‘They don’t know what they are talking about’: Learning from the dissonances in dialogue about soil fertility knowledge and experimental practice in western Kenya

Ramisch, Joshua J.

doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.05.009

Cited by 26 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 63 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The narrative of two unitary and fundamentally distinct knowledge systems—one ever expanding in influence and reach while the other rapidly erodes—has created a sense of urgency with regard to “preserving” local knowledge systems, as further loss erodes the knowledge base for environmental management and climate-change adaptation. Importantly, such framings have largely reinforced an image of local knowledge systems as fundamentally static and internally undifferentiated (Goldman 2007; Ramisch 2014). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gendered knowledge and adaptive practices: Differentiation and change in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Smucker

Wangui

2016

Ambio

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We examine the wider social knowledge domain that complements technical and environmental knowledge in enabling adaptive practices through two case studies in Tanzania. We are concerned with knowledge production that is shaped by gendered exclusion from the main thrusts of planned adaptation, in the practice of irrigation in a dryland village and the adoption of fast-maturing seed varieties in a highland village. The findings draw on data from a household survey, community workshops, and key informant interviews. The largest challenge to effective adaptation is a lack of access to the social networks and institutions that allocate resources needed for adaptation. Results demonstrate the social differentiation of local knowledge, and how it is entwined with adaptive practices that emerge in relation to gendered mechanisms of access. We conclude that community-based adaptation can learn from engaging the broader social knowledge base in evaluating priorities for coping with greater climate variability.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-016-0828-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gendered knowledge and adaptive practices: Differentiation and change in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Smucker

Wangui

2016

Ambio

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(3) Responsibilities were delegated as much as possible to the farmers. Therefore, farmers were given the space to involve fully in the experimentation, not only by evaluating field performance, but also by having a full mandate for main steps in the research cycle (see for example, Arévalo and Ljung (2006), de Souza et al (2012), Giller et al (2008), Musvoto et al (2015), Nederlof et al (2004) and Ramisch (2014)). Maximum control over experimentation (analysis, design) was delegated to the farmers to avoid bias between groups due to our inputs (see also points 4 and 5 below).…”

Section: Points Of Departurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In participatory experimentation processes farmers and scientists provide different cognitive inputs and also use different sources of knowledge (Hoffmann et al, 2007). Differences in type and source of knowledge relate to differences in reference frameworks of involved scientists and farmers: academic vs. contextual and academic vs. pragmatic (Arévalo and Ljung, 2006;Leitgeb et al, 2011;Ramisch, 2014;Van Asten et al, 2009). In addition, also peers and social context in most cases are completely different (Chambers and Jiggins, 1987b).…”

Section: Participatory Experimentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmers in the lead : Assessing effectiveness of participatory experimentation inTigray, Northern Ethiopia

Kraaijvanger¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The study area 1.10 Thesis outline 2 Comparison of methods to identify crop productivity constraints in developing countries. A review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Heuristic model and prototype methods 2.3 Different use of methodologies: a review 2.4 Comparing different methods for the identification of productivity constraints in Tigray 2.5 Discussion 2.6 Conclusion 3 Identifying crop productivity constraints and opportunities using Focus Group Discussions: A case study with farmers from Tigray 3.1 Introduction 3.2. Material and methods 3.3 Results 3.4. Discussion 3.5. Conclusion 4 The importance of local factors and management in determining wheat yield variability in on-farm experimentation in Tigray, northern Ethiopia 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Materials and methods 4.3 Results and Discussion 4.4 Conclusion viii 5 Four years of farmer experimentation on soil fertility in Tigray, northern Ethiopia: Trends in research strategies 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Method 5.3 Results 5.4 Discussion 5.5 Conclusion 6 Grain productivity, fertilizer response and nutrient balance of farming systems in Tigray, Ethiopia: A multi-perspective view in relation to soil fertility degradation 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Materials and method 6.3 Results 6.4 Discussion 6.5 Conclusion 7 Considering change: Evaluating four years of participatory experimentation with farmers in Tigray (Ethiopia) highlighting both functional and human-social aspects 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Methods 7.3 Results and Discussion 7.4 Conclusion 8 Synthesis 8.1 The research project: an overview 8.2 Assessing effectiveness: putting pieces together 8.3 Reflection on process and points of departure 8.4 Impact, livelihood development and scaling 8.

show abstract

“…Farmers received a copy of the trial design with explanations in their local language on how to establish the trial. No conventional check treatment was included, as farmers are well aware of the performance of their traditional systems (Ramisch, 2014). Seeding dates varied between all plots depending on rainfall and irrigation opportunities.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intercropping in Zimbabwe conservation agriculture systems using a farmer-participatory research approach

Salomons¹,

Braul²,

Jazi³

et al. 2018

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are under increasing pressure due in part to climate change and soil degradation, with many farming households unable to achieve even basic food selfsufficiency. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a possible solution to these challenges, but the lack of sufficient biomass for mulch has limited wide-scale adoption, and many farmers who practice CA resort to adding supplemental mulch to their CA plots. Legume intercropping would not only provide biological and nutritional diversity, it may also provide an in situ cover, thereby reducing the amount of mulch required for soil and water conservation. Farmer managed research experiments were used in two semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe to test whether intercropping a cereal crop [maize (Zea mays)] with a legume [cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), lablab (Lablab purpureus) or pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan)] could increase the total amount of biomass produced. The experimental design included two replicates with legume species and presence or absence of mulch cover as factors in the design. Maize yields were increased more by adding mulch than by legume intercrops in the absence of mulch. Therefore, intercrops were not a substitute for mulch. However, adding intercrops did significantly increase the amount of total biomass (maize and intercrop dry matter) produced at the sites and therefore, in addition to contributing protein rich grains, intercrops may reduce the amount of mulch required for soil and water conservation in CA systems. Farmer participation allowed the research to be conducted in the context of small-holder CA.

show abstract

‘They don’t know what they are talking about’: Learning from the dissonances in dialogue about soil fertility knowledge and experimental practice in western Kenya

Cited by 26 publications

References 63 publications

Gendered knowledge and adaptive practices: Differentiation and change in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Gendered knowledge and adaptive practices: Differentiation and change in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Farmers in the lead : Assessing effectiveness of participatory experimentation inTigray, Northern Ethiopia

Intercropping in Zimbabwe conservation agriculture systems using a farmer-participatory research approach

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About