Agricultural biodiversity in smallholder farms of East Africa / edited by Fidelis Kaihura and Michael Stocking.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kaihura, Fidelis.

Stocking, Michael.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Agrobiodiversity--Africa, East.

Agrobiodiversity.

Agrobiodiversity conservation--Africa, East.

Agrobiodiversity conservation.

Farms, Small--Africa, East.

Farms, Small.

Physical Description:

xvii, 245 p. : ill., map.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Tokyo ; New York : United Nations University Press, c2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Smallholder farmers are the guardians, as well as the beneficiaries, of a greater diversity of biological species than can be found in protected areas. The farmers' diverse practices are conserving these species for the benefit of future generations. In turn, agricultural biodiversity is a primary way for the poor to cope with difficult biophysical environments and precarious social and political circumstances. The United Nations University Project on People, Land Management, and Environmental Change (PLEC) studies and documents how the accumulated knowledge and experience of smallholders and their diverse practices lead to clear benefits for both biodiversity and society. This book highlights the ways smallholder farmers of East Africa --in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda --are playing their part in the global agenda for the conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity It draws on lessons learned from farmers, researchers, extension staff, policymakers, and aid agencies who are actively supporting PLEC demonstration sites in East Africa. It shows the very real potential of learning from farmers and basing policy on tried and tested ways of managing complex agricultural systems.

Contents:

Intro

Agricultural biodiversity in smallholder farms of East Africa

Contents

List of tables and gures

List of acronyms

Foreword

Part I Introduction to agricultural biodiversity in East Africa

1 Agricultural biodiversity in East Africa: Introduction and acknowledgements

2 Managing biodiversity in agricultural systems

3 Agrobiodiversity potential of smallholder farms in a dissected highland plateau of western Uganda

4 Typical biodiversity in home gardens of Nduuri, Runyenjes, Embu, Kenya

Part II Components of agricultural biodiversity

5 Spatial and temporal characteristics of rainfall in Arumeru district, Arusha region, Tanzania

6 The botanical knowledge of different age groups of the Nduuri farming community, Embu, Kenya

7 Diversity of vegetables and fruits and their utilization among the Nduuri community of Embu, Kenya

8 The effect of g trees ( Ficus sycomorus ) on soil quality and coffee yield: An investigation into a traditional conservation practice in Embu district, Kenya

9 The role of livestock in soil fertility and biodiversity change in Nduuri, Embu, Kenya

10 Household diversity of smallholder farms of Nduuri, Embu, Kenya

11 Socio- economic factors in uencing agricultural biodiversity and the livelihoods of small- scale farmers in Arumeru, Tanzania

12 Agrodiversity of banana ( Musa spp. ) production in Bushwere, Mbarara district, Uganda

13 Change in land use and its impact on agricultural biodiversity in Arumeru, Tanzania

Part III Farmers' perspectives

14 Participatory technology development and dissemination: A methodology to capture the farmers' perspectives

15 Experimenting with agrobiodiversity conservation technologies: My experiences with setaria grass in a banana plantation in Uganda

16 The shared activities of PLEC farmers in Arumeru, Tanzania.

17 My experience as a farmer with the KARI PLEC team

18 Agrobiodiversity conservation for the promotion of apiculture and household welfare in Uganda

19 Farmers' evaluation of soil management practices used in Mbarara district, south- western Uganda

Part IV Policy recommendations

20 Technical and policy recommendations for sustainable managementofagricultural biodiversity: Recommendations for Tanzania with contributions from meeting participants

21 Developing policy and technical recommendations for the conservation of agricultural biodiversity in Uganda

Appendix East Africa PLEC General Meeting, 26 28 November 2001

List of contributors

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

92-808-7051-3

0-585-48557-7

OCLC:

923704641