Farmers’ climate perceptions are responsible for shaping their adaptive responses and are thus essential to consider for the design of strategies to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. In this study, we collected social data in four communities in the central Ethiopian Highlands on farmers’ climate perceptions and adaptations using group discussions and PRA tools. We related these to climate data spanning 30 years (1981 to 2010), consisting of daily minimum temperature, maximum temperature and precipitation, modelled for the four communities using global databases and regional meteorological data. We found that farmers’ climate perceptions showed considerable spatial and gender differences. Perceptions matched well with records describing climate variability, particularly in terms of the shortening and the increased variability of the rainy season, as well as the occurrence of extreme drought in recent years. Climate change, described by long-term average increases in temperature and decreases in precipitation, was perceived, but with subordinate priority. Perceived climate impacts included reduced crop yield, increased occurrence of pests and diseases and increased crop damage by extreme events and poverty. Adaptations were mainly land based and included agronomic measures, land management and ecosystem restoration. Furthermore, important gender differences in adaptation could be traced back to typical gender roles. Results highlight the risk of broadcast adaptation programs, such as the government-propagated combination of mineral fertilizers and early maturing crop varieties. Most importantly, they point to the need to consider climate variability, site- and gender-specific perceptions and priorities.
Participatory action research (PAR) puts high emphasis on the interaction of the research participants. However, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the central role of researchers in participatory research processes had to be questioned and revisited. New modes of PAR developed dynamically under the new circumstances created by the pandemic. To better understand how Covid-19 changed the way PAR is applied, we analyzed PAR in agricultural research for development carried out in the Programme for Climate-Smart Livestock Systems (PCSL) implemented by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) at five research sites in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. To understand how PAR changed in a component on adaptation research in the PCSL we facilitated a reflexive study with livestock keepers and researchers to document their experiences of PAR during the Covid-19 pandemic. The analytical framework focuses on highlighting the core characteristics and the underlying ethos of PAR in this case study. The lessons learnt in the process of adapting to the realities of doing participatory research in the middle of a pandemic provide important arguments for further amalgamating the PAR philosophy into similar research designs. The onset of the pandemic has led to a further decentering of the researcher and a shift of the focus to the citizen, in this case the local livestock keeper, that made it more participatory in the stricter interpretation of the term. Letting go of controlling both narrative and implementation of the research will be challenging for researchers in many research fields. However, this shift of power and this transformation of research methodologies is inevitable if the research should remain relevant and impactful. Ultimately, the transition into a Covid-19 future and the awareness that similar pandemics could dramatically interrupt our lives any time, will have an impact on how projects are designed and funded. More long-term funding and less pressure on providing immediate results can build community trust and ownership for research at a local level.
Ethiopia is undoubtedly making enormous development progress, particularly in terms of infrastructure, education and improved livelihoods. Yet there is growing disagreement on what constitutes good or appropriate development for Ethiopia. There is firm belief in the role of the developmental state built on economic growth, but there are doubts whether economic growth has led to more equity. Society is torn between maintaining traditional values and embracing the value changes that flow from increasing engagement in the globalised system and, while new, wealthier actors are appearing on the national scene, the poor still do not sufficiently benefit from development progress. As global shocks impact on Ethiopia to a greater or lesser extent, these interplay with an already vibrant and increasingly diverse struggle to imagine what development means for Ethiopia.
Purpose: Reflections on negotiation processes between farmers and scientists in research projects provide insights into issues of participation, power and equity. This case study illustrates how actors chose places to meet, negotiate and represent technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The research involved semi-structured interviews and participant observation with farmers, scientists, government agricultural advisors (extensionists), policymakers, and staff of development organisations involved in a research for development project in Western Shewa, Ethiopia from 2009 to 2011. It combines theories from social studies of science as well as development studies. Findings: Using blueprint approaches in research projects will not yield sustainable results. Participation must go beyond consultation or trying to educate farmers. Social relations are at the core of cooperation between farmers and scientists and require much more attention. Powerful choices on modes of representation and communication technologies as well as unilateral decisions on places have important implications for the way decisions are eventually made and by whom. Originality/value: Our approach to studying research for development projects from social studies of science perspectives adds new insights into debates on participation and power in technology transfer and multicultural cooperation in rural development.
Development research has been through many stages over the past few decades and during this time has experienced fluctuating appreciation by development practice. There is an increasing gap between different ways of doing development research. For some, the purpose of development research is primarily to influence policies, and in order to do this development research has to reframe its whole approach, language, and methodology. Others maintain that development research needs to distance itself, maintain an analytical and even critical approach towards development practice, and become an academic discipline in its own right.Changer le monde de la recherche dans le secteur du développement ? Vue d'ensemble de la théorie et de la pratique Les recherches en matière de développement ont traversé de nombreuses étapes au cours des quelques dernières décennies et, durant cette période, elles ont fait l'objet d'une appréciation variable de la part de la pratique du développement. On observe un écart croissant entre différentes manières de mener des recherches dans le secteur du développement. Pour certains, la finalité de la recherche dans ce secteur est principalement d'influencer les politiques générales et, pour y parvenir, les recherches dans le secteur du développement doivent reformuler leur approche, leur langage et leur méthodologie tout entiers. D'autres maintiennent que la recherche en développement doit se distancier, maintenir une approche analytique, voire critique, envers la pratique de développement et devenir une discipline universitaire à part entière.Mudando o mundo da pesquisa de desenvolvimento? Um exame da teoria e prática A pesquisa de desenvolvimento tem passado por várias fases nas últimas décadas, e durante este tempo tem enfrentado uma apreciação variável pela prática de desenvolvimento. Há uma lacuna cada vez maior entre as formas diferentes de se fazer pesquisa de desenvolvimento. Para alguns, o propósito da pesquisa de desenvolvimento é principalmente influenciar políticas e, para fazer isto, a pesquisa de desenvolvimento tem de sistematizar novamente sua abordagem completa, linguagem e metodologia. Outros sustentam que a pesquisa de desenvolvimento precisa distanciar-se, manter uma abordagem analítica e até mesmo crítica em relação à prática de desenvolvimento e tornar-se uma disciplina acadêmica por pleno direito. ¿Cambiar el rumbo de la investigación sobre el desarrollo? Lecciones teóricas y prácticas En las últimas décadas, la investigación sobre el desarrollo ha pasado por varias etapas con
The original article has been corrected. Unfortunately, the original publication contained a mistake in one of the author names. The correct name is Kibruyesfa Sisay. Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.