Project Title
"Strengthening Participatory Agro-Ecosystem Management Research"

Project Goal
Farmer information and decision-making improved through user-driven research agendas and services and scaling up of lessons learnt.

Project Purpose
Participatory research and integrated systems approaches utilized by National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems.

Project Background/Rationale
In 2003, AHI shifted its focus from farm-level natural resource management (NRM) interventions (Phases 1 and 2) to watershed-level NRM (Phase 3) in response to recommendations made through an external program review. Watershed management has received much attention in recent years due to global concern over declining water resources and increased evidence that farm-level technological innovation is insufficient for catalyzing widespread and equitable improvements in land-based livelihoods. However, approaches for operationalizing participation and integration in watershed management (Participatory Integrated Watershed Management, or PIWM) were sorely lacking. While farm-level interventions required social science support to strengthen the quality of on-farm participatory research, partnerships (among researchers, extension and farmers) and farmer research groups, the issues addressed in Phase 3 work are inherently social and political in nature. This required stronger back-up from the social sciences to support site-level design and testing of socially-optimal approaches to participatory watershed management. Furthermore, AHI moved into a challenging new area of work, requiring that significant attention be given to operationalizing untested research and development interventions. This grant supported social-ecological backstopping for AHI site teams to aid in operationalizing research questions and methods ("Research") and community facilitation approaches ("Development") components of PIWM. It also supported implementation of one of AHI's four main analytical thrusts, namely, "building local organizational capacity for collective action and innovation."

Project Nature
Non-CGS Project

Participating Countries and Institutions
Ethiopia: EIAR, Holetta Agricultural Research Centre, Areka Agricultural Research Centre
Kenya: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
Tanzania: DRC, Mlingano Agricultural Research Institute; Selian Agricultural Research Institute; Lushoto District Agriculture and Livestock Development Office
Uganda: CARE, Africa 2000 Network, Kabale District Farmers' Association

Duration and Status
January, 2000 to December, 2005 (completed)

Source of Funding
Rockefeller Foundation