Browsing by Author "Gilles, Jere L."
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- Adaptación al cambio en los AndesValdivia, Corinne; Gilles, Jere L. (2006)An overview of the general SANREM CRSP program and the specific 'Adapting to Change in the Andes' project, as well as presentation of partners, stakeholders, objectives, areas of research, problems, effects, opportunities, challenges, strategies and the development impact pathway of the project.
- Adapting to climate change in Andean ecosystems: Landscapes, capitals, and perceptions shaping rural livelihood strategies and linking knowledge systemsValdivia, Corinne; Seth, Anji; Gilles, Jere L.; García, Magali; Jiménez, Elizabeth; Yucra, E.; Cusicanqui, Jorge; Navia, F. (Taylor & Francis, LLC., 2010)In the Bolivian Altiplano, indigenous systems for dealing with weather and climate risk are failing or being lost as a result of migration, climate change, and market integration. Andean rural communities are particularly vulnerable to changing social and environmental conditions. Changing climate over the past forty years and current forecast models point to increasing temperatures and later onset of rains during the growing season. Current meteorological models are coarse grained and not well suited to the complex topology of the Andes -- so local-scale information is required for decisions. This article outlines a process for developing new local knowledge that can be used to enhance adaptive processes. (Excerpt from abstract)
- Análisis comparativo de estrategias de vida entre sitios del proyecto SANREM en el AltiplanoTurín, Cecilia; Thomas, J.; Gilles, Jere L. (2008)La región altoandina del Altiplano, denominada así por su característica geográfica de ser una planicie comprendida entre elevadas altitudes viene siendo escenario del Proyecto SANREM "Adaptación al Cambio de Clima y Mercado de Agroecosistemas Vulnerables del Altiplano" por su importancia cultural como centro de domesticación y transformación de cultivos andinos como la papa y quinua, y de animales como los camélidos sudamericanos, así como centro de desarrollo de tecnologías de adaptación al medio ambiente.
- Andean livelihood strategies and the impact of market and climate shocks: Risks perceptions and coping mechanismsValdivia, Corinne; Marks, L. A.; Gilles, Jere L.; Jiménez, Elizabeth; Romero, A. (2008)Andean families pursue their livelihood strategies in an environment of uncertainty shaped by market and climate risks. Production and consumption decisions remain interlinked due to limited, shallow or imperfect markets, especially for credit to protect against negative shocks. Risk perceptions inform decisions, as do insurance mechanisms. Risks are assessed from the point of view of women and men heads of household connecting perceptions and management or coping mechanisms. Perceptions are predicted by the dread the risk produces, the degree of control - knowledge of the risk, and the coping mechanisms. The latter includes the capitals invested - social, economic, cultural, and natural - in providing a buffer or in adaptation strategies. Trusted sources of information and networks are also evaluated to develop a framework for communication of changes in the Altiplano to improve adaptation to change.
- Assessing and managing soil quality for sustainable agricultural systemMotavalli, Peter P.; Jintaridth, Bunjirtluk; Lehmann, Johannes; Goyne, Keith W.; Gilles, Jere L. (2008)Soil quality assessment is a process by which soil resources are evaluated on the basis of soil function. Soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the most widely knowledge indicators of soil quality(Gregorich et al., 1994). In general, SOC varies across landscapes, soil types and climatic zones. It is characterized by high levels of C in recalcitrant or humified forms and small changes in SOC resulting from changes in soil management are difficult to measure. An approach to evaluate the impact of agricultural management of SOM dynamics is to separate SOM into pools which will depend on differences in decomposition rates (Wander et al., 1994). In two-pool exponential decomposition models, the pool with the smallest size and most rapid turnover is termed labile and the larger pool with slow turnover is termed recalcitrant. The lability of SOM is defined as the ease and speed with which it is decomposed by microbes and depends on both chemical recalcitrance and physical protection from microbes. Changes in labile fractions of SOC provide an early indication of soil degradation or improvement in response to management practices (Islam and Weil,2000). In this research, soil samples will be collected from representative degraded and non- degraded soils at ongoing SANREM field sites, establish in-field and laboratory capacity to test soil quality, and develop analytical methodologies for the spectroscopic-based procedures. Collaboration with CGIAR system (i.e., ICRAF), USDA-ARS and USDA-NRCS are also important goals of this project due to the ongoing efforts and resources being invested at these institutions in developing low-cost methods for soil quality evaluation.
- Assessing and managing soil quality for sustainable agricultural systems: SANREM CRSP Cross Cutting initiativeMotavalli, Peter P.; Jintaridth, Bunjirtluk; Lehmann, Johannes; Goyne, Keith W.; Gilles, Jere L. (2008)A presentation about the SANREM CRSP Cross Cutting initiative in terms of assessing and managing soil quality for sustainable agricultural systems in the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia.
- Comparative analysis of livelihood strategies across sites involved in the SANREM project in the AltiplanoTurín, Cecilia; Thomas, J.; Gilles, Jere L. (2008)This poster shows the results of a comparative analysis of livelihood strategies across sites involved in the SANREM project in the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia. It includes an overview of the projects as well as a description of materials and methods used for the study as well as conclusions about regional differences in livelihood strategies.
- Fostering Adaptive CapacityGilles, Jere L.; Valdivia, Corinne (2009)Adapting to Change in the Andean Highlands: Practices and Strategies to Address Climate and Market Risks in Vulnerable Agro-ecosystems (SANREM CRSP LTRA 4) focus is to identify the consequences of climate change for one of the poorest and most vulnerable regions in the Western Hemisphere and develop adaptive capacities. The project uses a cross disciplinary and participatory approach, linking biophysical and social sciences research with local knowledge systems through participatory institutions. The presentations concentrate on some of the key findings in the context of climate change. In the biophysical sciences Anji Seth will report on Altiplano climate change projections for this century; Peter Motavalli on the mitigation and adaptation aspects of organic soil amendment practices in rural communities; and Karen Garrett on anticipating and responding to plant disease and pests risks. Finally, Valdivia and Gilles will discuss findings on strategies for enhancing the adaptive capacity of small Andean producers.
- Laggards or leaders: Conservers of traditional agricultural knowledge in BoliviaGilles, Jere L.; Thomas, Justin L.; Valdivia, Corinne; Yucra, Edwin S. (2013)
- Linking knowledge systems for rural livelihoods adaptation under uncertainty: Drying and warming in Andean ecosystemsValdivia, Corinne; Gilles, Jere L.; Seth, Anji; Thibeault, Jeanne M.; Jiménez, Elizabeth; García, Magali; Yucra, E.; Garrett, Karen A. (2009)The goal of our SANREM-CRSP program in the Altiplano is to conduct research that increases the adaptability to changes in climate, the environment, and markets. To do this we must link scientific knowledge about the production systems and the environment, with the local knowledge, and people's priorities. We are studying different approaches to bridge knowledge systems, and assessing their effectiveness (research interest groups, community groups, knowledge sharing events, participatory mapping of vulnerabilities and assets, co-learning and formal training). We have identified the trends in climate of the past 30 years, and at climate projections for the Northern Altiplano, along with participatory processes to downscale this knowledge to the communities by linking this to the local forecast indicators the community experts observe. This allows us to assess technologies from the perspective of the variability and uncertainty that farmers face, and will increasingly face, when it comes to deciding what, if, and when to plant, or how to reallocate their resources. We have learned that perceptions of risks and dread of hazards are high, but with differences by locality and wealth. People in a the Central Altiplano region of Bolivia, with relatively more income land and animals are more concerned with hazard events like droughts floods and frost; while in the Northern Altiplano region, with less than half the household income, smaller land size, and migration as part of their livelihood strategies, people are more concerned with the climate changing, and affecting what they can grow. In addition to involving farmers in the evaluation of research findings, members of vulnerable groups are purposely included to engage them in the discussions and plans necessary to develop adaptation strategies that will require extra-community resources to be successful. Extreme event projections from the models relate a sense of uncertainty and variability, with presentations unlike the present, with potential for more stress in access to water, and more extreme events in temperature and precipitation that affect agriculture, today the main source of livelihood of these families. Using this information we are identifying the strategies that people use to deal with these events and have identified strategies that include developing or improving the capacity of rural communities to increase value added to their products, and mechanisms to access resources to buffer shocks. We are studying the biological and physical drivers that are changing agricultural production systems, as well as the local knowledge and perceptions of farmers, the way they assess the risks of climate hazards and change (Slovic and Weber 2002). Although trust in traditional decision making tools is declining, trust in scientific knowledge is almost non-existent. In this context two-way participatory communication can enhance this trust and build knowledge that can facilitate adaptation. This requires farmers and researchers to develop a common language. Using traditional scientific research methods combined with participatory research, the project is building new knowledge base which returns to decision makers' as information about their livelihoods, their resources and market integration capacity. It seeks to build new knowledge by bridging scientific and local knowledge systems, and human agency, identifying capacities and capabilities that decision makers in the Altiplano have to be able to adapt to uncertainty. This includes agronomic trials to identify new varieties, crops, or production techniques that can buffer the new risks of changing weather patterns.
- Local forecast communication in the AltiplanoGilles, Jere L.; Valdivia, Corinne (2009)Forecasts play an important role in planting decisions for Andean peasant producers. Predictions of the upcoming cropping season determine when, where, and what farmers will plant. This research looks at the sources of forecast information used by farmers in three indigenous communities in the Bolivian and Peruvian Altiplano by examining networks used to access weather forecasts. The Altiplano is impacted by the ENSO phenomenon and by frequent droughts and frosts so weather- and climate-related risks are the greatest threats to food security. While both Peru and Bolivia have forecasting systems that widely broadcast forecasts via mass media, farmers do not take them into account when they make production decisions. Instead, they rely on traditional forecasting techniques even though confidence in these indicators is declining. Even though traditional forecast indicators are understood by most producers, few make their own forecasts. Instead they depend upon a few local experts who appear to have little connection to scientific forecasts or agricultural extension agencies. The implications of these findings for improving forecast use are then discussed.
- Local indicators, connecting to regional forecastsGilles, Jere L. (2008)Adaptation is a continual locally based process that depends upon the pool of knowledge available and the costs and incentives to change. Extra community knowledge needed with increased importance of extra-community shocks. This presentation explores this topic in more depth.
- Marco administrativo y financiero del proyectoValdivia, Corinne; Gilles, Jere L. (2006)Administrative and financial framework of the SANREM CRSP project is presented in detail by Corinne Valdivia and Jere Gilles. Indicators of success are explained, and so are the management entity policy and operating procedures and the MU sub-contract guidelines. The structure of the different types of reports from the project is also detailed, these are: SANREM Knowledge Base (SKB), technical, annual, research, quarterly and trip reports.
- Perceptions, networks, knowledge and climateGilles, Jere L. (2007)An overview of perceptions and the scientific enterprise, the relationship between networks, perceptions, action and forecasts, the gap between scientific and local knowledge, and a research plan to for addressing this gap.
- Practices and strategies to address climate and market risks in vulnerable ecosystems: Panel on collective action, participation and agricultural researchValdivia, Corinne; Gilles, Jere L. (2007)A presentation about the results of a panel on collective action, participation and agricultural research within the framework of the SANREM CRSP LTR-4 project "Practices and strategies to address climate and market risks in vulnerable ecosystems".
- Pyrosequencing to determine the influence of fallow period on soil microbial communities in the Bolivian HighlandsGomez, L.; Jumpponen, A.; Herman, M.; Garrett, Karen A. (2009)Using pyrosequencing methods, we are characterizing the responses of microbial communities in these systems to fallow period and the presence of Thola. In the first phase of the project, we have analyzed soil fungal diversity, as reported here. In the next phases of the project we will analyze both fungal and bacterial community composition in more detail in the Bolivian altiplano and in Zambian agricultural systems, synthesizing microbial community data with socioeconomic and soil physico-chemical data.
- Redes, conocimientos y tomas de decisionesGilles, Jere L. (2006)A theoretical framework for network analysis in the Andes.
- Soil Metagenomics to identify indicators of soil degradation in the Bolivian HighlandsGomez, L.; Jumpponen, A.; Herman, M.; Garrett, Karen A. (2008)The Bolivian Highlands (approximately 4000 masl) are experiencing changes in agricultural practices due in part to climate change and economic pressures. Traditional fallow periods are being shortened in an effort to increase yield, but this may be at the expense of soil quality. We will study soil microbial metagenomics using pyrosequencing methods, which allow us to place hundreds of thousands of individual microbes in taxonomic categories. Our goal is to identify microbes that may serve as indicators for the process of soil degradation and to understand the response of soil microbial communities to changing land management practices.
- Understanding the decline of organic fertilizer use in the AltiplanoGilles, Jere L.; Motavalli, Peter P.; Thomas, J. (2009)This poster presents some results of a multi-disciplinary research program sponsored by the SANREM-CRSP that is examining ways that Andean farmers can adapt to climate change. Its focus is on the reasons for the decline in the use of manures in potato production in the Altiplano of Bolivia. Traditional Andean potato production systems rely on long fallow periods and the application of manure to maintain soil fertility. Organic fertilizers like manure can help mitigate the impacts of climate change by increasing water retention and by buffering temperature changes. Manure use has been declining in parts of the Altiplano however. Twenty years ago nearly all farmers in the region used manure for potato production but now there are some communities where less than 25% of households use manure. The research presented here examines how the relationship between family resources, income, labor availability and livestock ownership are related to a decline in the use of manure among Andean producers.