Attaining Sustainable Services from Ecosystems through Trade-off Scenarios - ASSETS Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) funded multidisciplinary research project (May 2012 to April 2016) The link between the health of our planet and the health and prosperity of people is becoming more understood and recognised. How can we assure that everyone – especially the world’s poorest people – have access to the services nature provides while also anticipating consequences that may negatively impact our environment? When we responsibly manage nature’s resources, we ensure the continued supply of fresh water, nutrient-rich soil, food and other ecosystem services. There is an urgent need for data and analytical tools that will inform and guide sustainable development. The ASSETS project is an interdisciplinary, four-year initiative that aims to undertake world-class research on how ecosystem services provided by forests interconnect with poverty alleviation. The overall goal is to explicitly quantify the linkages between the natural ecosystem services that affect – and are affected by – food security and nutritional health for the rural poor at the forest-agricultural interface. Key Components Meet the Team International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT): Dr. Andrew Jarvis Ms. Carolina Navarrete Frias Ms. Marcela Quintero Dr. Gisella Cruz-García Conservation International: Dr. Miroslav Honzak Dr. Celia Harvey Mr. Erwin Palacios Southampton University: Prof. Guy Poppy (PI) Prof. Nyovani Madise Prof. Barrie Margetts Dr. Kate Schreckenberg Dr. Felix Eigenbrod Dr. Malcolm Hudson Dr. Carlos Torres Vitolas Dr. Simon Willcock Mrs. Carolin Bothe-Tews Chancellor College, University of Malawi, and LEAD South East Africa: Prof. Sosten Chiotha Mr. Welton Phalira Dr. Dalitso Kafumbata WorldFish: Dr. Joseph Nagoli Davies Luhanga Rhodes University : Prof. Charlie Shakleton BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change: Prof. Ferdinando Villa Dr. Elena Pérez-Miñana Dr. Stefano Balbi Dundee University: Prof. Terry Dawson ASSETS will develop modeling and risk management tools that integrate three key components: inspiring leadership for a sustainable world Contact Professor Guy Poppy DPhil CBiol FSB Director of Multidisciplinary Research Director of University Strategic Research Groups Professor of Ecology Life Sciences Building University of Southampton +44 2380 593217 drivers, pressures and linkages between food security, nutritional health and ecosystem services crises and tipping points: past, present and future interactions between food insecurity and ecosystem services at the forest-agricultural interface the science-policy interface: How can we manage ecosystem services to reduce food insecurity and increase nutritional health? Reference Local views gathered by Carlos Torres-Vitolas and Gisella Cruz-García Study Sites Our study site in la Pedrera, Colombia, is characterized by the low deforestation rate and the presence of multi-ethnic indigenous communities who depend on the resources from nature to fulfil their basic needs: food, fuel, construction, medicine, fodder, cultural and spiritual. Contrastingly, Shipibo-Conibo and mestizo rural communities from our site in Ucayali, Peru, are in a continuous struggle given the alarming decrease of natural resources due to high deforestation rates. Finally, our research site in Malawi is located in Zomba, which is an area that has already been deforested. Photos All photos were taken by ASSETS team members (Miroslav Honzak, Simon Willcock and Carlos Torres-Vitolas, Gisella Cruz-García, Paul Peters) Local views on well-being and food security (preliminary findings) Colombia Living badly in a rich land Most families have farmland Hunting, fishing are common Limited financial and physical capitals How to preserve? Land still available but more limited No changes in forest cover Decreasing variety of fish Diminishing variety of wildlife Threats and local controls Increasing population (settlers) Deforestation Over exploitation (commerce) The “lazy” usually face hunger Fishing Hunting Collection of forest products Social support networks Malawi Overwhelming poverty Small (rain-fed) farmland Most have minor livestock Regular hungry seasons Casual labour (illegal or risk-prone) How to recover? Very little forest cover Decreasing water availability Limited land availability Diminishing soil fertility Little capacity to control Irregular rains Increasing population Deforestation (reserves) From managing to despair Controlling frequency and size of meals Social support networks Collection of wild vegetables (limited) Selling assets Begging and prostitution contact@espa‐assets.org www.espa-assets.org @espaassets facebook.com/espaassets youtube.com/espaassets flickr.com/espaassets The project (NE-J002267-1) is funded with support from the United Kingdom’s Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation program (ESPA). ESPA receives its funding from the Department for International Development (DFID), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). www.espa.ac.uk twitter @espaassets | facebook/espaassets | www.espa-assets.org