Multifunctional Use of Agricultural Landscapes Under Climate Change Conditions

Securing agricultural production is of great importance due to an ever-increasing demand for food. Simultaneously, the degradation of land quality and climate change may jeopardise food production and water availability. This study focuses on a multifunctional agricultural landscape that produces not only food and fibre but also various non-commodity ecosystem services. This includes preventing soil and water resources from overuse, degradation, and pollution in a landscape context. Policymakers, communities recognize these challenges and other relevant stakeholders, therefore, calling for a boost in agricultural productivity through improved use of agricultural soils embedded in complex landscapes and better management of land and water resources under climate change.

The main objective of this research project is to develop strategies for a multifunctional rural landscape, with sustainable land management by considering the characteristics of a pilot area of Tanzania in terms of ecological (e.g., soils, relief, crop types, and climate) and socioeconomic (e.g., incomes) condition, which are not the only key to economic growth (SDG 8), protection of water resources (SDG 6), land ecosystems (SDG 15), but also fundamental to reducing poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2).

The Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture supports this project.