Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative

We have developed a manual which can help smallholder women farmers replicate the solutions in the South West of Nigeria. At the national level, collaborating with policy makers to include indigenous food plants as key components of in the School feeding programs as well as the Anchor borrowers programme for micro-credits. Our Seed bank Open day programmes provide avenues for exchange and display of seed diversity as well as a model for local seed bank scale up to a national project for the conservation of a larger number of wild crop relatives in Nigeria. We are currently advocating at the National legislature to provide legislative laws on the inclusion of Indigenous food plants to the Nigerian Food policy programme. These initiatives when pulled together will contribute significantly to indigenous Plant Species Conservation.

With limited access to land, women are still custodians of Biodiversity with Knowledge to bolster food security. 65% of the participating community members were women. 53% ages 40-65, 47% ages 18-39. Women participation was supported by their husbands. This saw more women take decision on dietary requirements for their families and strong participatory roles in management and benefits sharing. 

Households created small/medium-sized enterprises for steady economic growth which put less pressure to their surrounding forest. As a result of less pressure on the forest for livelihood, new revenue streams are up and running. Local base ecosystems have facilitated growth not only within the Forest Community but beyond, creating opportunities for decent work. Achieving social inclusion was to emphasize “local ownership”. Setting up spaces for dialogue that allowed for the active and inclusive participation of local people ensured that priorities were determined locally and that local concerns were at the core of all activities.

Seed bank of Sheda Community
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Seed bank of Sheda Community
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Seed bank of Sheda Community
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Securing the genetic resource base of Indigenous plants species: A Community Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Rangers remove the carcass and deal with poisoning
  • Once the ranger arrives on site, he has to prepare to remove the carcass from the field usually by calling for the INPA field truck. 
  • If there are injured animals on site these have to receive first-aid and veterinary care quickly.  
  • If the carcass is laced with poison it has be secured to prevent access by more animals.
  • The site has be searched for more animals further away.
  • The entire site has to be treated also as a crime scene so investigative and forensic evidence is maintained and then collected carefully.
  • Proper training or protocols for dealing with poisoning events
  • Proper radio or telephone system for all areas.
  • Tractor or 4X4 vehicle capable of removing animal carcass from the field
  • Veterinarians on-call in all areas to receive poisoned animals

Important to have proper training and practive of protocols for dealing with poisoning events.




     
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System links to Telegram app for sending alerts to relevant rangers

After the algorithms determine that an alert is needed, it sends out an alert only to nearby on-call rangers via the Telegram app on their smartphones.

  • integration of alert system with real-time ranger position and ranger's on-call status (active or off-duty)
  • integration with Telegram system
  • Integration with Waze or other GPS-based driving solution app

Telegram is best for sending alerts.

Focusing alerts nly to relevent rangers reduces unnecessary false alarms and improves effcieny of real responses. 

Algorithms for likelihood of carcass and need for alert

Specific algorithms process the GPS data on position, altitude, speed and temperature and consider all zonation as poisoning-prone areas (based on land use for grazing and previous events) to determine if alert is necessary.  

Algorithms need to rule out vulture descending onto a cliff or nest, and to include only descent onto areas where carcass likelihood is highest (based on ground inclination).

Algorithm calculates slope of the land at point of descent and adds this to the poisoning likelihood determination.

  • need excellent detailed GIS data of ground features and topography 
  • need lots of data of previous poisoning events
  • need data on land use (for rangeland or crops)

 

  • High resolution topgraphy layers are very important to rule out vultures landing on unlikely sites 
Advanced loggers receive GPS data
  • Integration of data on position, altitude, speed, and temperature from Orintela transmitters with the INPA information system 
  • IT professionals and developers
  • input from Ornitela

Input from transmitter manufacturer helps to integrate with home systems.

GPS-Tagged vultures send out data

In order to receive GPS data there have to be a requisite numner of birds with approriate tags that transmit real-time data.

 

  • experienced staff to capture and tag vultures
  • financial backing to purchase tags and the data

The more tagged birds there are, the wider the coverage and the better the success.

Biochar

Char is carbonized organic matter that is produced by pyrolysis.

Biochar is char used for biotechnology, such as in agriculture.

Charcoal is char used as fuel.

 

Biochar has some important properties:

  1. Resistance against biological and chemical decomposition, so it lasts in soil for centuries and can be used to store atmospheric carbon.
  2. A high surface area
  3. Negatively charged surfaces and some positive charges with can hold soluble plant nutients such as nitrogen and potassium and other minerals.

In Bangladesh, the soils are often low in soil organic matter, because the warm-humid climate and agricultural tillage promote organic matter breakdown.   Soil that are low in organic matter become hard and open pore space.  Crop growth can be severely limited.

 

Given the excellent climate from growing crops, improving the organic matter in Bangladeshi soils can have profound results.  Biochar can do this because it doesn't break down.  Instead, it combines with manures, composts and soil organic matter to from new, stable humus.

 

By increasing soil organic matter there is:

  1. An increase in soil crumbs and large pore space
  2. Increased aeration
  3. Increased water penetration
  4. Increased plant-available water
  5. Increased soil life
  6. Increase root growth and crop yield.

 

 

There are several key steps in getting biochar into common use:

  1. Scientific knowledge and practical knowledge of the use of biochar in Bangladeshi agriculture.
  2. Desimination of the knowledge to farmers
  3. Farmers' practical experience with biochar, so that they can evaluate what they would be prepared to pay for it.

 

Farmers get excited about biochar once they witness the effects of biochar in research experiments, agricultural extension field trials, and local farmer trials.

 

In one case, after a tour of a farmer's field plots, some farmers came back later and carried off baskets of his soil.