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Research article2009Peer reviewed

Farmers facing rapid agricultural land condition changes in two villages in the Upper Amazon, Peru: can action learning contribue to resilience?

Marquardt, Arévalo Kristina; Salomonsson, Lennart; Geber, Ulrika

Abstract

The article presents findings of local experimentation for managing land degradation problems in swidden farming, and the institutional setting for such experimental activities within a resilience theory framework. By using action research (AR) methodology, which included in-depth interviews and joint field experiments, the research process facilitated collective learning related to land degradation management. Framed by a local institution (choba choba), learning situations of field experimentation were created in order to speed up the joint learning process between farmers, a local NGO and researchers. The authors argue that AR, as methodology, not only enhances contextual learning processes by working within farmers’ existing institutional framework for learning, but also has the advantage of integrating local and scientific knowledge into a joint learning process. AR methodology can therefore be one answer to the question of ‘how’ to build up and maintain resilience of an agricultural system, particularly its adaptive capacity

Keywords

Amazon; Peru; swidden agriculture; land management; resilience; action research; farmer learning; adaptive capacity; local institutions

Published in

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology
2009, Volume: 8, number: 5-6, pages: 457-483

      SLU Authors

      • Sustainable Development Goals

      Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
      Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

      UKÄ Subject classification

      Agricultural Science

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJARGE.2009.032645

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/29106