Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
21
Lessons learnt and future research
directions
Edwin A. Gyasi
Introduction
From the preceding chapters, it is clear that the varied traditional ways of
managing agrodiversity in West Africa have lessons for sustainable conservation
of biodiversity and associated natural resources of the land or environment.
This chapter provides a synthesis of the key lessons relating to cultivation or
management and organization of agrodiversity, and those relating to research
methodology. Both aspects bear on official policy.
Management and organization of agrodiversity
The areas used for agriculture by the smallholder traditional farmers are charac-
terized by high biodiversity of plants - both spontaneous and introduced. This
situation is both a result and a cause of a complex, diverse traditional manage-
ment and organizational arrangements, which could usefully inform development
of modern agricultural improvement packages that enhance yield and conserve
biodiversity simultaneously.
Commonly, highly biodiverse patches of forest are conserved because, like
water bodies and land itself, they are traditionally perceived as sacred or as ances-
tral property. As such, they must be preserved or used sustainably and passed on
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