesticide reduction goals. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVera Silva; Xiaomei Yang; Luuk Fleskens; Coen Ritsema; Violette Geissen. 2021. "Environmental and human health at risk – scenarios to achieve the EU’s 50% pesticide reduction goals." , no. : 1.
Non-point source pollution from excessive use of fertilizers in agriculture is a major cause of the eutrophication problem in China. Understanding farmers’ decision-making concerning fertilization and identifying the influencing factors in this process are key to tackling overfertilization and related pollution issues. This paper reports a study on modelling decisions about fertilizer use based on data collected from 200 farmer households in the Three Gorges Reservoir area of China, using a well-fitted artificial neural network (ANN) with incorporated variance-based sensitivity analysis. The rate of fertilizer use estimated from the model is in good agreement with observed data. The model is further validated and tested by comparing the simulated and observed values. Results show that the model is able to identify the influencing factors and their interactions causing the variation in fertilizer use and to help pinpoint the underlying reasons. It is found that the farmers’ fertilization behavior is greatly affected by the area of cultivated land, followed by the interaction among farmers’ education level, annual income, and awareness of the importance of environmental protection. Future land consolidation is one of several ways to achieve more sustainable fertilization strategies.
Lihua Ma; Jiupai Ni; Luuk Fleskens; Han Wang; Yunqing Xuan. Modelling Fertilizer Use in Relation to Farmers’ Household Characteristics in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. Agriculture 2021, 11, 472 .
AMA StyleLihua Ma, Jiupai Ni, Luuk Fleskens, Han Wang, Yunqing Xuan. Modelling Fertilizer Use in Relation to Farmers’ Household Characteristics in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. Agriculture. 2021; 11 (6):472.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLihua Ma; Jiupai Ni; Luuk Fleskens; Han Wang; Yunqing Xuan. 2021. "Modelling Fertilizer Use in Relation to Farmers’ Household Characteristics in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China." Agriculture 11, no. 6: 472.
A study was carried out to assess if the visual soil assessment method (VSA) would allow recognizing differences between soils receiving organic matter (OM) amendments and similar control soils, by the observation of visual soil quality indicators’ score. 36 practices were identified across 8 pedoclimatic zones. These fields/plots were paired with nearby control fields/plots, without OM amendments, sharing similar farming features. A survey, comprising a VSA of the soil structure status, surface ponding, signs of erosion, earthworm counts and soil stability (slake test), complemented by measurements of soil organic matter (SOM) and permanganate oxidizable organic carbon (LOC) content, soil pH, penetration resistance and texture, on soils of both management system groups (OM addition and Control), was performed in 2016. Correlations of the visual soil quality indicators’ score with SOM, LOC, other soil properties and climate variables and indices were calculated within each group; the correlations between soil properties, and between soil properties (SOM and LOC) and climate variables were also calculated. A statistically significantly higher proportion of soils of the OM group had a good score for “soil structure and consistency” and “soil porosity”. These differences are not directly explained by non-inherent soil properties. No statistically significant Spearman’s correlation coefficients were observed between “soil structure and consistency” and either soil properties or climate variables; concerning “soil porosity”, distinct statistically significant correlations were observed between the two groups with different climate variables and indices. Correlations between the scores of the visual soil quality indicators and climate variables were found to follow the same directions of correlations of LOC content with the same climate variables, although the latter correlations were weak. Mean SOM and LOC content, were slightly higher in the OM group, although differences were not statistically significant. A high linear correlation between LOC (mg/g) and SOM (%) (r = 0.65, n = 26) exists within the Control group, but not within the OM group (r = 0.20 and n = 26). When the relationship of SOM and LOC content with visual soil quality indicators’ score was studied, statistically significant correlations were only observed between SOM and “earthworm count” within the Control group (rs = 0.44), and between LOC and “soil colour” within the OM group (rs=-0.52). Both LOC content and LOC status (ranked as a function of LOC content and soil texture), had only negative statistically significant correlations with visual soil quality indicators’ score, questioning their worth as stand-alone soil quality indicators.
Fernando Teixeira; Gottlieb Basch; Abdallah Alaoui; Tatenda Lemann; Marie Wesselink; Wijnand Sukkel; Julie Lemesle; Carla Ferreira; Adélcia Veiga; Fuensanta Garcia-Orenes; Alicia Morugán-Coronado; Jorge Mataix-Solera; Costas Kosmas; Matjaž Glavan; Tóth Zoltán; Tamás Hermann; Olga Petruta Vizitiu; Jerzy Lipiec; Magdalena Frąc; Endla Reintam; Minggang Xu; Haimei Fu; Hongzhu Fan; Luuk Fleskens. Manuring effects on visual soil quality indicators and soil organic matter content in different pedoclimatic zones in Europe and China. Soil and Tillage Research 2021, 212, 105033 .
AMA StyleFernando Teixeira, Gottlieb Basch, Abdallah Alaoui, Tatenda Lemann, Marie Wesselink, Wijnand Sukkel, Julie Lemesle, Carla Ferreira, Adélcia Veiga, Fuensanta Garcia-Orenes, Alicia Morugán-Coronado, Jorge Mataix-Solera, Costas Kosmas, Matjaž Glavan, Tóth Zoltán, Tamás Hermann, Olga Petruta Vizitiu, Jerzy Lipiec, Magdalena Frąc, Endla Reintam, Minggang Xu, Haimei Fu, Hongzhu Fan, Luuk Fleskens. Manuring effects on visual soil quality indicators and soil organic matter content in different pedoclimatic zones in Europe and China. Soil and Tillage Research. 2021; 212 ():105033.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFernando Teixeira; Gottlieb Basch; Abdallah Alaoui; Tatenda Lemann; Marie Wesselink; Wijnand Sukkel; Julie Lemesle; Carla Ferreira; Adélcia Veiga; Fuensanta Garcia-Orenes; Alicia Morugán-Coronado; Jorge Mataix-Solera; Costas Kosmas; Matjaž Glavan; Tóth Zoltán; Tamás Hermann; Olga Petruta Vizitiu; Jerzy Lipiec; Magdalena Frąc; Endla Reintam; Minggang Xu; Haimei Fu; Hongzhu Fan; Luuk Fleskens. 2021. "Manuring effects on visual soil quality indicators and soil organic matter content in different pedoclimatic zones in Europe and China." Soil and Tillage Research 212, no. : 105033.
This paper analyses the effectiveness of traditional water governance in Flood-based Livelihood Systems (FBLS), which harness floods that could have caused environmental degradation. Ostrom’s Governing the Commons Principles, widely recognized for the effective management of shared resources, is used as a framework. The paper draws from discussions with 300 farmers and pastoralists in Tana River FBLS, the oldest traditional system in Kenya. The traditional floodwater governance does not satisfy Ostrom's Principles and livelihood needs. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists frequently experience floodwater scarcity while large-scale farmers use excessive floods often causing waterlogging. This floodwater sharing disparity generates conflicts and threatens small-scale farmers’ and pastoralists’ livelihoods. Large-scale farmers are primarily concerned with inadequate floodwater management infrastructure that hampers maximizing their harvest. For increased sustainability and equity, fairer floodwater sharing systems and enforcing institutions should be introduced before infrastructural development. These lessons from Tana River can contribute to a larger livelihood potential for flood-based agriculture globally.
M.G. Zenebe; L. Fleskens; C. Ritsema; F. van Steenbergen. Enhancing traditional floodwater governance for inclusive and resilient flood-based livelihood systems in Tana river floodplains, Kenya. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2021, 1 -17.
AMA StyleM.G. Zenebe, L. Fleskens, C. Ritsema, F. van Steenbergen. Enhancing traditional floodwater governance for inclusive and resilient flood-based livelihood systems in Tana river floodplains, Kenya. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 2021; ():1-17.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.G. Zenebe; L. Fleskens; C. Ritsema; F. van Steenbergen. 2021. "Enhancing traditional floodwater governance for inclusive and resilient flood-based livelihood systems in Tana river floodplains, Kenya." Journal of Environmental Planning and Management , no. : 1-17.
The sustainability of the ongoing national Campaign-Based Watershed Management (CBWM) program in Ethiopia is questionable due to poor planning and implementation practices. This study analyzes farmers' decision-making in the CBWM program, and mutual learning and collective decisions among local actors in Boset District - Ethiopia. Role-Playing Game (RPG) was the main method of the study. In order to collect pertinent information during the game sessions, observation of farmers' behavior and group discussions were used. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis were employed to analyze game outputs. Results show that farmers prefer to collectively work on private farmlands rather than on communal land. Furthermore, participation of farmers in campaign works was higher under a default-scenario (with control instruments), than under a willingness-scenario (without control instruments). In making decisions on their level of participation in campaign works, farmers followed the decisions of a fellow farmer they considered more knowledgeable. However, the participation of farmers in the maintenance of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) structures was more or less the same under both scenarios. Both farmers' level of participation in campaign works and maintenance decisions were influenced by their proximity to the CBWM intervention areas (i.e. micro-watersheds) as well as their awareness and motivation. The commitment of local government actors was also crucial to enforce and encourage the farmers to participate in the program. Based on farmers' decisions in the RPG, none of the two scenarios simultaneously enhance the total land area covered with SWC structures and income of farmers. An important benefit of this game was that it stimulated mutual learning and collective decisions on micro-watersheds to be treated and alternative management strategies for the CBWM program. This revealed that there is a need to (1) motivate farmers through capacity building, (2) enhance the commitment of local government actors, and (3) introduce participatory planning to enhance mutual learning and collective decisions for sustainable watershed management. While directly applicable to the study area, these recommendations and the RPG (as a toolkit) are essential to enhance the outcomes and sustainability of collective watershed management initiatives in other parts of the world.
Samuel Assefa; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. Exploring decision-making in campaign-based watershed management by using a role-playing game in Boset District, Ethiopia. Agricultural Systems 2021, 190, 103124 .
AMA StyleSamuel Assefa, Aad Kessler, Luuk Fleskens. Exploring decision-making in campaign-based watershed management by using a role-playing game in Boset District, Ethiopia. Agricultural Systems. 2021; 190 ():103124.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSamuel Assefa; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. 2021. "Exploring decision-making in campaign-based watershed management by using a role-playing game in Boset District, Ethiopia." Agricultural Systems 190, no. : 103124.
Reservoir construction projects are frequently met with fierce opposition. Consequently, to mitigate any potential negative impacts, environmental and social impact assessments are usually mandatory. Stakeholder perspectives are often only implicit in such assessments, and the medium-term effects of mitigating actions are assessed at the aggregate level, which fails to take into account unequal disaggregated impacts. In this paper, we design and apply an agent-based model (ABM) built on stakeholder information to conduct an ex ante assessment of the impact of a reservoir construction project in southern Thailand over a 30-year period for individual agents. We incorporate stakeholders’ knowledge into the ABM on the basis of primary data collected during the 2016–2018 period, including workshops with affected farmers to assess their interests and concerns, in-depth interviews with farmers in nearby districts to assess farming behaviors, and the expert opinions of policymakers to assess the relevant regulations and processes. In a case study for which the model was established, the results predict that, overall, farmers will have more farm income if the dam is built. We find that affected people require a standard of living similar to that provided by their previous livelihood as soon as possible after resettlement. By simulating the impacts on individual agents, we conclude that the compensation for relocation offered to affected farmers is not sufficient for sustainable resettlements. Facilitating compensation may increase the speed of project implementation and lead to better outcomes for everyone, including affected communities, whereas failure to reshape the current compensation policy leaves everyone more disadvantaged.
Chakaphon Singto; Martijn de Vries; Gert Jan Hofstede; Luuk Fleskens. Ex Ante Impact Assessment of Reservoir Construction Projects for Different Stakeholders Using Agent-Based Modeling. Water Resources Management 2021, 35, 1047 -1064.
AMA StyleChakaphon Singto, Martijn de Vries, Gert Jan Hofstede, Luuk Fleskens. Ex Ante Impact Assessment of Reservoir Construction Projects for Different Stakeholders Using Agent-Based Modeling. Water Resources Management. 2021; 35 (3):1047-1064.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChakaphon Singto; Martijn de Vries; Gert Jan Hofstede; Luuk Fleskens. 2021. "Ex Ante Impact Assessment of Reservoir Construction Projects for Different Stakeholders Using Agent-Based Modeling." Water Resources Management 35, no. 3: 1047-1064.
Although barley production is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, households in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia rely on barley for their diet and allocate most of their highly-fragmented land to barley production. Moreover, farmers alter land management practices as a strategy to adjust to climate change and variability. However, to what extent land fragmentation and land management jointly influence the technical efficiency of barley production is unknown. In addition, it is unidentified whether technical efficiency is uniform across multiple separated plots. In this study, we adapted two stochastic frontier panel models on plot-level cross-sectional data to investigate this. The model results indicate that fragmentation influences the effect of land management practices on efficiency. The study found that efficiency was not uniform across different plots and for different farmers and showed the existence of large yield gaps. To close these gaps, policies designed to address the specific components of inefficiency need to be implemented.
Tesfaye Cholo; Jack Peerlings; Luuk Fleskens. Land Fragmentation, Technical Efficiency, and Adaptation to Climate Change by Farmers in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10304 .
AMA StyleTesfaye Cholo, Jack Peerlings, Luuk Fleskens. Land Fragmentation, Technical Efficiency, and Adaptation to Climate Change by Farmers in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10304.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTesfaye Cholo; Jack Peerlings; Luuk Fleskens. 2020. "Land Fragmentation, Technical Efficiency, and Adaptation to Climate Change by Farmers in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10304.
The intensification of agricultural practices to increase food and feed outputs is a pressing challenge causing deterioration of soil quality and soil functions. Such challenge demands provision of empirical evidence to provide context‐sensitive guidance on agricultural management practices (AMPs) that may enhance soil quality. The objectives of this study are: (i) identify the most promising AMPs (and their combinations) applied by farmers with the most positive effects on soil quality and (ii) evaluate the sensitivity of the soil quality indicators to the applied AMPs. The impact of selected AMPs on soil quality was assessed using a Visual Soil Assessment (VSA) tool in a total of 138 pairs of plots spread across 14 study site areas in Europe and China covering representative pedo‐climatic zones. The inventory and scoring of soil quality was conducted together with landowners. Results show that 104 pairs show a positive impact of AMPs on soil quality. Higher impact of the AMPs was observed in lower fertile soils (i.e. Podzols and Calcisols) as opposed to higher fertile soils (i.e. Luvisols and Fluvisols). For the single use applications, the AMPs with positive impacts were crop rotation, manuring & composting and no‐tillage, followed by organic agriculture and residue maintenance. Cluster analysis showed that the most promising combinations of AMPs having a positive impact on soil quality are composed of crop rotation, mulching and min‐till. The agreement between scientific skills and empirical knowledge in the field identified by the farmers confirm our findings and ensures their applicability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Abdallah Alaoui; Lúcia Barão; Carla S. S. Ferreira; Gudrun Schwilch; Gottlieb Basch; Fuensanta Garcia‐Orenes; Alicia Morugan; Jorge Mataix‐Solera; Costas Kosmas; Matjaž Glavan; Brigitta Szabó; Tamás Hermann; Olga Vizitiu; Jerzy Lipiec; Magdalena Frąc; Endla Reintam; Minggang Xu; Jiaying Di; Hongzhu Fan; Wijnand Sukkel; Julie Lemesle; Violette Geissen; Luuk Fleskens. Visual assessment of the impact of agricultural management practices on soil quality. Agronomy Journal 2020, 112, 2608 -2623.
AMA StyleAbdallah Alaoui, Lúcia Barão, Carla S. S. Ferreira, Gudrun Schwilch, Gottlieb Basch, Fuensanta Garcia‐Orenes, Alicia Morugan, Jorge Mataix‐Solera, Costas Kosmas, Matjaž Glavan, Brigitta Szabó, Tamás Hermann, Olga Vizitiu, Jerzy Lipiec, Magdalena Frąc, Endla Reintam, Minggang Xu, Jiaying Di, Hongzhu Fan, Wijnand Sukkel, Julie Lemesle, Violette Geissen, Luuk Fleskens. Visual assessment of the impact of agricultural management practices on soil quality. Agronomy Journal. 2020; 112 (4):2608-2623.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbdallah Alaoui; Lúcia Barão; Carla S. S. Ferreira; Gudrun Schwilch; Gottlieb Basch; Fuensanta Garcia‐Orenes; Alicia Morugan; Jorge Mataix‐Solera; Costas Kosmas; Matjaž Glavan; Brigitta Szabó; Tamás Hermann; Olga Vizitiu; Jerzy Lipiec; Magdalena Frąc; Endla Reintam; Minggang Xu; Jiaying Di; Hongzhu Fan; Wijnand Sukkel; Julie Lemesle; Violette Geissen; Luuk Fleskens. 2020. "Visual assessment of the impact of agricultural management practices on soil quality." Agronomy Journal 112, no. 4: 2608-2623.
O aumento da frequência, intensidade e recorrência dos fogos rurais nos países do Sul da Europa, e em particular em Portugal, tem evidenciado a necessidade de definir uma estrutura de gestão florestal pós-fogo, que atue no risco de degradação dos ecossistemas a nível local, na prevenção de potenciais danos nos valores em risco a jusante, na promoção da regeneração florestal e na diminuição da frequência e severidade de incêndios futuros. Este artigo pretende discutir a(s) abordagen(s) à gestão florestal pós-fogo, através de uma revisão da literatura científica usando como termos de pesquisa ‘post-fire management’ e ‘forest’, e da análise dos discursos de agentes responsáveis pela operacionalização de projetos de gestão pós-fogo, financiados no âmbito do Programa de Desenvolvimento Rural em Portugal. Os resultados revelaram que a gestão florestal pós-fogo é um tema recente, de natureza complexa e dinâmica, que tem estado mais focado na componente ecológica. No entanto, existe um reconhecimento progressivo da importância de integrar novos aspetos, tais como a análise de custo-benefício e o envolvimento dos agentes.
Cristina Ribeiro; Sandra Valente; Luuk Fleskens; Jan Jacob Keizer; Celeste Coelho. Perspetivas de Gestão Pós-Fogo: Revisão da Literatura e Análise dos Discursos dos Agentes em Portugal. Silva Lusitana 2020, 28, 131 -154.
AMA StyleCristina Ribeiro, Sandra Valente, Luuk Fleskens, Jan Jacob Keizer, Celeste Coelho. Perspetivas de Gestão Pós-Fogo: Revisão da Literatura e Análise dos Discursos dos Agentes em Portugal. Silva Lusitana. 2020; 28 (2):131-154.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCristina Ribeiro; Sandra Valente; Luuk Fleskens; Jan Jacob Keizer; Celeste Coelho. 2020. "Perspetivas de Gestão Pós-Fogo: Revisão da Literatura e Análise dos Discursos dos Agentes em Portugal." Silva Lusitana 28, no. 2: 131-154.
Despite formal recognition of the need to incorporate multiple values in the assessment of ecosystem services, the operationalisation of a consistent integration of different types of values is still limited. This article assesses stakeholders’ perception and monetary (economic) values of ecosystem services delivered by the Kilombero wetland in Tanzania. A mixed-methods approach was employed, which included deliberative elements (diverse stakeholder focus groups) to recognise stakeholders’ perceptions on important ecosystem services alongside a survey to collect data on household characteristics, land use, status of ecosystem services and economic values of six provisioning ecosystem services (paddy production, maize production, water for domestic use, fishing, firewood and thatch grass). Findings revealed that stakeholder groups perceived the importance of ecosystem services differently. Analysis of the six provisioning ecosystem services in economic terms showed that paddy production generated the highest share of monetary value of about 56%. Furthermore, the study found out that there were differences in perceived and monetary values generated; for instance, paddy had much higher economic values than people acknowledged. The combined use of deliberative and monetary values is imperative in the assessment of ecosystem services as it will provide specific and complementary roles in supporting a management plan for the wetland ecosystem.
Irene A. Koko; Salome B. Misana; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. Valuing ecosystem services: stakeholders’ perceptions and monetary values of ecosystem services in the Kilombero wetland of Tanzania. Ecosystems and People 2020, 16, 411 -426.
AMA StyleIrene A. Koko, Salome B. Misana, Aad Kessler, Luuk Fleskens. Valuing ecosystem services: stakeholders’ perceptions and monetary values of ecosystem services in the Kilombero wetland of Tanzania. Ecosystems and People. 2020; 16 (1):411-426.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIrene A. Koko; Salome B. Misana; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. 2020. "Valuing ecosystem services: stakeholders’ perceptions and monetary values of ecosystem services in the Kilombero wetland of Tanzania." Ecosystems and People 16, no. 1: 411-426.
Soil improvement measures need to be ecologically credible, socially acceptable and economically affordable if they are to enter widespread use. However, in real world decision contexts not all measures can sufficiently meet these criteria. As such, developing, selecting and using appropriate tools to support more systematic appraisal of soil improvement measures in different decision-making contexts represents an important challenge. Tools differ in their aims, ranging from those focused on appraising issues of cost-effectiveness, wider ecosystem services impacts and adoption barriers/opportunities, to those seeking to foster participatory engagement and social learning. Despite the growing complexity of the decision-support tool landscape, comprehensive guidance for selecting tools that are best suited to appraise soil improvement measures, as well as those well-adapted to enable participatory deployment, has generally been lacking. We address this gap using the experience and survey data from an EU-funded project (RECARE: Preventing and REmediating degradation of soils in Europe through land CARE). RECARE applied different socio-cultural, biophysical and monetary appraisal tools to assess the costs, benefits and adoption of soil improvement measures across Europe. We focused on these appraisal tools and evaluated their performance against three broad attributes that gauge their differences and suitability for widespread deployment to aid stakeholder decision making in soil management. Data were collected using an online questionnaire administered to RECARE researchers. Although some tools worked better than others across case studies, the information collated was used to provide guiding strategies for choosing appropriate tools, considering resources and data availability, characterisation of uncertainty, and the purpose for which a specific soil improvement measure is being developed or promoted. This paper provides insights to others working in practical soil improvement contexts as to why getting the tools right matters. It demonstrates how use of the right tools can add value to decision-making in ameliorating soil threats, supporting the sustainable management of the services that our soil ecosystems provide.
Uche T. Okpara; Luuk Fleskens; Lindsay C. Stringer; Rudi Hessel; Felicitas Bachmann; Ioannis Daliakopoulos; Kerstin Berglund; Francisco Jose Blanco Velazquez; Nicola Dal Ferro; Jacob Keizer; Silvia Kohnova; Tatenda Lemann; Claire Quinn; Gudrun Schwilch; Grzegorz Siebielec; Kamilla Skaalsveen; Mark Tibbett; Christos Zoumides. Helping stakeholders select and apply appraisal tools to mitigate soil threats: Researchers’ experiences from across Europe. Journal of Environmental Management 2019, 257, 110005 .
AMA StyleUche T. Okpara, Luuk Fleskens, Lindsay C. Stringer, Rudi Hessel, Felicitas Bachmann, Ioannis Daliakopoulos, Kerstin Berglund, Francisco Jose Blanco Velazquez, Nicola Dal Ferro, Jacob Keizer, Silvia Kohnova, Tatenda Lemann, Claire Quinn, Gudrun Schwilch, Grzegorz Siebielec, Kamilla Skaalsveen, Mark Tibbett, Christos Zoumides. Helping stakeholders select and apply appraisal tools to mitigate soil threats: Researchers’ experiences from across Europe. Journal of Environmental Management. 2019; 257 ():110005.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUche T. Okpara; Luuk Fleskens; Lindsay C. Stringer; Rudi Hessel; Felicitas Bachmann; Ioannis Daliakopoulos; Kerstin Berglund; Francisco Jose Blanco Velazquez; Nicola Dal Ferro; Jacob Keizer; Silvia Kohnova; Tatenda Lemann; Claire Quinn; Gudrun Schwilch; Grzegorz Siebielec; Kamilla Skaalsveen; Mark Tibbett; Christos Zoumides. 2019. "Helping stakeholders select and apply appraisal tools to mitigate soil threats: Researchers’ experiences from across Europe." Journal of Environmental Management 257, no. : 110005.
Land use and climate change are recognized as two major drivers affecting surface streamflow. On the Chinese Loess Plateau, implementation of several land restoration projects has changed land cover in recent decades. The main objectives of this study were to understand how streamflow evolved on the Loess Plateau and how land use and climate change have contributed to this change. In this study, we selected 22 hydrological modelling studies covering 25 different watersheds in the Loess Plateau and we performed a meta-analysis by using the hydrological and metrological data collected from these studies. The results indicate a streamflow decrease in 41 of a total of 52 case studies whereas precipitation change was found to be non-significant in the majority of the cases. Streamflow reduction was estimated to be -0.46mm/year by meta-analysis across all case studies. Land use change was estimated to have 63.52% impact on the streamflow reduction whereas climate change accounted for 36.48% of the impact. Using meta-regression, an increasing soil and water conservation area was found to be positively correlated to streamflow reduction. We conclude that in the Chinese Loess Plateau, streamflow shows a decreasing trend and land restoration is the major cause of this reduction. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that estimates streamflow dynamics across many watersheds on the entire Loess Plateau.
Hao Chen; Luuk Fleskens; Jantiene Baartman; Fei Wang; Simon Moolenaar; Coen Ritsema. Impacts of land use change and climatic effects on streamflow in the Chinese Loess Plateau: A meta-analysis. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 703, 134989 .
AMA StyleHao Chen, Luuk Fleskens, Jantiene Baartman, Fei Wang, Simon Moolenaar, Coen Ritsema. Impacts of land use change and climatic effects on streamflow in the Chinese Loess Plateau: A meta-analysis. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 703 ():134989.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHao Chen; Luuk Fleskens; Jantiene Baartman; Fei Wang; Simon Moolenaar; Coen Ritsema. 2019. "Impacts of land use change and climatic effects on streamflow in the Chinese Loess Plateau: A meta-analysis." Science of The Total Environment 703, no. : 134989.
This book, documenting lessons learned from the Kagera Transboundary Agro-ecosystem Management Project (Kagera TAMP), aims to provide guidance on strategies for scaling up sustainable land and water management techniques at farm, catchment, and landscape scales, using a bottom-up approach integrating both local stakeholder and scientific knowledge. The Kagera river basin is shared by Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, all of which were covered by the project; the book includes case studies from across the 4 countries. The Kagera basin encompasses various agroecologies, including extensive agropastoral systems, intensive mixed banana and annual cropping systems, and mixed coffee-farming systems, as well as natural and planted forests. Apart from documenting experiences with approaches to scale up sustainable land management (SLM), the book also seeks to identify specific technologies to enhance productivity and reduce climate-related crop and livestock production risks, which were adapted and tested in these agroecologies. The authors envision that the on-the-ground experiences documented in the book will inspire and assist other project and program designers in planning restorative soil and agroecosystem management initiatives.
Luuk Fleskens. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Practice in the Kagera Basin: Lessons Learned for Scaling Up at Landscape Level. By FAO. Mountain Research and Development 2019, 39, M5 .
AMA StyleLuuk Fleskens. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Practice in the Kagera Basin: Lessons Learned for Scaling Up at Landscape Level. By FAO. Mountain Research and Development. 2019; 39 (4):M5.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuuk Fleskens. 2019. "Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Practice in the Kagera Basin: Lessons Learned for Scaling Up at Landscape Level. By FAO." Mountain Research and Development 39, no. 4: M5.
This study is focused on understanding sources and patterns of vulnerability of wheat smallholder farmers in Northeast Iran. We conducted a farm household survey and recorded multiple environmental and socio-economic attributes of 391 wheat smallholder farmers. A Vulnerability Scoping Diagram and Principal Component Analysis served to identify key factors determining wheat farmer's vulnerability. Also, we performed a cluster analysis to classify wheat farmers into three vulnerability types. Although drought affects all types as main environmental stressor, only for Cluster 2 was it the key vulnerability factor. For Clusters 1 and 3 socio-economic vulnerability components prevailed: for farmers categorized in Cluster 1 land consolidation was the main problem, while the current wheat import policy was the key problem for Cluster 3 farmers. Multiple tailored policies are needed that reduce the vulnerability of wheat farmers in all clusters. Supportive government policies should for example focus on avoiding price distortions from wheat imports for Cluster 3, land consolidation for Cluster 1 and collective tackling of pests and weeds for Cluster 2. Simultaneous provision of farm advisory services will benefit farmers of Clusters 1 and 3, while availability of improved seeds (drought-tolerant varieties) and other inputs will lower the environmental vulnerability of all farmers.
Saeedeh Nazari Nooghabi; Luuk Fleskens; Diana Sietz; Hossein Azadi. Typology of vulnerability of wheat farmers in Northeast Iran and implications for their adaptive capacity. Climate and Development 2019, 12, 703 -716.
AMA StyleSaeedeh Nazari Nooghabi, Luuk Fleskens, Diana Sietz, Hossein Azadi. Typology of vulnerability of wheat farmers in Northeast Iran and implications for their adaptive capacity. Climate and Development. 2019; 12 (8):703-716.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSaeedeh Nazari Nooghabi; Luuk Fleskens; Diana Sietz; Hossein Azadi. 2019. "Typology of vulnerability of wheat farmers in Northeast Iran and implications for their adaptive capacity." Climate and Development 12, no. 8: 703-716.
The objective of this study is to assess the existence of gendered climate change adaptation practices of smallholder farmers in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia. We hypothesized that smallholders’ adaptation practices are gendered because of land fragmentation and gendered division of labour. To explore this, we considered sustainable land management practices as a tool for sustainable adaptation and assessed the effect of land management practices deployed and land fragmentation on intra-household time allocation. The results indicate that although land fragmentation increased hours worked by men and women significantly, fragmentation increased the working hours of men more than women. Application of a larger number of sustainable land management practices increases the mean working hours of women, but leaves unaffected the working hours of men, implying that adaptation practices are gender-biased. Therefore, this study can guide land management decisions by pointing out that fragmentation results in long working hours and adaptation practices may disproportionately affect women.
Tesfaye C. Cholo; Jack Peerlings; Luuk Fleskens. Gendered climate change adaptation practices in fragmented farm fields of Gamo Highlands, Ethiopia. Climate and Development 2019, 12, 323 -331.
AMA StyleTesfaye C. Cholo, Jack Peerlings, Luuk Fleskens. Gendered climate change adaptation practices in fragmented farm fields of Gamo Highlands, Ethiopia. Climate and Development. 2019; 12 (4):323-331.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTesfaye C. Cholo; Jack Peerlings; Luuk Fleskens. 2019. "Gendered climate change adaptation practices in fragmented farm fields of Gamo Highlands, Ethiopia." Climate and Development 12, no. 4: 323-331.
This study assessed farmers’ perceptions of the outcomes of the Campaign-Based Watershed Management (CBWM) program in Ethiopia, and how this influences their willingness to participate in the program. Key informant interviews, a household survey, and the Google Earth Engine were used to collect and analyze the relevant data. Results show that farmers’ perceived outcomes of the CBWM program hardly motivated them to participate in the program. Particularly, farmers were not motivated by the physical effects of the program, because of the limited direct benefits to individual households, and destruction of previously developed micro-watersheds by frequent runoff and human and animal disturbances. Similarly, farmers were not motivated by the economic effects of the program, because of the limitations/absence of benefit-sharing mechanisms and resultant conflicts among farmers. The only motivating outcome of the program concerned its effect on personal capacities, which was particularly appreciated in localities that were vulnerable to erosion. The results of the study suggest the need to (1) better integrate actions at watershed level to come to effective water runoff control, (2) enhance the participation of all local actors to come to more effective area closure initiatives with transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms, and (3) give much more emphasis to capacity building as a cross-cutting component in the program. Hence, in order to enhance the willingness of farmers to genuinely participate in the CBWM, the program should adopt a more participatory and integrated approach.
Samuel Assefa; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. Assessing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Campaign-Based Watershed Management: Experiences from Boset District, Ethiopia. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4460 .
AMA StyleSamuel Assefa, Aad Kessler, Luuk Fleskens. Assessing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Campaign-Based Watershed Management: Experiences from Boset District, Ethiopia. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (12):4460.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSamuel Assefa; Aad Kessler; Luuk Fleskens. 2018. "Assessing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Campaign-Based Watershed Management: Experiences from Boset District, Ethiopia." Sustainability 10, no. 12: 4460.
Addressing water scarcity in dryland areas requires identification of promising water-saving practices. This paper reviews the effect of land management and water use practices on Water Productivity (WP) in Uzbekistan and makes an inventory of strengths and constraints. Peer-reviewed articles were screened for various local practices including furrow, deficit and drip irrigation. The performance of practices was analysed using the WP concept, defined as ratio of crop yield per unit of water consumed (irrigation water supply and evapotranspiration). Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of selected practices were studied by conducting semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders in Tashkent province. This scoping process showed that overall drip irrigationhas the highest potential to improve WP in comparison with deficit and furrow irrigation, with a WP supply and WP evapotranspiration for cotton of 1.44 and 1.70 kg m−3, respectively. An excess use of irrigation water is not necessarily leading to increased cotton yield. There is an opportunity to decrease the gap between low and high values of WP, which vary from 0.12–1.44 kg m−3 for cotton. Low water use efficiency rates of furrow irrigation are one of the key-issues to resolve for improved water management. The return on investment of drip irrigation is viable for private farms growing fruit and vegetables, which is mainly due to government support through export trade agreements and favorable policy incentives. WP values of deficit irrigation within 0–25% water stress shows that its water saving potential is high, but with certain yield reduction. The high risk of crop yield reduction is a trade-off between yield and adopting deficit irrigation. To conclude, the large gap between low and high WP values can be minimized with economically affordable technology. Beyond the technical improvements of each water-saving practice, it is also crucial to better design the system of policy incentives supporting users of the practices. Although the paper focused on Uzbekistan, the results can be beneficial to other semi-arid regions and the scoping process can be replicated elsewhere.
Mirzokhid Mirshadiev; Luuk Fleskens; Jos van Dam; Alim Pulatov. Scoping of promising land management and water use practices in the dry areas of Uzbekistan. Agricultural Water Management 2018, 207, 15 -25.
AMA StyleMirzokhid Mirshadiev, Luuk Fleskens, Jos van Dam, Alim Pulatov. Scoping of promising land management and water use practices in the dry areas of Uzbekistan. Agricultural Water Management. 2018; 207 ():15-25.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMirzokhid Mirshadiev; Luuk Fleskens; Jos van Dam; Alim Pulatov. 2018. "Scoping of promising land management and water use practices in the dry areas of Uzbekistan." Agricultural Water Management 207, no. : 15-25.
People living in arid and semi-arid areas with highly variable rainfall and unforeseeable periods of droughts or floods are severely affected by water shortages and often have insecure livelihoods. The construction of dams in wadies to harvest rainwater from small watersheds and to induce artificial groundwater recharge is one of the solutions available to overcome water shortages in the Western Desert of Iraq. The success of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems depends heavily on their technical design and on the identification of suitable sites. Our main goal was to identify suitable sites for dams using a suitability model created with ModelBuilder in ArcGIS 10.2. The model combined various biophysical factors: slope, runoff depth, land use, soil texture, and stream order. The suitability map should be useful to hydrologists, decision-makers, and planners for quickly identifying areas with the highest potential for harvesting rainwater. The implementation of this method should also support any policy shifts towards the widespread adoption of RWH.
Ammar Adham; Khamis Naba Sayl; Rasha Abed; Mohamed Arbi Abdeladhim; Jan G. Wesseling; Michel Riksen; Luuk Fleskens; Usama Karim; Coen J. Ritsema. A GIS-based approach for identifying potential sites for harvesting rainwater in the Western Desert of Iraq. International Soil and Water Conservation Research 2018, 6, 297 -304.
AMA StyleAmmar Adham, Khamis Naba Sayl, Rasha Abed, Mohamed Arbi Abdeladhim, Jan G. Wesseling, Michel Riksen, Luuk Fleskens, Usama Karim, Coen J. Ritsema. A GIS-based approach for identifying potential sites for harvesting rainwater in the Western Desert of Iraq. International Soil and Water Conservation Research. 2018; 6 (4):297-304.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmmar Adham; Khamis Naba Sayl; Rasha Abed; Mohamed Arbi Abdeladhim; Jan G. Wesseling; Michel Riksen; Luuk Fleskens; Usama Karim; Coen J. Ritsema. 2018. "A GIS-based approach for identifying potential sites for harvesting rainwater in the Western Desert of Iraq." International Soil and Water Conservation Research 6, no. 4: 297-304.
Land fragmentation is high and increasing in the Gamo Highlands of southwest Ethiopia. We postulate that this substantial land fragmentation is obstructing the adoption of sustainable land management practices as climate adaptation measures. To explore this, a mixed method study was conducted with emphasis on a multivariate probit model. The results indicate that farmers adapt to climate change and variability they perceive. According to the probit model, there is no clear answer to the question whether land fragmentation facilitates or obstructs adoption of sustainable land management practices. Yet, a qualitative analysis found that farmers perceive land fragmentation as an obstacle to land improvement as adaptation strategy. Moreover, farmers invest more in land improvement on plots close to their homestead than in remote plots. However, the higher land fragmentation also promoted crop diversification, manure application and terracing. Although exogenous to farmers, we therefore suggest that land fragmentation can be deployed in climate change adaptation planning. This can be done through voluntary assembling of small neighboring plots in clusters of different microclimates to encourage investment in remote fields and to collectively optimize the benefits of fragmentation to adaptation.
Tesfaye C. Cholo; Luuk Fleskens; Diana Sietz; Jack Peerlings. Is Land Fragmentation Facilitating or Obstructing Adoption of Climate Adaptation Measures in Ethiopia? Sustainability 2018, 10, 2120 .
AMA StyleTesfaye C. Cholo, Luuk Fleskens, Diana Sietz, Jack Peerlings. Is Land Fragmentation Facilitating or Obstructing Adoption of Climate Adaptation Measures in Ethiopia? Sustainability. 2018; 10 (7):2120.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTesfaye C. Cholo; Luuk Fleskens; Diana Sietz; Jack Peerlings. 2018. "Is Land Fragmentation Facilitating or Obstructing Adoption of Climate Adaptation Measures in Ethiopia?" Sustainability 10, no. 7: 2120.
Substantive stakeholder engagement is increasingly recognized as essential for effective water resource development. Infrastructure development projects and strategies are however typically designed by engineers first before initiating discussions about impacts with stakeholders. In altering this sequence, designing meaningful participatory planning processes needs careful attention. This requires an innovative approach taking into account the institutional and discursive structure of the negotiation arena. This study uses eight features of participation and related micro-politics questions to scrutinize the design process of two water resource development projects in Thailand. The research shows that in one case some of the affected stakeholders were excluded, and in the other case, a lack of trust made one village obstruct the design process from the start. In both cases, the capacity to facilitate the negotiation about alternative designs and compensation was deficient. It is concluded that participation should be institutionalized and facilitated in a way that fosters accountable representation by all stakeholders, builds trust, and recognizes stakeholder interests and knowledge. The approach taken helps to understand the outcomes of the planning process and is useful to design planning processes that foster the accountable representation of all stakeholders and the recognition of their interests and knowledge.
Chakaphon Singto; Luuk Fleskens; Jeroen Vos. Institutionalizing Participation in Water Resource Development: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Practices in Southern Thailand. Water 2018, 10, 781 .
AMA StyleChakaphon Singto, Luuk Fleskens, Jeroen Vos. Institutionalizing Participation in Water Resource Development: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Practices in Southern Thailand. Water. 2018; 10 (6):781.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChakaphon Singto; Luuk Fleskens; Jeroen Vos. 2018. "Institutionalizing Participation in Water Resource Development: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Practices in Southern Thailand." Water 10, no. 6: 781.