“Hybrid systems” developed by
smallholders as an underutilized
resource
Miguel Pinedo Vasquez,
Scientific Coordinator of PLEC
The global challenge of rural
development
z
provide food security
z
reduce rural poverty
z
reduce environmental degradation
z
stem the erosion of biological diversity
Two paths to achieving global
goals:
z
z
Apply modern technologies and
systems that have succeeded in
industrialized countries
Use “traditional” systems and
technologies
Some problems with applying industrialized
country solutions
z
z
z
Tools and other inputs are expensive and most
farmers can not afford them
Modern systems are mainly developed for the
production of a single crop and this exposes
poor farmers to unacceptable risks
Small farmers often farm areas unsuitable
(slopes, flood-prone lands, etc.) for farming
with developed country technologies
Problems with “traditional” systems.
Many view traditional systems as:
z
low-yielding, inefficient
z
antiquated, bound by tradition
z
non-adaptive and non- adaptable when
facing economic, social, and
environmental change
The result of these assumptions:
• reluctance of development and
conservation communities to incorporate
local agricultural practices
• the most important, available, resource of
rural communities— knowledge—continues
to be underutilized
What solutions does PLEC offer?
We identify, test, and promote locallydeveloped “hybrid” systems that combine
traditional knowledge and approaches with
new knowledge, technologies, tools, and
economic understanding
“Hybrid” technologies help farmers to deal with environmental changes
Average income made by 22 families from 1998 a 2000, Iquitos, Peru
900
800
700
flood
dry
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
fields
h.gardens forests
others
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8
7
7
8
9
10
11
12
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
7
8
9
10
11
12
“Hybrid” systems help farmers to deal with market changes and
oportunities
Price fluctuation of cassava per hours in the markets of Macapa,
Brazil in February, 2002
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Average number of agriculture products sold by 15 families in
the markets of Macapa, Brazil in five years (1998 - 2002)
Changes in rural
development
priorities at global,
regional and national
levels
Coffee economy collapsed in Kenya
Some examples of “hybrid” technologies
and systems developed by farmers
A “hybrid” biodiversity-friendly and profitable system
for timber and food production in Tanzania
A system that integrates modern forestry
with traditional farming practice
z
z
z
New tree species
(including some
exotic trees)
New planting
patterns
recommended by
foresters
Recreates traditional
patterns for
cultivating wild
vegetables and crops
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
trees
crops
wild veg
New locallydeveloped seed
storage
technologies
using waste oil
developed by
caboclos in
Brazilian
Amazonia
Colheita e
armazenamento
Milho no tijuco ou lama
Dicas para se guardar o milho para semente e para criação:
Colheita:
Logo após a colheita:
Fazer o atilho. Como? Pegase 2 espigas, retira -se
algumas palhas deixando
outras para proteção e
amarra-se uma na outra.
Como saber que está na hora
certa de colher o milho?
“Quando vai secando,
vermelhando as folhas da
árvore e a espiga também vão
ficando vermelhinha” (D. ChicaMarirana)
Faça como o Sr. Minerval e a
D.Chica e o Sr.Raimundo e a
D.Alcilene (Marirana):
Procure quebrar o milho quando
estiver na época de noite escura,
sem luar.
Isso ajuda a afugentar os
gorgulhos!
25 atilhos = 1 mão = 50 espigas
E D. Guinelina (Marirana)
avisa: Não se esqueçam
de amarrar as pontas de
cada milho, pois é por aí
que entra o gorgulho!
Atilho
Para armazenar:
D.Alcilene, D.Chica, D.Guinelina
(Marirana) e D.Luzia (Aiucá)
recomendam:
Se for guardar o milho para semente,
você deve guardar no sol ou no
fumaceiro (do fogão à lenha, por
exemplo). Isto também ajuda a
afastar os gorgulhos!
D.Guinelina com seu milho no sol
Milho no fum aceiro
30
25
20
hybrid system
other
15
10
5
0
corn
beans
peanuts
Average time of storing corn, bean and peanut seeds using the
“hybrid” system and other methods by 25 families (1998-2002)
These hybrid systems help
smallholders deal with changes
produced by unstable markets,
shifting national policies, and
global trends
These systems can raise rural incomes:
Average annual income (US$) made from
managed fallows using a “hybrid” agroforestry
system promoted by PLEC in Brazil
2002
2000
1999
0
200
400
600
800
1000
PLEC facilitates the spread of
these innovative hybrid
technologies and systems that
combine modern and traditional
production knowledge and inputs
through a tested set of
“demonstration” activities
How does PLEC work?
PLEC identifies the “expert
farmers,” developers of
innovative practices and
incorporates them and their
communities into rural research,
demonstration, and outreach
z
z
PLEC uses a great variety
of demonstration
approaches
PLEC uses demo sites in the
landholdings of expert
farmers to facilitate the
exchange of knowledge
among farmers
PLEC dissemination methods are tested and effective
Families that adopted the expert farmer “hybrid” agriculture system after
participating in demonstration activities in 6 communities, Ghana
350
300
250
200
practicing
non-practicing
150
100
50
0
1999
2000
2001/02
PLEC provides a unique network for
South-South cooperation and SouthNorth twinning arrangements
Collaboration
between 19
institutions
6 PLEC clusters in 12
highly biodiverse
countries
Results of PLEC
• More appropriate local
development
• Enhanced well-being of rural
families
• Pro-poor environmental
conservation
Results of PLEC:
environmental benefits
• Lowering use of chemicals
• Increasing use of local varieties and
the value of agrodiversity
• Using sustainable production methods
that maintain ecosystem function
The future of PLEC
PLEC is now focussed on
mainstreaming its approaches
into national and international
policies and training institutions
to bring such benefits to a wider
sample of projects, countries,
and communities
Conclusions
• ”Expert" farmers and their “hybrid
systems” offer local solutions to some
of the most pressing problems of
poverty and environmental degradation
• PLEC offers a sustainable future to
agricultural communities worldwide