Integrating Biodiversity in Agricultural Intensification Toward Sound Practices

51 Pages·1999·2.2 MB·English

by  Jitendra Srivastava

ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
RuralDevelopment
Workinprogress
forpublicdiscussion
Integrating Biodiversity in
Agricultural Intensification
TowardSoundPractices
JitendraPSrivastava
NigelJ. H. Smith
DouglasA. Forno
RuralDevelopment
Integrating Biodiversity in
Agricultural Intensification
TowardSoundPractices
JitendraP.Srivastava
NigelJ.H.Smith
DouglasA.Forno
TheWorldBank
kvasfitngton,u.c
Copyright©1999
TheInternationalBankforReconstruction
andDevelopment/THEWORLDBANK
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Coverphotograph:BiodiversitycorridorsassistbiologicalcontrolofinsectpestsinaCalifornia
vineyard,byMiguelAltieri,DepartmentofEnvironmentalScience,Policy,andManagement,University
ofCalifornia,Berkeley.
JitendraP.SrivastavaisprincipalagriculturistintheEuropeandCentralAsiaRegionalOfficeofthe
WUnoirvledrsBiatnyk.ofNFilgoerlidJa..HD.oSumgiltahsiAs.prFoofrensosoirssoefcgteorogmraanpahgyeirnitnhtehDeeRpuarratlmDeenvteolfoGpemoegnrtaFpahmyilayttohfethe
EnvironmentallyandSociallySustainableDevelopmentNetworkattheWorldBank.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDate
Srivastava,Jitendra,1940-
sDooIuungntldeagpsrraaAtc.itniFgcoerb—sinoo/d.iJvietresnidtryaiP.nSargirviacsutlatvuar,alNiingteelnsJ.ifHi.caStmiiotnh:,taonwdard
p. cm. (Environmentallyandsociallysustainable
development.Ruraldevelopment)
Includesbibliographicalreferences(p. ).
ISBN0-8213-4263-0
1.Agrobiodiversity. 2.Agrobiodiversityconservation.
3.Agriculturalintensification. 4.Agriculturaldevelopment
pd1r9eo4vj6ee-cltosp..menIIItI..SsSemeriritieehss,.:RNEuinrgvaeillrJdo.enHvm.ee,lnt1o9ap4lm9le-ynta.ndIsIo.cFioalrlnyo,suDsotuagilnaabsl,e
S494.4.A43S75 1998
630—dc21 98-38771
CIP
Thetextandthecoverareprintedonrecycledpaper,withafloodaqueouscoatingonthecover.
Contents
Foreword v
Abstract vii
Acknowledgments viii
ExecutiveSummary 1
Chapter1 Introduction 3
DestroyingMythsaboutModernAgriculture 3
HarnessingandManagingBiodiversity 4
Rationale 5
ConceptualApproach 5
Chapter2 PromisingSignpoststoSustainableIntensification 7
IntensificationofDairyFarminginUruguay 7
AdjustmentstoFarmingPracticesinResponsetoRapidPopulationGrowth
inSoutheasternNigeria 8
HomeGardensinMexicoandtheAmazon:APantropicalCornucopia 9
OilPalminMalaysiaandtheAmazon 10
UpholdingIntensiveRice-WheatFarmingontheIndo-GangeticPlain 11
SoybeanonIndia'sBlackCottonSoils:FillingaVacantNichewithaNewCrop 12
AgriculturalIntensificationthroughFallowReductioninAnatolia,Turkey 13
INTERFISHandNOPESTProjectsinBangladesh 14
Chapter3 SoundPracticesattheFarmandCommunityLevels 15
EntryPointsforPromotingSoundPracticesattheFarmLevel 16
Chapter4 SoundPracticesattheLandscapeLevel 19
PromoteaBalancedMixofLandUseSystems 19
MinimizeOff-siteImpacts 20
ConductRapidAgrobiodiversitySurveysinAdvanceofAgriculturalProjects 21
MonitorAgriculturalProjectsforImpactsonBiodiversity 23
ExpandtheScopeofParksandReservestoIncludeAgrobiodiversity 23
iii
iv IntegratingBiodiversityinAgriculturalIntensification
Chapter5 StrengtheningInstitutionsandTechnologyDelivery 24
AgriculturalResearch:ElementsoftheEmergingParadigm 24
TrainingandExtension 27
Quarantine:ForgottenLinkinSharingBiodiversityResources 28
Chapter6 Fine-TuningFiscalandRegulatoryEnvironments 30
TapMarketOpportunitiesandEmploySpeciallyTargetedCreditPrograms 30
TradeandIntellectualPropertyRights 33
Chapter7 WorldBank'sRoleandLeverage 34
CountryAssistanceStrategies 35
EconomicandSectoralReviews 35
AgriculturalandRuralDevelopmentProjects 36
EnvironmentalAssessments 36
NationalEnvironmentalActionPlans 36
NationalBiodiversityStrategyandActionPlans 37
EnvironmentalAdjustmentLoans 37
PolicyDialogue 37
Chapter8 TowardImplementation 38
References 39
Boxes
6.1 Arenaissanceoflocalbreeds 32
7.1 Cropandlivestockmegadiversitycenters 35
Tables
3.1 Agriculturalpracticesthatreducenaturalresourcedegradationwhileboosting
yieldsandenhancingbiodiversity 16
4.1 Agrobiodiversityperformanceindicators 22
6.1 Fiscalpoliciesthatconstrainadoptionofmorebiodiversity-friendly
agriculturalpractices 31
Foreword
Agrobiodiversityhasemergedfrombe- September1996.Thisinternationalconference,
inganobscure,little-understoodcon- jointlyorganizedbytheBank,theWorldWild-
cepttoassumingcenterstageinglobal lifeFund,theWorldResourcesInstitute,and
effortstointensifyandsustaincropandlive- theBiodiversitySupportProgram,provideda
stock production. Much progresshasbeen fruitfulforumforseveralnongovernmentalor-
madeinsensitizingtheagriculturalcommu- ganizations(NGOs),developmentbanks,aid
nity to the value ofprotecting andbetter agencies,andgovernmentofficialstodiscuss
managingbiologicalresourcesaswellasun- constraintsandopportunitiestoenhancebio-
derscoringthefactthatagricultureisnotal- diversityinagriculture.TheFoodandAgricul-
ways the "enemy" oftheenvironmentand tureOrganizationconferenceonTheStateof
biodiversity.Indeed,considerablebiodiversity theWorld'sPlantGeneticResourcesforFood
isfoundinmanyagriculturallandscapes,and andAgriculture,held inLeipzig,Germany,
farmers onall continentshavelearned that June17-23,1996,alsohelpedtosharpenthink-
theycanimprovetheirlivingstandardsbyde- ingonagrobiodiversity,becauseitbroughtthe
ployingabroaderrangeofbiologicalassets. concernsandaspirationsofdozensofnations
Furthermore,itisincreasinglyapparentthat tothesurface.Muchcommongroundwasdis-
habitatsforwildlifewillbesavedfromtheax covered duringdiscussionsat theseconfer-
orplowonlyiffuturedemandsforfoodand ences, and usefulinsightsandperspectives
otheragriculturalproductsaremetfromareas providedbyrepresentativesfromavarietyof
currentlycultivatedorgrazedbylivestock.In- institutions worldwide haveenriched this
rteannsgiefiocfatliaonnd-isusaensyismtpeemrsat—ivferoamcr"otsrsadaitibornoaald" repTohrits. report pinpoints practical ways in
to"modern,"fromwell-wateredtosemi-arid, whichtheenvironmentalimpactsofagricul-
andfrommarginalareastooptimalfarmlands. turecanbemitigatedanddemonstrateshow
Agrobiodiversityiskeytoaccomplishingthis biodiversitycanbedeployedtoboostthepro-
goalworldwide. ductivityofcropsandlivestock.Itbuildson
Themanyissuessurroundingbiodiversity currentworkattheBanktoreconcileagricul-
conservationanduseinagriculturaldevelop- tural developmentwithenvironmentalcon-
menthavebeenspotlightedatseveralconfer- cerns.Earlier Bankpublications,particularly
encesandinWorldBankpublications,allof BiodiversityandAgriculture:ImplicationsforCon-
whichhavecontributedtothisreport.Awide- servationandDevelopment (Srivastava,Smith,
rangingdiscussiononagrobiodiversity took andForno1996b)andBiodiversityandAgricul-
placeataone-dayconferencehostedbythe turalIntensification:PartnersforDevelopmentand
WorldWildlifeFundinWashington,D.C.,in Conservation (Srivastava, Smith, and Forno
vi IntegratingBiodiversityinAgriculturalIntensification
1996a),layoutaconceptualframeworkforex- environmentalassessmentsinagriculturalde-
ploringthemanyissuessurroundingthebetter velopment.Itisrecognizedthroughoutthatno
integration(ratherthandestruction)ofbiodi- technologicalquickfixesareavailabletohar-
versityinagriculturaldevelopment. monizeenvironmentalconservationwithagri-
In"MainstreamingBiodiversityinAgricul- culturaldevelopment.Policydistortionsneed
turalDevelopment"(WorldBank1996),ajoint tobe removed, and institutions involved in
effortoftheEnvironmentandtheAgriculture technologicaldevelopmentanddissemination
andNaturalResourcesDepartments,conflicts needtobestrengthened.Moresupportforthe
and complementaritiesbetween agriculture furtherdevelopmentoftechnologies,particu-
andbiodiversityareexplored,withamajor larlythoserelatedtomanagingagrobiodiver-
emphasisonunderstandingthecausesofcon- sity, isclearlywarranted. At thesame time
flictsanddevelopingpossibleresponses.This deficienciesinthebroaderpolicyandinstitu-
reporttakesitscuefromtheconcludingsection tionalenvironmentmustalsobeaddressed.
of"MainstreamingBiodiversity"byaddress- Thisreportisgearedprimarilytotheneeds
inganagendaforthefuture. oftaskmanagersinagriculturalprojects,butit
Theactionagendaexaminedhereproposes alsoofferssomeusefulinsightsforotherareas
concretestepsforimplementing"donoharm" oftheBank'swork,particularlyintheprepa-
strategiesinthedesignofagriculturalprojects, rationofcountryassistancestrategiesandpol-
including theidentificationofsynergiesbe- icy dialoguewithnational governments. A
tweenenvironmental conservationand agri- concertedeffortisneededtopropelthemain-
cultural intensification. Soundpractices are streamingofbiodiversityinagriculture.This
alsooffered forwaystobroadentheuseof reportcontributestothisvitalprocess.
AlexMcCalla
Director
RuralDevelopment
Abstract
—
Agrobiodiversity biological resources fromthisreviewhelptoidentifysoundprac-
thatdirectlyandindirectlycontrib—ute ticesfordesigningandmonitoringagricultural
tocropandlivestockproduction is projects sothattheyimprove rural incomes
arguablythesinglemostimportantnaturalre- whilesafeguardingenvironmentalassets,par-
sourceinworldwideeffortstointensifyagri- ticularlybiodiversity.Thesuccessfulprotec-
culture while protecting theenvironment. tionanddeploymentofbiodiversityhingeson
Agrobiodiversityiskeytotransformingagri- afavorablepolicyenvironmentandonagricul-
culturalsystemsthatarecurrentlywreaking tural researchand extensionactivities that
havoconwildlifeandhumanhealthandisalso stressfarmerparticipationandgreatersensi-
essential toboosting yields to satisfy the tivitytotheoff-siteimpactsofagriculture.Sug-
world'sgrowingappetiteforfood,fiber,and gestionsforsoundpractices,therefore,include
othercropandlivestockproducts. modificationsofthepolicyenvironmentand
Thisreporthighlightscasestudiesinwhich waystostrengthenresearchinstitutionsand
modernandtraditionalagriculturehavebeen extensionservicessothatagriculturecanbe
successfullytransformedtoenhancebiodiver- intensifiedwhilebetterprotectingandmanag-
sitywithoutsacrificingyield.Lessonslearned ingbiologicalresources.
vii
Acknowledgments
Manyoftheideasexploredinthisre- GroupforInternationalAgriculturalResearch.
portwerehonedduringinteractions WearegratefultoEricRoberts,actingassociate
withindividualsatdifferentforums directorgeneral forresearchattheInterna-
intheWorld Bankandother organizations, tionalCropsResearchInstitutefortheSemi-
suchastheWorldWildlifeFund.Theencour- Arid Tropics (ICRISAT); Grant Scobie,
agementofmanyindividualsintheBank,as director-general ofCentro Internacional de
wellasnongovernmentalorganizationssuch AgriculturaTropical(CIAT)inCali,Colombia;
as theWorldWildlifeFund andWorld Re- andMichaelJones,JanValkoun,andSalvatore
sourcesInstitute,hashelpedfurtherthinking CeccerallioftheInternationalCenterforAgri-
onthiscomplextopicwithmanypolicyimpli- culturalResearchintheDryAreas(ICARDA).
cations. Inparticular,wewould liketoac- M.S.SwaminathanoftheM.S.Swaminathan
knowledgeMarjory-AnneBromhead, Nicole ResearchFoundationalsokindlycritiquedan
Glineur,andStevenOliverwithintheWorld earlierdraftofthereport.
Bank,whotookthetimetocommentonan Theviewsandrecommendationsofthispa-
earlierdraftofthisreport. perarethoseoftheauthorsandaremeantto
Helpfulcommentsonanearlierdraftwere stimulate discussionrather thanimplyen-
alsoreceivedfromthreeinternationalagricul- dorsementofanyinstitution.
turalresearchcenterswithintheConsultative
viii
Executive Summary
Agricultural intensification, aworld- Biodiversityhasalreadybeenmainstreamed
wideimperative,canbeaccomplished withvaryingdegreesofsuccessinmanytradi-
onlyifbiodiversityisbetterprotected tionalagriculturalsystems.Traditionalsystems
andmanaged.Conversely,biodiversitywillbe havenotsolvedalltheenvironmentalproblems
safeguardedonlyifitcontributesinatangible associatedwithagriculture,butsuchsystems
waytohumanwelfareandifessentialneeds aregenerallyricherinthearrayofcropsand
arebeingmetfromareasalreadyinproduc- livestockdeployedandalsoharborgreaterge-
tion.Thisreporthighlightswaysthatagrobio- neticvariationwithincropsthandomodern
diversity—thatportionofbiodiversityused productionsystems.Themainchallengesareto
direc—tlyorindirectlyinagriculturalproduc- boosttheproductivityoftraditionalsystems
tion canbe harnessedmoreeffectivelyto while maintaining their "environment-
boostproductivity.Thereportalsounderlines friendly"dimensionsandtotransformmodern
agrobiodiversity'scriticalroleinintensifying agriculture so thatcollateralenvironmental
agriculture.Practicalwaysareidentifiedtobet- damage is reduced oreliminated asyields
ter manage and conserve thebiological re- ratchetup.Agriculturewillhavetobeintensi-
sources that underpincrop and livestock fiedalong theentirespectrum—fr—omtradi-
production. tionaltomodernproductionsystems inorder
Acentralthemeofthisreportisthattechno- tohaveanychanceofprotectingforests,wet-
logical"solutions"alonewillneithersustain lands,andotherhabitatsessentialforwildlife
greateragriculturalproductivitynorenhance andenvironmentalservices.Thiscanbeaccom-
biodiversityinthelongrun.Policydistortions plishedonlybybettermanagementofbiologi-
thatdriveinappropriate land usepractices calresources.
mustalsobeaddressed,andinstitutionsmust Inmanycasesthe"educating"phaseofhigh-
berevamped and strengthened inorderto lightingtheimportanceofbiodiversitytoagri-
raise and sustainyieldswhilesafeguarding culture has been accomplished. Two
biodiversity.Agriculturalprojectsareusually overridingconstraintsremain, however.The
insertedintoapolicyenvironmentandanin- firstobstacleishowtoconvincepoliticiansthat
stitutionalframeworkthatcanhinderorpro- theymustact.Manypoliticiansareawarethat
motetheirsuccess.Thepurposeofthisreport, biodiversityisimportantintheabstract,but
then,istohighlightpolicy,institutional,and theyneed tobeshownhowmainstreaming
technological issues toimprove agricultural biodiversitycontributestoincreasedagricul-
projectsdesignedtoboostcropandlivestock turalproductionsothatgrowingurbanpopu-
yieldswhileincorporatinggreaterbiodiversity lationsarefed,exportearningsareincreased,
andreducingpressureonwildlifehabitats. andurbanandruralpovertyisalleviated.The