The presentation by Dr. Abigael Otinga (University of Eldoret) outlines the concept of “ecosystem services” and particularly their relevance not only for biodiversity conservation but also for ensuring sustainable production of healthy and abundant crops. The presentation was given at a national training workshops for stakeholders involved in the revision of the Kenya NBSAP that was held at ICRAF in Nairobi, 25-26 May 2016. More information on the event are available at: www.fao.org/africa/news/detail-news/en/c/417489/ .

1. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES-concept and use in both
biodiversity conservation and agricultural
development
Abigael Nekesa Otinga
School of Agriculture and Biotechnology,
University of Eldoret, Kenya
MAY 2016

2. The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Report (MA, 2005), broadly defines
ecosystem services as ‘the benefits humans obtain from ecosystems.’
However….
Not operational for all research purposes (Boyd and Banzhaf 2007,
Wallace 2007 and Fisher and Turner 2008, Maeler et al. 2008), and efforts
have been made to more carefully classify and understand ecosystem
service to make their analysis more operational Fisher et al 2009).
Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems
to human well-being, they support directly or indirectly our survival and
quality of life.
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

3. From an economic standpoint an Ecosystem service is ‘a good or service flowing
from an ecosystem that is of value to humans and occurs naturally’.
Ej = r (N)
Ej = jth ecosystem service
N = natural capital (ecosystem structure)
r = ecosystem function or process
Example:
Water quality= r (precipitation, terrain, soils, aquifers,
biota)
Introduction…

4. Categories of Ecosystem services
Introduction…
 Provisioning services -Products obtained from ecosystems such
as food, fresh water, wood, fiber, genetic resources and medicines.
 Regulating services -Benefits obtained from the regulation of
ecosystem processes such as climate regulation, natural hazard
regulation, water purification and waste management, pollination or
pest control.
 Habitat services -Ecosystems providing habitat for migratory
species and to maintain the viability of gene-pools.
 Cultural services include non-material benefits that people
obtain from ecosystems such as spiritual enrichment, intellectual
development, recreation and aesthetic values.

5. Agriculture = 40% terrestrial land use (Ramankuty and
Foley, 1999)
The origins of new agricultural
land in the tropics, 1980–2000.
II. INTRODUCTION TO THE AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS
-AGROECOSYSTEM SERVICES

6. INTRODUCTION TO THE AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS
-AGROECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Agricultural ecosystems-
-provide humans with food, forage, bioenergy and
pharmaceuticals
Examples of functioning agricultural ecosystems
Annual crop monocultures, Temperate perennial orchards,
Grazing systems, Arid land pastoral systems, Tropical shifting cultivation systems,
Smallholder mixed cropping systems,
Paddy rice systems, Tropical plantations (e.g. oil palm, coffee, cacao), Agroforestry
systems and species rich home gardens

7. Services associated with agricultural ecosystems
are Provisioning services
Provisioning services-
Products obtained from ecosystems such as food, fresh
water, wood, fiber, genetic resources and medicines.
Also provide other services such as
Regulatory services-flood control, water quality control,
carbons sequestration, climate regulation through
greenhouse gasses regulation, disease regulation and
waste treatment
Cultural services such as scenic beauty, education,
recreation and tourism and traditional use
Agroecosystems also do consume and/or
benefit from some of these services….
Services flowing to agriculture (Power, 2010)
1. Biological pest control
2. Pollination
3. Water quantity and Quality
4. Soil structure and fertility
5. Landscape influences on the delivery of
ecosystem services

8. Improving a traditional practice
(e.g. Zai pits)
Harnessing the power of ecological
interactions to promote productive
farming systems. E.g. pest control
New science-To develop a new system
(e.g. push--‐pull)
Management of agricultural ecosystems to realize services
Ecosystem services from agriculture
Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions (Power, 2010)
 Increase in nitrogen use efficiency
 Carbon sequestration

9. Compost/No
till/Intercropping
Insectory
strips
Crop
Rotation/Co
ver Crop
Hedgerow/
Buffer strips
Riprarian
corridors
Natural
areas
Nutrients Water
Pest
Control
Pollination
Supporting Agro-biodiversity
Soils
Kremen, Iles and Bacon, 2012. ecology and society
Plot Field Landscape
….Which is key to sustainability.
Management of agricultural ecosystems to realize services

10. III. Case study: Value of the Ecosystem Services to Kenya-An economic
valuation of the Montane Forests
Montane forests provide Regulatory services-
Regulatory services-Climate regulation,
Natural hazard regulation, Waste
management, Water purification, Pollination,
Pest control
When deforestation occurs, these regulatory
services are lost
Montane forests regulate Kenya’s water yield
(15,800 M m3/year)-very valuable to Agriculture,
foretsry, Electricity, Hotel and accommodation,
etc…
By 2010, the cumulative negative effect of
deforestation on the economy through
reduction in regulating services was an
estimated KES 3.65B yr-1, more than 2.6 times
the cash revenue of deforestation.
Figure: The Kenyan water towers-1-Mt. Kenya, 2-The Aberdare
Range, 3-The Mau Complex, and 4. Mt Kilimanjaro.
Source:http://www.unep.org/dewa/Assessments/Ecosystems/Land
/EastAfricanMontaneForests/

11. The cash value of forest products has a once-off value, the benefits of regulating services in preceding years
continue to be felt in the economy in every subsequent year that the national asset, the Water Towers, is
degraded.
Breakdown of the 3.65 B KES…(Effects of deforestation) (UNEP 2012b)
Loss of Regulatory Service Monetary
Value (KES B)
Changes in river flows resulting from a reduction in dry-season river flows, which reduced
the assurance of water supply to irrigation agriculture-reduction in agricultural output
2.63
Reduced river flows also lowered hydropower generation by 0.012
In 2010, reduction in water quality due to siltation and elevated nutrient levels running off
degraded land into fresh water systems reduced inland fish catches
0.086
Increased the cost of water treatment for potable use by 0.192
Well-managed montane forest cover reduces malarial disease prevalence. Incidence of
malaria as a result of deforestation is estimated to have cost. This resulted in additional
health costs to the Government of Kenya and through losses in labour productivity
0.395
Forest loss is also detrimental to the global carbon cycle. The above-ground carbon
storage value forgone through deforestation was estimated
0.341
TOTAL 3.65

12. IV. POLICIES TO ENHANCE THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
African leaders have a commitment in in the safeguarding of ecosystem services while reducing poverty in the
continent.
Priority areas identified by African leaders through their environmental ministers are (Egoh et al., 2012)
1. Enhanced financial support, including through innovative ways of mobilizing financial resources (e.g., via
payment for ecosystem services (PES)).
2. The reduction of deforestation via reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).
3. The support of establishment of Intergovernmental science policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES) and full contributions to such a platform including the creation of a pan-African committee.
IPBES which was agreed to be formed by more than 90 countries around the world and charged with providing
scientifically sound information to support decision making on biodiversity and ecosystem services
(http://www.ipbes.net/)
4. Many challenges remain and include the valuation of ecosystem services….(this could be created also as a
priority area by governments…Endorsement of TEEB (The international body charged with the
economics of ecosystems-(http://www.teebweb.org) which is yet to be endorsed by many countries.
5. National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAP) including a national spatial biodiversity
assessment.

13. References
 UNEP, (2012 a). The Role and Contribution of Montane Forests and Related
Ecosystem Services to the Kenyan Economy
 UNEP, (2012b). Kenya. Integrated forest ecosystem services. Technical
report.
 UNEP, (2012c). Kenya. Economy-wide impact technical report. Technical
Report.