of the CGIAR in this field, the Panel consult- ed the various outputs, outcomes and review statements available from former work (Annex 2). Based on this literature review, and through an iterative interaction with Centers on case study examples, the Panel used criteria10 for large-scale impact to select a subset of examples (see Box 3.1 and Annexes 2 and 9). These examples serve as the main point of entry for this analysis of the nature and scope of NRM research in CGIAR.
The Panel believed that several typologies of NRM research could be constructed,11 but chose a suggested typology to clarify the research elements that fall under the NRM umbrella. They also elucidated the relation- ships between different approaches under- pinning farm-level production and other natural resources that sustain the livelihoods of the poor. Establishing the typology helped to identify priority actions for im- proving each of these fields, as well as ways
Box 3.1. Examples of NrM studies conducted by CGIAr research Centers
Ex. 1. Better beans in Africa: Towards
valuing indirect and overlooked environmental impacts – CIAT
Ex. 2. Financial due diligence for
natural forest protection –
CIFOR
Ex. 3. The conservation agriculture
hub in the cradle of the green revolution – CIMMYT
Ex. 4. Onfarm impacts of zero tillage
wheat in South Asia’s rice– wheat systems – CIMMYT
Ex. 5. Returns to policyoriented
agricultural research: The case of barley fertilization in Syria
– ICARDA
Ex. 6. Water/land productivity in
irrigated systems – ICARDA
Ex. 7. A new protocol adopted by
NARS for assessing soil health at watershed scale and recognition of widespread micronutrient deficiencies in Indian soil – ICRISAT
Ex. 8. Collective Actions and Property
Rights (CAPRi) – IFPRI
Ex. 9. Sustainable Tree Crops Program – IITA
Ex. 10. IPM Systemwide Program – IITA Ex. 11. Alternate wetting and drying is
adopted by hundreds of thousands of farmers in South and Southeast Asia – IRRI
Ex. 12. Comanagement of electricity
and groundwater in Gujarat, India – IWMI
Ex. 13. Alternatives to slash and burn – ICRAF
Ex. 14. Impact of the development
and dissemination of integrated aquaculture– agriculture – WorldFish Center. See Annex 2 for details.
10 The description of methodology for the selection of the examples is reported in Annex 1.
to address interactions between agriculture and the environment. The Panel found that some case studies targeted a specific issue, while others fostered a diversity of ap- proaches. Studies differed in their main entry point to problems, either on the basis of different disciplinary research fields (e.g. conservation research, institutional research, agri-environment research, agri-sustainabili- ty research, agronomic research or techno- logical research) or on their use of different types of tools to disseminate, scale up and scale out study results. For the purposes of this report the Panel established nine major types of study, which fall into three general categories representing different perspec- tives. Examples are provided for each (see Annex 2 for details).
From the resource point of view
1. Status and dynamics of a resource
This research focuses on the evolution of one particular resource (soil, water, forage crops, etc.). Most frequently, the research qualifies and quantifies a degradation process and considers agriculture as one of the responsible factors. Different ‘hard science’ disci- plines are involved, such as ecology, soil sciences, forestry sciences, hydrology. Example 7: A new protocol adopted by NARS for assessing soil health at watershed scale and recognition of widespread micronutrient deficiencies in India soil – ICRISAT
2. Management of one particular resource
These studies characterize the individual and collective behaviors of stakeholders when dealing with the ownership and uses of (a) resource(s). The studies demonstrate an attempt to understand and/or model stakeholders’ practices. Farming system research has been instrumental in providing methods. Human and social sciences are particu- larly represented in this category. Example 6: Water/land productivity in irrigated systems – ICARDA, and Example 12: Comanagement of electricity and groundwater in Gujarat, India – IWMI
3. Ecosystem management
This category includes the interactive study of behaviors and the character- ization of the dynamics of resources, but in contrast to the previous categories it is conducted at the eco system level (landscape, watershed, forest, etc.).
Studies are usually under taken by ecologists.
Example 13: Alternatives to slash and burn – ICRAF
4. Institutional arrangements for NrM
Research in this category looks at the definition of norms and rules for appropriation, ownership and uses of resources or territories, through governance, coordination and regula- tion processes. The main focus is the understanding of collective action and conflicts around NRM. This is very often referred to as part of an ‘enabling environment’12 by life scien- tists, although this is an important research area for anthropologists and social scientists. Life scientists can be associated with social scientists (e.g. geographers, economists and sociologists) to study the evolution of ecosystems and/or resources in the light of changing institutional arrangements. Example 8: Collective Actions and Property Right (CAPRi) – IFPRI
5. Policy for NrM
This field encompasses political, social and economic sciences. It includes the study of the processes through which NRM policies are designed, their characteristics, the tools and instruments upon which they rely, and their effectiveness and ultimate impact. This objective is sometimes associated with the one on institutional arrangements when the articulation of collective action with policy change is considered.
Examples 5: Returns to policyoriented agricultural research: The case of barley fertilization in Syria – ICARDA
12 What is referred to as the ‘enabling environment’, the ‘institutions’ or ‘institutional capacity’ often provides an easy justification for the failure of technological inventions to be taken up or properly diffused. However, considering all these as parts of the innovation process means that they could be addressed through a specific research effort when it is appropriate for the CGIAR to do so. This review suggests following the main challenges identified by Zander et al. (2007): Rethinking the assessment and evaluation of agriculture; accounting for multi- and cross-scale processes to promote innovation; and addressing the governance issues of agricultural development by facilitating a science–policy interface through the development of boundary works and through the association of socio-political sciences with agricultural research.
From the agricultural production perspective
6. Adaptation of agriculture because of an environmental constraint or for resource optimization
This category of NRM research aims to design new material, technology or methods in response to an environ- mental constraint. It looks in particular at the challenges and tradeoffs of producing more (quality or quantity) through ecological intensification. The environmental constraints can be diverse, including: changes in the environment and physiology, which may or may not relate to climate change; depletion of or difficulty in accessing a chemical input, or attempts to reduce its use; emergence or spread of a pest or pathology; or the application of new norms through policy and trade regula- tion and tools. This type of research brings together different disciplines such as agronomy, ecophysiology, phytopathology and veterinary sciences. It often refers to a ‘movement’ that has both scientific and ideological dimen- sions, e.g. conservation agriculture, eco-agriculture, agroecology and inte grated pest management. Example 3: The Conservation Agriculture hub in the cradle of the green revolution – CIMMYT, Example 4: Onfarm impacts of zero tillage wheat in South Asia’s rice–wheat systems – CIMMYT, Example 10: IPM Systemwide Program – IITA, and Example 11: Alter nate wetting and drying is adopted by hundreds of thousands of farmers in South and Southeast Asia – IRRI
From the perspective of interaction between agriculture and ecosystem services
7. ‘Production of natural resources’ by agriculture
This category reconsiders the role of agriculture in ‘producing natural resources’ within a context of acknow- ledged multi-functionality. It mainly refers to the study of environmental benefits and services provided by agriculture, e.g. soil fertility, water quality, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This area brings together agronomists and ecologists for the characterization of
such production. It allows review of the ‘natural’ dimension of the resource base and reversal of the way of looking at NRM. Natural resources are no longer no-cost assets to use (and potentially deplete) through extractive and pioneer behaviors. Rather, research establishes the roles played by essential resources, with commensurate values to be taken into account. Strategies for renewing resources are addressed through social, economic and technical means with specific tools and explicit policies. Example 1: Better beans in Africa: Towards valuing indirect and overlooked environmental impacts – CIAT, Exam- ple 3: The Conservation Agriculture hub in the cradle of the green revolution – CIMMYT, Example 4: Onfarm impacts of zero tillage wheat in South Asia’s rice–wheat systems – CIMMYT, Exam- ple 9: Sustainable Tree Crops Program – IITA, Example 11: Alternate wetting and drying is adopted by hundreds of thou sands of farmers in South and Southeast Asia – IRRI, Example 14: Impact of the development and dissemination of integrated aquaculture–agriculture – WorldFish Center
8. Payment for the provision of natural resource services produced by agriculture
This field developed very quickly in the early 2000s as studies began to involve economists seeking to assign values to ecosystem services. Other human sciences have been involved in the design and assessment of tools and policies to promote payment schemes. Various fields in the life sciences may collaborate to monitor the results of such research through the estimation of resource quality and quantity.
9. Land use at the global level
This is an emerging multidisciplinary field of research, addressing the tradeoffs between environment conservation and production at the global level. It addresses, on the one hand, the question of the agrarian frontier at both local and global scales (land sparing and the processes and impacts of forest use) and, on the other hand, the question of ecological
intensification and land sharing. Example 2: Financial due diligence for natural forest protection – CIFOR.