Tomich, Thomas : Agricultural Sustainability Institute

â?? Sustainability â?쳌 : What ? Why ? How ? Tom Tomich Director , Agricultural Sustainability Institute Director , Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program WK Kellogg Endowed Chair in Sustainable Food Systems Professor of Community Development , Environmental Science & Policy Overview â?¢ What is sustainability ? Why so much interest in sustainability now ? How can we make a difference ? â?¢ Introducing the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis : How do we work ? Where are we going to start ? What Is â?? Sustainability â?쳌 ? " . . development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs â?? Our Common Future â?? The Brundtland Report â?쳌 1987 Vision of a sustainable food system People + Profit + Planet ASIâ??s vision is a food and agricultural system that : â?¢ is innovative , adaptive and profitable â?¢ provides healthy food for everyone â?¢ promotes prosperity and equity for people working in agriculture and the food system and for their communities â?¢ improves the environment and human health â?¢ builds awareness and understanding of the food system â?¢ engages public participation in policy decisions affecting food and agriculture Why so much interest in sustainability now ? â?? Human Domination of Earthâ??s Ecosystems â?쳌 Vitousek et al . 1997 Science 277 : 494 - 499 â?¢ Land area transformed by humans : 39 - 50 % â?¢ Fresh water used by humans : > 50 % â?¢ Terrestrial N - fixation by humans : > 50 % â?¢ Marine fisheries fully or over - exploited : > 60 % Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) 2007 â?¢ Probability human activity is affecting global climate : > 90 % Food Energy + Water Climate Complexity arising from interactions , feedbacks , and multiple drivers Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ( MA ) Key findings Process Over the past 50 years , humans ï?? Synthesis of knowledge have changed ecosystems on trends in earthâ??s more rapidly and extensively ecosystems , including than in any time in history . agriculture . From 1960 - 2000 : ï?? Food production more than ï?? 1360 authors ; 95 doubled countries ï?? Food supply / capita increased . ï?? Biologically - available N flows ï?? 850 reviewers doubled in terrestrial systems . Unprecedented change : Biogeochemical Cycles ï?? Since 1960 : ï?¡ Flows of biologically available nitrogen in terrestrial ecosystems doubled ï?¡ Flows of phosphorus tripled ï?? > 50 % of all the synthetic nitrogen fertilizer ever used has been used since 1985 ï?? 60 % of the increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO since 1750 has taken 2 place since 1959 Human - produced Reactive Nitrogen Humans produce as much biologically available N as all natural pathways and this may grow a further 65 % by 2050 How can we make a difference ? â?¢ How can we do something meaningful ? â?¢ What should we do ? â?¢ Where are we going to start ? What institutional capabilities and individual skills will be needed to meet sustainability challenges and opportunities ? Linear transfer model Innovation system model The almond BIOS network SAREP ( staff scientist ) UCCE Farm Advisors CAFF Commodity ( growers â?? Organization organization ) Beneficial Growers PCAs insects Cover crops KD Warner , 2007 Agroecology in Action , p . 176 â?¢ Farmers â?¢ Pediatricians â?¢ Farm bureau â?¢ Climate change â?¢ Wholesale â?¢ Specialty crops â?¢ Public health â?¢ Commodity organizations â?¢ Land use â?¢ International trade â?¢ Farm workers â?¢ Commodity crops â?¢ Nutritionists â?¢ Farmers market org . â?? s â?¢ Watersheds â?¢ Direct marketing â?¢ Labor advocacy â?¢ Animals , dairies â?¢ Health advocates â?¢ Community food systems â?¢ Water organizations â?¢ Diversified â?¢ Health care â?¢ Sustainable agriculture â?¢ Energy â?¢ Ranchers institutions â?¢ Educational farms â?¢ Air quality â?¢ Certified organic â?¢ Fishermen Farm labor â?¢ Urban agriculture â?¢ Biodiversity â?¢ Mixed organic / â?¢ Foresters â?¢ Family farm â?¢ Community gardens â?¢ Wildlife â?¢ conventional Health sector â?¢ Beginning farmers â?¢ Coalitions and alliances â?¢ Coalitions and â?¢ Eco - labeling â?¢ Farm workers - alliances â?¢ Conservation turned - farmers practices â?¢ Small scale Ag Environmental â?¢ IPM â?¢ Medium scale â?¢ Immigration organizations organizations â?¢ conventional â?¢ Large scale â?¢ Animal welfare Producers â?¢ Housing â?¢ Hunger â?¢ Ag publications Community â?¢ Homelessness â?¢ Journalists â?¢ Religious / faith organizations â?¢ Authors Media Stakeholders â?¢ Coalitions and â?¢ TV , radio , newspaper alliances ASI strives for a base of diverse â?¢ Artists stakeholders in terms of â?¢ National race / ethnicity , gender , â?¢ Local , independent â?¢ Customers of co - ops , Consumers geographic region , urban / rural , CSAs , farmers markets , socioeconomics , age , etc . supermarkets , etc â?¢ Foundations â?¢ Parents Donors â?¢ Individual philanthropists â?¢ Distributors â?¢ Institutional customers â?¢ Corporate donors â?¢ Wholesale â?¢ Consumer organizations Food & Ag â?¢ Marketers and advocacy groups â?¢ Ag agencies â?¢ Processors industry â?¢ Environmental agencies â?¢ Food service â?¢ Natural resources agencies â?¢ Retailers â?¢ Health agencies â?¢ International Government Researchers & â?¢ Restaurants â?¢ Transportation trade & finance Extensionists â?¢ Elected officials and policy â?¢ Financial & makers business sector â?¢ UC faculty and extension specialists Educators Students â?¢ Ag services â?¢ UCCE advisors and county directors â?¢ Pest control advisers â?¢ Policy institutes â?¢ ANR statewide programs â?¢ Veterinarians â?¢ K - 12 Others â?¢ Landscape architects â?¢ UC institutes and centers â?¢ Crop consultants â?¢ 4H , FFA â?¢ City & regional planners â?¢ Other UC staff â?¢ Nurseries , seed , chemical â?¢ Colleges , universities â?¢ Housing developers â?¢ Other universities companies â?¢ Non traditional â?¢ Equipment designers â?¢ USDA - ARS â?¢ Irrigation advisers â?¢ Sustainable agriculture â?¢ Native American & tribal government â?¢ Community research institutions â?¢ Weather services â?¢ Student organizations â?¢ International development â?¢ Master gardeners â?¢ Certifiers & auditors â?¢ Other coalitions & alliances â?¢ International & national researchers Key organizational characteristics * â?¢ Often place - based â?¢ Linking science + community + policy â?? driven by stakeholders â?? needs â?¢ Problem - focused â?¢ Empirical â?¢ Collaborative , multi - disciplinary Multiple scales â?? plot to global ; past , present , future â?¢ * Harvard University , Kennedy School of Government , Initiative on Science and Technology for Sustainabilty www.ksg.harvard.edu / sustsci Our Land Grant heritage in the US : â?? sustainability science â?쳌 a century ago â?¢ Place - based : Yes . e : â?¢ Linking different types of knowledg Close links between science and farm community ; clear understanding of users and their needs . : Yes . â?¢ Problem focused , empirical : ? â?¢ Interdisciplinary : No , mainly plot - based . â?¢ Multiple scales What skills will the next generation of leaders need ? Discovery skills â?¢ Strong science training â?¢ Ability to cross scales â?¢ Also need ability to bridge the dichotomy between â?? basic â?쳌 and â?? applied â?쳌 science What skills will the next generation of leaders need ? Engagement skills â?¢ Bridging across disciplines â?¢ Bridging across very different groups of people ( social and political â?? savvy â?? are not just social science skills ) â?¢ What are the implications for how we approach higher education ? Arnim Wiek , ASU Feb 2010 ASI is a hub for sustainability programs â?¢ Agricultural Sustainability Institute ( ASI ) founded 2006 â?¢ Student Experimental Farm founded 1977 â?¢ Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program ( SAREP ) founded 1986 â?¢ Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility : SAFS ( 1986 ) and LTRAS ( 1989 ) â?¢ Proposed new undergraduate major in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems . â?¢ Future support for graduate programs in agroecology and allied disciples at UC Davis . How does ASI work ? A Vision of ASI as a â?¦ Convenor : bringing diverse Action tank : linking science perspectives together with action for sustainable solutions Clearinghouse : Pioneer : taking early action synthesizing , translating , and communicating useful on major issues information Incubator : nurturing the next Think tank : being the generation of agricultural leaders thought leader for interdisciplinary research Where will we start ? Priority Issues for California The 10 issues most often ranked in top 3 1 . Competition for water 6 . Water use efficiency 2 . Farmland preservation 7 . Public understanding 3 . Food systems 8 . Habitat preservation 4 . Climate Change 9 . Petroleum dependence 5 . 10 . Air Viability of small - and and water pollution medium - sized farms What does ASI do ? Themes and initiatives * â?¢ Education & leadership : new undergraduate major ; experiential learning for elementary and high schools ; awards , scholarships , National Symposium â?¢ Food & society : regional markets ; community food security ; food system assessments ; farm worker wellbeing â?¢ Agriculture , resources & environment : energy and climate footprints ; management of nutrients and water ; â?? closing the loop â?쳌 to convert waste into resources ; harnessing ecosystem services to increase sustainability â?¢ Crosscutting initiatives : sustainability benchmarks for Californiaâ??s food system ; California Agroecosystem Planning Project * in various stages of development Thank you . I welcome your questions and comments . Email : tptomich @ ucdavis.edu For more information , please visit : ASI.ucdavis.edu