SPEPôle GESTAD | Ecological intensification has been proposed as a paradigm for ensuring global food security while preserving biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. Ecological intensification was originally coined to promote precise site-specific farming practices aimed at reducing yield gaps, while avoiding negative environmental impacts (techno-simplicity). Recently, it has been extended to stress the importance of landscape complexity to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services (eco-complexity). While these perspectives on ecological intensification may seem distinct, they are not incompatible and should be interwoven to create more comprehensive and practical solutions. Here, we argue that designing cropping systems to be more diverse, across space and time would be an effective route to accomplish environmentally-friendly intensification of crop production. Such a novel approach will require better integration of knowledge at the landscape level for increasing agro-biodiversity (focused on interventions outside fields) with strategies diversifying cropping systems to manage weeds and pests (focused on interventions inside fields).

The growth of modern economic systems has generated more numerous, complex and urgent social challenges. The aim of study is to clarify the term (definition) and meaning of social innovations and to determine the types of social innovations in the rural areas. The results of study show that the definition of social innovation is still vague. Despite the social innovation being defined and interpreted differently, it provides the social benefits for both local community and/or society in general. When accepting broader description of social innovation, it was concluded that social innovation is not the same as social entrepreneurship. Nowadays, social innovations, particularly in the rural areas, focus on successful solution of different social, economic, political and environmental issues. The social benefits, for instance, reduce the threat of climate change (e.g. reducing greenhouse gas emissions); maintain the biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes; offer fresh and healthy local food etc., can be provided by the social innovations based on the agricultural production and other rural activities. The following social innovations (but not all) are or will be suitable for Latvia: sustainable or environment friendly agricultural production; local food systems; social or care farming; social services; renewables (e.g. bioenergy); ecosystem services (int. al. tourism) and recreation services; cooperation; local action groups and financial services.

One of the grand challenges facing society today is how to feed a growing global population while at the same time minimizing the impact on the environment. Recent initiatives by the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations suggest “sustainable intensification” as the most appropriate means to use land in order to increase food supplies while protecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes. However, it remains unclear what sustainable intensification entails and what it means to those working on this grand challenge. This study draws from 30 interviews with agricultural experts to assess their perceptions of sustainable intensification. Results show that the term is not uniformly understood and the majority of respondents do not see it as a significant departure from current agricultural practices. Concerns included the vague nature of the term ‘sustainable’ and insufficient attention to relying on biological processes to support environmentally friendly production systems. These findings suggest that the term sustainable intensification needs to be defined and used carefully in terms of land use programs and policies. The paper concludes by exploring ‘ecological intensification’ as an alternative concept proposed to guide the management of agricultural systems.

International audience | Organic farming combined with short food supply chains appears as a promising alternative to liberalism and industrial agriculture. As now strongly granted, it contributes to redesign relations between production and consumption, between cities and rural spaces. It is also based on more friendly and respectful relations with environment and biodiversity and allows food quality and diversity. Vegetable producers are probably one of the most emblematic professional group that can easily get involved in short food supply chains (such as the French AMAP, or the Italian GAS, or the US CSA). We consider that a “healthy work”, to refer to Karasek and Theorell’s approach, and a good quality of working life is one of the key, and / but underexplored, dimensions of the sustainability of these alternative systems, beside environmental and economic justice. This paper is therefore dedicated to analyze “organic work” at the production and marketing level, in the case of species diversified producers involved in short-chains supply. It is based on an empirical fieldwork in the south of France, in an area specialized in vegetable production. The reflection is grounded on the following paradox: in these systems, work is described as much more important but also much more satisfying Exploring this paradox, we’ll pay attention to the way organic + SFSC can redesign farmer’s job and work, respecting to social sustainability and its contribution to a sustainable rural development. We‘ll consider seriously the very notion of “work satisfaction” and we’ll show the importance of a good balance between the 3 dimensions identified by Karasek and Theorell: the “latitude decision”, the “psychological demands” and “the “social support”. This latter is probably one of the key criteria in the systems we observed. It is deeply needed for farmers, whether it comes from consumers, from society, or from professional arena, especially as the work level is high and the workings days are often long and back breaking.

With a human population of 230 million and a huge potential for marine and fisheries resources development, Indonesia promotes aquaculture as a major sector to accelerate economic growth for rural communities. There are recent initiatives to improve the country's legal framework to mitigate the adverse impacts of aquaculture and make the aquaculture more sustainable.The Directorate General of Aquaculture under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) has the mandate to develop the aquaculture sector of Indonesia. Aquaculture has an important role in the development of its national economy and play a key role in rural development. As aquaculture production expands, there is also a growing concern over the impacts on sustainability of aquaculture and resource enhancement as well as food quality and safety requirements of fish products.For this reason, there is a need to improve aquaculture technology and its management system in Indonesia to address the need for eco-friendly production process and food safety concerns while maintaining the sustainability of the country's aquaculture sector. The Indonesian Fisheries Act No. 31 (2004) Amendment No. 45 (2009) mentioned that, among others, the Indonesian fisheries management strategies should include the creation job opportunities, improvement of the welfare of fishers and their communities, and ensuring the sustainability of the country's fishery resources and aquatic environment.The most critical factors to achieve sustainable aquaculture in Indonesia are the availability of good quality seed, good practice in grow-out systems, healthy aquaculture environment, fish health management, good-quality products, strategic marketing, and improving marketing and stock enhancement. In addition, it is also a concern that the products from aquaculture should meet the quality standard and product safety. This paper presents a review of Indonesian aquaculture in relation to sustainable practices and management schemes to preserve the aquaculture environment, food safety requirements for aquaculture products, food security and to enhance the biodiversity of fishery resources. A policy that was recently established is the development of the marine and fisheries sector based on the principles of the Blue Economy program of the Indonesian government. | Abstract only.

With a human population of 230 million and a huge potential for marine and fisheries resources development, Indonesia promotes aquaculture as a major sector to accelerate economic growth for rural communities. There are recent initiatives to improve the country's legal framework to mitigate the adverse impacts of aquaculture and make the aquaculture more sustainable. The Directorate General of Aquaculture under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) has the mandate to develop the aquaculture sector of Indonesia. Aquaculture has an important role in the development of its national economy and play a key role in rural development. As aquaculture production expands, there is also a growing concern over the impacts on sustainability of aquaculture and resource enhancement as well as food quality and safety requirements of fish products. For this reason, there is a need to improve aquaculture technology and its management system in Indonesia to address the need for eco-friendly production process and food safety concerns while maintaining the sustainability of the country's aquaculture sector. The Indonesian Fisheries Act No. 31 (2004) Amendment No. 45 (2009) mentioned that, among others, the Indonesian fisheries management strategies should include the creation job opportunities, improvement of the welfare of fishers and their communities, and ensuring the sustainability of the country's fishery resources and aquatic environment. The most critical factors to achieve sustainable aquaculture in Indonesia are the availability of good quality seed, good practice in grow-out systems, healthy aquaculture environment, fish health management, good-quality products, strategic marketing, and improving marketing and stock enhancement. In addition, it is also a concern that the products from aquaculture should meet the quality standard and product safety. This paper presents a review of Indonesian aquaculture in relation to sustainable practices and management schemes to preserve the aquaculture environment, food safety requirements for aquaculture products, food security and to enhance the biodiversity of fishery resources. A policy that was recently established is the development of the marine and fisheries sector based on the principles of the Blue Economy program of the Indonesian government.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increasing pressure on food production and the concern over maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services is creating an urgent need to future-proof food production, while maintaining the natural environment for future generations. Within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) biodiversity hotspot in the Western Cape of South Africa, deciduous fruit is widely grown, contributing significantly to the local economy. To ensure access is maintained to important export markets, this study reviews the current available pest control options with focus on techniques able to preserve the biodiversity of the CFR, while simultaneously providing effective control over arthropod pests in pome fruit. A scenario planning technique is then used to depict potential future scenarios and the options we have in dealing with them. Emphasis here is placed on economically important arthropod species, particularly Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.). Biological control (biocontrol) is discussed in detail, covering predators, parasitoids and pathogens. Biocontrol is an important, sustainable pest control measure. However, certain risks associated with releasing living organisms into the environment must not be ignored. Monitoring of release programmes is essential. The sterile insect technique (SIT) offers a species-specific approach to controlling pests. However, the technique is research and management intensive. Globally SIT has shown great success, but lack of financial support has limited SIT uptake locally. SIT has shown increased effectiveness as an integrated technique, particularly with parasitoid release and pheromone-based mating disruption. The management of orchards as agroecosystems shows that preservation of natural vegetation and beneficial plant species increases crop resilience, encourages conservation biological control and maintains crop health. The importance of area-wide control is discussed under each section, as a favourable strategy which deals with entire pest populations rather than isolated farm-by-farm approaches. Other techniques covered include pheromone-based mating disruption, attract-and-kill and physical barriers such as sticky tree-bands, which all show integration potential with biologically-based techniques while minimising insecticide application. The usefulness of insecticides as a curative approach is recognised, and ways of preserving insecticide life-spans by limiting insecticide resistance are discussed. Social, economic, political, environmental and technological driving forces are used to develop four realistic future scenarios for pome fruit production in the CFR. The scenarios are based on the extremes of two key uncertainties: development of resistance to chemical insecticides, and changes in legislation regulating insecticide usage. The options we face in dealing with each potential scenario, with the suite of arthropod pest control techniques currently developed, is discussed. It is hypothesised that a best-case scenario, in which environmentally-friendly techniques which support healthy, productive agroecosystems, can be reached. We should carefully assess our options, and begin to shift pest control from a predominantly chemical basis to one in which habitat management and biocontrol form the basis of control, with techniques such as SIT, mating disruption and physical barriers assisting in creating holistic arthropod pest control systems. In light of the uncertainty that the future holds, a scenario planning exercise such as this, can assist in decision making today that will best prepare us to deal with future threats such as climate change and new pest invasions. | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende druk op voedselproduksie en kommer oor die handhawing van biodiversiteit en ekosisteemdienste lei tot „n dringende behoefte om voedselproduksie toekoms-bestand te maak, asook om tegelykertyd die natuurlike omgewing vir toekomstige generasies te bewaar. Binne die Kaap Floristiese Streek (KFS) „biodiversiteitskern‟ in die Wes-Kaap van Suid-Afrika word sagte vrugte algemeen verbou en lewer „n aansienlike bydrae tot die plaaslike ekonomie. Om toegang tot belangrike uitvoermarkte te verseker ondersoek hierdie studie die plaagbeheer opsies tans beskikbaar, met die fokus op tegnieke wat die biodiversiteit van die KFS kan bewaar en tegelykertyd effektiewe beheer oor geleedpotige plae van kernvrugte kan verskaf. „n Scenario-beplannings-tegniek word dan gebruik om moontlike toekomstige scenario‟s en die opsies tot ons beskikking om hulle te hanteer, uit te beeld. Klem word hier geplaas op geleedpotige spesies van ekonomiese belang, veral die Mediterreense vrugtevlieg, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) en die kodlingmot Cydia pomonella (L.). Biologiese-beheer (biobeheer) word in diepte bespreek, en dek predatore, parasiete en patogene. Biobeheer is „n belangrike, volhoubare plaagbeheer-middel; alhoewel sekere risiko‟s verbonde met die vrystelling van lewende organismes in die omgewing nie verontagsaam moet word nie. Dit is noodsaaklik dat vrystellingsprogramme gemoniteer word. Die steriele-insek-tegniek (SIT) bied „n spesies-spesifieke benadering tot die beheer van plae, alhoewel dit navorsings- en bestuursintensief is. SIT het wêreldwyd al groot suksesbehaal, maar „n tekort aan finansiële ondersteuning het die plaaslike toepassing van SIT beperk. SIT het verhoogde effektiwiteit as „n geïntegreerde tegniek vertoon, veral met die verlies van parasiete en feromoon gebaseerde parings-ontwrigting. Die bestuur van boorde as agro-ekosisteme wys dat die bewaring van natuurlike plantegroei en voordelige plant spesies oes-herstelvermoë verhoog, bewaring-biologiese-beheer aanmoedig en oes-welstand handhaaf. Die belang van streekswye beheer word bespreek onder elke afdeling as „n gunstige strategie wat te doen het met algehele plaagbevolkings, eerder as afsonderlike plaas-tot-plaas benaderings. Ander tegnieke wat gedek word sluit in feromoon gebaseerde parings-ontwrigting, lok-en-doodmaak en fisiese versperrings soos taai boom-bande, wat alles integrasie-potensiaal wys met biologies gebaseerde tegnieke en tegelykertyd insekdoder aanwending verminder. Die nuttigheid van insekdoders as „n herstel benadering word erken en maniere om die leffektiwiteit van insekdoders te behou deur insekdoder-weerstand te beperk, word bespreek. Sosiaal-, ekonomies-, polities-, omgewings- en tegnologies-gedrewe kragte word gebruik om vier realistiese toekomstige scenario‟s vir kernvrug-produksie in die KFS te ontwikkel. Die scenario‟s is baseer op die ekstreme van twee belangrike onsekerhede: ontwikkeling van weerstand teen chemiese insekdoders, en veranderinge in wetgewing wat die gebruik van insekdoders reguleer. Die opsies wat ons in die gesig staar om elke potensiële scenario te hanteer met die verskeidenheid van geleedpotige plaagbeheer-tegnieke tans ontwikkel is, word bespreek. Dit word veronderstel dat „n beste scenario, waar omgewings-vriendelike tegnieke wat gesonde, produktiewe agro-ekosisteme onderhou, bereik kan word. Ons moet ons opsies versigtig assesseer, en begin om plaagbeheer vanaf „n oorwegend chemiese basis te skuif na een waar habitat-bestuur en biobeheer die basis van beheer vorm, en waar tegnieke soos SIT, parings-ontwrigting en fisiese versperrings help om holistiese geleedpotige-plaagbeheer sisteme te vorm. In die lig van die onsekerheid wat die toekoms inhou, kan „n scenario-beplannings oefening soos hierdie besluitneming vandag aanhelp wat ons die beste sal voorberei vir die hantering van toekomstige bedreigings soos klimaats-verandering en nuwe en vreemde plaag-indringing.