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

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.

How can integrated valuation of ecosystem services help understanding and steering agroecological transitions?

“…Agroecology offers a highly favorable venue for practicing science with people (Cuéllar-Padilla and Calle-Collado 2011) and in accordance, the path proposed by our framework requires a high level of participation from stakeholders. Many experiments worldwide have linked participatory action research and agroecological transitions (Levidow et al 2014, Méndez et al 2017. There is probably no silver bullet in the way these processes should actually be aligned and practically implemented: a necessary correlate of engaging in a coconstructed process is to tailor the methods and tools used to the local context and to the specific objectives of the stakeholders engaged (Funtowicz and Ravetz 1993).…”

Social–ecological experiments to foster agroecological transition

“…Participatory action research (PAR), conversely, involves farmers through transdisciplinary approaches, characterized by continuous interactions between scientists and stakeholders, thus engaging stakeholders in knowledge co‐production through processes of collective inquiry and reflection with relevant stakeholders (Lang et al, ). Participatory action research incorporates farmers as protagonists of the approach and has been developed successfully in South America (Méndez, Caswell, Gliessman, & Cohen, ) and Spain (Guzmán, López, Román, & Alonso, ). Such participatory approaches that make the most of the expertise of farmers, other stakeholders and scientists (Méndez et al, ) are increasingly seen as a way to address the multiple and often conflicting social, environmental and economic sustainability goals related to sustainable agriculture (Cramb, ).…”

Development of the Concept of Agroecology in Europe: A Review

“…One study conducted in Sweden, Denmark, France and Italy revealed that changes in manure management (separation and incineration of the solid fraction) could induce significant changes in CH 4 and N 2 O emissions, as well as carbon sequestration [57]. Other investigation over the systems of organic cattle farms in the northwest of Europe demonstrated how the special organic conceptions of animal welfare, related to the general principles of organic agriculture, can contribute to cattle producers understanding the behavior and natural needs of animals in the context of agricultural systems; for example, feeding ruminants as ruminants and not as monogastric organisms [58].…”

“…Its history begins in 1928, when the concept of agroecology was first used to describe the use of ecological methods in the research of commercial plants; later, between the 1930s and the 1960s, several authors wrote their results of research in this area, but without using the term explicitly [3]. Nevertheless, the field of this discipline has gained considerable recognition in recent decades, evolving from the application of agroecological concepts and principles until the adoption of a diversity of perspectives, which vary according to academic content, research methods and practical applications and policies [3][4][5].…”