Sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing livelihoods through optimization of crop and crop-associated biodiversity with emphasis on semi-arid tropical agroecosystems Proceedings of a workshop 23 - 25 September 2002 Patancheru, India Citation: Waliyar F, Collette L, and Kenmore P E. 2003. Beyond the gene horizon: sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing livelihoods through optimization of crop and crop-associated biodiversity with emphasis on semi-arid tropical agroecosystems. Proceedings of a workshop, 23-25 September 2002, Patancheru, India. Patancheru 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), and viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome 00100, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 206 pp. ICRISAT ISBN 92-9066-457-6 Order code CPE 146 FAO ISBN 92-5-104942-4 Sponsors Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with partial financial support from the Government of The Netherlands International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Organizing Committee L Collette, F Waliyar, Murthi Anishetty, P E Kenmore, and I Radha Acknowledgements The Organizing Committee acknowledges the assistance of S D Hainsworth and T N G Sharma in the preparation of these proceedings. Further copies of these proceedings and the summary proceedings (CPE 143) of the meeting are available from: ICRISAT FAO Patancheru 502 324 and viale delle Terme di Caracalla Andhra Pradesh, India Rome 00100, Italy and also at www.icrisat.org and also at www.fao.org Beyond the Gene Horizon Sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing livelihoods through optimization of crop and crop-associated biodiversity with emphasis on semi-arid tropical agroecosystems Proceedings of a workshop 23-25 September 2002, Patancheru, India Editors F Waliyar, L Collette, and P E Kenmore ICRISAT International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Patancheru 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy 2003 The opinions in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ICRISAT or FAO. The designations employed and the presentations of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of ICRISAT or FAO concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Where trade names are used this does not constitute endorsement of or discrimination against any product by either institution. All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information prod­ uct for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowl­ edged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commer­ cial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applica­ tions for such permission should be addressed to the Chief, Publishing Management Ser­ vice, Information Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Carcalla, 00100 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to [email protected] © FAO and ICRISAT 2003 Contents Preface........................................................................................................... v Introduction....................................................................................................1 An Ecosystem Approach for sustainable agriculture........................................2 International instruments related to sustainable agriculture....................... 2 An Ecosystem Approach for sustainable agriculture...................................3 Role and value of C-CAB..........................................................................4 Workshop process.......................................................................................... 8 Outcomes................................................................................................... 10 Final statement..................................... ........................................................14 Presentations on SAT environments and C-CAB components........................17 Strategic assessments of agriculture in the semi-arid tropics: understanding change M C S Bantilan and R Padmaja..........................................................19 Soil and water: the flesh and blood of semi-arid agriculture in Africa 5 Twom low.......................................................................................36 Genetic diversity, arthropod response, and pest management H C Sharma and F Waliyar................................................................ 66 Effect of organic resources management on soil biodiversity and crop performance under semi-arid conditions in West Africa E Ouedraogo, A Mando, and L Brussaard...........................................89 Managing and harnessing soil flora-fauna biodiversity in the tropics for sustainable crop production O P Rupela, S P Wani, and T J Rego............................... ................. 103 Improving agricultural productivity and livelihoods through pollination: some issues and challenges Uma Partap..................................................................................... 118 Seed sense: strengthening crop biodiversity through targeted seed interventions R B Jones......................................................................................... 136 Sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing the livelihoods of rural communities through the promotion of neglected crops and their associated biodiversity in semi-arid agroecosystems (Summary) 5 Appa Rao, N Kameswara Rao, S Padulosi, G D Sharma, B S Phogat, and S Padmaja R a o ..................................................... 151 Improving productivity and livelihood benefits of crop^livestock systems through sustainable management of agricultural biodiversity in the semi-arid tropics T O Williams, P Partharsarathy Rao, P Hiernaux, M Blummel and B Gerard................................................................................... 153 Appendix 1 Draft background paper on crop and crop-associated biodiversity (C-CAB)................................................................165 Appendix 2 Regional working group outputs...............................................187 Participants................................................................................................. 195 Acronyms 199 Preface W D D ar1 In welcoming participants to this workshop on sustaining agricultural productiv­ ity and enhancing livelihoods through optimization of crop and crop-associated biodiversity (C-CAB) with emphasis on semi-arid tropical (SAT) agro-ecosystems, that will run from 23-25 September, I would like first to thank the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for its financial support and for working with ICRISAT staff to jointly organize the meeting. As you all know, ICRISAT works on the improvement and integrated management of the five major crops grown by poor farmers in the SAT. This work is guided by our new vision which is the: Improved well-being of the poor of the SAT through agricultural research for impact. To attain this, ICRISAT is committed to: Help the poor of the SAT through ‘science with a human face’ and partnership- based research, and to increase agricultural productivity and food security, reduce poverty, and protect the environment in SAT production systems. ICRISAT’s vision is guided by the new Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CG|AR) vision and strategy. It is also anchored by our core competencies and thematic comparative advantages, by strategic analyses of opportunities in the SAT, and by potential impacts on the livelihoods of the poor. In order to pursue its vision and mission, ICRISAT has six global research themes that form the core of its research strategy. These are: • Harnessing biotechnology for the poor • Crop management and utilization for food security and health • Water, soil and agro-biodiversity management for ecosystem health • Sustainable seed supply systems for productivity • Enhancing crop-livestock productivity and systems diversification • SAT futures and development pathways As can be seen, ICRISAT is highly involved in improving crops and manag­ ing natural resources, including their agro-biodiversity. In many ways, ICRISAT enhances agro-biodiversity through such action research programs as integrated watershed management and integrated pest management. In line with the objec­ tives of this workshop, ICRISAT is fully committed to FAO’s initiatives on C-CAB. The conservation and enhancement of biodiversity is vital to sustaining crop productivity and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers in the SAT. With over 1. Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India 113,700 accessions assembled from 130 countries, ICRISAT’s germplasm collec­ tion is the second largest in the CGIAR. This collection provides the necessary raw material with which to improve ICRISAT’s mandate crops, and six other minor millets. About 98% of the collection is held in trust with the FAO to ensure the world community has unrestricted access to its treasures. Important morphological and agronomic traits in most of this assembled germplasm have been characteri­ zed and evaluated, and new genetic stocks and sources