Tropentag 2021 International Research On Food Security Natural Resource Management And Rural Development Towards Shifting Paradigms In Agriculture For A Healthy And Sustainable Future Book Of Abstracts

Tropentag is the largest interdisciplinary conference in Europe on development oriented research in the fields of sub-/tropical agriculture, food security, natural resource management and rural development. Taking place annually, Tropentag 2020 turned out to be a special challenge. Originally planned to take place in Prague, the Corona pandemic did not allow presence in or travel to Prague for prospective participants. ATSAF took on the challenge to organise a virtual Tropentag based on Zoom meetings being streamed on YouTube channels using the Whova as online conference platform from September 7 to 9, 2020.

Tropentag is the largest interdisciplinary conference in Europe on developmentoriented research in the fields of tropical and subtropical agriculture, food security, natural resource management and rural development. Normally, the Tropentag takes place annually. However, for reasons that by now have become obvious, the past two years have been particularly challenging. We are therefore, delighted that the University of Hohenheim managed to host a hybrid version of the conference from 15𝑡ℎ to 17𝑡ℎ September 2021. Being a hybrid conference, it was pleasing to note that people did not only gather in one of the lecture theatres at the University of Hohenheim but also in one of the state-of-the art seminar rooms at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. The rest, of course, attended via Zoom meetings being streamed on YouTube channels using the Whova online platform.

All statistical evidence confirms that agriculture is the key sector for water management, now and in the next decades. Nevertheless, the rural water development sector fails at present to get priority, compared to other competing sectors, in international fora. Strong and new arguments are needed to bring rural water back "on line." Agriculture policies and investments will need to become more strategic. They will have to unlock the potential of agricultural water management practices to raise productivity, spread equitable access to water, and conserve the natural productivity of water resources base.

The current analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential of nutritional, manure and animal husbandry practices for mitigating methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) - i.e. non-carbon dioxide (CO2) - GHG emissions from livestock production. These practices were categorized into enteric CH4, manure management and animal husbandry mitigation practices. Emphasis was placed on enteric CH4 mitigation practices for ruminant animals (only in vivo studies were considered) and manure mitigation practices for both ruminant and monogastric species. Over 900 references were reviewed; simulation and life cycle assessment analyses were generally excluded

Climate change presents a profound challenge to food security and sustainable development in Africa. Its negative impacts are likely to be greatest in the African region, which is already food insecure. In the face of global climate change and its emerging challenges and unknowns, it is essential that decision makers base policies on the best available knowledge. In recent years, the knowledge of local and indigenous people, often referred to as indigenous knowledge (IK) has been increasingly recognised as an important source of climate knowledge and adaptation strategies.

This book describes a pathway for sustainable phosphorus management via the Global Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management project (Global TraPs). Global TraPs is a multi-stakeholder forum in which scientists from a variety of disciplines join with key actors in practice to jointly identify critical questions and to articulate what new knowledge, technologies and policy processes are needed to ensure that future phosphorus use is sustainable, improves food security and environmental quality and provides benefits for the poor. The book offers insight into economic scarcity and identifies options to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of anthropogenic phosphorus flows at all stages of the supply and use chain.

This book of selected research papers, originally presented at the "Symposium of Fragile Lands of Latin America—The Search for Sustainable Uses," presents some fresh evidence of the viability of a few "non-conventional" strategies for natural resource development and management.