Session Organiser: Brent Corcoran

Background
WWF-SA, in conjunction with SANBI’s Grasslands Programme and UKZN’s School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, wants to explore the link between agricultural good management practices for animal production systems on natural grasslands and biodiversity conservation [Note: the focus is on grasslands and NOT on savannah systems].

The key question: if agricultural good management practices are implemented, what biodiversity features are well conserved, which ones are not well conserved and which ones need further research.

The rationale for this question: WWF’s work with the Grasslands Programme is focused on mainstreaming biodiversity in the agricultural sector. One of the key deliverables is to explore how biodiversity can be considered more effectively in animal production systems on natural grasslands. Therefore, instead of handing over all possible biodiversity good management practice guidelines for use in the agricultural sector, the approach is to consider what is agricultural good management practice for animal production systems, what guidelines exist, what are the benefits for biodiversity and for ecosystem goods and services (i.e. grazing resources, pollinators, water, carbon, sedimentation), and then to consider what biodiversity good management practice needs to be incorporated into agricultural good management practices. This is a far more effective way for mainstreaming than just trying to hand over everything about biodiversity to the agric sector.

It is recognised that this approach is one of a suite of tools to incorporate biodiversity into the agricultural sector. Another tool is biodiversity stewardship, where the focus is on securing biodiversity with landowners in a more formal, legal way. Of course, the aim is to retain viable biodiversity compatible land-uses on such sites, such as ecotourism and sustainable animal production.

In this regard, another question we also want to answer is “if areas are set aside in a biodiversity stewardship arrangement, what are appropriate stocking rates and other veld management requirements, where the conservation requirements are a lot more explicit than in areas with general agricultural best practice, but where the conservation authorities want to ensure that the animal production activities remain financially viable”.

These insights will be used to determine:
(i) how the conservation sector can work with agricultural sector to strengthen both the agricultural good management practice guidelines AND their implementation;
(ii) the preparation of biodiversity good management practice guidelines for incorporation into agricultural best practice guidelines;
(iii) priorities for further research around this issues (note: will be incorporated into the Grasslands Research Strategy for the Grasslands Programme).

Approach to this Special Session

A Concept Paper will be prepared in advance of the Congress through interaction with various agricultural and conservation scientists and practitioners. This will be emailed out by early July 2009 to those attending the Special Session at the Congress.

The Special Session will be an open session, but every attempt will be made to identify and invite specific specialists from the agriculture and conservation sectors to participate in the session.

The structure of the Special Session is as follows:

• Introduction and setting the scene, purpose for the Special Session
• Keynote Speakers on the Concept Paper, and aspects in the Concept Paper
• Plenary and Small-group discussions
• Plenary session to confirm conclusions from discussions, including recommendations on improving the Concept Paper, and on the way forward

The aim is produce a final concept paper after the Congress, and to consider how this work could be published in a relevant scientific publication. Further work on the Concept Paper may well be needed after the Congress, the results of which could be presented in an updated version at the GSSA Congress in 2010.

Workshop Organisers: Keith Ramsay and Kedibone Chueu

The format of the workshop will be a limited number of presentations followed by inter-active discussions to unpack the title of the workshop; the ultimate objective being to provide recommendations on ‘models for a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach on NRM.

Platform Presentations (in no particular order):

• Challenges for emerging crop and livestock farmers in Limpopo province – further reflection, Neil D MacLeod*, Cam K McDonald, Anthony Whitbread and Frits P van Oudtshoorn
• Developing a collaboration model for research:  A case of Limpopo emerging crop-livestock systems, Edward Nesamvuni
• The social dynamics of rangeland and livestock systems in the communal landscape of the Sekhukhune District of Limpopo Province, South Africa, Gerrit Rootman and Jorrie J Jordaan
• Contribution of maize stover to the livestock feed budget in Zimbabwe's initial resettlement schemes, Trust Chinuwo

Symposium Organiser: Willem Myburgh

Session Organiser: Tony Palmer

South Africa has traditionally addressed growing water security issues through the implementation of costly supply-side interventions, such as major inter-basin transfer and pumping schemes, and importing water from neighbouring countries. However, due to growing costs associated with these measures, and, critically, limited surplus water availability, the potential for supply-side interventions to address water security concerns is approaching capacity. The opportunity for rangeland owners to contribute to supply is once again on the agenda. Similarly, threats to biodiversity have long been associated with certain rangeland management activities, and graziers have the chance to quantify the contribution they make to maintaining biodiversity. Long term, sustainable solutions must now include catchment management strategies that address direct payment to users that are able to respond appropriately to improvements in key landscape functions. One of the greatest challenges to rangeland scientists is to provide the framework for objectively assessing the direct economic benefit that these solutions offer. In this session we will present perspectives on the ecosystem services that rangelands provide, give insights into what possible accounting methods can be applied, and present some of the constraints and challenges that PES (Payment for Ecosystem Services) presents in southern African rangelands.

Volunteer papers and posters are invited.

Symposium Organiser: Dr. Philip Botha, Outeniqua Research Farm

We kindly invite you to submit your titles within the framework provided below. This framework serves as a guideline for you as the author to align your topic of your paper accordingly. The following key aspects under which titles should be submitted are as follows (Titles as listed have already been allocated to relevant key aspects. Further submissions under these key aspects are welcomed):

1. SOIL RELATED ASPECTS SUCH AS:
1.1 Soil fertility and health
1.2 Irrigation scheduling and systems
1.3 No till cultivation practices
1.4 Conservation practices

2. PLANT RELATED ASPECTS SUCH AS:
2.1 Root development

Title 1: Nodulation and cross nodulation effectiveness of clover rhizobia isolated from the soils of the Eastern Cape, Andiswa Finca*, Anthony Okoh and John Howieson
2.2 Seed related topics
2.3 Production potential, both i) Seasonal production and ii) Total annual production
Title 1: The dry matter production and quality of ryegrass species over-sown into irrigated kikuyu for milk production, Janke van der Colf, Philip R Botha and Robin Meeske

Title 2: Chemical composition of browse and forage legumes at different stages of growth in Zimbabwe, Joseph Baloyi
2.4 Quality parameters
2.5 Palatability
2.6 Grazing management
2.7 Stocking rate
2.8 Over seeding management practices
Title 1: The dry matter production, grazing capacity and botanical composition of kikuyu/taaipol pasture over-sown with different mixtures of grass and legume species in a low input system for beef cattle, Philip R Botha, Dalena (M) M Robertson, Robin Meeske and S Vermeulen-Fenthum
2.9 Fodder flow

3. ANIMAL PRODUCTION ASPECTS SUCH AS:
3.1 Supplementary feeding
Title 1: High fiber concentrates for Jersey cows grazing kikuyu/ryegrass pasture, Robin Meeske
3.2 Grazing capacity
3.3 Animal production
Title 1: Milk production of dairy cows on different ryegrass species over-sown into irrigated kikuyu, Janke van der Colf, Robin Meeske and Philip R Botha
Title 2: Milk production of Jersey and Jersey/Fleckvieh crosses on kikuyu/ryegrass pasture, Robin Meeske and P Cronje
3.4 DM intake

4. ECONOMICS

Title 1: Economics of milk production from kikuyu/ryegrass systems, Robin Meeske, Philip R Botha and Janke van der Colf

5. OTHER RELATED TOPICS
If you are unable to find a relevant key aspect applicable for your abstract, please feel free to submit your abstract for submission including the relevant key aspect which you are addressing.

Please submit these titles by 31st March 2009 to the Congress email.

Background

The Department of Agriculture identified the need for a new National Long Term Grazing Capacity Map. The current 1993 map has various shortcomings and did not provide values for the previous homeland areas. A national steering committee has been appointed to take the lead in developing a new Long Term Grazing Capacity Map for South Africa.

Long term MODIS NDVI (vegetation index) values were used to produce the first draft map. A tree canopy cover layer was added to indicate areas of high tree canopy cover. On the last meeting of the steering committee it was decided to publish 9 provincial maps in stead of one national product.

Objective

In this workshop, grazing capacity experts from each province will have the opportunity to evaluate 3 different products from which they have to indicate the best values for their province. Delegates will be provided with the following maps:

1. The 1993 map
2. The 2007 MODIS derived map
3. Province own grazing capacity map (if available)

The workshop will tend as a report back on these products and changes, and no discussions on methodology will be allowed.

The main objective is to publish a product on a provincial level that is accepted by the province for use as Long Term Grazing Capacity Norms in the province.