5 research outputs found
Co-production of Knowledge in Multi-stakeholder Processes: Analyzing Joint Experimentation as Social Learning
Purpose: Changing research design and methodologies regarding how researchers articulate with end-users of technology is an important consideration in developing sustainable agricultural practices. This paper analyzes a joint experiment as a multi-stakeholder process and contributes to understand how the way of organizing social learning affects stakeholders’ ownership of process outcomes. Design/Methodology/Approach:A learning group composed of the different stakeholders of the oil palm seed system in Benin was set around a joint experiment. We use a detailed account of the group dynamics to understand the social process. Findings: The way the process is designed and conducted has a great effect on the ownership by the participants. Methodological steps taken in this research process showed its efficacy to produce quick and positive feedback mechanisms. Stakeholders’ perspectives on what constitutes a quality oil palm seedling varied widely. Participants, mainly nursery holders, learned new production practices. Representatives of the research center learned a mismatch of recommendations with users’ contexts. Field observations further to the process indicate changes in practices among stakeholders that would be sustainable. Practical Implications: Beyond focusing on outcomes, initiatives in multi-stakeholder processes should also document and analyze social processes in order to better understand the mechanisms by which such processes foster socio-technical change, as well as identify potential institutional barriers to such processes. Originality/Value: Through a detailed analysis of group dynamics, this paper addresses an important knowledge gap in participatory agricultural development
PERCEPTION DES PERTURBATIONS CLIMATIQUES, SAVOIRS LOCAUX ET STRATÉGIES D’ADAPTATION DES PRODUCTEURS AGRICOLES BÉNINOIS
The diagnosis made on the effects of climate change in Benin shows that
drought, late and violent rains and floods are three major climatic
risks. The profound effects of climate change on agriculture, coupled
with low resilience and high vulnerability of populations to shocks,
could significantly reduce their capacity of managing natural resources
and, thus, impair their livelihoods, food security and welfare. It
becomes imperative to understand the efforts of farmers to cope with
climate changes that affect them. This study focuses on understanding
of local populations on the manifestations of climate change; its
sensible effects in the agricultural landscape and the measures they
can develop to cope with climate change. The study is also based on
others studies conducted on 260 farmers in the South region (Adjohoun,
Dangbo, Lokossa and Athiémé) and the central region
(Glazoué and Savalou) in various agro-ecological zones of Benin.
Results from these studies showed that populations in the most
vulnerable agro-ecological zones recognized climate phenomena
essentially based on locally built knowl- edge. Indeed, several local
concepts, adages and proverbs are used by rural communities to
characterize the observed changes. To cope with these changes, a
variety of strategies are developed locally by producers in Southern
and Central Benin according to their socio-economic conditions. The
knowledge of the mechanisms leading to their development in Benin
includes elements that could form the basis for agricultural policies
that can ensure food security despite environmental perturbations
observed currently in southern and central Benin.Le diagnostic fait sur les effets du changement climatique au
Bénin, montre que la sécheresse, les pluies tardives et
violentes et les inondations sont trois risques climatiques majeurs.
Les effets profonds du changement climatique sur l’agriculture,
couplés avec la faible résilience et la grande
vulnérabilité des populations aux chocs, pourraient
réduire considérablement leur capacité de gestion des
ressources naturelles et altérer ainsi leurs moyens
d’existence, leur sécurité alimentaire et leur
bien-être. Il devient impérieux de mieux comprendre les
efforts déployés par les cultivateurs pour faire face aux
changements climatiques qui les affectent. La présente étude
s’intéresse à la compréhension qu’ont les
populations locales des manifestations des changements climatiques, de
ses effets perceptibles dans le paysage agraire et les mesures
qu’elles développent pour y faire face. Elle est basée
sur des études qui ont été menées sur 260
producteurs au sud (Adjohoun, Dangbo, Lokossa et Athiémé) et
au centre (Glazoué et Savalou) dans diverses zones
agro-écologiques du Bénin. Les résultats de ces
études ont montré que les populations des zones
agro-écologiques les plus vulnérables ont une lecture des
phénomènes climatiques essentiellement fondée sur des
savoirs localement construits. En effet, plusieurs concepts locaux,
adages et proverbes sont utilisés par les communautés rurales
pour caractériser les changements observés. Pour y faire
face, une variété de stratégies sont localement
développées par les producteurs du Sud et du Centre
BĂ©nin en fonction de leurs conditions socio-Ă©conomiques. La
connaissance des mécanismes ayant conduit à leur mise au
point au Bénin sont des éléments qui pourraient servir
de base Ă des politiques agricoles susceptibles de garantir la
sécurité alimentaire malgré les perturbations
environnementales observées actuellement au Sud et au Centre
BĂ©nin
PERCEPTION DES PERTURBATIONS CLIMATIQUES, SAVOIRS LOCAUX ET STRAT\uc9GIES D\u2019ADAPTATION DES PRODUCTEURS AGRICOLES B\uc9NINOIS
The diagnosis made on the effects of climate change in Benin shows that
drought, late and violent rains and floods are three major climatic
risks. The profound effects of climate change on agriculture, coupled
with low resilience and high vulnerability of populations to shocks,
could significantly reduce their capacity of managing natural resources
and, thus, impair their livelihoods, food security and welfare. It
becomes imperative to understand the efforts of farmers to cope with
climate changes that affect them. This study focuses on understanding
of local populations on the manifestations of climate change; its
sensible effects in the agricultural landscape and the measures they
can develop to cope with climate change. The study is also based on
others studies conducted on 260 farmers in the South region (Adjohoun,
Dangbo, Lokossa and Athi\ue9m\ue9) and the central region
(Glazou\ue9 and Savalou) in various agro-ecological zones of Benin.
Results from these studies showed that populations in the most
vulnerable agro-ecological zones recognized climate phenomena
essentially based on locally built knowl- edge. Indeed, several local
concepts, adages and proverbs are used by rural communities to
characterize the observed changes. To cope with these changes, a
variety of strategies are developed locally by producers in Southern
and Central Benin according to their socio-economic conditions. The
knowledge of the mechanisms leading to their development in Benin
includes elements that could form the basis for agricultural policies
that can ensure food security despite environmental perturbations
observed currently in southern and central Benin.Le diagnostic fait sur les effets du changement climatique au
B\ue9nin, montre que la s\ue9cheresse, les pluies tardives et
violentes et les inondations sont trois risques climatiques majeurs.
Les effets profonds du changement climatique sur l\u2019agriculture,
coupl\ue9s avec la faible r\ue9silience et la grande
vuln\ue9rabilit\ue9 des populations aux chocs, pourraient
r\ue9duire consid\ue9rablement leur capacit\ue9 de gestion des
ressources naturelles et alt\ue9rer ainsi leurs moyens
d\u2019existence, leur s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire et leur
bien-\ueatre. Il devient imp\ue9rieux de mieux comprendre les
efforts d\ue9ploy\ue9s par les cultivateurs pour faire face aux
changements climatiques qui les affectent. La pr\ue9sente \ue9tude
s\u2019int\ue9resse \ue0 la compr\ue9hension qu\u2019ont les
populations locales des manifestations des changements climatiques, de
ses effets perceptibles dans le paysage agraire et les mesures
qu\u2019elles d\ue9veloppent pour y faire face. Elle est bas\ue9e
sur des \ue9tudes qui ont \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9es sur 260
producteurs au sud (Adjohoun, Dangbo, Lokossa et Athi\ue9m\ue9) et
au centre (Glazou\ue9 et Savalou) dans diverses zones
agro-\ue9cologiques du B\ue9nin. Les r\ue9sultats de ces
\ue9tudes ont montr\ue9 que les populations des zones
agro-\ue9cologiques les plus vuln\ue9rables ont une lecture des
ph\ue9nom\ue8nes climatiques essentiellement fond\ue9e sur des
savoirs localement construits. En effet, plusieurs concepts locaux,
adages et proverbes sont utilis\ue9s par les communaut\ue9s rurales
pour caract\ue9riser les changements observ\ue9s. Pour y faire
face, une vari\ue9t\ue9 de strat\ue9gies sont localement
d\ue9velopp\ue9es par les producteurs du Sud et du Centre
B\ue9nin en fonction de leurs conditions socio-\ue9conomiques. La
connaissance des m\ue9canismes ayant conduit \ue0 leur mise au
point au B\ue9nin sont des \ue9l\ue9ments qui pourraient servir
de base \ue0 des politiques agricoles susceptibles de garantir la
s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire malgr\ue9 les perturbations
environnementales observ\ue9es actuellement au Sud et au Centre
B\ue9nin
Human-wildlife conflicts and mitigation measures in Pendjari biosphere reserve, northern Benin
Human-wildlife conflicts are any interactions between human and wildlife with a negative impact for both parties. Understanding these conflicts is necessary to guaranty a better coexistence between human and wildlife and an improvement of wildlife conservation. The current research aims at assessing human-wildlife conflicts and analyzing the management measures developed by local communities around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin. Data were collected in January and February 2017 through a questionnaire survey of 245 respondents from different socio-professional background. Three main types of conflicts were observed around the Reserve: crop raiding, livestock predation and destruction of fishing materials. The most destroyed crops were maize (15 %), cotton (15 %) and millet (14 %), and sorghum (29 %) and baboon was the most important crop raiding species (61 % of depredation cases). Regarding livestock, pig (25 %) and sheep/goat (23.1 %) were the most attacked animals while hyena was the most important predator reported (40.6 % of attacks). Fishing nets and hoop nets were destroyed by crocodile (72.2 %) and hippopotamus (27.8 %). To reduce these damages, farmers used several measures such as guarding (82%), scarecrows (64.5 %), and fires on the outskirts of the fields (67.3 %). Herders mostly used livestock’ guarding (12.7 %) and fires or torchlight lit in the enclosures during the night (8.6 %). These measures were not efficient to prevent or avoid the damages but they did reduce them. They must be reinforced to reduce the impact of the damages on the agricultural production, the main source of income of local communities.Keywords: human-wildlife coexistence, damage, predation, conflicts mitigation, West Afric
Social institutional dynamics of seed system reliability: the case of oil palm in Benin
Seed system reliability is of major importance in farming. Whereas earlier studies analysed mainly annuals, this study focuses on a perennial. Oil palm in Benin was chosen as a case study because farmers complained about non-hybrids (dura and pisifera) in plots allegedly planted with 100% hybrid (tenera). This study assessed the reliability of the oil palm seedling supply system over past decades and its main drivers. An event ecology approach was used to identify causal mechanisms accounting for the observed variation in oil palm types on smallholder plots. A total of 378 plots belonging to 248 farmers that were allegedly planted with tenera between 1969 and 2009 were sampled, and shell thickness of fruits was assessed to determine whether palms were tenera, pisifera, or dura. The proportion of tenera varied with seedling supply source, farmers’ geographic position, seedling purchase price, and year of planting. The proportion of tenera decreased with year of planting. Socio-institutional mechanisms associated with the observed variation in smallholder plots were national policy change, local arrangements for seedling supply to smallholder farmers, and farmers’ personal characteristics. The implications of the observed decrease in the reliability of the seedling supply system are discussed