1. 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
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
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The project (NE-J ) 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).
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