No quick fixes : four interacting constraints to advancing agroecology in Uganda

A century after its inception, agroecology has entered mainstream development debates as a more sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural modernization of relevance not least for improving smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. Agroecology is a broad concept considered to have transformative potential, yet as a research field it has often been technology-centred and focused at the local level. Building on the experiences of Ugandan agroecologists working in an array of agricultural professions throughout the country, this paper identifies and discusses major barriers to agroecology in Uganda. Inductive analysis of qualitative data from interviews and focus groups generated four types of interacting barriers; constraints at farmer level, an agricultural knowledge system favouring conventional approaches, adverse and intertwined political and economic interests, and cross-cutting ideological and discursive pressures. These broad challenges become manifest in the accounts presented, making clear that barriers to and therefore also appropriate strategies for advancing agroecology must be treated as contextual even if a ‘global movement’ is emerging around it. The discussion suggests theoretical lenses for further inquiry into agroecology and its realization in light of these constraints

Deltagande jordbruksutveckling i praktiken : en fallstudie från Nnindye, Uganda

Participatory development seeks to actively engage local people and communities in development efforts, from problem identification to evaluation. The concept is, however, vaguely defined and can in reality manifest itself in many different ways, with varying success in creating a sustained impact. There are also a wide range of challenges involved due to the collaborative nature of the approach. This thesis is a qualitative case study exploring the Nnindye project, a participatory agricultural development project that is being carried out in Uganda. The overarching aim is to explore the challenges involved in implementing the Nnindye project which can affect its capacity to generate sustained agricultural development, and what lessons can be learned that might be applicable to future projects in similar settings. To help answer this question, research questions were developed focusing particularly on 1) the kind of participation the project enables, 2) emerging issues that are important to address, 3) the relationship between farmers and “outsiders” involved, 4) gender dimensions and 5) reasons not to participate. Literature from the fields of participatory development and research, particularly experiences from Uganda, helped guide the development of these research questions. To address these research questions, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 80 farmers in Nnindye parish (both participants and non-participants), sampled through a non-probability sampling method. Additionally, 5 agricultural researchers familiar with using farmer participatory approaches in other projects in Uganda were sampled through convenience sampling, and their experiences and views were explored through semi-structured interviews. At the end of the study, a final interview was carried out with one of the Nnindye project implementers. As it turns out, participation in the project cannot be categorized. Respondents mainly identified material benefits but also learning and other less tangible benefits. One's contribution was most often seen as practical input, usually labor. Influence in the project was similarly commonly perceived in practical terms rather than “political”. This material or pragmatic nature of participation seen among some participants may suggest that more efforts are needed to strengthen the learning process and community building capacity, but also tangible benefits can be of great value in both short and long term. Luckily, one doesn't have to exclude the other. Participant ownership of the process is something that is viewed by the project implementors as central, and participants on numerous occasions expressed negative opinions towards past topdown approaches. However, “ownership” must not mean lack of support. Dissatisfaction with the group leadership and unfair distribution of benefits among the project members was discovered and there is a need for more systematic monitoring and facilitation. The results overall show an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards scientists and extension staff among the farmers, who stated that they view these as very knowledgeable. This seemingly positive relationship is an asset but it must be remembered that it is not static – negative experiences can jeopardize both the current project and attitudes towards collaborative efforts and development in general. Gender dimensions are important to consider in practically all aspects of a project, and gender awareness is required among the implementers to ensure that the project benefits women and men alike. In general, parallels could be drawn from the Nnindye project to the experiences of the researchers, speaking for the usefulness of these findings to other academics and development practitioners

Pluralism in Search of Sustainability: Ethics, Knowledge and Methdology in Sustainability Science

Sustainability Science is an emerging, transdisciplinary academic field that aims to help build a sustainable global society by drawing on and integrating research from the humanities and the social, natural, medical and engineering sciences. Academic knowledge is combined with that from relevant actors from outside academia, such as policy-makers, businesses, social organizations and citizens. The field is focused on examining the interactions between human, environmental, and engineered systems to understand and contribute to solutions for complex challenges that threaten the future of humanity and the integrity of the life support systems of the planet, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and land and water degradation. Since its inception in around the year 2000, and as expressed by a range of proponents in the field, sustainability science has become an established international platform for interdisciplinary research on complex social problems [1]. This has been done by exploring ways to promote ‘greater integration and cooperation in fulfilling the sustainability science mandate’ [2]. Sustainability science has thereby become an extremely diverse academic field, yet one with an explicit normative mission. After nearly two decades of sustainability research, it is important to reflect on a major question: what critical knowledge can we gain from sustainability science research on persistent socio-ecological problems and new sustainability challenges

Nutrient Overloading in the Chesapeake Bay : Structural Conditions in Poultry Production and the Socioecological Drivers of Marine Pollution

We examine socioecological drivers of nutrient overloading and eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay associated with poultry production on the Delmarva Peninsula. We use a social metabolic analysis—rooted in a political-economy perspective—that highlights the interchange of matter and energy and the inextricable links within and between social and ecological systems, illuminating the social structural processes contributing to ecological changes. The concentration and consolidation of poultry production through integration, which involves contract farming, and geographic concentration of operations, have been associated with intensified and increased scale of chicken (broiler) production. These processes have had significant effects on waste accumulation, maintenance, and disposal, and this industry has become one of the major contributors of nutrient overloading in the Chesapeake Bay. This study, therefore, specifies social processes that are driving environmental changes between land and sea

Alternativa försäljningskanaler för nöt- och lammkött

Den här rapporten syftar till att kartlägga de alternativa försäljningskanaler för nöt-och lammkött som finns i Sverige (dvs. verksamheter utöver dagligvaruhandeln som säljer nöt- och/eller lammkött direkt till slutkonsument), samt att genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie få en djupare förståelse för verksamhetskategorierna identifierade genom kartläggningen. Kartläggningen utfördes med internet som verktyg och identifierade 395 olika verksamheter i tre huvudkategorier; gårdsbutiker (95), försäljning av köttlådor (200) och köttbutiker (100). Gårdsbutiker säljer ofta kött tillsammans med andra typer av produkter. Köttlådor säljs framför allt från enskilda producenter men det finns även företag och föreningar som gemensamt säljer och marknadsför sina produkter. Köttbutiker ligger ofta i tätorter och har ibland även egen produktion knuten till sig. Någon typ av verksamhet har identifierats i de flesta av Sveriges landskap, men antalet identifierade verksamheter varierar från inga alls i Lappland och Härjedalen till över 60 i Uppland, Västergötland och Uppland, med en genomsnittlig koncentration på en verksamhet per 24 000 invånare. Befolknings- och djurhållningstäthet är troligen en stor del av förklaringen till variationen, men det kan även finnas andra faktorer, till exempel att en verksamhet ger upphov till fler, tillgång till slakterier som kan samarbeta med småskaliga aktörer, och turism. Intervjustudien utfördes med 5 verksamheter från varje huvudkategori, dvs. totalt 15 verksamheter via telefon eller personligt möte. Alla intervjuade verksamheter sålde kött från egen produktion och/eller svenskt och så närproducerat som möjligt (detta är dock inte nödvändigtvis fallet då det finns ett mindre antal köttbutiker identifierade genom kartläggningen som även eller endast säljer importerat kött). Personerna bakom verksamheterna var i varierande åldrar men hade gemensamt att man ofta sen länge hade en koppling till orten eller regionen man var verksam i samt att det fanns ett stort personligt intresse för hållbarhet, djurvälfärd och köttkvalitet. Man var överlag positivt inställd till verksamhetens framtidsutsikter då man såg ett ökande intresse och kunskap bland konsumenterna rörande köttets ursprung, kvalitet och hälsoaspekter, detta trots att producenterna i studien ofta såg en blygsam lönsamhet och en stor arbetsinsats (köttbutiksinnehavarna tycktes uppfatta lönsamheten som relativt god, ibland över förväntan). Det finns tecken, utöver verksamhetsutövarnas intryck, som tyder på att de alternativa försäljningskanalerna är på frammarsch då många verksamheter (både inom intervjustudien och kartläggningen i stort) startats inom 1-2 år; däremot är det okänt hur många verksamheter som lagts ned under samma period. Verksamheternas erfarenheter är dock inte odelat positiva. Det finns bland en del en viss skepticism då intresset förvisso har ökat men att de allra flesta konsumenter fortfarande endast är intresserade av köttets pris och har vant sig vid dagligvaruhandelns billiga livsmedel. En producent upplever också att andra producenter säljer till orimligt låga priser vilket försvårar möjligheterna till lönsamhet. Prisvariationen för vissa produkter är stor och tycks inte endast kunna förklaras av skillnader i kvalitet och styckning. Andra problem inkluderar bristande kunskap bland konsumenterna rörande de mindre ädla detaljerna, krånglig byråkrati, och en s.k. ”inflation” i vagt definierade begrepp som närproducerat. Just detta att köttet är närproducerat eller kanske framför allt att man vet var köttet kommer ifrån och hur djuren haft det tror verksamhetsutövarna är viktiga mervärden för kunderna, liksom att köttet håller en hög kvalitet. Förbättrad lönsamhet för producenter med egen försäljning, hur man som verksamhet utmärker och marknadsför sig när det finns fler och fler som erbjuder samma eller liknande mervärden, utbyte av kunskap och erfarenheter och samverkan med olika typer av aktörer är viktiga frågor inför framtiden

Strukturer och strategier för lönsam produktion och säker tillförsel av inhemskt nötkött

I den här rapporten presenteras resultatet från ett forskningsprojekt utfört vid Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet i samarbete med McDonald’s Sverige, Sveriges Nötköttsproducenter och LRF. Syftet var att dra lärdomar från några av McDonald’s europeiska motsvarigheter och deras leverantörskedja, kring hur olika strukturer och strategier i kedjan kan hjälpa till att stimulera och stärka produktionen av inhemskt nötkött och därmed också säkra tillgången. Efter litteraturstudier intervjuades personer inom leverantörskedjan i Österrike, Irland och Storbritannien under våren 2013. Materialet kompletterades sedan med intervjuer med personer inom den svenska nötköttskedjan. Rapportens resultatdel inleds med en översikt över nötköttsproduktion och -marknad i de fyra länderna. Skillnader och likheter diskuteras, och både i skillnaderna och i likheterna god potential till kunskapsöverföring mellan länderna – även om det måste göras med viss försiktighet. När vi tittar närmre på de kedjor som kan sägas utgöra vår ”fallstudie” har vi identifierat ett antal faktorer som kan kunna ligga till grund för rekommendationer för svenska nötköttskedjor. En är hur man inom producentledet organiserar sig i form av olika typer av producentföreningar och -grupper. Vi uppmuntrar utvecklingen mot mer organisation av olika typer inom det svenska producentledet. Vi såg också ett ökat fokus på samarbete mellan olika nivåer i kedjan, och flera exempel visas upp i rapporten, såsom gemensamma satsningar på kunskapsöverföring och utveckling av kvalitetssäkringssystem. Det råder en stor tilltro till att samarbete och god kommunikation genom hela kedjan är en nödvändig och framgångsrik strategi för nötköttssektorn. Alla tre kedjor använder sig av de omfattande kvalitetssäkringssystem som utvecklats för inhemskt nötkött. Systemen har växt fram utifrån konsumenternas efterfrågan och krav, vilket kanske är den största anledningen till att de ses som en nödvändig och generellt positiv utveckling. Ett annorlunda utgångsläge i Sverige gör att vi ställer oss tveksamma till att försöka efterlikna dessa länder på den här punkten. I Österrikes kedja har man dock även utvecklat ett system specifikt för McDonald’s kedja. I utbyte för att uppfylla företagets krav får producenter en merbetalning per kg av slaktvikten. På så sätt vill man bidra på ett mer direkt sätt till den inhemska produktionen av en viss sorts nötkött. I alla fyra länder är det köparna, såsom dagligvaruhandeln, som uppfattas ha makten i kedjan - vilket ses som problematiskt. Det här behöver angripas från två håll; dels behöver producenterna göra vad de kan för att skapa en bättre position genom till exempel organisation, och dessutom utnyttja sin befintliga förhandlingskraft bättre. Dels behöver köpare som månar om att kunna köpa inhemskt nötkött även i framtiden anamma mer långsiktiga strategier, där man tar hänsyn till vad som händer i hela kedjan och inte bara i transaktionen med den direkta leverantören. Rapporten avslutas med våra slutsatser och rekommendationer som riktar sig mot producenter såväl som förädlingsledet och köpare, samt några mot sektorn som helhet

Between Nature and Modernity : Agroecology as an alternative development pathway: the case of Uganda

Agricultural modernization has massively increased global food supply, but at a high environmental cost. Today many are calling for an agricultural ‘paradigm shift’, including several mainstream institutions. But to what? In recent years, agroecology has gained credence as an alternative approach that seeks to understand and manage farms as complex agroecosystems. From a development perspective, it is argued to not only hold potential for sustainable agriculture, but also as a model for inclusive development thanks to its particular applicability in sites dominated by small-scale low-capital farming. Uganda is one of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa where much hope is currently placed in gricultural development for poverty alleviation, economic growth and food security. Yet despite its promise to resolve tensions between development and environmental sustainability, agroecology remains largely ignored.The aim of this thesis is to understand if and how agroecology has potential to constitute a desirable and viable alternative pathway of agricultural development, and to provide insights about its achievability in Uganda. I do so by employing a research strategy rooted in critical modernity, critical realism and emancipatory social science, and by combining fieldwork methods and secondary material via an interdisciplinary approach. The thesis is structured around three interlinked tasks. First, I provide a critique of conventional agricultural modernization where I identify limitations and contradictions internal to this model of development, and explain the emergence and persistence of the particularly problematic form of agrarian politics in Uganda under the NRM regime. Second, I scrutinize the claim that agroecology offers a sustainable and viable model of agricultural development, and argue that there is convincing evidence for its potential to do so. When analyzing how this alternative is being implemented in Uganda today, and by whom, I find that agroecology is typically pursued by actors in civil society and academia as a form of smallholder-oriented ‘modernization from below’. Agroecology contributes by providing principles for sustainable and locally adapted agriculture. However, I also find substantial barriers to agroecology that are structural in kind, and require more overt confrontation of ‘modernization from above’. Third, therefore, I analyze the conditions for political engagement and broader mobilization for agroecology within Ugandan civil society, by looking at its historical formation and current strategies at national and local level.Beyond insights about the specific dynamics of agrarian change in Uganda, the thesis makes two main contributions: 1) it theorizes agroecology and its role in agricultural development, thus taking steps forward towards rethinking agricultural modernity, and 2) it advances the maturing field of sustainability science by using emancipatory social science to promote its critical problem-solving agenda

‘If the change is going to happen it's not by us' : Exploring the role of NGOs in the politicization of Ugandan agriculture

Sustainable agricultural development that prioritizes the needs and respects the rights of smallholder farmers is widely framed as a societal goal by both national governments and international institutions. However, in many places this remains an elusive goal, not least in sub-Saharan Africa. The past decades have seen new types of rural social movements emerge, demanding socially just and environmentally sustainable trajectories of agrarian change. But there are also places where this is seemingly not the case, Uganda being one. Based on qualitative research involving civil society organizations at the national and regional level, this paper analyzes contemporary civil society dynamics around agriculture in Uganda against a historical backdrop. Social division and civil society NGOization have contributed to unfavorable conditions for rural social movement emergence, but not irreversibly. Systematic policy advocacy engagement appears to be on the rise amongst agriculture-oriented NGOs, and while it is generally non-confrontational, contentious claims-making does happen. NGOs also aspire to facilitate farmer-led mobilization, although their logics of intervention differ and would benefit from more dialogue and theoretical grounding. For moving forward in NGOized contexts like Uganda, three points are emphasized: NGO-led and farmer-led mobilization is not a simple dichotomy; their relationship need not be antagonistic and there are several possible ways to seek synergies; and fostering capacity for farmers' contentious claims-making must involve counterhegemonic struggle. The paper ends by suggesting three areas for agri-food scholars interested in the complex interactions between NGOs and rural social movements

Local perceptions of land-use change : Using participatory art to reveal direct and indirect socioenvironmental effects of land acquisitions in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania

In this study, we combine conventional qualitative approaches with a more novel approach, participatory art, to explore local perceptions of land-use change and future aspirations for development in two communities in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. We concentrate on the effects of large-scale land acquisitions on people and the environment in an ecologically important area. Leasing of land to foreign agribusinesses for the production of timber, food, and fuel crops has created a politically charged debate with strong ideologies on both sides, and people directly impacted are not the ones driving the debate. Local farmers, fishermen, and pastoralists were cued about landscape and livelihood changes through focus-group discussions, interviews, and by cocreating paintings of the past, present, and future. Findings reveal that art can make a valuable methodological contribution for understanding and communicating complex interactions between drivers of change and their socioenvironmental impacts, and for exploring desirable future visions

An Environmental Justice Perspective on Smallholder Pesticide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa

Pesticide use is increasing in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and many smallholders purchase, handle, and apply toxic pesticides with inadequate equipment, knowledge, and technical support. Through the frame of environmental justice, this literature-based study analyzes characteristics, impacts, and drivers of smallholder pesticide use in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to Uganda as a case. We find that market liberalization, poor regulation enforcement, and persistent neglect of agricultural extension place the burden of risk largely on farmers, while perceived necessity of pesticides and the elusive nature of impacts (especially under conditions of insufficient monitoring) likely delay social mobilization around pesticides. The environmental justice frame, which has seen limited application in smallholder contexts, importantly helps delineate future directions for research and practice. It is particularly effective for redirecting focus from highly limited managerial solutions for “safe use” toward deeper problem drivers and solutions capable of tackling them