Visualizing Sustainability of Selective Mountain Farming Systems from Far-eastern Himalayas to Support Decision Making

Sustainability

Flurina Schneider¹  Tulsi Gurung²  Soe Win³  Anil Shrestha⁴  Dhrupad Choudhury⁵  Yongping Yang⁶  Xi Han⁶  Bandana Shakya⁶  Dollo Mihin⁷  Amba Jamir⁸  Ghanashyam Sharma⁹  Shuo Yang^1,10 

[1] Centre for Development and Environment, Department of Integrative Geography, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Lobesa 14001, P.O Wangdu, Bhutan;Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology, Yezin Agricultural University, Nay Pyi Taw 15013, Myanmar;Department of Viticulture and Enology, California State University, Fresno 93740, CA, USA;International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Lalitpur 44700, GPO Box 3226, Nepal;Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project, Shillong, Meghalaya 793001, India;Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland, Kohima, Nagaland 797001, India;The Mountain Institute India (TMI), Gangtok 737101, Sikkim, India;Yunnan Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, China;

关键词: sustainability assessment;    farm performance;    sustainability space;    transdisciplinary approach;    mountain agriculture;    Far-eastern Himalayas;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su11061714

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Mountain farming systems rely on both empirical and academic knowledge. Their sustainability depends on how effectively diverse knowledge is used for solution-oriented decision making. For mountains, decisions must be conducive to rural farmers whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and related activities. Adopting transdisciplinary research approach, we define a composite Sustainability Space indicator that will help decision makers better understand the ingredients for sustainability, and formulate policy and management decisions to reinforce on-the-ground sustainability. Sustainability Space was derived through analysis of the positive and negative impact factors co-defined by community and disciplinary experts, and visualized through a radar diagram. We used Principal Component Analysis to understand relationships between factors. The results on Sustainability Spaces for eight cases of farming systems from the far-Eastern Himalayas indicated that the sustainability of farming systems is strengthened if decisions holistically cater to (i) geophysical pre-requisites, (ii) ecological foundations, (iii) integrated processes and practices, (iv) resources, knowledge, and value systems, (v) stakeholders’ development and economic aspirations, (vi) well-being of farming communities, and (vii) government support mechanisms. More equitable the attention to these seven components, the higher the sustainability of farming systems in this region could be.

【 授权许可】

Unknown