MAPPING, MANAGEMENT AND RESILIENCE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR FOOD SECURITY AND RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN ETHIOPIA

Research summary

This project will identify the properties of soil, symbiotic microorganisms and agroforestry practices which improve the production of ecosystem services (BNF, AM, C sequestration) for food security in a changing climate. It will also identify the socio-economic feasibility of the management practices, including inoculation of legumes, and the knowledge networks required for their implementation.

Description

A project aiming at food security in a changing climate in Ethiopa has recently started as a multidisciplinary collaboration between University of Helsinki, MTT Agrifood Finland, Addis Ababa University and Hawassa University.

Legumes in symbiosis with appropriate microbes provide important ecosystem services. They can replace nitrogen fertilizer and enhance the uptake of phosphorus. Especially in agroforestry systems they can also increase soil organic carbon stocks to mitigate climate change, simultaneously improving soil fertility and food productivity and their climate-resilience. The level of awareness of this excellent system in society is however low and the resources are under-utilized. The project will identify properties of soil, symbiotic microorganisms and agroforestry practices, which improve the production of ecosystem services (BNF, AM, C sequestration) for food security in a changing climate. Molecular methods will be used for bacterial characterization and accessions deposited in domestic and Finnish collections [1,2,3]. Preconditions for socio-economic feasibility of the management practices, including inoculation of legumes, will be investigated via Innovation Platforms, and local and scientific knowledge integrated for successful implementation. The consortium encompasses the best available Finnish and African expertise in these fields. Through the consortium collaboration, novel ways of covering important interfaces between basic research and its applications, which is recognized as being in great demand, will be taken into use.

This work is a continuation of work done previously by the partners. Bacterial accessions isolated from tree, shrub and food legumes and characterized extensively will now be used in field trials [4]. Ethiopian M.Sc. and Ph.D. students will be trained in appropriate methodology for research in natural as well as social sciences.

[1] A.A. Aserse et al., 2012, Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 35, 120-131.
[2] A.A. Aserse et al., 2012, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 65, 595-609.
[3] A.A. Aserse et al., 2013, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 97, 10117-10134.
[4] A.A. Aserse, 2013. Dissertationes Biocentri Viikki Universitatis Helsingiensis 34/2013, 62
pp.

Research info

Research title
MAPPING, MANAGEMENT AND RESILIENCE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR FOOD SECURITY AND RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN ETHIOPIA

Research timeline
1.10.2013 - 1.9.2017

Keywords
Agroforestry practices Biological nitrogen fixation(BNF) C-sequestration climate change climate resilience food security Innovation Platforms Legumes socio-economic feasibility soil symbiotic microorganisms

Region
Africa

Countries
Ethiopia, Finland

Institution
University of Helsinki
Department of Environmental Sciences
Helsinki, Finland

Head of research
Prof. Kristina Lindström

Research team
Kristina Lindström, Aregu Amsalu Aserse , Mila Sell, MarkkuYli-Halla, Helena Kahiluoto, Asefa Fassil, MauritzVestberg, Zebene Asfaw, Mesel Negash

Partners
University of Helsinki, MTT Agrifood Finland, Addis Ababa University, Hawassa University

Contact information
Prof. Kristina Lindström
+358-9294158854
kristina.lindstrom@helsinki.fi

Record last updated
29.1.2015