Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T11:33:54.389Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Contribution of farmers' experiments and innovations to Cuba's agricultural innovation system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2011

Friedrich Leitgeb ,
Fernando R. Funes-Monzote ,
Susanne Kummer  and
Christian R. Vogl
Friedrich Leitgeb*
Affiliation:
Working Group: Knowledge Systems and Innovations, Division of Organic Farming, Department of Sustainable Agriculture Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.
Fernando R. Funes-Monzote
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental Indio Hatuey, Central España Republicana, Universidad de Matanzas, Perico, Matanzas, Cuba.
Susanne Kummer
Affiliation:
Working Group: Knowledge Systems and Innovations, Division of Organic Farming, Department of Sustainable Agriculture Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.
Christian R. Vogl
Affiliation:
Working Group: Knowledge Systems and Innovations, Division of Organic Farming, Department of Sustainable Agriculture Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Innovations are the driving force for agricultural development under present diverse situations of uncertainty. The innovation system perspective acknowledges the contributions made by all stakeholders involved in knowledge development, dissemination and appropriation. According to the specific agricultural production system, farmers adopt innovations, modify them or innovate on their own. This paper examines the role of farmers' experiments and innovations in Cuba's agricultural innovation system (AIS), identifies knowledge exchange encounters and describes some strategies implemented to institutionalize farmers' experiments and innovations. The research methods comprised 34 semi-structured interviews with agricultural experts from the science, administration and advisory system, and 31 free list questionnaires to assess the institutional influence on farmers' experiments and innovations. In addition, three case studies of outstanding farmers' experiments are presented. The results suggest that the government's commitment to social participation in knowledge development provides the basic prerequisite for an effective integration of farmers' experiments and innovation in Cuba. The historically conditioned vertical structure of knowledge development and dissemination is gradually changing toward more horizontal procedures. The dynamic exchange of ideas at all kinds of interactive meetings, such as workshops or farmers' field schools, have favored farmer to farmer learning as well as knowledge sharing with research, academic and extension officials. This multi-stakeholders' approach contributes to institutionalize farmers' knowledge. Farmers' experiments and innovations play a major role in improving farm management and thereby can contribute to build resilience at the farming system level as well as for the national agricultural system.

Keywords

innovationfarmers' experimentsknowledge systemagricultural innovation systemparticipation
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , December 2011 , pp. 354 - 367
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Schmitz, P.M. and Kavallari, A. 2009. Crop plants versus energy plants – on the international food crisis. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 17(12):4020–4021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Myers, N. and Kent, J. 2001. Food and hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa. Environmentalist 21(1):41–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Sivakumar, M., Das, H., and Brunini, O. 2005. Impacts of present and future climate variability and change on agriculture and forestry in the arid and semi-arid tropics. Climatic Change 70(1):31–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Frayne, B. 2004. Migration and urban survival strategies in Windhoek, Namibia. Geoforum 35(4):489–505.Google Scholar
5IAASTD. 2009. Global report. In McIntyre, B.D., Herren, H.R., Wakhungu, J. and Watson, R.T. (eds). International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development. Island Press, Washington DC.Google Scholar
6Wettasinha, C., Wongtschowski, M. and Waters-Bayer, A. 2008. Recognising Local Innovation: Experiences of PROLINNOVA Partners. A publication in the Series on Promoting Local Innovation. Intermediate Publication, Silang, Cavite, The Philippines.Google Scholar
7Reij, C. and Waters-Bayer, A. (eds). 2001. Farmer Innovation in Africa: A Source of Inspiration for Agricultural Development. Earthscan, London, UK.Google Scholar
8Chambers, R., Pacey, A. and Thrupp, L.A. (eds). 1998. Farmer First. Farmer Innovation and Agricultural Research. Intermediate Technology Publications, London, UK.Google Scholar
9Klerkx, L. and Leeuwis, C. 2008. Balancing multiple interests: Embedding innovation intermediation in the agricultural knowledge infrastructure. Technovation 28(6):364–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Fischer, M.M. 2001. Innovation, knowledge creation and systems of innovation. Annals of Regional Science 35(2):199–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Milestad, R. and Darnhofer, I. 2003. Building farm resilience: The prospects and challenges of organic farming. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 22(3):81–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Milestad, R., Kummer, S., and Vogl, C.R. 2010. Building farm resilience through farmers' experimentation. In: Darnhofer, I. and Grötzer, M. (eds).Building Sustainable Rural Futures. The Added Value of Systems Approaches in Times of Change and Uncertainty. Proceedings of the 9th IFSA Symposium, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria. p. 770–778.Google Scholar
13Hoffmann, V., Probst, K., and Christinck, A. 2007. Farmers and researchers: How can collaborative advantages be created in participatory research and technology development? Agriculture and Human Values 24(3):355–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Bunch, R. 1991. People-centered agricultural improvement. In: Haverkort, B., van der Kamp, J. and Waters-Bayer, A. (eds). Joining Farmer's Experiments. Intermediate Technology Publication, London, UK. p. 23–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Haverkort, B. 1991. Farmer's experiments and participatory technology development. In: Haverkort, B., van der Kamp, J., and Waters-Bayer, A. (eds). Joining Farmer's Experiments. Intermediate Technology Publications, London, UK. p. 3–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Thrupp, L.A. 1996. New Partnerships for Sustainable Agriculture. World Resources Institute, Washington, USA.Google Scholar
17Sumberg, J., Okali, C. and Reece, D. 2003. Agricultural research in the face of diversity, local knowledge and the participation imperative: Theoretical considerations. Agricultural Systems 76(2):739–753.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18Reece, J.D. and Sumberg, J. 2003. More clients, less resources: Toward a new conceptual framework for agricultural research in marginal areas. Technovation 23(5):409–421.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Sumberg, J. 2005. Systems of innovation theory and the changing architecture of agricultural research in Africa. Food Policy 30(1):21–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20Hellin, J., Bellon, M.R., Badstue, L., Dixon, J. and La Rovere, R. 2008. Increasing the impacts of participatory research. Experimental Agriculture 44(1):81–95.Google Scholar
21Klerkx, L. and Leeuwis, C. 2008. Institutionalizing end-user demand steering in agricultural R&D: Farmer levy funding of R&D in The Netherlands. Research Policy 37(3):460–472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22Ríos-Labrada, H. 2004. Logros en la implementación del fitomejoramiento participativo en Cuba. Cultivos Tropicales 24(4):17–23.Google Scholar
23Kummer, S. and Vogl, C.R. 2009. Bäuerliche Experimente. Forschung ohne Wissenschaftler. Ökologie and Landbau 152(4):54–56.Google Scholar
24Rosset, P.M. and Benjamin, M. (eds). 1994. The Greening of the Revolution: Cuba's Experiment with Organic Agriculture. Ocean Press, Australia.Google Scholar
25Funes, F. 2002. The organic farming movement in Cuba. In: Funes, F., García, L., Bourque, M., Pérez, N. and Rosset, P. (eds). Sustainable Agriculture and Resistance – Transforming Food Production in Cuba. Food First Books, Oakland. p. 1–26.Google Scholar
26Funes-Monzote, F.R. 2008. Farming like we're here to stay: The mixed farming alternative for Cuba. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
27Nelson, E., Scott, S., Cukier, J. and Galán, A.L. 2009. Institutionalizing agroecology: Successes and challenges in Cuba. Agriculture and Human Values 26(3):233–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28Flick, U. 2004. Qualitative Sozialforschung – Eine Einführung. Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, Hamburg.Google Scholar
29Bernard, H.R. 2002. Research Methods in Anthropology – Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Altamira Press, Walnut Creek, CA, USA.Google Scholar
30Miles, M.B. and Huberman, M.A. 1994. Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.Google Scholar
31Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. 2003. Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. Sage Publications, London, UK.Google Scholar
32Beer, B. (Hg.) 2003. Methoden und Techniken der Feldforschung. Dietrich Reimer Verlag, Berlin, Germany.Google Scholar
33Spielman, D.J., Ekboir, J., Davis, K. and Ochieng, C.M.O. 2008. An innovation systems perspective on strengthening agricultural education and training in sub-Saharan Africa. Agricultural Systems 98(1):1–9.Google Scholar
34GebreMichael, Y. 2001. Community assessment of local innovators in northern Ethiopia. In: Reji, C. and Waters-Bayer, A. (eds). Farmer Innovation in Africa. Earthscan Publications, London, UK. p. 171–177.Google Scholar
35Rogers, E.M. 2003. Diffusion of Innovations. 5th ed.Free Press, New York, USA.Google Scholar
36Malerba, F. 2002. Sectoral systems of innovation and production. Research Policy 31(2):247–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37Spielman, D.J. 2006. A critique of innovation systems perspectives on agricultural research in developing countries. Innovation Strategy Today 2(1):41–54.Google Scholar
38Douthwaite, B., Keatinge, J.D.H. and Park, J.R. 2001. Why promising technologies fail: The neglected role of user innovation during adoption. Research Policy 30(5):819–836.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39Parlee, B. and Berkes, F. 2006. Indigenous knowledge of ecological variability and commons management: A case study on berry harvesting from Northern Canada. Human Ecology 34(4):515–528.Google Scholar
40García Pleyán, C. 2006. Desarrollo local y gestión del conocimiento. In: Guzón Camporredondo, A. (ed.). Desarrollo Local en Cuba: Retos y Perspectivas. Editorial Academia, La Habana, Cuba. p. 153–159.Google Scholar
41Berkes, F., Colding, J. and Folke, C. 2000. Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecological Applications 10(5):1251–1262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
42Ohmagari, K. and Berkes, F. 1997. Transmission of indigenous knowledge and bush skills among the Western James Bay Cree women of Subarctic Canada. Human Ecology 25(2):197–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
43Ingram, J. 2008. Agronomist–farmer knowledge encounters: an analysis of knowledge exchange in the context of best management practices in England. Agriculture and Human Values 25(3):405–418.Google Scholar
44Wortmann, C.S., Christiansen, A.P., Glewen, K.L., Hejny, T.A., Mulliken, J., Peterson, J.M., Varner, D.L., Wortmann, S. and Zoubek, G.L. 2005. Farmer research: Conventional experiences and guidelines for alternative agriculture and multi-functional agro-ecosystems. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 20(4):243–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
45Reijnties, C., Haverkort, B. and Waters-Bayer, A. 1992. Farming for the Future. An Introduction to Low-External-Input and Sustainable Agriculture. The Macmillan Press, London, UK.Google Scholar
46Hippel, E.V. 1988. The Sources of Innovation. Oxford University Press, New York, USA.Google Scholar
47Biggs, S.D. 1990. A multiple source of innovation model of agricultural research and technology promotion. World Development 18(11):1481–1499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48Leitgeb, F., Sanz, E., Kummer, S., Ninio, R. and Vogl, C.R. 2008. La discusión académica sobre los experimentos de los agricultores – una síntesis. Pastos y Forrajes 31(1):3–24.Google Scholar
49Sanz Soro, E. 2008. Experimentos de productores en la agricultura urbana – El caso de Cuba. MSc thesis, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria.Google Scholar
50Bastón Chils, C. 2010. Poseen los campesinos cubanos una organización eficiente. Available at Web site http://www.radioprogreso.cu/especiales/02120510.htm (accessed March 31, 2010).Google Scholar
51O.N.E. 2009. Anuario Estadístico de Cuba. Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, La Habana, Cuba.Google Scholar
52Machín Sosa, B., Roque Jaime, A.M., Ávila Lozano, D.R., and Rosset, P.M. 2010. Revolución agroecológica: el movimiento de campesino a campesino de la ANAP en Cuba. Cuando el campesino ve, hace fe. ANAP and La Vía Campesina, Havanna, Cuba.Google Scholar
53ACTAF 2008. Proceedings of VII Encuentro de Agricultura Orgánica y Sostenible,May 13–16, 2008, La Habana, Cuba[CD Format].Google Scholar
54Funes, F. 2002. The organic farming movement in Cuba. In: Funes, F., García, L., Bourque, M., Pérez, N., and Rosset, P. (eds). Sustainable Agriculture and Resistance – Transforming Food Production in Cuba. Food First Books, Oakland, CA. p. 1–26.Google Scholar
55Badgley, C. and Perfecto, I. 2005. Cuban science democratic and not tied to profit. Nature 437(7056):192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
56Levins, R. 2005. How Cuba is going ecological? Capitalism Nature Socialism 16(3):7–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
57Nieto, M. and Delgado, R. 2002. Cuban agriculture and food security. In: Funes, F., García, L., Bourque, M., Pérez, N. and Rosset, P. (eds). Sustainable Agriculture and Resistance – Transforming Food Production in Cuba. Food First Books, Oakland, CA. p. 40–56.Google Scholar
58Rosset, P.M., Machín Sosa, B., Roque Jaime, A.M. and Ávila Lozano, D.R. 2011. The Campesino-to-Campesino agroecology movement of ANAP in Cuba: Social process methodology in the construction of sustainable peasant agriculture and food sovereignty. Journal of Peasant Studies 38(1):161–191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed