Incentive mechanisms for agrobiodiversity conservation in Ethiopia

Project Description

Incentivising the conservation of food crop diversity in Ethiopia by rewarding local farmers for conserving declining crop species and assisting both poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation.

Agrobiodiversity is the variety of plants and animals that we use for food and agriculture. Whilst global declines in wild biodiversity are well known, the concurrent declines in agrobiodiversity are less reported. Currently, much agrobiodiversity (and associated indigenous knowledge) is managed and conserved by subsistence farmers, in high biodiversity developing countries. These farmers are providing a ”global good’ in maintaining these resources for humanity, but receive little rewards for this service.

This project aims to develop novel strategies for mitigating the loss of agrobiodiversity in Ethiopia through a ‘payments for agrobiodiversity conservation’ scheme (PACS). This approach is new, but conceptually similar to ‘Payments for Ecosystem Services’.

Book James for a speaking event:

James is a highly acclaimed public speaker, delivering keynotes, lectures and debates to a wide range of audiences including students, the public, conservation practioners and scientists. Rather than further polarizing already divisive conservation topics, James aims to explain the complexity and nuance of conservation. What we choose to do over the next five decades, will profoundly influence the diversity of life on eath for the next 5 million years. It’s never been a more important, or more exciting time to be a conservationist.

“Interesting, informative and pitched at exactly the right level for our students.”

Academic summer school

“You gave a splendid talk – cogent, passionate, clear and compelling.”

Fellow of the Royal Society,

“You had the audience hanging off your every word.”

British Exploring,

“It was refreshing to have a speaker who talked with such passion”

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