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Exploring the impacts of agricultural expansion in Africa
Experts from 果冻影院鈥檚 Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research are working with 10 research teams in the UK and Africa to explore trade-offs needed to achieve 鈥榸ero hunger鈥� in sub-Saharan Africa.
8 October 2020
Photo caption:听鈥淜itwe, in the Copperbelt province of Zambia, is the second-largest city in Zambia. Horticultural producers听near听the city make an important contribution to food and nutrition security of the urban population. But in recent years, deforestation as a result of agricultural expansion and mining in the upper catchment of the Kafue听River has contributed to flash floods and erosion, endangering the livelihoods of urban vegetable producers and consumers鈥�.听
Photo credit:听Barbara Adolph
A听global collaboration听is听assessing听how听increased听land use听for听agriculture听will impact听biodiversity听in sub-Saharan Africa.听听
The research is听part of听Sentinel, a听cross-disciplinary project team听involving听10听research听teams听in听Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia听and the UK, led by the听International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED).听听
鈥淓nsuring听zero听hunger听for humans will inevitably mean we have to confront听trade-offs听between agricultural expansion,听biodiversity听conservation and social inequalities,鈥� argues Dr Tim Newbold听(果冻影院 Centre for Biodiversity听&听Environment Research, CBER), 果冻影院鈥檚 lead on the project.听
鈥淪entinel听is helping to听raise听awareness听and inform the debate around the issues. The project allows us to pool听knowledge, develop听local capacity and find workable solutions.鈥澨�
The听果冻影院听team听is听using spatial and statistical techniques to map听land-use听in sub-Saharan Africa听and听analyse听the听potential听impacts听of agricultural expansion听on听biodiversity in the same region.听听
鈥淲e听combine site-level fieldwork with听large-scale,听country-level data sets and modelling to explore听how land听is used now and听in the recent past,听and make projections听for听how it might be used in future,鈥澨鼶r Newbold听explains.听
鈥淏iodiversity makes important contributions to the food system, supporting agriculture through contributions such as pollination, natural pest control, and soil improvement,鈥� says Dr听Abbie听Chapman (CBER),听Sentinel Project Postdoctoral Research Associate.听鈥淥ur research听is听adding听vital听evidence to听debates听around the trade-off between agricultural expansion听into听forest and听other听natural habitats听versus the听need to听protect听ecological services and biodiversity.鈥澨�
The听Sentinel听project听engages with policymakers and other stakeholders to assess the impacts of agricultural expansion, what drives it, and who wins or loses from it.听听
This听evidence-informed听dialogue is听vital听if we are to achieve zero听hunger,听while听at the same time protecting听natural habitats and reducing听social inequalities around the world,鈥� adds Dr Newbold.