Agroecology and systems analysis for sustainable agriculture

Santiago Lopez-Ridaura (2022, [Artículo])

Multi-Criteria Tradeoffs Synergies CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGROECOLOGY INDICATORS SUSTAINABILITY FARMING SYSTEMS

Multicriteria assessment of alternative cropping systems at farm level. A case with maize on family farms of South East Asia

Santiago Lopez-Ridaura (2023, [Artículo])

CONTEXT: Integration of farms into markets with adoption of maize as a cash crop can significantly increase income of farms of the developing world. However, in some cases, the income generated may still be very low and maize production may also have strong negative environmental and social impacts. OBJECTIVE: Maize production in northern Laos is taken as a case to study how far can farms' performance be improved with improved crop management of maize with the following changes at field level: good timing and optimal soil preparation and sowing, allowing optimal crop establishment and low weed infestation. METHODS: We compared different farm types' performance on locally relevant criteria and indicators embodying the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social). An integrated assessment approach was combined with direct measurement of indicators in farmers' fields to assess eleven criteria of local farm sustainability. A bio-economic farm model was used for scenario assessment in which changes in crop management and the economic environment of farms were compared to present situation. The farm model was based on mathematical programming maximizing income under constraints related to i) household composition, initial cash and rice stocks and land type, and ii) seasonal balances of cash, labour and food. The crop management scenarios were built based on a diagnosis of the causes of variations in the agronomic and environmental performances of cropping systems, carried out in farmers' fields. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that moderate changes in crop management on maize would improve substantially farm performance on 4 to 6 criteria out of the 11 assessed, depending on farm types. The improved crop management of maize had a high economic attractiveness for every farm type simulated (low, medium and high resource endowed farms) even at simulated production costs more than doubling current costs of farmers' practices. However, while an improvement of the systems performance was attained in terms of agricultural productivity, income generation, work and ease of work, herbicide leaching, improved soil quality and nitrogen balance, trade-offs were identified with other indicators such as erosion control and cash outflow needed at the beginning of the cropping season. SIGNIFICANCE: Using farm modelling for multicriteria assessment of current and improved maize cropping systems for contrasted farm types helped capture main opportunities and constraints on local farm sustainability, and assess the trade-offs that new options at field level may generate at farm level.

Bio-Economic Farm Model Smallholder Farms CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CASH CROPS INDICATORS SMALLHOLDERS CROPPING SYSTEMS MAIZE

The water crisis in the south-central region of the Chihuahua State and the 1997 UN Convention

Jorge Arturo Salas Plata Mendoza Thelma J. Garcia (2022, [Artículo, Artículo])

The present writing focuses on the water crisis in the south-central part of Chihuahua State in the year 2020. Recent literature points to the drought, excess demand for the vital liquid and overpopulation of this region, among other issues, as the causes of the emergency. This paper argues that the reasons mentioned above are not causes, but effects of an economic policy of capital valorization and accumulation, which go far beyond the carrying capacity of the ecosystems and their capacity to regulate the polluting processes. The obsolescence of the water treaties between Mexico and the US make it necessary to consider other alternatives such as the 1997 UN Convention on water.

Chihuahua water crisis hydro-agricultural crisis carrying capacity expansive growth 1997 UN Convention Ecological Economics crisis del agua crisis hidroagrícola capacidad de carga crecimiento expansivo Convención de la ONU de 1997 Economía Ecológica CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA

Do provisioning ecosystem services change along gradients of increasing agricultural production?

Ronju Ahammad Stephanie Tomscha Sarah Gergel Frédéric Baudron Jean-Yves Duriaux Chavarría Samson Foli Dominic Rowland Josh Van Vianen Terence Sunderland (2024, [Artículo])

Context: Increasing agricultural production shapes the flow of ecosystem services (ES), including provisioning services that support the livelihoods and nutrition of people in tropical developing countries. Although our broad understanding of the social-ecological consequences of agricultural intensification is growing, how it impacts provisioning ES is still unknown. Objectives: We examined the household use of provisioning ES across a gradient of increasing agricultural production in seven tropical countries (Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nicaragua and Zambia). We answered two overarching questions: (1) does the use of provisioning ES differ along gradients of agriculture production ranging from zones of subsistence to moderate and to high agriculture production? and (2) are there synergies and/or trade-offs within and among groups of ES within these zones? Methods: Using structured surveys, we asked 1900 households about their assets, livestock, crops, and collection of forest products. These questions allowed us to assess the number of provisioning ES households used, and whether the ES used are functionally substitutable (i.e., used similarly for nutrition, material, and energy). Finally, we explored synergies and trade-offs among household use of provisioning ES. Results: As agricultural production increased, provisioning ES declined both in total number and in different functional groups used. We found more severe decreases in ES for relatively poorer households. Within the functional groups of ES, synergistic relationships were more often found than trade-offs in all zones, including significant synergies among livestock products (dairy, eggs, meat) and fruits. Conclusions: Considering landscape context provides opportunities to enhance synergies among provisioning services for households, supporting resilient food systems and human well-being.

Agricultural Production Zones Agricultural Intensifcation Synergies and Trade-Offs Landscape Multifunctionality Social-Ecological Systems CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGRICULTURE INTENSIFICATION ECOSYSTEM SERVICES LANDSCAPE SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

ANÁLISIS DE LA APTITUD RECREATIVA ORIENTADA A LA GESTIÓN AMBIENTAL DE LA PLAYA EL COCHÓRIT, SONORA, MÉXICO

GISELA GARCIA MORALES PEDRO ROSALES GRANO Gustavo Padilla Jose Alfredo Arreola Lizárraga Jaqueline García Hernández Alfredo Ortega Rubio Renato Arturo Mendoza Salgado (2017, [Artículo])

"La evaluación de la aptitud recreativa de playas es un asunto clave para diseñar estrategias de manejo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la aptitud recreativa y proponer una estrategia de manejo en la playa El Cochórit, municipio de Empalme, Sonora. La aptitud recreativa de la playa se evaluó con base en la percepción de los usuarios y en indicadores biofísicos. El valor estimado de la aptitud recreativa de la playa, según la percepción de los usuarios fue de 0.71 (medio) y con base en los indicadores biofísicos fue de 0.47 (medio). La aptitud recreativa de la playa requiere ser mejorada con atención prioritaria en: (1) inversión en infraestructura y servicios, (2) mantenimiento de limpieza, (3) implementación de programas de educación ambiental y (4) monitoreo anual de la calidad sanitaria del agua y de la arena. La estrategia de gestión ambiental debe considerar incluir a la playa El Cochórit en el Programa Playas Limpias de la Comisión Nacional del Agua con el propósito de orientar esfuerzos hacia su certificación como “playa limpia”."

"The assessment of recreational beaches fitness is a key issue to design management strategies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the recreational fitness and propose a management strategy for the Beach El Cochórit, municipality of Empalme, Sonora. The recreational beach fitness was evaluated based on the perception of users, as well as biophysical indicators. The estimated value of recreational suitability of the beach perceived by users was 0.71 (average) and based on the biophysical indicators was 0.47 (average). Fitness recreational beach needs to be improved focusing on: (1) investing in infrastructure and services, (2) maintaining cleanliness, (3) implementing environmental education programs and (4) monitoring annually the sanitary quality of water and sand. The environmental management strategy should consider including the beach El Cochorit in the Clean Beaches Program of the National Water Commission in order to address efforts towards the certification of “clean beach”."

playas recreativas, manejo de playas, indicadores ambientales, percepción pública recreational beaches, management of beaches, environmental indicators, public perception CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO GEOLOGÍA GEOLOGÍA AMBIENTAL GEOLOGÍA AMBIENTAL

Adecuación cultural de la vivienda: una propuesta de medición

Jesús Ricardo Salazar Judith Ley García (2022, [Artículo, Artículo])

La adecuación cultural forma parte de las siete directrices internacionales que, según la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, debe poseer una vivienda para que se le considere adecuada. Sin embargo, evaluar el cumplimiento de esta directriz en las ciudades no es una tarea sencilla, dada la dificultad que representan su conceptualización y operacionalización. En este sentido, el objetivo del artículo es construir un concepto de adecuación cultural susceptible de medición a escala intraurbana. Para ello, se utilizó el enfoque de las capacidades como sustento teórico y el Índice de Desarrollo Humano como metodología análoga, lo que permitió proponer un Índice Sintético de Adecuación Cultural de la Vivienda que se aplicó en la evaluación de la ciudad de Mexicali, México. Como parte de los resultados, se identificó que los habitantes de más de la mitad del parque habitacional de Mexicali poseen pocas posibilidades de personalizar su vivienda conforme a sus repertorios culturales.

Cultural adequacy, Adequate housing, intra-urban indicators, capability approach adecuación cultural enfoque de las capacidades indicadores intraurbanos vivienda adecuada CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES

Sustainability assessment based on stakeholders’ perception of tourism activities in Loreto Bay National Park, Mexico

Evaluación de la sustentabilidad basada en la percepción de las partes interesadas sobre las actividades turísticas en el Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto, México

Iris Aurora del Castillo Velasco Martínez Luis Felipe Beltrán Morales Alfredo Ortega Rubio GUSTAVO ALBERTO ARNAUD FRANCO GERZAIN AVILES POLANCO Angel Herrera (2022, [Artículo])

"To assess the level of sustainability, based on stakeholders’ tourism perceptions of Loreto Bay National Park (LBNP) in Mexico. Methodology: Indicators were selected and organized in three components: (1) destination management; (2) social, economic, and cultural impact; (3) environmental impact; and two dimensions: social and environmental. Surveys were applied to tourist companies, residents, and visitors. Contingency tables were used to identify significant dependence between indicators. Results: The results showed an acceptable sustainability level. Indicators with lower value were residents’ knowledge about PA, the benefit they obtain from tourism, as well as their participation in environmental activities. Limitations: Some of the indicators used are specific to LBNP, therefore they should be adequate for each PA. Conclusions: The study concludes with the contributions of the method and a series of recommendations to increases residents’ economic benefit and their involvement in PA management."

"Valuar el nivel de sustentabilidad, con base en las percepciones turísticas de las partes interesadas del Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto (PNLB) en México. Metodología: se seleccionaron indicadores y se organizaron en tres componentes: (1) gestión de destinos; (2) impacto social, económico y cultural; (3) impacto ambiental; y dos dimensiones: social y ambiental. Se aplicaron encuestas a empresas turísticas, residentes y visitantes. Se utilizaron tablas de contingencia para identificar la dependencia significativa entre indicadores. Resultados: un nivel de sustentabilidad aceptable. Los indicadores con menor valor fueron el conocimiento de los residentes sobre las AP, el beneficio que obtienen del turismo, así como su participación en actividades ambientales. Limitaciones: algunos de los indicadores empleados son específicos para el PNBL, por lo que deben adecuarse a cada AP. Conclusiones: las aportaciones del método y una serie de recomendaciones para incrementar el beneficio económico de los residentes y su participación en la gestión de las AP."

regional development, indicator, national park, perception, protected area, stakeholders, sustainability, tourism desarrollo regional, indicador, parque nacional, percepción, área protegida, stakeholders, sustentabilidad, turismo CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS ECONOMÍA SECTORIAL ECONOMÍA SECTORIAL. TURISMO ECONOMÍA SECTORIAL. TURISMO