European farmers and participatory rural appraisal: A systematic literature review on experiences to optimize rural development (original) (raw)
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In most development farmers are informants or at best data collectors. They do not participate in analysing data and taking decisions based on the analysis. This process looses the use of inherent analytical capacity of the farmers. The resultant development process although may lead to tangible development results in the short run does not lead to a sustained innovation by the local villagers and also does not lead to institution building at the village level. This does not lead to building of an enabling environment in which innovations are encouraged from local people.
Collaboration Turn: towards understanding stakeholder empowerment for agrarian policy making
Public Policy and Administration, 2018
In the wake of Brexit, the change scenarios discussed by the EU speak of a higher decision independence in member states. Therefore, Lithuania faces a task to essentially review the practice of policy of agriculture. Also, the changes in balance of the power of stakeholders have become mandatory in consideration of global market, changing consumers’ needs and technological progress. Thus, a current tradition where interest groups represent the stakeholders’ rather than participate in protecting joint interests, should be changed. With respect to the relevance, the goal of the article is to propose the conceptual model of balanced stakeholder power in the processes of decision making when forming agrarian policy. Theoretical approach of collaborative governance was invoked along with meta-analysis of publications on stakeholder participation, collaboration and empowerment.
Agriculture and Human Values, 2011
Recent discourse in the field of participatory agricultural research has focused on how to blend various forms and intensities of stakeholder participation with quality agricultural science, moving beyond the simple “farmer-first” ideology of the 1980s and early 1990s. Yet, most existing frameworks of participation in agricultural research still adhere to a linear typology of participatory research with an inherent claim of “the more participation, the better.” In this article, we propose a new framework that looks at participatory research elements along different dimensions and attributes and thus takes into account the diversity and dynamics of agricultural research projects. The framework provides a basis for agricultural researchers engaged in participatory processes with local stakeholders to decide for which issues and in which phases certain participatory elements could be used in a specific research context. Rather than aiming at maximizing the adoption of participatory methods, it can thus become a tool for optimizing the use of participatory approaches in agricultural research. We conclude that this framework can be a starting point for a more thoughtful integration of participatory elements in agricultural research projects that does justice to the multidimensional and dynamic nature of stakeholder participation in varying contexts.
Representation of agricultural producers’ interests: substantiation of the research construct
Ukrainian Food Journal, 2018
Introduction. The research aims to substantiate a construct of the scientific research which enables assess the associated agricultural producers' involvement in agricultural policy-making processes. Materials and methods. Methods of scientific discourse analysis, survey of agricultural producers, statistical data analysis, systematization and synthesis of scientific insights were used. The theoretical background is based on analysis of management theories explaining a nature of inter-organizational interaction. Results and discussion. Representation of agricultural producers' interests in policy making processes is inappropriate. We chose Lithuania as example and found that even 85.6 percent of farmers are completely not members of any association or union and only about 10 percent of them participate in activities of organizations of agricultural area. The research results show that in the context of EU financial support for agriculture the problem of stakeholder participation in policy making processes deforms the opportunities of big and small farmers to defend their interests. Participative and Collaborative Governance and concept of partnership and inter-organizational collaboration were achieved i) by distinguishing characteristic groups of associated agricultural producer organizations' participation in agricultural policy making processes, ii) by compiling a scheme of research on the balance of need satisfaction and interest expression of associated agricultural producers, and iii) by forming theory-based battery of interview questions for further qualitative survey was. During analyzing results of research it was found that the implementation of interests based on needs should become a core task for policy makers. In order to do so, it must be ensured that stakeholders' influential power is balanced, and the needs of all interest groups are appropriately evaluated. The research results show that the assumptions for better opportunities to take agricultural stakeholder needs into consideration when forming and implementing agricultural policy could be strengthened. Conclusions. Research allows systematically gather qualitative data and better substantiates recommendations to politicians and representatives of agricultural producer associations.
A Stakeholder Approach to Community Participation in a Rural Development Project
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The paper draws on recent developments in participatory research to design and test an approach to planning farmer participatory research, which explicitly involves a range of institutional actors in the process. Their different perspectives contribute to a shared understanding of the needs, wishes and abilities of different institutions and members of rural communities to contribute to the research process. The methodology has emerged from experience in a range of countries. It was explored during a project planning workshop in India and further insights are provided from work in Bangladesh and Bolivia. This experience suggests that the method may be particularly useful in participatory research planning, where a range of different institutions are involved and where partnerships are being built between non-government, government and/or academic organisations. The method provides tools and a process for effectively demonstrating differences in the expectations and contributions of ...
Stakeholder management in regional design and development processes: how to involve farmers?
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The project 'Echt Overijssel!' aims to meet regional nature, landscape and agricultural goals by designing and implementing the concept of regional agriculture: new collaboration concepts and alternative product chains. Involving farmers in this process is necessary but complex. Many farmers struggle with keeping their businesses profitable and hesitate to put time and effort in processes that do not explicitly address their immediate interests. To address these interests and at the same time develop common goals and concepts, we followed a dual approach. In a forecasting route we established three farmers' networks that focus on topics close to farmers' everyday management and facilitate knowledge co-creation. These networks are to provide building blocks for regional agriculture. As a backcasting route, we launched an interactive design process that starts with developing shared visions and continues with the design and implementation of common concepts of regional...
This paper offers a conceptual model for integrative, participatory research for sustainable agriculture aimed at achieving impact. The purpose of the model is to provide a systematic framework for farmer participatory research that can guide the design of projects, their analysis and the documentation of results. In the model, explicit boundaries are drawn between research and development, development and extension and between extension and implementation. The objectives, activities and actors associated with each of these realms are described; and the desired focus for monitoring and evaluation during the whole process is clarified. Examples are provided from three case studies of participatory projects with a retrospective analysis and self-critique based upon the model.
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International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2019
Sustainable agricultural development (SAD) requires empowerment and engagement of all actors in the agricultural production and supply chain to enable change. This paper proposes a novel framework for Participatory Sustainable Agricultural Development (PSAD) that distinguishes four main classes of factors that influence participation in SAD: environmental, economic, social and governance-related. The factors in each of these classes are analysed in relation to their effect over time, on the basis of 49 SAD programmes reported in the literature. Findings show that the social factors of engagement and empowerment, not often addressed in existing SAD programmes, are of significant influence to effect over time, as are the environmental factors of food safety, and the economic factors of production and capacity development. As such this paper shows that in in addition to the wellacknowledged need for knowledge and skills related to food safety, production and capacity development, SAD programmes also need to address the social factors of engagement and empowerment to enable sustainable change over time for SAD through participation.