SUMMARY AND CLOSE
The last few days we have heard that
- There is a need for consolidation and communication of SLM information perhaps through a virtual network that uses new media solutions
- The grass roots are where the decisions will be made with farmers not necessarily aware of the link between their current environmental problems and their current or past actions
- There is a disjunction between the research, extension, policy and investment people that might be bridged with shared data platforms, shared indicators, country peer-review and a communications effort
- Engagement with the farmer is critical, would identify the key barriers that once removed would see a rapid uptake of SLM tactics on the farm
It seems as though we might be aware of the problems that SLM aims to solve at all levels (the scale issue that seems always to be part of such discussions) but depending on our experience we see the problems in a particular way.
I know that my former academic colleagues in soil and ecological research see the problem of sustainability very differently when they are thinking about their experiments and fieldwork, to when they are in the coffee room at the University, to when they are writing the next research grant application.
No surprise that they also think differently to the extension officer, the policy maker, investor and farmer.
Are our ways of thinking too disparate to bring together?
Mark
1 October, 2009
LATEST NEWS
Keep an eye on this space for the latest on the discussion. You can follow all the guest expert’s remarks and comments as well as the public discussion by clicking on the timeline above.
After an interesting first week we now discuss the challenges in financing SLM initiatives. Please click here for the latest.
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wrote:
Per makes an really insightful point (echoed by Anne, Alex, Stephen and perhaps on the minds of many) that farmers see things very differently to ‘SLM experts’ and that engagement is the key to SLM uptake.
As SLM experts we are aware of the bigger picture, the need for solutions to landscape, region and country scale problems of balancing food security with social and economic well-being without degrading the environment. But this is not the picture that an African farmer sees – interestingly it is not the picture that graziers or cotton growers in Australia see either.
In the end farms are businesses that must be viable even if produce for family consumption is their primary output.
Maybe this is the problem, for the transactions that go on in business are for the benefit of the transacting parties and not the resource base.
So engagement with farmers will need to be about the benefit to their business.
This may also explain Stephen’s point about the disjunct between research, extension and policy people – 20 years among researchers and academics proved to me that this group at least, know very little about how to do business.
Mark
wrote:
Per makes an really insightful point (echoed by Anne, Alex, Stephen and perhaps on the minds of many) that farmers see things very differently to ‘SLM experts’ and that engagement is the key to SLM uptake.
As SLM experts we are aware of the bigger picture, the need for solutions to landscape, region and country scale problems of balancing food security with social and economic well-being without degrading the environment. But this is not the picture that an African farmer sees – interestingly it is not the picture that graziers or cotton growers in Australia see either.
In the end farms are businesses that must be viable even if produce for family consumption is their primary output.
Maybe this is the problem, for the transactions that go on in business are for the benefit of the transacting parties and not the resource base.
So engagement with farmers will need to be about the benefit to their business.
This may also explain Stephen’s point about the disjunct between research, extension and policy people – 20 years among researchers and academics proved to me that this group at least, know very little about how to do business.
Mark
Organisation: Moderator
Posted on: 12:50 pm
moderator wrote:
Katya makes an interesting suggestion. Perhaps someone from the TerrAfrica Secretariat could share their views.
Organisation: Moderator
Posted on: September 30, 2009 12:31 am
Moderator wrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts on how we would encourage the practical implementation phase that Boaz points to?
Mark
Moderatorwrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts on how we would encourage the practical implementation phase that Boaz points to?
Mark
Organisation: Moderator
Posted on: September 28, 2009 7:44 am
Moderator wrote:
Are land rights a consequence or a prerequisite for productive management? I am not sure that it is alwys clear which comes first. Even when tenure is uncertain if an agricultural practice is known to deliver returns it is likely to be taken up, at least by some farmers. Then returns would accrue and create land value that encourages, where possible, tenure.
So should we be promoting awareness to generate tenure opportunity or promote (the harder issue I think) of tenure first?
Mark
Moderatorwrote:
Are land rights a consequence or a prerequisite for productive management? I am not sure that it is alwys clear which comes first. Even when tenure is uncertain if an agricultural practice is known to deliver returns it is likely to be taken up, at least by some farmers. Then returns would accrue and create land value that encourages, where possible, tenure.
So should we be promoting awareness to generate tenure opportunity or promote (the harder issue I think) of tenure first?
Mark
Organisation: Moderators Comment
Posted on: September 22, 2009 2:33 pm
Moderator wrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts on how SLM partnerships could be improved? Perhaps some examples of where they have worked well?
Mark
Moderatorwrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts on how SLM partnerships could be improved? Perhaps some examples of where they have worked well?
Mark
Organisation:
Posted on: September 19, 2009 8:15 am
Florence Richards wrote:
I am really looking forward to this discussion!
Organisation: Guest views
Posted on: September 12, 2009 3:24 pm
6
comments