A Nexus Approach for Sustainable Intensification

1. A Nexus Approach for Sustainable Intensification Holger Hoff Stockholm Environment Institute Potsdam Institute forClimate Impact Research Ressourcennutzung in der Landwirtschaft Effizienz als Schlüssel zur Nachhaltigkeit? FATA 20./21.8 2013

2. The greatacceleration a resource constrained and environmentally limited world growing demand for and appropriation of biomass (food, feed, fibres, fuel….) resource and ecosystem degradation climate change new resource conflicts and cartells risk of transgressing critical thresholds, e.g. planetary boundaries -> regime shifts OECD 2011

3. Need forsustainableintensification conventionalintensification / yieldmaximization / monocultures:negative environmental andresourceexternalities simplified landscape configurations: loss of diversity and resilience and overall resource use efficiency (Cardinale et al. 2012) maize Germany wheat USA soy Brazil palm oil Indonesia

4. Need forsustainableintensification conventionalintensification / yieldmaximization / monocultures:negative environmental andresourceexternalities higher water- / energy- intensity, eutrophication & dead zones, salinization, soil erosion & reservoir degradation, GHG emissions new solutions are often more resource-intensive: non-conventional water resources (fossil ground water, seawater): higher energy demand, loss of long-term resilience biofuels:water- (& land-) intensive 1 liter of biofuels requires about as much water as feeding one person for a day

5. Nexus forsustainableintensification generating co-benefits, recycling, cascading use, reducing external inputs,mobilizing un-used potentials, increasing use efficiencies across resources reversing land degradation can increase use resource availabilities & efficiencies e.g. enhancing soil organic carbon linking agricultural and rural development to renewable energy strategies, e.g. biofuels for cooking stoves from crop residues (replacing wood & charcoal) nexus approaches all along the supply chain

6. Nexus forsustainableintensification generating co-benefits, recycling, cascading use, reducing external inputs,mobilizing un-used potentials, increasing use efficiencies across resources Brazil, Couto 2011 The nexus is not completely new: multi-functional systems (IAASTD) e.g. agro-forestry or crop-livestock systems ecosystem approach (CBD) landscape approach (World Bank) IWRM integrated pest management

7. Nexus forsustainableintensification generating co-benefits, recycling, cascading use, reducing external inputs,mobilizing un-used potentials, increasing use efficiencies across resources The nexus is not new: multi-functional systems (IAASTD) e.g. agro-forestry or crop-livestock systems ecosystem approach (CBD) landscape approach (World Bank) IWRM integrated pest management ecological / productive / sustainable sanitation -> recycling of nutrients & water plus improved soil moisture utilization from better nutrient status, hence higher water use efficiency(Andersson et al 2013)

8. Nexus forsustainableintensification Green Agriculture / agro-ecological principles: an application of the nexus approache.g. nutrient recycling, reduced external inputs lower yields? „organic yields are typically lower than conventional yields….. these differences are highly contextual…. with good management practices organic systems can nearly match conventional yields.“ (Seufert et al 2012, 300+ yield comparisons) nexus solutions are context-specific, complex and knowledge intensive –> R4D & capacity building integration of scientific information with local knowledge

9. Ecosystemsarecentralelementsof a nexusapproach the dichotomy agricultural systems <-> natural ecosystems is outdated (anthromes, land sharing …..) ecosystems (and biodiversity) are not “externalities” but interact with agricultural systems(-> new TEEB for agriculture quantifies services and disservices) e.g. wetlands: water treatment, water storage, flood protection e.g. terrestrial ecosystems: water cycling, erosion control ecosystems serve as natural infrastructure, substituting / complementing energy and GHG intensive hard infrastructure ´ ecosystems maintain landscapes’ long term productivity IUCN-IWA Infrastructure Initiative

10. Ecosystemsarecentralelementsof a nexusapproach FAO: “maximize options for crop production intensification through the management of biodiversity and ecosystem services” Rio+20 - The Future We Want: “need to maintain natural ecological processes that support food production systems” poor smallholder farmers depend even more on ecosystem services (and local natural resources) than larger commercial farmers: limited access to agro-chemicals / other artificial inputs, higher vulnerability to shocks, adopt nexus-approaches (e.g. recycling, use of natural infrastructure) by necessity need support for sustainable intensification, e.g. innovation, diversification, risk taking -> R4D & capacity building

11. Nexus example „from vicious to virtuous cycles“ Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project multi-functional systems agroforestry (fruit and fuel trees) nitrogen fixation, recycling of crop residuals, increasing soil organic carbon higher agricultural productivity preventing erosion, land restoration climate adaptation AND mitigation, external carbon financing (climate smart agriculture) Lager 2012

12. Localnexusapproachesare not enough globalization inter-connects resource supplies and demands across large distances, through international supply chains trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) externalize resource & ecosystem utilization, exploitation, and degradation and accordingly also provide opportunities for nexus approaches and sustainable intensification through knowledge transfer and cooperation Anseeuw et al . 2012 Bubble size: area of FDI FDI happens largely in areas with low resource use efficiency

13. Localnexusapproachesare not enough nexus opportunities across regions (trade & FDI): outgrower schemes, contract farming, nucleus estates after GIZ 2011 R4D & capacity building: enabling landholders / farmers to implement and benefit from nexus approaches

14. Localnexusapproachesare not enough nexus opportunities across regions (trade & FDI): “sourcing of agricultural inputs or products”: external water use internal water saving brown color: virtual water content according to export countries water productivity yellow: water savings according to importing country‘s water productivity BUT: a full nexus assessment needs to go beyond water footprints: land / nutrient / ecological footprints

15. Localnexusapproachesare not enough nexus opportunities across regions: costs & benefits of nexus approaches e.g. climate and biodiversity protection may not always coincide in space, time and scale hence compensation mechanisms , e.g.payments for ecosystem services or REDD+ may be required hypothetical runoff decrease when exploiting all afforestation potential Zomer et al 2006

16. Conclusions / discussion nexus / integrated approaches can help to close demand-supply gaps ecosystems are central in a nexus approach: reconnecting to the biosphere” (Folke et al. 2011) „the nexus“ can bring new impetus to concepts of integrationwhich have not yet been systematically implemented, outscaled and transferred “there is no fundamental trade-off between eradicating hunger as well as providing full access to modern energy, on the one hand, and achieving environmental sustainability, on the other” (PBL 2012, Roads from Rio+20) R4D & capacity building -> „EZ trifft Wissenschaft“