On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture
Managing for increased multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes is a crucial step toward a sustainable global agriculture. We studied two contrasting agricultural landscapes that exist in parallel on two sides of a ditch in the South African Drakensberg Mountains. The large-scale commercial and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol23/iss4/art9/ |
| _version_ | 1818838350479491072 |
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| author | Rebecka Henriksson Malinga Graham P. W. Jewitt Regina Lindborg Erik Andersson Line J. Gordon |
| author_facet | Rebecka Henriksson Malinga Graham P. W. Jewitt Regina Lindborg Erik Andersson Line J. Gordon |
| author_sort | Rebecka Henriksson Malinga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Managing for increased multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes is a crucial step toward a sustainable global agriculture. We studied two contrasting agricultural landscapes that exist in parallel on two sides of a ditch in the South African Drakensberg Mountains. The large-scale commercial and smallholder farmers operate within a similar biophysical context but have different farming intensities, management practices, socioeconomic positions, ethnic identities, cultural contexts, and land tenure systems. To assess multifunctionality, we examined the ecosystem services coproduced within these two social-ecological systems, by applying a mixed-method approach combining in-depth interviews, participatory mapping, and expert assessments. The results indicate clear differences between the two farming systems and farmer groups in terms of supply, demand, and the capacity of the farmers to influence ecosystem service production within their landscapes. Commercial farmers can generally produce agricultural products to meet their demand and have the capacity to mitigate land degradation and erosion. Smallholder food production is low, and the demand for ecosystem services is high. Since the smallholders lack the resources to mitigate unsustainable use, this leads to overuse and land degradation. Both landscape types manifest aspects of multifunctionality but vary in the outcomes. Unequal access to land; skills; and natural, financial, and technical resources can hamper multifunctionality and the development toward an equitable and sustainable agriculture in South Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T03:37:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10f91c3b2a9141f1b1e402a5c48c137a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T03:37:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-10f91c3b2a9141f1b1e402a5c48c137a2022-12-21T20:37:21ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872018-12-01234910.5751/ES-10380-23040910380On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agricultureRebecka Henriksson Malinga0Graham P. W. Jewitt1Regina Lindborg2Erik Andersson3Line J. Gordon4Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SwedenCentre for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaDepartment of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, SwedenStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SwedenStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SwedenManaging for increased multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes is a crucial step toward a sustainable global agriculture. We studied two contrasting agricultural landscapes that exist in parallel on two sides of a ditch in the South African Drakensberg Mountains. The large-scale commercial and smallholder farmers operate within a similar biophysical context but have different farming intensities, management practices, socioeconomic positions, ethnic identities, cultural contexts, and land tenure systems. To assess multifunctionality, we examined the ecosystem services coproduced within these two social-ecological systems, by applying a mixed-method approach combining in-depth interviews, participatory mapping, and expert assessments. The results indicate clear differences between the two farming systems and farmer groups in terms of supply, demand, and the capacity of the farmers to influence ecosystem service production within their landscapes. Commercial farmers can generally produce agricultural products to meet their demand and have the capacity to mitigate land degradation and erosion. Smallholder food production is low, and the demand for ecosystem services is high. Since the smallholders lack the resources to mitigate unsustainable use, this leads to overuse and land degradation. Both landscape types manifest aspects of multifunctionality but vary in the outcomes. Unequal access to land; skills; and natural, financial, and technical resources can hamper multifunctionality and the development toward an equitable and sustainable agriculture in South Africa.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol23/iss4/art9/agricultural landscapesinequitymultifunctionalityparticipatory mappingpoverty traps |
| spellingShingle | Rebecka Henriksson Malinga Graham P. W. Jewitt Regina Lindborg Erik Andersson Line J. Gordon On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture Ecology and Society agricultural landscapes inequity multifunctionality participatory mapping poverty traps |
| title | On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| title_full | On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| title_fullStr | On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| title_short | On the other side of the ditch: exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| title_sort | on the other side of the ditch exploring contrasting ecosystem service coproduction between smallholder and commercial agriculture |
| topic | agricultural landscapes inequity multifunctionality participatory mapping poverty traps |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol23/iss4/art9/ |
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