IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecoser/v46y2020ics2212041620301431.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ecosystem disservices matter when valuing ecosystem benefits from small-scale arable agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • Herd-Hoare, S.
  • Shackleton, C.M.

Abstract

The contribution of ecosystem services to smallholder agriculture is widely recognised. However, they are seldom analysed in tandem with the ecosystem disservices, such as crop weeds and pests, which the same systems produce. We do so by quantifying the provisioning ecosystem services and disservices in smallholder arable agricultural systems in three rural villages in southeastern South Africa. Using a mixed methods approach we consider the relative benefits from ecosystem services after the effects of disservices, and the management and strategies that households adopt to minimise disservices. The role of ecosystem services and disservices was expressed in economic terms to provide a common framework to assess the relative magnitude of their contribution or loss. Although crop cultivation made measurable contributions to households, disservices were prevalent and undermined livelihoods to varying degrees. Despite active management, disservices could result in complete loss of the yield. The dual character of services and disservices was observed with some ‘weeds’ considered both a service, as food, and a disservice in competing with planted crops. We emphasise the need to recognise both the positive and negative contributions of ecosystems when analysing rural livelihoods to fully grasp how rural people conceive and engage with nature in small-scale agroecological systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Herd-Hoare, S. & Shackleton, C.M., 2020. "Ecosystem disservices matter when valuing ecosystem benefits from small-scale arable agriculture," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:46:y:2020:i:c:s2212041620301431
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101201
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041620301431
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101201?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bahta Yonas Tesfamariam & Enoch Owusu-Sekyere & Donkor Emmanuel & Tlalang Boipelo Elizabeth, 2018. "The impact of the homestead food garden programme on food security in South Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 95-110, February.
    2. Michael Rogan, 2018. "Food poverty, hunger and household production in rural Eastern Cape households," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 90-104, January.
    3. Sheona Shackleton & Marty Luckert, 2015. "Changing Livelihoods and Landscapes in the Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: Past Influences and Future Trajectories," Land, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-30, November.
    4. Baiphethi, Mompati N. & Jacobs, Peter T., 2009. "The contribution of subsistence farming to food security in South Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 48(4), pages 1-24, December.
    5. Mertz, Ole & Wadley, Reed L. & Christensen, Andreas Egelund, 2005. "Local land use strategies in a globalizing world: Subsistence farming, cash crops and income diversification," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 85(3), pages 209-215, September.
    6. Zhang, Wei & Ricketts, Taylor H. & Kremen, Claire & Carney, Karen & Swinton, Scott M., 2007. "Ecosystem services and dis-services to agriculture," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 253-260, December.
    7. D'Haese, Marijke & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2005. "The rise of supermarkets and changing expenditure patterns of poor rural households case study in the Transkei area, South Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 97-113, February.
    8. Yann de Mey & Matty Demont & Mandiaye Diagne, 2012. "Estimating Bird Damage to Rice in Africa: Evidence from the Senegal River Valley," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 175-200, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Targetti, S. & Raggi, M. & Zavalloni, M. & Viaggi, D., 2021. "Perceived benefits from reclaimed rural landscapes: Evidence from the lowlands of the Po River Delta, Italy," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    2. Zhigang Zou & Fuping Zeng & Kelin Wang & Zhaoxia Zeng & Hao Zhang, 2021. "Varieties Matter When Planning for Poverty Alleviation and Ecological Restoration in Karst Fruit Cultivation Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Song, Xiaoqing & Wang, Xiong & Hu, Shougeng & Xiao, Renbin & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2022. "Functional transition of cultivated ecosystems: Underlying mechanisms and policy implications in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Emylia Shakira Jamean & Azlan Abas, 2023. "Valuation of Visitor Perception of Urban Forest Ecosystem Services in Kuala Lumpur," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Fabio A. Madau & Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Paola Sau & Pietro Pulina, 2022. "Public perception of ecosystem and social services produced by Sardinia extensive dairy sheep farming systems," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-42, December.
    6. Rong-Zhi Guo & Yao-Bin Song & Ming Dong, 2022. "Progress and Prospects of Ecosystem Disservices: An Updated Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-11, August.
    7. Toledo-Gallegos, Valeria M. & My, Nguyen H.D. & Tuan, Tran Huu & Börger, Tobias, 2022. "Valuing ecosystem services and disservices of blue/green infrastructure. Evidence from a choice experiment in Vietnam," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 114-128.
    8. Hebinck†, Paul & Smith, Lothar & Aliber, Michael, 2023. "Beyond technocracy: The role of the state in rural development in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    9. Nápoles-Vértiz, Sonia & Caro-Borrero, Angela, 2024. "Conceptual diversity and application of ecosystem services and disservices: A systematic review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    10. Shackleton, Ross T., 2020. "Loss of land and livelihoods from mining operations: A case in the Limpopo Province, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    11. Merida, Vincent Elijiah & Cook, David & Ögmundarson, Ólafur & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur, 2022. "Ecosystem services and disservices of meat and dairy production: A systematic literature review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Otterbach, Steffen & Oskorouchi, Hamid Reza & Rogan, Michael & Qaim, Matin, 2021. "Using Google data to measure the role of Big Food and fast food in South Africa’s obesity epidemic," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    2. Shackleton, C.M. & Mograbi, P.J. & Drimie, S. & Fay, D. & Hebinck, P. & Hoffman, M.T. & Maciejewski, K. & Twine, W., 2019. "Deactivation of field cultivation in communal areas of South Africa: Patterns, drivers and socio-economic and ecological consequences," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 686-699.
    3. Hebinck†, Paul & Smith, Lothar & Aliber, Michael, 2023. "Beyond technocracy: The role of the state in rural development in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Nomfundo Shelembe & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Albert Modi & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi, 2024. "The Association of Socio-Economic Factors and Indigenous Crops on the Food Security Status of Farming Households in KwaZulu-Natal Province," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Mahlako Nthabeleng Mokgomo & Clarietta Chagwiza & Phathutshedzo Fancy Tshilowa, 2022. "The Impact of Government Agricultural Development Support on Agricultural Income, Production and Food Security of Beneficiary Small-Scale Farmers in South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Shackleton, Ross T., 2020. "Loss of land and livelihoods from mining operations: A case in the Limpopo Province, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Schramski, Sam & Barnes, Grenville, 2016. "Agrarian Change and Adaptive Capacity in Rural South Africa," Review of Agrarian Studies, Foundation for Agrarian Studies, vol. 6(2), December.
    8. Horman Chitonge, 2013. "Land Use and Rural Livelihoods in South Africa: Emerging Evidence from the Eastern Cape," Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy, Centre for Agrarian Research and Education for South, vol. 2(1), pages 1-40, April.
    9. Vermunt, D.A. & Wojtynia, N. & Hekkert, M.P. & Van Dijk, J. & Verburg, R. & Verweij, P.A. & Wassen, M. & Runhaar, H., 2022. "Five mechanisms blocking the transition towards ‘nature-inclusive’ agriculture: A systemic analysis of Dutch dairy farming," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    10. Abdoul G. Sam & Babatunde O. Abidoye & Sihle Mashaba, 2021. "Climate change and household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from Swaziland," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(2), pages 439-455, April.
    11. Elisa Morri & Riccardo Santolini, 2021. "Ecosystem Services Valuation for the Sustainable Land Use Management by Nature-Based Solution (NbS) in the Common Agricultural Policy Actions: A Case Study on the Foglia River Basin (Marche Region, It," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    12. Smith, Helen F. & Sullivan, Caroline A., 2014. "Ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes—Farmers' perceptions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 72-80.
    13. Majiwa, Eucabeth Bosibori Opande & Lee, Boon & Wilson, Clevo, 2015. "Multi-lateral multi-output measurement of productivity: the case of African agriculture," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212769, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Mugido, Worship & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2019. "The contribution of NTFPS to rural livelihoods in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    15. Shah, Syed Mahboob & Liu, Gengyuan & Yang, Qing & Casazza, Marco & Agostinho, Feni & Giannetti, Biagio F., 2021. "Sustainability assessment of agriculture production systems in Pakistan: A provincial-scale energy-based evaluation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 455(C).
    16. Wanmei Hu & Zaike Gu & Kangning Xiong & Yaoru Lu & Zuju Li & Min Zhang & Liheng You & Huan Ruan, 2024. "A Review of Value Realization and Rural Revitalization of Eco-Products: Insights for Agroforestry Ecosystem in Karst Desertification Control," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, November.
    17. Ehsan Moradi & Jesús Rodrigo-Comino & Enric Terol & Gaspar Mora-Navarro & Alexandre Marco da Silva & Ioannis N. Daliakopoulos & Hassan Khosravi & Manuel Pulido Fernández & Artemi Cerdà, 2020. "Quantifying Soil Compaction in Persimmon Orchards Using ISUM (Improved Stock Unearthing Method) and Core Sampling Methods," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    18. Ethan Gordon & Federico Davila & Chris Riedy, 2022. "Transforming landscapes and mindscapes through regenerative agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 809-826, June.
    19. Magrini, Marie-Benoit & Anton, Marc & Cholez, Célia & Corre-Hellou, Guenaelle & Duc, Gérard & Jeuffroy, Marie-Hélène & Meynard, Jean-Marc & Pelzer, Elise & Voisin, Anne-Sophie & Walrand, Stéphane, 2016. "Why are grain-legumes rarely present in cropping systems despite their environmental and nutritional benefits? Analyzing lock-in in the French agrifood system," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 152-162.
    20. Anna M. Hansson & Eja Pedersen & Niklas P. E. Karlsson & Stefan E. B. Weisner, 2023. "Barriers and drivers for sustainable business model innovation based on a radical farmland change scenario," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8083-8106, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:46:y:2020:i:c:s2212041620301431. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecosystem-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.