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Boundary Organizations, Objects and Agents: Linking Knowledge with Action in Agroforestry Watersheds. Report of a Workshop held in Batu, Malang, East Java, Indonesia, 26-29 July 2007

Author

Listed:
  • Elizabeth McNie
  • Meine van Noordwijk
  • William C. Clark
  • Nancy M. Dickson
  • Prof Suyanto
  • Niken Sakuntaladewi
  • Lwxman Joshi
  • Beria Leimona
  • Kurniatun Hairiah
  • Noviana Khususiyah

Abstract

On July 26-29, 2007, researchers, scholars, and practitioners convened at Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, to share, learn about, and discuss, preliminary findings from a research project conducted by the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) South Asia and the Sustainability Science Program at Harvard University called, "Integrating knowledge and policy for the management of natural resources in international development: The role of boundary organizations." Scholarship in the north/west theorizes that boundary organizations, and their compliments of boundary objects, boundary work, and boundary agents, enhance the linkages between various forms of knowledge (e.g., scientific, indigenous, political) and action (e.g., policies, behavioral changes, decisions), thus increasing the usefulness of information for decisions and therefore improving outcomes. The ICRAF/Harvard research sought to explore how well these northern/western concepts apply in the challenging context of linking knowledge with action in Indonesian agroforestry problems. Specifically, they researched an ICRAF program called RUPES (Rewarding Upland Poor for Environmental Services). The purpose of this workshop was threefold: The ICRAF/Harvard research team wanted to share their initial assumptions about the role of boundary organizations as understood from northern/western literature; The ICRAF/Harvard team wanted to learn from the expert scholars and practitioners gathered for the workshop experience in linking knowledge with action for sustainable agroforestry and watershed management based on their own experiences and research in Indonesia. The ICRAF/Harvard team wanted to synthesize the initial findings from their research with perspectives of the workshop attendees in order to inform the research project and thus broaden their understanding of the role of boundary organizations in sustainable development in Indonesia. Findings from the workshop indicated that significant differences exist between northern/western notions of boundary organizations, boundary work, and boundary agents and the RUPES (Rewarding Upland Poor for Environmental Services) model. These findings suggest that future efforts to link knowledge with action for sustainable development should consider the following observations when designing their institutions and organizations to achieve desired policy objectives. What follows is a summary of the most important discoveries from the workshop.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth McNie & Meine van Noordwijk & William C. Clark & Nancy M. Dickson & Prof Suyanto & Niken Sakuntaladewi & Lwxman Joshi & Beria Leimona & Kurniatun Hairiah & Noviana Khususiyah, 2008. "Boundary Organizations, Objects and Agents: Linking Knowledge with Action in Agroforestry Watersheds. Report of a Workshop held in Batu, Malang, East Java, Indonesia, 26-29 July 2007," CID Working Papers 34, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
  • Handle: RePEc:cid:wpfacu:34
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tomas Hellström & Merle Jacob, 2003. "Boundary organisations in science: From discourse to construction," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(4), pages 235-238, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. William C. Clark & Thomas P. Tomich & Meine van Noordwijk & Nancy M. Dickson & Delia Catacutan & David Guston & Elizabeth McNie, 2010. "Toward a General Theory of Boundary Work: Insights from the CGIAR’s Natural Resource Management Programs," CID Working Papers 199, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    2. Koch, Susanne, 2018. "“Identifying enabling factors of science-policy interaction in a developing country context: A case study of South Africa's environment sector”," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 36-45.
    3. van Noordwijk, Meine & Dickson, Nancy M. & Catacutan, Delia & Guston, David & McNie, Elizabeth & Tomich, Thomas P. & Clark, William C., 2010. "Toward a General Theory of Boundary Work: Insights from the CGIAR’s Natural Resource Management Programs," Scholarly Articles 4450046, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    4. Mabiso, Athur & van Rheenen, Teunis & Ferguson, Jenna, 2013. "Organizational partnerships for food Policy research impact: A review of what works:," IFPRI discussion papers 1305, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable development; environmental policy; sustainability; boundary work; boundary organizations; agroforestry systems; watersheds;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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