Monitoring Resilience and Indicators Nadia Bergamini, Bioversity International International Conference “Agrobiodiversity to manage risk and empower the poor”

Rome 27-29 April 2015

Nei

l Pal

mer

/IWM

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Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and

Seascapes (SEPLS)

Mosaic production landscapes and

seascapes that have been shaped

through long-term harmonious

interactions between humans and

nature in a manner that fosters well-

being while maintaining biodiversity

and ecosystem services (Gu &

Subramanian 2012). Bioversity International/N. Bergamini

Characteristics of resilience in SEPLS

The amount of change the system can undergo and still retain the same

controls on function and structure.

The degree to which the system is capable of self-organization.

The ability to build and increase the capacity for learning and

adaptation.

Bioversity International\N. Bergamini Bioversity International\F. van Oudenhoven

Resilience in SEPLS

The resilience of landscapes derives

from

Ecological characteristics

(biodiversity, habitat, ecosystem

services)

Social characteristics (institutions,

networks, education)

The link between natural and human

components

Bioversity International\F. van Oudenhoven

Social

Ecological

How to measure resilience in SEPLS Resilience has an abstract and multidimensional nature.

Very difficult to measure.

Indicators based on community perceptions of SEPLS conditions. Their presence

(high score) identifies resilience in the system, absence or disappearance (low score)

suggests vulnerability and movement away from a state or resilience.

Developing the Socio-ecological Resilience

Indicators

Conceptual framework developed Bioversity

International 2008-2010. *

First applications and testing by UNU-IAS and

Bioversity in Cuba 2011: An IPSI collaborative

activity.

Field-tested by Bioversity International in

Bolivia, Kenya, Nepal, Fiji, Mongolia, Tanzania

and Uganda and used in 20 countries

participating in the COMDEKS Project.

Revised based on the above experiences

(2014).

Development of a toolkit to provide practical

guidance for making use of the SEPLS

resilience indicators.

* Social-ecological indicators of resilience in agrarian and natural

landscapes. Van Oudenhoven, Mijatovic, and Eyzaguirre, P.

Management of Environmental Quality: (2011). 22(2):154-173.

The Toolkit

The toolkit aims to help

researchers, development

practitioners and most importantly

communities, assess the

landscapes they live in,

understand better how resilient

their system is, and work together

to develop resilience-

strengthening strategies

Ad

apte

d f

rom

CO

MD

EKS

System Country Site Coordination

Inland water systems

(Lakes, Watersheds,

Wetlands)

Kyrgyzstan Lake Issyk-Kul COMDEKS Kyrgyzstan

Malawi Tukombo-Kande, Lake Malawi COMDEKS Malawi

Niger Tabalak Lake COMDEKS Niger

Cambodia Steung Siem-Reap Watershed COMDEKS Cambodia

Ecuador Alto Napo River Watershed, Amazon COMDEKS Ecuador

Costa Rica Rio Jesus Maria Watershed COMDEKS Costa Rica

Slovakia Vychodoslovenska nizina Lowland COMDEKS Slovakia

Coastal seascapes

El Salvador Jaltepeque-Naja Lempe COMDEKS El Salvador

Fiji

Natewa and Tunuloa Peninsula COMDEKS Fiji

Bouma National Heritage Site – Taveuni

Island

National Trust of Fiji

Bioversity International

Indonesia Semau Island COMDEKS Indonesia

Turkey Datça-Bozburun Peninsula COMDEKS Turkey

Mountain ecosystems

Bhutan Gamri Watershed COMDEKS Bhutan

Bolivia Candelaria PROINPA

Bioversity International

Ghana Weto Range COMDEKS Ghana

India Kumaon Region, Uttarakhand COMDEKS India

Nepal Makawanpur COMDEKS Nepal

Begnas LI-BIRD, Bioversity lnternational

Agro-pastoral

systems

Brazil Jequitinhonha Valley COMDEKS Brazil

Cameroon Bogo Region COMDEKS Cameroon

Cuba Chucillas del Toa MaB Reserve INIFAT

Bioversity International

Ethiopia Gibel Gibe Catchment COMDEKS Ethiopia

Kenya Kitui Bioversity International

Tanzania Lushoto (2 communities)

(Kwang’wenda in Humid warm zone

another from Humid cold zone)

Bioversity International

Uganda Rakai District (Kiwaguzi , Kyaluwakula,

Kiganda, Lukyamo, Kigiimbi and Gosoola

villages)

Bioversity International

Grasslands Mongolia

Central Selenge Region COMDEKS Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar and the Central /Hangai

Region

JASIL

Bioversity International

Namibia Ipumgu-ya-Shilongo Conservancy COMDEKS Namibia

What the indicators measure

The indicators are designed to capture community perceptions of

different aspects of key systems which contribute to resilience.

Bioversity International\R. Vernooy Bioversity International\N. Bergamini

– Ecosystems/Ecology

– Biodiversity/Agricultural

– Knowledge/Innovation

– Governance/Social

– Livelihoods/Well-being

Examples of indicators

Landscape/seascape diversity Spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Patchiness across the landscape and changes

though time. Spatial heterogeneity provides seeds of renewal following disturbance;

through time, it allows patches to recover and restore nutrients.

What to look for: Patchiness on the farm and across the landscape, different land uses,

mosaic pattern of managed and unmanaged land, diverse cultivation practices, crop

rotations.

.

Maintenance and use of local crop varieties and animal breeds Agricultural biodiversity (optimally redundant) ensures that critical components and

relationships within the system are duplicated in case of failure. What to look for: high diversity of local crop varieties and animal breeds which are both

conserved and used.

Examples of indicators

Traditional knowledge related to biodiversity Local knowledge and cultural traditions related to biodiversity are transmitted from

elders and parents to young people in the community.

What to look for: Songs, rituals, festivals, stories, local terminology related to land and

biodiversity.

Social capital in the form of cooperation across the

landscape/seascape Individuals within and between communities are connected and coordinated through

networks that manage resources and exchange materials, skills and knowledge.

What to look for: farmers and consumers are able to organize into grassroots networks

and institutions such as co-ops, farmer’s markets, self-help groups, community clubs

and groups (women’s and youth groups), intercommunity networks.

Examples of indicators

Socio-economic infrastructure Socio-economic infrastructure is adequate for community desires and needs.

What to look for: investment in infrastructure and institutions for the education of

children and adults, electricity and communication infrastructure, safe drinking water,

hospitals, roads and transport.

Measuring resilience in my landscape

1.75

2.33

1.75

3.25

3

0

1

2

3

4

5

Landscape/Seascape diversity

Biodiversity (ABD)

Knowledge & InnovationGovernance & Social Equity

Livelihoods & Well-being

Series1

How the indicators’ framework has been used

Part of a baseline-assessment and community-consultation

process to help measure and understand the resilience of target

landscapes and seascapes.

Local observations can be complemented by scientific data and

information collected from prior studies.

Development of a landscape resilience strengthening strategies

and identification of priority actions for local innovation and

adaptive management.

Periodic use enables evaluation of progress towards development

and sustainable management objectives.

Areas in which the indicators are useful

Understanding SEPLS resilience

Supporting development and

implementation of resilience-strengthening

strategies and action plans

Enhancing communication among

stakeholders

Empowering communities in decision-

making processes and adaptive

management

Monitoring resilience of the

landscape/seascape and its communities

over time

The case of Fiji Community-based resource management of ridge to reef area

Participatory mapping exercise

Socio-ecological resilience in Waitabu and Lavena - Fiji

What we learned from the workshops

The use of the indicators’ framework

Increases the understanding of socio-ecological production landscapes and

seascapes (SEPLS) among and beyond community members.

Helps identify priority issues and actions for sustaining SEPLS that benefit

livelihoods and well-being.

Creates a common language between ‘traditional’, ‘governmental’ and

‘scientific’ communities which values the complexity of human-environment

interactions.

How they can be used in this project

Baseline assessment of resilience based on community’s

perceptions and needs.

Identification of research gaps.

Priority intervention areas.

Monitoring and evaluation of project interventions that aim to

strengthen resilience and support biodiversity conservation.

The indicators’ framework can be adapted to the local context

and to the project needs.

Thank you