Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
preexisting social, economic, and environmental challenges. Sustainable develop-
ment is geared toward minimizing risks (Pasteur 2011). Vulnerability, resources,
adaptive capacity, and certain aspects of TK may, hypothetically, promote or hin-
der certain virtues that increase soil resilience (Holling 1973): stability, recovery,
and transformation (Smit and Wandel 2006; Adger 2000; Folke 2006; Maguire
and Hagan 2007; Pimm 1984; Schoon 2005; Fenton et al. 2007). Natural haz-
ard risks are greatly increased by diverse socioeconomic factors such as poverty,
uncontrolled and unsound land use and urbanization, weak governmental capacity
for disaster mitigation and planning, and environmental degradation. Measuring
resilience is quite challenging and only assessed qualitatively using TK by deter-
mining changes in productivity. According to Bridges and Catizzone (1996), soil
is a grossly undervalued component of the natural ecosystem. Soil scientists must
learn how to communicate with society about the role of its proper management to
food security, environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation, and liveli-
hood improvements. One possible strategy is to adopt an ecosystem approach to
the studying of soils and linking to TK.
5.3.1 s
oIl
m
anagement
d
ImensIons
; s
ocIoecologIcal
r
esIlIence
, e
cosystem
r
esIlIence
,
and
s
oIl
r
esIlIence
An important step toward attaining sustainable soil management is to understand the
TK and integrated soil and water management practices. The TK is useful for learn-
ing and behavior change to reduce risk and enhance resilience. It consists of dimen-
sions of the natural, social, and spiritual inseparably integrated. The natural domain
captures knowledge of soils, plants, climates, and animals that translates into land
use, agricultural, and health practices. The social domain covers knowledge of local
institutions, social capital, natural resource management, conflict resolution, gen-
der relations, art, and language, while the spiritual domain concerns beliefs about
the invisible world, divine beings, spiritual forces, and ancestors that regulate cul-
tural values, attitudes, and related practices (e.g., rituals, festivals). Soil management
dimensions are summarized in Figure 5.2.
Social resilience
Of communities
Ecological resilience
Of ecosystem
Soil resilience
Of soil system
FIGURE 5.2
Conceptual framework depicting the interrelated effects of resilience of eco-
system components.
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