Ecosystem services blog posts

Will restoring or attempting to recreate the 'natural' flows of rivers downstream of large dams for the benefit of ecosystems actually help or hinder local communities? 

Cassava, or Tapioca as it is more popularly known, is a very important staple crop in Vietnam, as well as most of Southeast Asia. This robust crop is facing some serious threats, in the form of pests, depleted soils, and unsustainable farming practices.

With growing populations and the worst food crisis since World War II, implementing the SDGs in a way that takes advantage of overlaps while accounting for conflicting interests is more important now than ever before.

Providing crop insurance for smallholder farmers has been difficult in the past, leaving them vulnerable to floods, droughts, and other disasters. Now, satellite technology opens the door for insurance companies to provide affordable, timely coverage, reducing farmers' risks.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Assessment for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has been drafted and is ready for external review. Get involved!

The WLE Focal Regions (2014-2016) were an ambitious attempt to apply the fundamental underpinnings of WLE at scale: sustainable intensification of agriculture and substantive investment in gender.

People in poor, rural communities in the Sahel often have to make difficult decisions about how they use their limited land, financial and natural resources. Perhaps there is a better way to sustainably source livestock fodder from resilient ecosystems.

Businesses are becoming greener to attract consumers, but for some businesses that rely on natural resources to survive, becoming more environmentally friendly is not just a marketing ploy - it is a necessity.

A study in rural Nigeria underscores the importance of direct experience and local context in shaping people’s awareness of ecosystem services. Likewise, there are immediate entry points for government extension services to simultaneously increase human well-being and conservation outcomes.

There is certainly evidence to suggest that wetlands can help reduce the negative impact of some natural disasters. However, wetlands cannot be treated as a disaster mitigation cure-all: they should be considered as one piece of a context-specific puzzle.

China's Agriculture Investment Bank plans to inject USD $450 billion into agriculture over the next four years. If this colossal investment is put towards projects that rely on the current agroecological research, it could spur an environmentally sustainable future for Chinese farmers.