Tropentag, September 11 - 13, 2024, Vienna "Explore opportunities... for managing natural resources and a better life for all"

Co-creation of agroecological practices combinations in agroecology living labs

¹CIRAD, UPR-AIDA, France
²Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Dept. of Soil and Land use, Norway
³University of Hohenheim, Dept. of Communication and Advisory Services in Rural Areas, Germany
⁴IITA, Research and Adaptation Team, DR Congo
⁵National Institute of Agricultural Research Development (IRAD), Cameroon
⁶INERA, Banana Research Program, DR Congo
⁷Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), Rwanda
⁸APDIK, DR Congo
⁹ISABU, Land management and Agroecology, Burundi
¹⁰ETH Zurich, Sustainable Agroecosystems, Switzerland
¹¹Catholic University of Bukavu, Fac. of Agronomy, DR Congo

Abstract

Agroecology offers pathways to increase productivity and build resilience to socio-ecological, economic, and climate shocks by delivering holistic solutions to complex challenges in agriculture and food systems. However, we lack co-designed, co-tested, and context-specific agroecological practices (AEP) to guide a transition. In response to this, the CANALLS project is set to drive agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa via multi-actor transdisciplinary Agroecology Living Labs (ALLs). Central to the ALLs is co-creation through the active engagement of diverse stakeholders, including farmers, experts, governmental agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society. In CANALLS, co-creation focuses on co-designing combinations of AEPs to address the key challenges encountered by farmers and other stakeholders along the value chain.
Our co-creation framework follows a structured 4-step cycle: 1) identification and comprehension of challenges; 2) mapping, prototyping, and prioritising AEPs; 3) evaluation of AEP combinations in real-life settings; and 4) assessment of outcomes and formulation of scaling strategies and/ or plans for subsequent co-creation. Co-creation activities commenced with two workshops in 6 ALLs, resulting in the identification of key challenges and the prioritisation of 2-4 AEPs per ALL. The AEPs included biopesticide measures, alternative sources to soil fertility improvements, erosion control techniques, and improved shade management in agroforestry systems. Once the AEPs were co-mapped, project partners, together with ALLs stakeholders, conducted field visits to prototype farmer-led experiments on cocoa systems in Cameroon, cassava in Rwanda, maize-legume intercropping in Burundi, and coffee and rice fields in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key lessons learned in the co-creation process and establishment of ALLs are: 1) stakeholders showed high interest in agroecology and commitment to participate actively in the project; 2) the bottom-up approach in co-creation brought new ideas and concepts while co-defining the key challenges in agroecology; and 3) each ALL is unique and therefore the design, implementation, and evaluation of AEPs must be adapted to the local context.

Keywords: Agroecological practices, agroecology living labs, Central and Eastern Africa, co-creation

Contact Address: Diego Cerrudo, CIRAD, UPR-AIDA, Ta B 115/02 - Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier, France, e-mail: diego.cerrudocirad.fr