Focus on CAWR August 2017 Issue 2
The Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) is driving innovative, transdisciplinary research on the understanding and development of resilient food and water systems internationally. This research develops and integrates new knowledge in social, agroecological, hydrological and environmental processes, as well as the pivotal role that communities play in developing resilience.
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Project
Ecodry - Sharing Best Agroecological Practice for Resilient Production Systems in Dryland and Drought Conditions Funder: European Commission FP7
This joint exchange project aimed to enhance understanding and share knowledge on strategies to build the resilience of farming systems to natural and man made impacts in dryland and drought situations, including climate change, through collaboration on joint research and capacity building activities between participating universities: the Centre for Agroecology and Food Security at Coventry University, UK, the University of Extremadura, Spain, the University of Yucatan, Mexico, the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and the National Centre for Research and Development Jordan. The objectives were:
Julia Wright
1. To identify and build a body of knowledge on innovative agroecological strategies to mitigate threats of natural and man-made nature for drylands and drought
United Kingdom, Mexico, South Africa, Jordan, Spain
2. To build a network of expertise on agroecological innovations through workshops, conferences and seminars.
Duration: 2014-17
Researcher Locations
3. To provide opportunities for research on cutting-edge agroecological approaches in the natural and social sciences for postgraduate students.
Project partners at Coventry University for kick-off meeting, February 2014
A cold day for a field trip at Ryton Organic Gardens, Warwickshire Impact
Overall, the impacts of the project have been fourfold: 1) The research has contributed significantly to enhancing networks within the framework of agroecological strategies for drought mitigation 2) The research findings have contributed to knowledge on sustainable drought mitigation that will influence both policy and practice 3) The research outputs in terms of conference papers, book chapters and refereed journal articles have reached an international body of academics 4) The project partnership between institutes in the UK, Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Jordan have had a substantial impact on their existing research and teaching facilities and have led to training programmes and a stream of talented researchers mobile across these countries. In all, approximately 127 exchange visits have been made between staff at the partner universities, including a number of doctoral students who have taken this opportunity to conduct field work. Several further funding proposals have been developed, a postdoctoral studentship has evolved, and approximately 15 research papers have been written and are pending publication.
Project partners from University of Yucatan, Mexico
Project
Sustainable flood resilience in refugee camps; combining sustainable drainage (SuDS) with WASH (Water Sanitation & Hygiene) Funder: Humanitarian innovation fund (HIF) Duration: 2016-18
Researchers
Sue Charlesworth, Andrew Adam-Bradford
Locations
Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The challenge is to identify and redress camp design affecting flood resilience and environmental health by assessing the impacts of pilot SuDS. Site-specific factors lead to flooding resulting in widespread contamination, ill health, stress, injury and extreme vulnerability to the impacts of climate change said by Dr Hassan Janabi (Iraqi Ambassador UN FAO) to be “one of the major challenges facing Iraq”. Managing surface water is said to be “key” to ensuring WASH achieves its objectives but conveying it “to another environment” neglects drainage, exacerbating the prevalence of diseases eg diarrhoea and cholera. Such critical issues in developing contexts offer challenges for governance, policy, ethics, human rights, safety and security. Initially planned by NGOs such as UNHCR, camps are temporary; with drainage rarely considered and residents having no ownership or right to the land, the issue
is complex. Water from domestic or personal hygiene use is often wasted, thrown in front of dwellings resulting in runoff and pooling of contaminated water close to habitation. These frequently toxic pools remain for days, flooding dwellings for long periods encouraging disease vectors. This study’s impacts can potentially change the lives of the poorest, most vulnerable populations worldwide: a strong case for the inclusion of SuDS with WASH.
Gardens making use of a variety of available spaces in Domiz Wastewater stream, Chamishko IDP camp near Zakho, Iraq
Impact
This innovation project will design, install and monitor the effectiveness of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in the context of a refugee camp with the higher goal of coupling WASH objectives with a retrofitted flood resilience strategy that contributes to camp greening. Upscaling will take time, money and effort, but the process of setting up pilot sites has already begun. It would be relatively easy to replicate beyond this pilot project and would provide immediate cost savings over conventional methods. Once taken to scale, the application of SuDS in refugee camps will transform how they are designed, planned and constructed. We also envisage changing policy, both at the local level, but also globally; changing the environment of refugee camps to improve their overall quality and that of their surroundings. This would also contribute to food and energy security, building resilience at the camp level, enhancing local natural resources and reducing negative watershed impacts often associated with badly designed and managed camps. We would be able provide evidence for the effectiveness of
SuDS to address excess surface water in refugee camps regardless of the physical environment or climate, where currently there is none: this is an urgent need. We would also provide evidence to WASH agencies of the many advantages of including SuDS when planning refugee camps, rather than as an after-thought. We would confirm interventions that are retrofittable and can transfer our knowledge of this, and new-build, to NGOs and in the field. We would document the many multiple benefits of using SuDS beyond (but including) the removal of pools of standing surface water. We intend to produce a SuDS “package” of measures which would include the tools, training and timings for the installation, operation and maintenance of SuDS. The potential impacts at scale are increased camp greening productivity, improved health and substantial cost savings from the application of more sustainable and cost effective drainage systems. Whilst it is acknowledged that this is a first, innovative step, nonetheless there is every hope that this could have impacts globally and for different kinds of emergencies.
Project
KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) Investigation of green roofs as an ecological tool in combatting urbanisation, improving biodiversity and providing wildlife stepping stones. Funder: Innovate UK Duration: 2017-19
Researchers
Dr. Steve Coupe, Dr. Liz Trenchard, Sophie Barron-West, Ben Shuttleworth.
Location
CAWR Ryton and Blackburn
The aim of this two year KTP project is to investigate the value of water managed green infrastructure in urban areas to improve biodiversity. Objectives: 1. Combine engineering and ecological practices together to overcome common challenges faced by green roofs and platforms. 2. To use novel engineering products and designs to create high quality habitat which can be measured to determine ecological impact. 3. Recommend strategies to improve biodiversity in urban areas and reduce the negative ecological impacts of habitat fragmentation.
Local grassland provides an ideal template for creating high quality green infrastructure
Impact
This project will assist in the design, testing and installation of a new range of water managed green roofs, which will provide green space, designed with biological diversity in mind. Lightweight roof platforms will be based at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience to showcase native plants and wildflowers. Working in collaboration with SEL, a leading UK company in sustainable urban drainage,
SmartRoof2.0 is a water managed green roof that attracts a wide range of pollinator species such as Red-tailed bumblebees
we hope to create green spaces that people and wildlife both benefit from. The intelligent water management systems developed by SEL will aid in producing a green roof with far wider scope for biodiversity by negating the risk of drought, which is a common issue on conventional green roofs. By eliminating the environmental challenges we will be able to create high quality habitat which reflects local wildlife rich areas. This habitat replication is crucial in the investigation of wildlife ‘stepping stones’ or ‘corridors’ and will allow quantitative research into the true value of green roofs and how they may alter wildlife populations within urban environments. By sampling the invertebrate population on the roof, conclusions will be drawn as to the ecological health, practical benefits and conservation viability of such green infrastructure. The data gleaned by this research will also contribute to the ongoing investigations and ecological solutions regarding the threat of urbanisation and loss of biodiversity.
Project
TRUE Funder: EU Horizon 2020 Duration: 2017-21
Researchers
Barbara Smith, Francis Rayns
Location Europe wide
Impact
TRUE aims to identify and enable transition paths to realise successful legume-supported production systems and agri-feed and -food chains via a multi-actor approach. This approach balances environmental, economic- and socialsecurities throughout the supply chain. It will deliver excellent standards of nutrition to deliver improved health and wellbeing for people and animals. The objectives are to: -facilitate knowledge exchange between project partners and participants from the project outset - use a network of farm-, and supply chainbased Case Studies across the pedo-climatic zones, representing a diversity of key legume species and production systems, determine and demonstrate the factors that will contribute to successful transition to sustainable legumesupported production - investigate the international market and trade aspects of legumes among stakeholders and provide an understanding of the market for feed, food and food ingredients, also providing an assessment of consumer perception
The expected impacts of TRUE are as follows: • Development of sustainable legume-based cropping and grassland systems and agri-food and feed chains • Increased the competitiveness of legume crops from farm to agri-food and -feed chains. • Reduced environmental impacts of agricultural activities (greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution)
and purchasing patterns for legumebased foods. - produce new inventory data on the environmental intensity of different legume production systems - Use data from Case Studies in micro- and macro-economic ‘spatial econometrics’, ‘behavioural economics’ and ‘sectoral economic’ models to determine the economic performance of legumes at the farm and EU level for conventional and organic production systems. - analyse and enable policies, legislation and regulatory institutions that will strengthen and support the spread of productive, economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and resilient legume-based farming, marketing, and shortfood chain approaches. - enable the leveraging of legume incorporation into further farming, co-operative, feed industries, food chains and supply chain businesses across Europe.
• Integrated scientific support for relevant EU policies (Common Agricultural Policy, Water Framework Directive, climate change objectives) • Strengthening of transdisciplinary research and long-lasting implementation of the results through the implementation of the multi-actor approach.
Consortium at the project kick-off meeting in Edinburgh April 2017
Focus on PhD
Project
Urban Agriculture and the Right to the City Funder: CAWR Duration: 2015-18
Researcher
Christopher Yap
Location Seville, Spain
This project aims to enhance our understanding of how selforganised urban community gardens and urban food production can contribute to more just and fairer cities. Specifically this project uses a combination of participatory video making, semi-structured interviews and ethnography to explore the micro-politics of self-organisation around urban food projects, and the spatialisation of alternative food practices in Seville.
A permaculture plot in Parque de Alamillo, Seville.
Within a framework of participatory action research, a research agenda has been developed to reflect the concerns and priorities of a group of urban food producers, which includes the following: • Train a group of urban gardeners to plan, shoot, edit, and distribute short films about issues that are important to them. • Document key organisational challenges within urban community gardens. • Identify key structural and spatial constraints for the proliferation of alternative food practices and urban community gardens in Seville. • Raise public awareness about alternative food practices in Seville.
Participatory videomaking in Huerto del Rey Moro, Seville. Workshop to develop research themes in Huerto del Rey Moro, Seville. Impact This project impacts in three main areas: • Through the participatory video making process we aim to create a critical space for the gardeners to share, discuss and reflect on existing and future projects, as well as more abstract visions for the urban environment. • Visibilise day-to-day struggles and initiatives developed through urban community gardens and alternative food practices in Seville and support solidarity with urban food producers working in different cities, but facing similar challenges.
• Contribute to the growing urban agriculture discourse, particularly regarding the spatial and political significance of urban community gardens. In the longer term, we hope this research will contribute to a better understanding of the transformative social and political potentials of urban community gardens, and the ways in which they might be better integrated into the growth and management of cities in Europe.
Selected CAWR Publications Abell, J, Bennett, J, Shepherd, D-L & Mandinyenya, B 2017, ‘The Social Psychology of Human Wild Lion Conflict Mitigation: Attitudes & Behaviours in Rural Zimbabwe’ British Psychological Society: Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Leicester, United Kingdom, 31/08/17 - 1/09/17 Wittman, H, Chappell, MJ, Abson, DJ, Bezner Kerr, R, Blesh, J, Hanspach, J, Perfecto, I & Fischer, J 2017, ‘A social-ecological perspective on harmonizing food security and biodiversity conservation’ Regional Environmental Change, vol 17, no. 5, pp. 1291-1301. DOI: 10.1007/s10113-0161045-9 Hulme, PE, Brundu, G, Carboni, M, Dehnen-Schmutz, K, Dullinger, S, Early, R, Essl, F, González-Moreno, P, Groom, QJ, Kueffer, C, Kühn, I, Maurel, N, Novoa, A, Pergl, J, Pyšek, P, Seebens, H, Tanner, R, Touza, JM, van Kleunen, M & Verbrugge, LNH 2017, ‘Integrating invasive species policies across ornamental horticulture supply-chains to prevent plant invasions’ Journal of Applied Ecology, vol (in press), pp. (in press). Hilmi, A & Burbi, S 2017, ‘Peasant Farming as a Refuge in Times of Crises’ Development, vol 59, no. 4, pp. (in press). HLPE – Michel Pimbert (2017) Sustainable forestry for food security and nutrition. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome. Zasada, I, Schmutz, U, Wascherc, D, Kneafsey, M, Corsid, S, Mazzocchie, C, Monacoe, F, Boycef, P, Doernberga, A, Salie, G, Piorr, A (2017) ‘Food beyond the city – Analysing foodsheds and self-sufficiency for different food system scenarios in European metropolitan regions’ City, Culture and Society http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccs.2017.06.002 Chakraborty, P, Smith, B & Basu, P 2017, ‘Pollen Transport in the Dark: Hawkmoths Prefer Non CropPlants to Crop Plants in an Agricultural Landscape’ Proceedings of the Zoological Society, vol (in press), pp. (in press). DOI: 10.1007/s12595-017-0211-5 Tilzey, M 2017, The Agrarian Question and Food Sovereignty Movements: A Comparative Analysis of Capitalism, the State, and ‘Peasant’ Class Dynamics in Bolivia and Nepal. in The Future of Food and Challenges for Agriculture in the 21st Century International Institute of Social Studies International Colloquium, 24-26 April, 2017 . Initiatives in Critical Agrarian Studies International Colloquium, International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands, The Hague, pp. (in press), The future of food and challenges for agriculture in the 21st century, Álava, Spain, 24-26 April. Hook, SE, Kroon, FJ, Greenfield, PA, Warne, M, Smith, RA & Turner, RDR 2017, ‘Hepatic transcriptomic profiles from barramundi, Lates calcarifer, as a means of assessing organism health and identifying stressors in rivers in northern Queensland’ Marine Environmental Research, pp. (in press). DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.05.006 Link, O, Sanhueza, C, Arriagada, P, Brevis, W, Laborde, A, González, A, Wilkes, M & Habit, E 2017, ‘The fish Strouhal number as a criterion for hydraulic fishway design’ Ecological Engineering, vol 103, pp. 118-126. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.03.018
Contact us
For enquiries regarding the Centre, our work or courses please contact: Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience Coventry University, Ryton Gardens, Wolston Lane, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3LG. United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 24 77 651 602 / 24 77 651 601 Email: cawroffice@coventry.ac.uk Website: www.coventry.ac.uk/cawr Facebook: /CovUniCAWR/ Twitter: @CoventryCAWR