The Role of Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Food Systems

The Role of Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Food Systems reveals, in simple terms, the operational definition, concepts and applications of ecosystem services with a focus on sustainable food systems. The book presents case studies on both geographical and production system-wide considerations. Initial chapters discuss concepts, methodologies and the tools needed to understand ecosystem services in the broader food system. Middle and later chapters present different perspectives from case studies of ecosystem services derived from some of the key sustainable food production systems used by farmers, along with discussions on the challenges of deriving full benefits and how they can be overcome.

Researchers, students, scientists, development practitioners and policymakers will welcome this reference as they continue their work related to sustainable food systems.

Introduces the concept of ecosystem services in simple terms for a wide readershipProvides an explanation of sustainable food systems Contains the tools to identify and quantify ecosystem services in sustainable food systemsIdentifies ecosystem services in specific systems utilized for sustainable food systemsCategorizes the challenges of deriving maximum benefits of ecosystem services

1. Sustainable food systems: Scope, relevance, and important milestones
2. Ecosystem services in sustainable food systems: Operational definition, concepts, and applications
3. Indices to identify and quantify ecosystem services in sustainable food systems
4. Harnessing ecosystem services from biological nitrogen fixation
5. The role of synthetic fertilizers in enhancing ecosystem services in crop production systems in developing countries
6. Reinforcing ecosystem services through conservation agriculture in sustainable food systems
7. Ecosystem services from different livestock management systems
8. Crop-livestock integration to enhance ecosystem services in sustainable food systems
9. Ecosystem services in doubled-up legume systems
10. Ecosystem services in paddy rice systems
11. The role of ecosystem services in offsetting effects of climate change in sustainable food systems in the Zambezi Basin, Southern Africa
12. The economics of valuing ecosystem services from agroforestry within sustainable food systems
13. Challenges in maximizing benefits from ecosystem services and transforming food systems