Oral history and traditional ecological knowledge in social innovation and smallholder sovereignty: a case study of erva-mate in Southern Brazil

Nimmo, Evelyn R.; Carvalho, Alessandra I. de; Laverdi, Robson; Lacerda, A. E. B. de

doi:10.5751/es-11942-250417

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(23 reference statements)

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“…Although current legislation has been important in stemming the devastating loss of forests that occurred throughout the twentieth century, small-scale farmers feel disproportionately affected by the regulations, which has led to mistrust on both sides of the issue [38]. The oral history interviews conducted as part of our research have clearly underscored how tensions between small-scale farmers and environmental agencies have led many farmers to question the continuation of these systems as the current impasse seems insurmountable [33]. Yet, through research and advocacy in collaboration with farmers, changes are taking place, with environmental agencies such as Paraná State Environmental Institute (IAP) and the federal Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA) participating in recent events and outreach activities organized as part of this project, and in the Observatório.…”

Section: Stakeholder Engagement and Current Challengesmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…As such, they offer unique perspectives on issues of the environment, forests, and conservation as narratives are situated within the environment in question, grounded in the everyday challenges of rural life. To date, we have conducted interviews with 39 erva-mate producers and members of their families across seven different municipalities in Paraná and Santa Catarina [33].…”

Section: Methods To Leverage Traditional Agroforestry Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Leveraging Traditional Agroforestry Practices to Support Sustainable and Agrobiodiverse Landscapes in Southern Brazil

Lacerda

Hanisch

Nimmo

2020

Land

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Integrated landscape approaches have been identified as key to addressing competing social, ecological, economic, and political contexts and needs in landscapes as a means to improve and preserve agrobiodiversity. Despite the consistent calls to integrate traditional and local knowledge and a range of stakeholders in the process of developing integrated landscape approaches, there continues to be a disconnect between international agreements, national policies, and local grassroots initiatives. This case study explores an approach to address such challenges through true transdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder research and outreach to develop solutions for integrated landscapes that value and include the experience and knowledge of local communities and farmers. Working collaboratively with small-scale agroforestry farmers in Southern Brazil who continue to use traditional agroecological practices to produce erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis), our transdisciplinary team is working to collect oral histories, document local ecological knowledge, and support farmer-led initiatives to address a range of issues, including profitability, productivity, and legal restrictions on forest use. By leveraging the knowledge across our network, we are developing and testing models to optimize and scale-out agroforestry and silvopastoral systems based on our partners’ traditional practices, while also supporting the implementation of approaches that expand forest cover, increase biodiversity, protect and improve ecosystem services, and diversify the agricultural landscape. In so doing, we are developing a strong evidence base that can begin to challenge current environmental policies and commonly held misconceptions that threaten the continuation of traditional agroforestry practices, while also offering locally adapted and realistic models that can be used to diversify the agricultural landscape in Southern Brazil.

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Section: Stakeholder Engagement and Current Challengesmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Methods To Leverage Traditional Agroforestry Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging Traditional Agroforestry Practices to Support Sustainable and Agrobiodiverse Landscapes in Southern Brazil

Lacerda

Hanisch

Nimmo

2020

Land

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“…A key challenge that researchers face in community-based and participatory research is the meaningful integration of conventional "scientific" knowledge and traditional and/or Indigenous knowledge systems, as it requires innovative methods of doing research and an openness to valuing not only other ways of understanding agroecosystems and the environment but also the ways in which this information is shared. While academic research methods tend to focus on quantifying the impacts of agroecological systems in terms of, for example, ecosystem services, nutrient cycling, or soil and water dynamics [37,66], research and community engagement in each of the nodes indicates that farmers tend to emphasize socioenvironmental ties to the agroecosystem as expressed through memory, narrative, and affect [33,67]. As Gliessman [46] (p. 319) points out, "when farmers no longer have the incentive, desire, or ability to be good stewards of the land, ecological degradation is an inevitable outcome".…”

Section: Centering Research Around Traditional Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Building an Agroecology Knowledge Network for Agrobiodiversity Conservation

Nimmo,

Nelson,

Gómez-Tovar

et al. 2023

Conservation

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This paper describes the development of a transdisciplinary knowledge network dedicated to supporting agroecology knowledge exchange and capacity building that is particularly focused on the sustainable use and conservation of agrobiodiversity. The network—Fostering Effective Agroecology for Sustainable Transformation, or FEAST—includes nodes in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Canada’s Northwest Territories and has been engaged in Participatory Action Research activities since 2015. This paper examines the development of the network over time, including a workshop held in 2019 in and around Curitiba, Brazil, and reflects on the outcomes of knowledge exchange activities. We discuss how the development of the FEAST network has informed participants’ local practice and their sense of belonging to a larger-scale, international movement for agroecology, agrobiodiversity conservation, and food system sustainability.

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“…These traditional agroforestry systems that have developed over generations, with roots in the Guaraní Indigenous knowledge, are now engrained in settler community food production practices [108]. As such, the relationship of these traditional producers to their land is intimately tied to their relationship to the forest and their roles as stewards and knowledge holders [109]. These food production methods and collective community action has resulted in the conservation and reforestation of 20-25% of the region's forest ecosystems and have had a profound impact on biodiversity and human livelihoods in the region [1,110].…”

Section: Solidarity and Knowledge Sharing Through Global Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grassroots and Global Governance: Can Global–Local Linkages Foster Food System Resilience for Small Northern Canadian Communities?

Johnston¹,

Spring

2021

Sustainability

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Communities in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT) are at the forefront of the global climate emergency. Yet, they are not passive victims; local-level programs are being implemented across the region to maintain livelihoods and promote adaptation. At the same time, there is a recent call within global governance literature to pay attention to how global policy is implemented and affecting people on the ground. Thinking about these two processes, we ask the question: (how) can global governance assist northern Indigenous communities in Canada in reaching their goals of adapting their food systems to climate change? To answer this question, we argue for a “community needs” approach when engaging in global governance literature and practice, which puts community priorities and decision-making first. As part of a collaborative research partnership, we highlight the experiences of Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, located in Kakisa, NWT, Canada. We include their successes of engaging in global network building and the systemic roadblock of lack of formal land tenure. Moreover, we analyze potential opportunities for this community to engage with global governance instruments and continue connecting to global networks that further their goals related to climate change adaptation and food sovereignty.

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Oral history and traditional ecological knowledge in social innovation and smallholder sovereignty: a case study of erva-mate in Southern Brazil

Cited by 11 publications

References 16 publications

Leveraging Traditional Agroforestry Practices to Support Sustainable and Agrobiodiverse Landscapes in Southern Brazil

Leveraging Traditional Agroforestry Practices to Support Sustainable and Agrobiodiverse Landscapes in Southern Brazil

Building an Agroecology Knowledge Network for Agrobiodiversity Conservation

Grassroots and Global Governance: Can Global–Local Linkages Foster Food System Resilience for Small Northern Canadian Communities?

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