Multifunctional land-use systems – a solution for food security in Africa?

Kapitel i bok, 2019

What is multifunctional land use?

Multifunctional land use is based on systems that are managed with the goal of producing more than one product or service. The products can be, for instance, grains, fodder, timber, firewood, biofuel, fruits or flowers, while the services can be water infiltration, wind breaks, microclimate regulation, carbon storage, erosion control, groundwater recharge or soil conservation, among others. Mander et al. (2007) describe landscapes as multifunctional through their simultaneous support of habitat, productiv- ity, regulatory, social, and economic functions. Heterogeneity (diversity), they noted, is a basic attribute of landscapes, and this heterogeneity implies the capacity of the landscape to support various and sometimes contra- dictory functions simultaneously...