IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i5p705-d97109.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Integrating Agroecology and Participatory Action Research (PAR): Lessons from Central America

Author

Listed:
  • V. Ernesto Méndez

    (Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), Department of Plant and Soil Science and Environmental Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA)

  • Martha Caswell

    (Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), Department of Plant and Soil Science and Environmental Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA)

  • Stephen R. Gliessman

    (Community Agroecology Network (CAN), Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
    Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA)

  • Roseann Cohen

    (Community Agroecology Network (CAN), Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA)

Abstract

The last decade has seen an increasing advancement and interest in the integration of agroecology and participatory action research (PAR). This article aims to: (1) analyze the key characteristics and principles of two case studies that integrated PAR and agroecology in Central America; and (2) learn from the lessons offered by these case studies, as well as others from the literature, on how to better integrate PAR and agroecology. Key principles identified for effective PAR agroecological processes include a shared interest in research by partners, a belief in collective power/action, a commitment to participation, practicing humility and establishing trust and accountability. Important lessons to consider for future work include: (1) research processes that did not start as PAR, can evolve into it; (2) farmer/stakeholder participation in setting the research agenda, from the outset, results in higher engagement and enhanced outcomes; (3) having the right partners for the desired outcomes is key; (4) intentional and explicit reflection is an essential component of PAR processes; and (5) cross-generational collaborations are crucial to long-term benefits. Key challenges that confront PAR processes include the need for time and resources over longer periods; the complexity of multi-actor process facilitation; and institutional barriers within the academy and development organizations, which prevent shifting investment towards integrated PAR agroecological processes.

Suggested Citation

  • V. Ernesto Méndez & Martha Caswell & Stephen R. Gliessman & Roseann Cohen, 2017. "Integrating Agroecology and Participatory Action Research (PAR): Lessons from Central America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:705-:d:97109
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/5/705/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/5/705/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jeff Dlott & Miguel Altieri & Mas Masumoto, 1994. "Exploring the theory and practice of participatory research in US sustainable agriculture: A case study in insect pest management," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 11(2), pages 126-139, March.
    2. Jeffery Bentley, 1994. "Facts, fantasies, and failures of farmer participatory research," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 11(2), pages 140-150, March.
    3. Nyantakyi-Frimpong, Hanson & Mambulu, Faith Nankasa & Bezner Kerr, Rachel & Luginaah, Isaac & Lupafya, Esther, 2016. "Agroecology and sustainable food systems: Participatory research to improve food security among HIV-affected households in northern Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 89-99.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pawera, Lukas & Manickam, Ravishankar & Wangungu, Carolyne & Bonnarith, Uon & Schreinemachers, Pepijn & Ramasamy, Srinivasan, 2024. "Guidance on farmer participation in the design, testing and scaling of agricultural innovations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Volker Hoffmann & Kirsten Probst & Anja Christinck, 2007. "Farmers and researchers: How can collaborative advantages be created in participatory research and technology development?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 24(3), pages 355-368, September.
    3. George Norton & Edwin Rajotte & Victor Gapud, 1999. "Participatory research in integrated pest management: Lessons from the IPM CRSP," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 16(4), pages 431-439, December.
    4. Diana Córdoba, 2017. "Politization, participation, and innovation:Socializing agricultural research in Bolivia," Apuntes. Revista de ciencias sociales, Fondo Editorial, Universidad del Pacífico, vol. 44(81), pages 123-150.
    5. Murray Bruges & Willie Smith, 2008. "Participatory approaches for sustainable agriculture: A contradiction in terms?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(1), pages 13-23, January.
    6. Bacon, Christopher M. & Sundstrom, William A. & Stewart, Iris T. & Maurer, Ed & Kelley, Lisa C., 2021. "Towards smallholder food and water security: Climate variability in the context of multiple livelihood hazards in Nicaragua," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    7. Nathan Einbinder & Helda Morales & Mateo Mier y Terán Giménez Cacho & Bruce G. Ferguson & Miriam Aldasoro & Ronald Nigh, 2022. "Agroecology from the ground up: a critical analysis of sustainable soil management in the highlands of Guatemala," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 979-996, September.
    8. Kansanga, Moses Mosonsieyiri & Kangmennaang, Joseph & Bezner Kerr, Rachel & Lupafya, Esther & Dakishoni, Laifolo & Luginaah, Isaac, 2021. "Agroecology and household production diversity and dietary diversity: Evidence from a five-year agroecological intervention in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    9. Cramb, R. A. & Purcell, T. & Ho, T. C. S., 2004. "Participatory assessment of rural livelihoods in the Central Highlands of Vietnam," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 255-272, September.
    10. Aurora Kagawa-Viviani & Penny Levin & Edward Johnston & Jeri Ooka & Jonathan Baker & Michael Kantar & Noa Kekuewa Lincoln, 2018. "I Ke Ēwe ʻĀina o Ke Kupuna: Hawaiian Ancestral Crops in Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-36, December.
    11. Harvey James & Iddisah Sulemana, 2014. "Case studies on smallholder farmer voice: an introduction to a special symposium," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(4), pages 637-641, December.
    12. Tobias Hahn & Jonatan Pinkse & Lutz Preuss & Frank Figge, 2015. "Tensions in Corporate Sustainability: Towards an Integrative Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 297-316, March.
    13. Andreas Neef & Dieter Neubert, 2011. "Stakeholder participation in agricultural research projects: a conceptual framework for reflection and decision-making," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 28(2), pages 179-194, June.
    14. Franziska Marfurt & Tobias Haller & Patrick Bottazzi, 2023. "Green Agendas and White Markets: The Coloniality of Agroecology in Senegal," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, June.
    15. Misiko, M., 2013. "Dilemma in participatory selection of varieties," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 35-42.
    16. Elena Pagliarino & Secondo Rolfo, 2021. "Examining Researchers’ Attitudes, Barriers, and Opportunities for Participatory Research: The Case of the Riso-Biosystems Project on Organic Rice," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, April.
    17. Benjamin Cohen, 2009. "The once and future georgic: agricultural practice, environmental knowledge, and the place for an ethic of experience," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 26(3), pages 153-165, September.
    18. Bousset, Jean-Paul & Macombe, Catherine & Taverne, M., 2005. "Participatory methods, guidelines and good practice guidance to be applied throughout the project to enhance problem definition, co-learning, synthesis and dissemination," Reports 9302, Wageningen University, SEAMLESS: System for Environmental and Agricultural Modelling; Linking European Science and Society.
    19. Benoit, Marie & Garnier, Josette & Beaudoin, Nicolas & Billen, Gilles, 2016. "A participative network of organic and conventional crop farms in the Seine Basin (France) for evaluating nitrate leaching and yield performance," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 105-113.
    20. Sidney Madsen & Rachel Bezner Kerr & Noelle LaDue & Isaac Luginaah & Chipiliro Dzanja & Laifolo Dakishoni & Esther Lupafya & Lizzie Shumba & Catherine Hickey, 2021. "Explaining the impact of agroecology on farm-level transitions to food security in Malawi," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(4), pages 933-954, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:705-:d:97109. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.