BiodivERsA: Farmer-led Agroecological Research in Malawi using Scenarios for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (FARMS4Biodiversity)

Activities carried out & results achieved by work packages (WP) during 01 Oct 2021 to 30 Nov 2022: WP-1: Assessing biodiversity and ecosystem services on smallholder farms in Malawi - Data analysis, synthesis of reports and 4 scientific publications submitted which are under review (journal of Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment (1), Journal of Applied Ecology (2), and Nature (1). - One PhD thesis published (The effects of land-use and agro-ecological practices on biodiversity and ecosystem services in tropical smallholder farms (2022), doi.org/10.25972/OPUS-29066 - Presentation of project results in 3 International conferences (Metz, France (22.11.2022); Uppsala, Sweden (14.10.2022) and Montpelier, France (07.06.2022) WP-2: Social Dimensions and Knowledge Politics -10 participatory scenario planning workshops were conducted where in total about 250 participated from 10 communities including MAP members during March to June 2022. - There is a strong interest in seeing a future where there is increased tree plantings and forest regeneration and an agroecology farmers’ selling surplus produce from agro-ecology farms. - A future with no deforestation. For every 1 tree cut, we want to see 10 replanted. We want to see the degraded forest and biodiversity brought back. - A future with no soil degradation and for this, there is a need for more tree plantings. - A future with more local jobs so that there is no poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. - More crop-livestock integration, but with a plan to control free-grazing animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats) - Addressing social problems like hemp smoking, increased alcohol consumption, abortion, early marriages, and dressing in culturally inappropriate ways. - We want the youth of today to be responsible citizens to manage Malawi’s socio-ecological systems in the future. WP-3: Participatory scenario planning - Two scientific papers published in peer reviewed journals that are open access. The first paper is about geospatial approach to assessing the impact of agroecological knowledge and practice on crop health in a smallholder agricultural context. The second paper is on transdisciplinary agroecological research on biodiversity and ecosystem services for sustainable and climate resilient farming systems in Malawi. - One policy brief on ‘spatial ecological data collection, crop type and land cover mapping in northern Malawi’, was published. WP-4: Innovative Platforms & stakeholder engagement - NIBIO participated in the FARMS for Biodiversity project Annual Meeting (virtual) and quarterly virtual meetings by presenting the progress of the WP4 activities and results. - NIBIO contributed to the Belmont Forum & BiodivERsA Interim Project Report (in particular to Section 4: Stakeholders Involvement in the project) and Annual Project Report for NSF by providing information related to work done, main results; next steps planned for 2022. - Project results were disseminated to Norwegian Embassy in Lilongwe (Malawi) by WP4 team. - NIBIO held a MAP meeting on 24th November in Lilongwe and a one day policy dialogue workshop was organized on Farms4Biodiviersty project in collaboration with SFHC in Lilongwe (Malawi) on 25th November to disseminate the main project results and their policy implications. There were 20 participants including multi actor platform (MAP) members and other key stakeholders in the meeting. - The Malawi National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan II (NBSAP: 2015-2025 ) was taken as an example to show case some of the project results contribution to policy and practice. Under this strategy and action plan, five national targets that are most relevant to FARMS4Biodiversity project objectives, were targeted. The project contributions to meeting the five national targets, were clearly elaborated and discussed in the policy dialogue meeting. The participants shared their feedback on the draft policy brief prepared by NIBIO, and provided recommendations for future exploitation and dissemination of project results. The recommendations include: - Some of the project results could be an input to the ongoing national ecosystem assessment in particular to the terrestrial biodiversity that will be used further by the policy makers - Upscaling of the research results outside the project areas and in other agro-ecological zones of Malawi so as to reach a large number of farmers. - Methodologies of insects identification and characterization should be incorporated into the educational curriculum at various levels to increase knowledge of agro-biodiversity and ESSs among school students, farmers and other stakeholders. - Translating key results of some of the published scientific articles (arising for the project activities) into local languages in a brief, leaflets to farmers and other stakeholders.

Outcomes achieved included: - 10 Community action plans developed based on outputs of participatory scenarios. - Increased understanding of policy makers and stakeholders on agro-ecological farming practices and biodiversity conservation through trainings and demonstrations. - Participatory scenario planning workshop conducted involving farmers, stakeholders and MAP members focusing future land use, farming, food security and population impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems services and measures to overcome. - One Multi-Actor Platform established and stakeholders actively engaged through out the project life. - The project has been engaged with decision and policy makers at district, province and national levels through several meetings, workshops, and focus group discussions and final policy dialogue workshop. This has contributed to increased awareness, and relevance of project results to conserve biodiversity on farm lands. - Institutional and policy frameworks developed on the use of agro-ecological practices - A policy brief prepared with inputs from project partners and Multi-Actor Platform members Project contributions to impacts included: - The project results were considered relevant and requested by the National Ecosystem Assessment project for inputs. -Incorporation of the research methodology and results from the project into the education curriculum that will ensure knowledge transfer to the youth and public. - Presenting some of the key project results to the relevant Parliamentary Committee through MAP members -Upscaling the methodology used (for e.g. insect identification) and results to set up biodiversity monitoring sites in other agro-ecoloiglcal zones of the country. - Participatory mapping approach has helped local experts to conduct ecological research by incorporating the innovative spatial data collection methodologies learned with traditional survey methods. - Co-learning and increased capacity building of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders on ecological approaches to insect pest management in agricultural landscapes. - The project contributed to participatory geographic information systems as a method for collecting spatial data at local level. It can be used as a reference base for international development studies, food systems research and sociological research in agrarian settings. - Trainings and capacity-building activities conducted by the project, will promote farmer-led research and trainings related to agro-ecological farming methods, agro-biodiversity conservation and ESSs after the project.

This project aims to address biodiversity conservation, support ecosystem services and improve food security under scenarios of land-use change in the Global South. To meet this objective, we propose an innovative research approach that couples socio-economic and biodiversity dynamics by engaging farmer researchers in Malawi to measure biodiversity and ecosystem services in close collaboration with an interdisciplinary research team. Using our empirical findings, we will model impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, food security and farmer livelihoods from multiple scenarios of future land use change and how these impacts vary based on the degree of agroecological practices. To complement these models, we will conduct participatory GIS and scenario planning to develop future scenarios, of land use and its impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, food security and livelihoods. We will scale out the locally and/or regionally collected ecological, socio-economic, and spatial data to have national implications through the formation of policy platforms composed of a diverse array of regional and national stakeholders. Our project builds on past work that demonstrates agro-ecology as an alternative to input intensification. The agroecological practices include legume intercropping, composting, mulching, crop rotation, and use of botanical sprays. Despite the observed socio-economic benefits, there is limited knowledge regarding how these practices affect biodiversity and ecosystem services in sub-Saharan Africa. High-level analyses have called for investments in agroecological approaches yet most research has focused on high income countries. Our proposed project addresses two major priorities of the call: • Development and application of scenarios of biodiversity and ecosystem services across spatial scales of relevance to multiple types of decisions, and • Consideration of multiple dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem services in a scenario framework