Engagement Of Farmers Research Articles

Assessment of Smallholder Fish Farming Enterprise in Argungu Local Government Kebbi State

This study aimed to assess the engagement and interest of rural people in fisheries activities in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. One hundred and fifty (150) questionnaires were randomly distributed in the three villages. The questionnaires consisted of socioeconomic Characteristics as well as the current engagement of the rural people in fisheries activities and their interest in fish farming. The data obtained from the questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results indicate that the majority (73.3%) of these fish farmers are male, compared to (26.7%) who are female. A large proportion of fish farmers have attained primary education (30.7%). Regarding marital status and income levels, (66%) of the fish farmers are married and (68%) of the fish farmers earn less than 10,000 Naira monthly. The results on engagement and interest of smallholder farmers in fish farming enterprises show that (52.7%) of the fish farmers are actively engaged in fish farming. Fish farming enterprises reveal that smoking is the most commonly used method, with (53.2%) of the respondents favoring it. The most prevalent constraints in fish farming enterprise indicate that (58%), is the poor marketing system and poor storage facilities, which affects (56.7%) of the smallholder fish farmers. Based on this, it is recommended that there is a need to assist in setting up small-scale fish farming projects in rural areas with proper monitoring and supervision and Small-scale fish farming policies and practices to significantly improve food security, rural incomes and sustainable aquaculture development.

Perspectives on progression of transboundary disease, one health and ecosystem health management in the Greater Mekong Subregion and beyond

Livestock production in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) reflects the inefficient smallholder ‘keeper’ system that has been slow to adapt to the rapidly expanding demand for animal protein-sourced foods in the region as urban economies have flourished and food preferences altered. The prolonged surge in demand, with only modest increases in local production, has increased the movement of animals and products into and from the GMS, accompanied by surging risks of transboundary animal disease (TAD) incursions, including the one health (OH) threats of zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance. As a consequence, the region has been subjected to epidemics of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), new strains of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus, with recent incursions of African swine fever (ASF), lumpy skin disease (LSD), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and risks of peste petits ruminants (OPR) occurring in Southeast Asia (SEA) and beyond. These incidents reflect inadequate biosecurity, a sustainability issue that was clearly of relevance in the covid-19 pandemic, reflecting ecosystem health (EH) deficits, including land-use issues and unregulated trading in wildlife-sourced and poorly processed foods through the predominant ‘wet markets’. These challenges are increasingly confounded by slow adaption to the impacts of the climate crisis, including flooding, drought, crop failures and hypothermia episodes. The increase in animal and product movements enhances disease transmission risk, yet coincides with emerging concerns of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHGe) from livestock production, especially from large ruminants, as the world attempts to find pathways in managing the climate crisis. Despite the prolonged collaborative efforts of the SEA China FMD program from 1997 to 2023, a recent review confirmed persistent deficits in biosecurity, vaccine resourcing, disease surveillance, engagement of farmers, and national emergency disease-response capacities. A major project is about to fund major improvements in livestock value chains in Cambodia, including more effective biosecurity, surveillance and emergency disease-response capacities for TADs, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonoses. Similarly, a private-sector investment in Laos has developed a more climate-resilient livestock-feeding system that decreases GHGe impacts from ruminant production. These developments are likely to extend beyond both countries and be potentially transformational for the livelihoods of many of the poorest citizens in the region.

Farmers participatory evaluation of bread wheat varieties through seed producer cooperatives: evidence from Ethiopia

The limited engagement of farmers and their community agents in the process of variety development and evaluation is one of the main factors for lower rates of variety adoption, which resulted in lower crop productivity. Participatory bread wheat variety evaluation was jointly conducted by breeders, members of seed producer cooperative (SPC) and local experts with the objectives to identify farmers’ selection criteria, to assess farmers’ preferred varieties and to increase the SPC’s variety portfolios. Twelve released bread wheat varieties were evaluated during 2019 cropping season at Sekela district of Amhara region, Ethiopia. Pair-wise ranking was used to identify farmers’ selection criteria and direct matrix ranking to prioritize those selected criteria. Varieties were planted in two sets with and without lime application. Grain yield, followed by earliness, disease tolerance, and tillering capacity, was identified the first preferred criterion by farmers. The mean values showed that higher yield was recorded with the lime application compared to no lime application. Lemu (6.4 t/ha), Alidoro (6.3 t/ha), Dambal (6.3 t/ha), Obora (6.1 t/ha) and Liben (6.1 t/ha) had greater yield with lime application. The t-test results indicated that significant difference between with and without liming for the number of tillers per plant, spike length per plant, plant height, 1000 seed weight, and hectoliter weight, but non-significant difference for grain yield. The selected varieties should be included in the production plan of the cooperatives for large scale production to increase the variety portfolios and to address the demand of the farming community.

Identifying and addressing barriers and opportunities for bovine respiratory disease complex vaccination: a consensus paper on practical recommendations for best practise vaccination.

Many questions are raised, and challenges faced in the new era of (intranasal) bovine respiratory disease complex vaccination. An increase in vaccination rate is expected, due to its positive impact on cattle health, reduction of antimicrobial use and economic factors. However, engagement of farmers and veterinarians with regard to vaccination is often affected by limitations, resulting in the development of barriers to vaccination, but also opportunities to overcome these. The objective of the report is to provide practical recommendations and a consensus on best practises for BRDC vaccination, addressing barriers faced by veterinarians and farmers. The report combines an evidence review with expert opinions and includes discussions on different vaccination approaches, such as intranasal and systemic protocols. As result of the discussions, several barriers to BRDC vaccination were identified, including a lack of knowledge or visibility of the disease's impact, the preference for blanket antibiotic use over vaccination, resistance to change, the need for visible success, uncertainty about the best time to vaccinate, and concerns about adverse reactions and vaccine efficacy in the presence of maternal antibodies. While these barriers seem substantial, they provide opportunities for the veterinary sector. Indeed, veterinarians are encouraged to use the argumentation presented, along with local case studies and diagnostic testing to highlight the impact of disease, while conducting calf health audits, ensuring expectations are managed to achieve visible success. Overall, this consensus paper aims to provide practical recommendations and support for veterinarians and farmers to overcome barriers and increase BRDC vaccination rates in cattle.

Enhancing circular bioeconomy in Europe: Sustainable valorization of residual grassland biomass for emerging bio-based value chains

The growing interest in value-added materials from lignocellulosic biomass residues highlights their potential for environmental and economic benefits. However, a comprehensive understanding of the socio-technical implications of transitioning to a circular bioeconomy remains underexplored. This paper addresses this gap by introducing a conceptual framework delineating the niche innovation mechanisms that foster emerging circular grass-based value chains within this context. The analysis builds on an exploratory case study framework, expert interviews and workshops identify obstacles coinciding with different valorizing approaches: cascading, substitution, and complementary. The results indicate that the cascading approach struggles with biomass quality, efficiency, and industrial integration. The substitution approach underscores the need for streamlined processes and niche marketing, while the complementary approach requires technology adaptation and capacity-building programs. In light of these challenges, this study emphasizes three strategic niche management processes critical for the transition. First, active engagement of local farmers and landowners in waste stream valorization is proposed to unlock synergies and drive innovation in emerging value chains. Second, learning activities should prioritize continuous monitoring of novel grass-based products and promote open communication with end-users to enhance marketability. Third, given the institutional uncertainty and ambiguity, aligning expectations becomes crucial. This implies the necessity of coordinating interests among actors such as combining top-down and bottom-up policy measures. These are effective mechanisms for accelerating the transition to circular bioeconomy.

Remittances and agricultural productivity: the effect of heterogeneity in economic activity of farming households in Ghana

PurposeThis paper aims to test the impact of remittances receipt on agricultural productivity. The paper empirically assesses whether heterogeneity in economic activity of farming households affects the effects of remittances on productivity of tradable and nontradable crop farming households in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ propensity score matching (PSM) methods to address potential endogeneity issues that could arise from the estimation due to selection bias. This paper uses the seventh round of Ghana living standard survey dataset for Ghana.FindingsThe authors find that, the involvement of farming households in other economic activities alters the impact of remittances on crop yield. This differential impact also varies according whether the crop is tradeable or not.Practical implicationsPolicy can reduce the cost of sending remittances and include financial literacy modules in the farmer training modules to increase farmers' knowledge on investment of remittance in agricultural production.Originality/valueThe authors distinguish the paper from others by controlling for crop types (particularly tradeable or otherwise and gestation period), farming of a second or more crops and engagement of smallholder farmers in nonfarm economic activities.

The Significance of Agricultural Extension Activities for Wetland Rice Farmers in Serang, Indonesia

In the context of Serang, Indonesia, agricultural extension activities have recently faced challenges related to reduced participation, as observed by the majority of agricultural extension officers. This reduced participation manifests through the limited attendance of farmers in meetings, the passive engagement of farmers and their respective groups in facilitating extension activities, and the generally muted response to agricultural technology content presented during these sessions. Conversely, fostering greater participation in agricultural extension activities can be achieved through coordinated efforts with supportive assistance or the provision of incentives. This study aims to assess the significance of agricultural extension activities for wetland rice farmers in Serang, Indonesia. It adopts a qualitative research approach, focusing on the phenomenology of extension activities within the realm of rice farming in Serang. Data analysis for this study employs Husserl's transcendental phenomenology data analysis method, which is incorporated within the interactive model data analysis framework. The information pertaining to the experiences of agricultural extension activities, as recounted by the informants (farmers), was extracted by identifying specific statements made by the farmer informants during interviews. A total of 133 individual verbatim statements provided by informants were systematically categorized. Three overarching themes, or units of meaning, emerged from this categorization, revealing the essence of agricultural extension activities and the informants' perceptions. These themes are as follows: Extension as a Source of Information, Extension as a Source of Technology, and Extension as a Source of Assistance. They encapsulate the texture and structure of the farmers' experiences with rice farming extension activities. The textural description highlights aspects closely linked to the transmission of information, technology, government initiatives, and assistance delivery. The structural aspect examines the meaning of extension activities within the economic, learning, and participation contexts of the participants. Subsequently, the combined meaning and essence of the rice farming extension experiences for each farmer informant are synthesized, collectively painting a comprehensive picture of their experiences. These experiences extend beyond the acquisition of agricultural knowledge and technology; they also encompass the provision of much-needed assistance for farmers to effectively adopt and implement these innovations.

Does organizational support affect the governance performance of the farm irrigation system? Evidence from the Yellow River basin in China

AbstractThe engagement of farmers in the governance of farm irrigation systems is crucial for meeting irrigation demands and enhancing farm productivity. Theoretically, grassroots organizations' concerns and support for farmers will encourage them to participate in the activities of the organization, thus improving the management performance of the irrigation system. This paper examines the influence of organizational aid on the governance of agricultural irrigation systems using field survey data in the Yellow River basin, China. The seemingly unrelated regression model is used to explore the group disparities under distinct organizational circumstances and farm household characteristics. The study demonstrates that the software and hardware support provided by organizations can promote improved management performance of irrigation systems. In addition, considering the heterogeneity of organizational environments, such support is more conducive to enhancing the governance of systems in organizations with more cooperative atmospheres and higher degrees of fairness. From the perspective of the heterogeneity of system users, providing organizational support to growers with a low degree of nonagricultural transformation and labour shortage is more conducive to improving governance performance. Consequently, establishing an excellent organizational atmosphere and targeting organizational support to farmers is a viable means to optimize the governance of irrigation systems.

Capacitating Strategies to Promote Climate Resilient Coconut-based Farming Systems (CR-CBFS) in Vulnerable Coconut Communities of the Philippines

Climate extremes that continuously bring unpredictable weather patterns particularly strong typhoons and rainfall events devastated many coconut-producing areas in the Philippines. These weather patterns affected the livelihood of farmers and the whole supply chain of the coconut industry. Adoption of a clustering system of farmers is a key approach to sustaining the growing needs of the coconut industry. This will ensure the continuous engagement of farmers in coconut farming where good agricultural practices are performed in developing products that meet the domestic and international market standards. However, clustering of climate-resilient integrated farming systems through participation in multi-purpose cooperatives requires scientific guidance, market-driven production and market linkages.This paper integrates learnings from past coconut and coconut-based farming system (CBFS) projects. Further, it highlights the learning-by-doing approach where core trainers are developed to train farmer groups in designing location-specific climate-resilient CBFS using a hybrid curriculum of CR – Farmers Field School (CR – FFS) and Farmer Business School. This improvement in the integrated curriculum can change individual and community perspectives, improve farm practices, reduce the impacts of climate-related hazards and risks, provide sustainable livelihoods and enhance farmers’ participation in agri-enterprises. The CR-CBFS season-long training exercises will integrate climate risks and forecasts in farmers’ decision-making, provide technical and business lenses for improved farm productivity and profitability through the integration of complementary enterprises such as intercropping, livestock, value-adding and processing that consider environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors.

Strong call to safeguard traditional agriculture as habitat for threatened crane species

This Scientific Impact Paper summarizes the changes in policy and practice of crane conservation that have occurred since our 2019 research in the Cheorwon Basin located in the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Changes in National Policy as well as increased engagement of conservation NGOs have led to more engagement of farmers in safeguarding crane habitat in their fields. Yet the current system of low-intensity rice farming is dependent on military land-use restrictions. The Cheorwon Basin in the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) hosts the most important wintering site of two threatened crane species, the white-naped crane (Grus vipio) and the red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis). Both species predominately use harvested rice paddy fields as foraging sites (Kim et al., 2016). In 2019, we carried out a stakeholder analysis (Jin et al., 2021) revealing that local initiatives had successfully engaged farmers in conserving crane habitat on their fields, in part through the provision of direct and indirect financial incentives. Yet it proved challenging to engage stakeholders critical of crane conservation in our research (e.g., the military or firms interested in agricultural/ industrial development of the area). Here we summarize the changes in policy and practice of crane conservation that have occurred in the three years following our initial research. We report these insights based on expert interviews conducted in 2022 with a local farmer representative (I#1), and a local and international crane conservation specialist (I#2, I#3). At national level, the Biological Diversity Act (2002) was revised in 2019 allowing for the possibility of the private sector to co-finance the ROK government's system of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). The National Nature Trust owns a legal foundation to operate PES and has expressed interest in extending the payments to crane conservation (I#3). While the system of PES was already in place in other regions of ROK, enhanced funding by the local government and the Ministry of Environment allowed for its initiation in the Cheorwon Basin. Farmers now receive government payments for specific biodiversity-friendly methods. These include the restricted use of pesticides, leaving leftover grains on the field and keeping rice fields flooded throughout winter in order to provide foraging and roosting habitat for cranes (I#2). According to a local farmer representative, the process of engaging in interviews for our initial publication and thereby expressing diverse opinions increased trust relations, and respect among members of the Crane Coordinating Committee. Yet communication with stakeholders outside the committee is still perceived as challenging. (I#1). The International Crane Foundation has started a new project centered upon Cheorwon with the major components being citizen science, outreach to stakeholders and policy-makers, strengthening networks for crane conservation and education, and awareness raising for example, by initiating a local crane festival which can attract tourists to the region (I#2). The Cheorwon Basin is the only area in the ROK, in which low-intensity rice farming is still practiced and crucial roosting and foraging habitat for cranes are secured. Plans to protect the site and the traditional farming practices by establishing a nature reserve have not yet been successful (Kim et al., 2011). This means that the current state of successful cooperation between farmers and crane conservation largely depends on military land-use restrictions that have become less strict in recent years. The size of the CCZ has decreased (Figure 1) and even within the remaining area, greenhouses and ginseng farms have rapidly expanded while the pressure for further economic development persists. Karoline Hemminger: Conceptualization (lead); Conducting Interviews, Interview Analysis (lead); Writing-original draft (lead); Writing-review and editing (lead). Hyeyeon Sarah Jin: Conducting Interviews (lead); Writing-review and editing. Spike Millington, Jongsoo Choi: Writing-review and editing. Kisup Lee: Visualization; Writing-review and editing. Claudia Sattler: Conceptualization, Visualization (lead), Writing-review and editing. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The interview transcripts are not available because they include clear names of individuals mentioned during the interview conversations as well as sensitive information which may allow to guess the identity of the interviewees.

Tracking sarus crane movements in Cambodia and Vietnam reveals seasonal vulnerabilities and gaps in protected area coverage

The movements of 17 eastern sarus cranesGrus antigone sharpiiin Cambodia and Vietnam were tracked during both wet and dry seasons in 1998-2002 and 2015-2017, revealing previously unknown but important sites. Crane breeding territories were located in Cambodia’s northern dry deciduous dipterocarp forests, with territories of cranes captured in the Tonle Sap basin located further west and more likely to fall within protected areas than those captured in the Mekong Delta. During the non-breeding (dry) season, cranes returned to sites in which they had originally been captured. Most cranes initially used a different part of the same floodplain in the early stages of the dry season, but cranes from the Mekong Delta that nested west of the Mekong River would initially stop in the eastern Tonle Sap floodplains before continuing to the Mekong Delta floodplains. Protected area coverage of key dry season habitat within the Tonle Sap basin was lower than in the Mekong Delta. Out of 5 juveniles tracked in 2015/2016, 1 disappeared, 1 died and 1 was injured; 1 adult also disappeared. All mortality and disappearances occurred during the wet season and at least 1 mo after capture. Persistence of the eastern sarus crane will require improvement of protected area coverage of both breeding areas and previously unknown but important sites used during the dry season. In the dry season, engagement of farmers in conservation efforts is also important, as crane home ranges included agricultural areas even in the direct surroundings of protected wetland habitat.

Livestock preference and feeding value as key determinants for forage improvement – why not ask the consumers?

This review presents a new model for a multidisciplinary approach to development of modern forage cultivars to enable high-value meat and wool production in the mixed farming zones of Australia. Many pasture improvement activities focus on biomass production, filling novel agro-ecological niches, fixing nitrogen and phenotypic markers. Key traits that drive profitability of livestock, such as feeding value (FV), and nutritive value (NV), are rarely considered in a timely manner. Farmers are often not seriously engaged until late in the development pipeline. Of the nearly 10 000 publications that reference forage improvement or breeding and Australia, less than 5% also reference ruminant production factors such as FV, metabolisable energy, digestibility, methane or toxicity in the abstract, title or keywords. We make the case that the late engagement of livestock science and farmers results in early discarding of potentially valuable genetic material. This in turn may contribute to market and nutritional limitations that contribute to the high failure rate of new pasture cultivars. Four case studies demonstrated the within and among species variation in FV and NV. The first showed the variability in dry matter digestibility and crude protein of 20 species of herbaceous perennials at different stages of maturity. A second study with annual legumes, grasses and brassicas indicated highly significant differences in the rate of decline of NV over time and across species. The third case study focused on commercial and experimental accessions of lucerne and demonstrated highly significant differences among accessions in NV, with a doubling of livestock growth expected with the lowest and highest NV accessions. These case studies demonstrated the potential risks associated with evaluation of FV and NV after most of the germplasm has been excluded. The final case study described a different model that was used in the identification and commercialisation of a woody perennial species. This process incorporated a multidisciplinary team, farmers and livestock-relevant characteristics from the start. In 9 years, Anameka™ oldman saltbush was selected for higher palatability, 20% higher organic-matter digestibility and eight times more biomass than the average of the original genetic material.

Repensando o melhoramento de plantas e o sistemas de sementes na era de mudanças exponenciais

ABSTRACT The article stresses the need to reassess plant breeding and seed systems in our current era, characterized by rapidly shifting paradigms propelled by technological and scientific progress. It underscores the importance of incorporating cutting-edge technologies, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and implementing forward-looking policies to meet evolving societal and consumer demands while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Advancements in genetic editing, high-throughput technologies, precision breeding, and digital agriculture are transforming plant breeding, offering unprecedented capabilities to develop desirable traits, comprehend gene-environment interactions, and enhance crop efficiency. However, responsible innovation that considers ethical implications and regulatory frameworks remains essential in this context. Effective collaboration and engagement of stakeholders, including breeders, farmers, policymakers, and consumers, are vital for navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by this era of exponential change. Inclusive and multidisciplinary dialogues can harness diverse perspectives and experiences, contributing to a sustainable and resilient future for plant breeding and seed production. Ensuring access to diverse, high-quality seeds is crucial, especially in developing nations. Investments in seed infrastructure, capacity building, and farmer-centric approaches empower farmers and bolster seed security. In conclusion, the article underscores the significance of reimagining plant breeding and seed systems by embracing technology, promoting collaboration, and aligning strategies with the SDGs. By harnessing the potential of exponential changes, the envisioned future involves plant breeding and seed production that effectively address evolving societal and consumer needs, thereby contributing to agricultural resilience, global food security and sustainability.

Ex-post consequences of participatory foresight processes in agriculture. How to help dairy farmers to face outcomes of collective decisions planning?

The analysis of the consequences of participatory foresight in agriculture over the long term is little studied in the scientific literature. In particular, it questions how farmers deal with the proposed scenarios afterwards and the modalities of their implementation. This article aims to overcome this by proposing an ex-post analysis of a foresight process with New World Kirkpatrick's Model (NWKM) carried out in mid-2018 in the Fourme de Montbrison cheese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) area in the Massif Central (France). A set of 24 semi-structured interviews was conducted in spring and summer 2020 with the dairy farmers involved. Moreover, collective organization has been investigated through participatory observation and an analysis of project's progress reports until March 2021. The results show that while the engagement of farmers in the collective dynamic remains, it needs to be continuously rebuilt over time, particularly in order to overcome the effects of social risk-taking and insecurity that farmers must face. In addition, the place of stakeholders needs to be clarified. The article proposes a series of guidelines based on the project's experience and the “Monitor and Adjust” approach of the NWKM. It demonstrates the importance of establishing long-term follow-ups to foresight approaches to encourage farmers into action.

Explaining Farmers’ Income via Market Orientation and Participation: Evidence from KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa)

In many sub-Saharan African nations, commercializing smallholder agriculture has recently been seen as a strategy for attaining equitable growth and eliminating poverty in a sustainable manner. Despite the distinction made between market participation and market orientation, their respective impacts on farm income have not been given enough attention in the literature. In this paper, their respective determinants are analysed and each of them is linked to smallholder farmers’ income. The survey was conducted in and around four irrigation schemes in KwaZulu-Natal. Using a sample of 332 farmers, the study estimated the output participation index/market orientation index and employed the two-limit Tobit and OLS regression models. The findings show that socioeconomic, institutional and production factors influence market orientation and participation differently. In addition, market participation is more important in explaining farmers’ income compared to market orientation. Moreover, farmers had a higher rate of market participation index (83%) while their market orientation index was very low (38%). Market orientation is, therefore, not a pre-condition for market participation. In smallholder agriculture, market participation is a function, mainly, of marketed surplus. These realities are valid for smallholder agriculture and in sharp contrast with commercial agriculture. Engaging smallholder farmers more in market participation rather than market orientation would be a better strategy to improve their access to markets and eventually enhance their income. Market orientation will then become the unintended outcome of continuous engagement of farmers with the market.

Farm Advisory Services and total factor productivity growth in the Irish dairy sector

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of the engagement of individual farmers with Farm Advisory Services (FAS) on total factor productivity (TFP) growth, as a relevant indicator of competitiveness under the vision of sustainable intensification. Using farm-level data from the Irish dairy sector between 2008 and 2017, we estimate a random-coefficients stochastic frontier model and construct a TFP growth index, extending Orea (2002) such that the contribution of FAS becomes an additional component of the index. The results indicate that the main driver of TFP growth was technical change and efficiency gains; a negative scale effect slowed down TFP growth, but this impact was counteracted by the positive contribution of FAS to productivity growth.

Research strategies to catalyze agroecological transitions in low- and middle-income countries

Governments are updating national strategies to meet global goals on biodiversity, climate change and food systems proposed in the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 framework and agreed at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference (COP26) and Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). This represents a unique and crucial opportunity to integrate and accelerate food system actions to tackle interconnected global challenges. In this context, agroecology is a game-changing approach that can provide the world’s growing population with nutritious, healthy affordable food, ensure fair incomes to farmers and halt and reverse the degradation of the natural environment. Here, we explore agroecological transition pathways in four case studies from low- and middle- income countries and identify catalysts for change. We find that enabling policy and market environments, participatory action research and local socio-technical support each plays a critical role in stimulating transitions towards agroecology. We propose strategies and priorities for research to better support agroecological transitions using these catalysts of change as entry points. Engagement of governments, private sector, civil society, farmers and farm workers in this research agenda is essential.

Marketing Farmers’ Varieties in Europe: Encouraging Pathways with Missing Links for the Recognition and Support of Farmer Seed Systems

Farmer seed systems come in many shades: Conserving, producing, and using diverse plant material for different motives and purposes, whether the conservation or selection of locally adapted plant varieties and populations, or the safeguard of social bonds to secure economic stability and integration into rural communities. In Europe, strict seed marketing rules, by viewing any exchange of seeds as commercial exploitation, have first outlawed these farmer seed systems and the varieties conserved and developed in these systems, before carving out limited space for them as derogations to the main regime that remains based on mandatory variety registration and certified seed production. Examining these spaces in the legislation of the European Union (‘EU’) and Switzerland, along with their practical implications on the ground, the article shows the conceptual shortcomings of the EU legislation to fully address all the characteristics of farmer seed systems, especially to recognize farmers’ innovation. It exposes the need to carefully define, assess and adjust the underlying objectives of the future EU legislative effort to register farmers’ varieties or allow for their exchange, to fully represent and address the complex socio-economic values and diversity of farmer seed systems. The success of these endeavors will lie in the truthful representation, but also the engagement of farmers and social actors that not only conserve, but also dynamically manage agrobiodiversity.

Migration, Farmer-Herder Conflict and the Challenges of Peacebuilding in the Agogo Traditional Area, Ghana

Recently, communities in Agogo Traditional Area (ATA) have witnessed an increasing spate of violence leading to loss of lives, loss of livelihoods, insecurity and severe injury among others. This article explores the “local” in peacebuilding by addressing the following research questions: first, how do Agogo indigenes in the diaspora contribute to peacebuilding in Agogo Traditional Area? Second, in which ways do the engagement of Fulani herders and indigenous farmers influence the process of peacebuilding in Agogo Traditional Area? The article employed in-depth interviews, participant observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussions in the data collection process. From an interdisciplinary perspective, the research has introduced the activities of transnational migrants into the discourse of peacebuilding as it positions Ghanaians in the diaspora as local actors engaged in the farmer-herder conflict in ATA. This study has shown that in the case of ATA, despite the potential benefits of the local peacebuilding including the contribution of the diaspora, it is bedeviled with challenges such as mistrust and inadequate resources. The article recommends that local peacebuilding be detached from adjudication in the court of law because the local actors perceive the court as external and ambivalent to the cultural context of local conflicts.

Key Drivers of the Engagement of Farmers in Social Innovation for Marginalised Rural Areas

The European Union promotes social innovation (SI) initiatives for the support of marginalised rural areas through rural and sustainable development policies. These are based on the engagement of local actors and the strengthening of their mutual relationships to boost the fostering of professional collaborations. In this context, the Horizon 2020 Social Innovation in Marginalised Areas (SIMRA) project elaborated a conceptual framework for characterising the engagement in an SI initiative. Accordingly, this paper aims to demonstrate that engagement relies on specific key drivers, such as the existence of unmet social needs and the role of agency. To this end, a two-step Heckman model was applied to an SI initiative case study called Vàzapp’, a rural hub (agency) located in Southern Italy. It promotes relationships among farmers to valorise the marginalised rural areas. The results appear consistent with the theoretical framework, demonstrating that the farmers’ engagement was motivated by the existence of the aforementioned determinants. The implications are relevant for policymakers, consultants, and social innovators who may incorporate these elements in designing specific SI projects in different contexts.