An Agricultural Model for Biodiversity Conservation

Alexander J. TravisMay 26, 2008

Community Markets for Conservation

Specific Aims1. To determine the extent to which the COMACO model

can be economically self-sustaining and the effectiveness of the different COMACO model components.

• business economic analysis--What are the yearly cost and profit centers of COMACO’s CTCs? What opportunities exist that could add profit? John Fay to cover tomorrow

• historical analysis--What will it cost to replicate this model? John Fay to cover tomorrow

• natural resource economic valuation--What is the “equation” for cost of biodiversity conservation by this model?

Chama Luangwa Lundazi Mambwe Total

Income categories

0-50,000 % 81 41 77 35 57

51,000-100,000 % 13 36 11 33 24

101,000-200,000 % 5 9 5 17 10

201,000-500,000 % 2 8 6 11 7

501,000-1,000,000 % 0 5 0 0 1

1,000,000+ % 0 0 1 4 1

Luangwa Valley Incomes by Category

Source: WFP Food for Assets Baseline Survey - Luangwa, Mambwe, Chama and Lundazi Districts, July 2007

Year # of benefiting Households Food dist. (MT)Distribution

Costs ($)

2001-2002 2,434 300 18,561

2002-2003 5,574 729 45,103

2003-2004 9,001 1,975 122,193

2004-2005 8,098 1,291 88,343

2005-2006 36,349 6,847 307,893

2006-2007 9,575 2,373 186,187

2007 17,210 861 55,934

2007-2008 5,000 1,740 117,270

Totals 93,241 16,116 941,485

Food Aid Distributed in Luangwa Valley 2001 – 2008

Source: WCS database

Estimated Food Aid Cost to Luangwa Valley COMACO Regions Since 2001

Food Aid Distributed by WCS 16,116 metric tons

Estimated Total Distributed 23,022 metric tons

Distribution $58.40 US/metric ton

Procurement $220.00 US/metric ton

Transport and Storage $180.00 US/metric ton

Overhead/Metric Ton $112.00US/metric ton

Total Estimated Cost of Food Aid Since 2001 $13,131,748 US

Source: WFP & WCS Staff Estimates

•Food aid expense breakdown in the Luangwa Valley exemplifies the high cost of reactionary approaches to dealing with food insecurity

• COMACO’s extension services have helped to plant over 9 million cassava cuttings, which has created a “living” food reserve. Several million acacia seedlings have also been planted. New opportunities? John Fay to discuss tomorrow.

• Continual need for assistance in times of uncontrollable shocks and pressures; however, alternative approaches can lessen the need for these costly interventions.

Research question: What is the value of wildlife?If biodiversity conservation is a desired endpoint of COMACO, what is the value of that conservation? How can COMACO’s activities affect the local, regional and federal economies?

A stated preference, “willingness to pay” survey was administered to tourists at SLNP and surrounding safari lodges (10-11/2007) [poster # 08-P-32 by Sam Bell]

Values derived for 10% increases in populations of small, medium and large species of wildlife, as well as a rhino reintroduction effort

How can these data be used? by ZAWA? by COMACO? by US AID?

What other data are being collected?

Specific Aims

2. To identify and integrate new technologies into the COMACO model to improve its profitability, food security, and rural incomes.

• food sciences• crop and soil sciences

Lydiah Gatere to cover tomorrow

• veterinary sciences (goats) Alex Travis to cover poultry tomorrow

Specific Aims

Food sciences:For COMACO to become profitable, it will rely heavily on value-added food products.

Facilities improvements and capacity building in food safety and hygienic production practices are essential for COMACO to expand their products and market access.

Checking the efficiency of surface cleaning

The peanut butter process – in 2005

Location: dust in the yard

Roasting

Peanut grading Peanut butter

processing

The peanut butter process - 2007

Peanut cleaning

Peanut processing

Experimental runs for quality improvement of peanut butter

• Degree of peanut crushing diminished coarser peanut butter expected to minimize oil separation

• Suggestions for the emulsification process made (i.e. use lower temperatures)

• Shelf life study performed leading to improved product quality and new packaging

COMACO has hired a food science technician to maintain compliance with best production practices, and SANREM is helping them set up a small lab to perform additional product research, develop new products, troubleshoot

COMACO has met their quality and safety tests since the training workshop

COMACO has obtained a contract for 300 tons of HEPS (previously had to be imported)

rice breakage and wastage significantly reduced

new soy-based products made and marketed

Continued Impacts

goats are raised in higher numbers in the southern area near Luangwa (Feira)

• contribution of goats to COMACO model– fertilizer (crops, fish ponds)– efficient (crop residues, less expensive than

cattle)– fodder trees/agroforestry

• lower morbidity than other ruminants• increase household security

– leather, fiber, meat, milk– “bank account”

modeled after our poultry work in year 1 (to be discussed tomorrow)

• 6 chiefdoms• almost every household keeps at least a

few goats (esp. Mburuma and Mphuka)• numerous producer groups being formed

(Mpanshya, Shikabeta, Nyalugwe)• semi-intensive management• failed introduction of Boer goats last year • some cross-breeds still going

Participatory survey of practices and concerns

Background research• Goat market in Zambia

• Major problems affecting goats

• Transportation of products

Mr. Christopher Simotowe, DistrictAgricultural Officer, Luangwa District, Zambia

Villager feedback (Shikabeta pictured)

• when to sell goats

• middle men

• market in Congo, $$$

• informal

• Halal market

• Why weren’t butchers carrying goat meat?– Small yield of meat per animal (20-30%

weight lost upon freezing)

Major research findings

• Semi-intensive management• Neonatal mortality (60-80%)• Scours• Predation• Goat theft• Parasites (esp. Haemonchus contortus)• Soremouth (ORF)• Caseous lymphadenitis• Heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium)• Tetanus and/or blackleg (Clostridium

spp.)

• Nutrition

• Kid-rearing (60-80% kid mortality)

• Housing

• Parasite management/disease prevention

• Breeding management + genetic improvement

Disease recognition

Focal points of community training

http://cornell.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=33833558&id=407940

Farmer Training Visits

• Trained 26 extension officers and community trainers

• Officers and trainers then went and trained COMACO farmers (>5000 households participating in Feira)

• 2 day workshop

• Follow-up visits to training sessions

“Training the Trainers” manual

Specific Aims

3. To determine the extent to which the COMACO model provides self-sustaining social institutions and meaningful roles for COMACO participants.• yearly surveys to assess family economic and food

security impacts• yearly surveys to monitor compliance with preferred

agricultural and NRM practices• “one-off” surveys to gather specific points of

information Vongai Kandiwa to cover aspects of gender studies

at the workshop• stakeholder meeting for government officials

Social surveys--evaluating the model as it is

COMACO routinely performs several surveys on a routine basis to monitor family economics, food security, and compliance with sustainable practices

This year, one chiefdom was found NOT to be in compliance and will therefore not be given the “conservation farmer” premium. Will this encourage compliance, or discourage compliance?

Specific Aims4. To determine the extent to which the

COMACO model improves biodiversity and watershed conservation.

• aerial survey of hippos

• aerial wildlife survey (primarily ungulates)

• watershed, canopy and bushfire analysis Conrad Heatwole to cover

Aerial survey geo-referencing meta-data

AreaCOMACO

CoreUpper control Lukusuzi NP

Chisomo GMA

Area sampled (km2) 5329 5303 3758 250SpeciesBuffalo 156 0 0 0Wildebeest 167 0 0 0Waterbuck 75 0 0 0Zebra 116 13 15 0Elephant 207 24 0 32Eland 7 0 0 0Hartebeest 40 0 2 0Roan 14 3 11 0Kudu 13 1 1 0Puku 224 0 0 0

AcknowledgementsCornell University

Alfonso TorresSam BellBeth BucklesJon ConradParfait Eloundou-EnyegueJohn FayLydiah GaterePeter HobbsVongai KandiwaJohannes LehmannBenjamin LucioCarmen MoraruAlice PellWilliam Schulze

International Rural Poultry Centre

Robyn AldersBrigitte Bagnol

Wildlife Conservation Society

Dale LewisSteve OsofskyDavid Moyer*

Virginia Tech UniversityConrad HeatwoleKeith MooreTheo Dillaha

Tropical Soil Biology & Fertility

Robert Delve