Discussing ecosystem services in management of agroecosystems: a role playing game in the eastern Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

This research assessed how ecosystem services (ES) are taken into account in the decision-making process of stakeholders involved in the management of agroecosystems, in particular agroforestry systems, and how an Role-Playing Game (RPG) can serve as a tool to allow them to discuss the issues concerned. The study was conducted in two municipalities (Paragominas and Irituia) located in the Brazilian Amazon. The game was developed in 2018 using a co-construction process that mainly included farmers, students and researchers. Data was collected during two sessions of the game held in 2019, with participation by heterogeneous participants from different local institutions. Our results demonstrated that game sessions showed how the provision of ES, as well as other factors (e.g. values, availability of factors), is taken into account in planning the spatio-temporal configuration of the agroecosystem and associated agricultural practices. They also revealed some trade-offs involved in this decision-making process. We conclude that the RPG allowed stakeholders to synthesize and discuss different types of knowledge about this process. Bringing these elements to the discussion can contribute to an improved shared understanding of the challenges and possibilities of the ecological management of agroecosystems and can indicate solutions that are in line with local expectations.