Resilient Livelihoods And Food Security In Coastal Aquatic Agricultural Systems

Aquatic agricultural systems (AAS) are food production systems in which the productivity of freshwater or coastal ecosystems contributes significantly to total household nutrition, food security, and income in developing countries. The Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) engages in research in development to address this challenge. The goal of the CGIAR research program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (referred to in this paper as “the AAS program”) is to harness the development potential of aquatic agricultural systems to improve the livelihood security and well-being of an estimated 10 million by 2016 poor people who are dependent on these systems This working paper draws lessons from the target countries through a review of productivity interventions such as modifying habitats, harnessing underutilized productive resources, improving the integration of production commodities, supporting community-based natural resource management, and genetically improving strains. In total, this paper reviewed 20 productivity interventions.

Zambia?s rivers, lakes and wetlands support extensive agriculture, fisheries and livestock production and contribute to the livelihoods of about 3 million people or 25% of the country?s population. These aquatic agricultural systems are particularly important to poor people and provide significant opportunities for agriculture-based economic growth. The majority (72%) of the Zambian population is engaged in agricultural activities, of which almost 65% are women. There is now widespread recognition of the importance of gender and development. This is reflected in the growing prominence of gender strategies for development organizations and their programs, the emergence of compelling approaches for gender integration and the development of indicators for tracking outcomes of research and development interventions. This analysis, based on information gathered from both female and male farmers of different age groups, attempts to provide a glimpse into aspects that have not been widely studied in agricultural research. The knowledge generated here is expected to shape the planned research interventions in AAS that aim to reduce gender disparities in access to resources, but also address social and behavioural change at various levels to tackle the causes of these inequities.ÿ

Coastal areas are commonly defined as the interface or transition areas between land and sea, including large inland lakes. Overall, about 50–70 % of the global population live within 100 km of the coastline covering only about 4 % of earth’s land, thereby drawing heavily on coastal and marine habitats for food, building sites, transportation, recreational areas, and waste disposal. The people of these zones depend mainly on low productive agriculture due to several constraints such as prolonged water logging and drainage congestion in predominantly low-lying areas with heavy soils during the wet season, preponderance of saline and acid sulphate soils, scarcity of good quality irrigation water, particularly in the dry season, seawater intrusion into adjoining lands, and water pollution due to eutrophication, and others affecting the aquatic habitats, etc. Carbon sequestration in coastal areas, such as, marshes, lagoons, etc. has significant influence on soil quality, and the carbon pool in soils as well as their impacts on the environment. Over and above these, the coastal areas are prone to disasters due to climate change leading to colossal loss of lives and properties in many areas. Forestry and mangrove dynamics, in particular, because of their continuing diminishing nature, are also subjects of interest affecting the ecology of coastal zones requiring appropriate attention. The international symposium held in this context on ‘ Transforming Coastal Zones for Sustainable Food and Income Security ’ in virtual mode in March, 2021 offered scope to present and discuss various thematic areas by eminent scientists from all over the world. The proceedings of selected papers presented reflect cross-sectoral views of the areas highlighting, wherever necessary, a fusion of technologies, with the ultimate target to suggest livelihood security and sustainable development for the sensitive coastal zones. The book intends to share the knowledge with researchers, academicians, and various other stakeholders to address the complex problems of coastal regions, production constraints, social, economic, technical and environmental issues to draw out strategies for resilient agricultural technologies and improving livelihood security in coastal agro-ecosystems.

Unless action is taken now to make agriculture more sustainable, productive and resilient, climate change impacts will seriously compromise food production in countries and regions that are already highly food-insecure. The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, represents a new beginning in the global effort to stabilize the climate before it is too late. It recognizes the importance of food security in the international response to climate change, as reflected by many countries prominent focus on the agriculture sector in their planned contributions to adaptation and mitigation. To help put those plans into action, this report identifies strategies, financing opportunities, and data and information needs. It also describes transformative policies and institutions that can overcome barriers to implementation. The State of Food and Agriculture is produced annually. Each edition contains an overview of the current global agricultural situation, as well as more in-depth coverage of a topical theme."

This book draws examples from food security issues in Bangladesh. The book is structured around those issues and underlying causes of food security, the implications from different sectors, policy analysis, and the role and actions of various stakeholders from different sectors to ensure food security. Bangladesh is situated in a climatically vulnerable position and is impacted frequently by such climatic hazards as floods, cyclones, droughts, and salinity intrusion. Due to global atmospheric changes, abrupt shifts in climatic conditions severely affect Bangladesh’s agriculture. Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in increasing domestic production of food grain, if the production of major cereals is hampered due to climate change, food security will be in jeopardy. Most estimates show that a huge amount of additional food grain will be required to feed the growing population of the country. Ensuring food security for all is the overarching goal of Bangladesh’s national food policy. Therefore, ensuring food security in the future requires a great deal of additional effort in yield improvement, with limited scope for expanding the area under cultivation. The primary target readers for this book are students and researchers in the fields of environment, disaster risk reduction, and climate change studies. The book will provide them with a good idea of the current trend of research in the field and will furnish basic knowledge on this important topic. Another target group comprises practitioners and policy makers, who will be able to apply collective knowledge to policy and decision making.

The coastal areas of the tropics are rich in biodiversity, natural resources and place of intensive developmental activities as it provides livelihood to millions of people. At the same time evidences suggest that several unique coastal ecosystems viz., mangroves, wetlands, salt marshes, corals, estuaries, sand dunes and agro-ecosystem are vulnerable to natural disasters and events associated with global climate change. In recent times degradation of land, water and genetic erosion besides threat to native flora and fauna have been increasing due to unsustainable developmental activities. Therefore, a paradigm shift in deriving livelihood through conventional methods, developmental strategies, conservation practices are required for balanced and sustainable growth of the coastal areas. This publication strives to cover the status of different natural resources of the coastal region, various aspects of degradation process, production need and restorative methods besides new technological options and its socio-economic implications with case examples. Special focus is given to bring out the scope and potential of mangrove based farming, integrated and organic farming and its value addition besides the role of coastal vegetations as bioshield in protecting these regions from sea erosion, cyclones and tsunami. As the tropical coastal areas are vulnerable to climate change events, this book also covers the recent weather pattern, impacts of climate change and climate resilient technologies besides intuitional linkages and policy framework aimed at balancing development and environmental concerns.