Researching the Culture in Agri-Culture: Social Research for International Agricultural Development (Cabi Publishing)

This book analyzes the functions, content, methods, findings, and impacts of social and cultural research carried out by the worldwide network of 16 International Agricultural Research Centers of the CGIAR(Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research). Its two main parts - "insiders" and "outsiders" - bring together the perspectives of over 50 eminent scholars and social researchers from 30 countries, working within the Centers or within outside academic and development institutions. The authors examine critically the priorities, strengths, and weaknesses of research on the socio-structural, behavioral, cultural, and institutional variables of developing agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries. The studies focus on farmers' values, needs and knowledge, their patterns of social organization, issues of food security, natural resource management and poverty reduction. Alternative models of multidisciplinary research, reuniting biological, natural, economic and social sciences are scrutinized in the light of experience and results, with emphasis on the nature of social science research as a source of international public goods and a key contributor to induced development. Contents 7 In Memoriam 5 Foreword 16 Stock Taking and New Challenges in Social Research Editors’ Preface 19 Acknowledgements 24 Part I: Social Research for Agricultural Policies 27 1 Rites of Entrance and Rights of Citizenship: the Uphill Battle for Social Research in CGIAR 29 Perceived Discrepancies 30 The Key Concept: Culture in Agri-Culture 31 Fostering High-yielding Human Systems: Achievements in Social Research 34 Issues in the Institutionalization of Social Research in CGIAR 36 Staff Depletion: Diminishing Social Research Capacity 37 Interdisciplinary and Autonomous Research Strategies 44 Priority Themes for Social Research in CGIAR’s Strategy 46 Social Research for Policies: How to Overcome Marginalization? 47 Linkages: Social Researchers as ‘Knowledge-conveyor Belts’ 51 2 Agricultural Institutions and Receptivity to Social Research: the Case of the CGIAR 58 A Look Back 58 Recent Social Research in the CGIAR 60 TAC’s and External Review Panels’ Views about Social Science Research in CGIAR 61 The 2000 CGIAR Strategy and Social Research 67 The CGIAR Social Research Conference 68 Concluding Remarks 73 3 Who are the Social Researchers of the CGIAR System? 77 Overview and Methodology 78 The Social Researchers: Demographic Profile 80 Professional Profile of the Respondents 90 Discussion 99 Part II: The Insiders’ Views: Social Research in the CGIAR System 105 4 Rice for the Poor: the Call and Opportunity for Social Research 107 Evolution of Social Science Research at the IRRI 108 Contributions of Social Research 109 Difficulties and Constraints Facing Social Researchers 115 Opportunities for Social Researchers 118 5 Understanding Forests–People Links: the Voice of Social Scientists 126 Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management 127 Local People, Devolution and Adaptive Collaborative Management of Forests 128 Underlying Causes of Deforestation Programme 132 Forest Products and People (previously Non-timber Forest Products) 135 Organizational Aspects 139 In Sum 142 6 Humanizing Technology Development in the Green Revolution’s Home 150 History of Social Science Research at CIMMYT 151 Current Focus of Social Science Research at CIMMYT 156 Outlook for Social Science Research at CIMMYT 159 7 Water to Thirsty Fields: How Social Research Can Contribute 166 IWMI’s Programme Themes: Past and Present 167 Role of Social Science Research at IWMI 169 Beyond IMT: Institutional Reform Imperatives 175 Mainstreaming Gender Issues 179 Water and Poverty 181 8 Rootcrops in Agricultural Societies: What Social Research has Revealed 192 Social Research Staffing in CIP 193 Patterns of Research and Deployment of Social Researchers, 1975–2002 196 Contribution of Social Research to CIP’s Research and Innovation Processes 198 Breaking New Ground: Social Research 1975–1983 200 Social Research in National Programmes, 1984–1990 202 Regionalization of Social Research, 1991–1996 204 Institutionalization of Social Research Results and Approaches 210 9 Why the ‘Livestock Revolution’ Requires Research on People 220 Two Discordant Staffing Curves 220 Social Science Research in ILRAD 222 Social Science Research in ILCA 222 Social Science Research in ILRI 223 A New Strategy for ILRI and the Use of ‘Action-research’ 227 Institutional Change 230 10 Aquatic Resources: Collective Management Patterns and Governance for the World’s Fish Wealth 235 Theoretical Considerations 235 Social Research Programme 237 Community Participation and Collective Action 238 Community Involvement in Fishery Management in Bangladesh 238 Fishery Management in San Salvador Island, Philippines – Organizing Communities 241 11 Tropical Agriculture and Social Research: an Analytical Perspective 245 Methods 246 A Brief History of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture 247 Results and Analysis 247 Models of Integrating the Social and Biophysical Sciences 249 Theory-led or Practice-led Development of Social Sciences? 255 The Trade-off for Social Scientists: a Career in CGIAR or in the Discipline? 256 Blurring the Boundaries 257 Personalizing or Institutionalizing Social Sciences? 258 12 Dry Areas and the Changing Demands for Social Research 263 Evolution of ICARDA’s Research Programmes 265 Development of Social Science Research at ICARDA 267 Evolution of the Social Science Research Programme and Outputs 271 Impact of Social Science 277 The Way Forward 280 13 Agricultural Biodiversity and How Human Culture is Shaping it 290 How Culture and Knowledge underpin Biodiversity in Agriculture and Development 292 Ethnobotany and the Social Science of Crop Evolution and Biodiversity 297 Role of Social Science in Plant Genetic Resources and the Growth of IPGRI 298 Cultural Factors and Crop Genetic Diversity 301 Understanding Gender to Empower the Agricultural Biodiversity Decision Makers 304 Social and Institutional Research to Support Community-based Biodiversity Management 306 14 Studying Property Rights and Collective Action: a Systemwide Programme 311 Background 311 Conceptual Framework and Definitions 312 Key Findings 315 Strengthening Social Research Capacity 316 Lessons from Social Research for Programme Governance 319 15 Crafting Food Policy with Social Science Knowledge 325 A Historical Perspective 326 Property Rights and Collective Action: Social Research on Institutional Issues 329 Looking Outside the Box: Gender and Intrahousehold Research 330 Research on Safety-net Programmes and Poverty 333 Food from Peace Project 338 Governance 339 A Missed Opportunity to Undertake Cutting-edge Political Analysis 341 Social Research on the Policy Process: is it Worth it? 342 Lessons: Challenges and Factors Affecting Success 344 Some Closing Thoughts 347 Part III: The Outsiders’ View: Issues, Expectations and Agendas 353 16 Not Just One Best System: the Diversity of Institutions for Coping with the Commons 355 The Commons and International Development Research 356 Common-pool Resources 357 Conventional Theory of Common-pool Resources 357 Self-organized Resource Governance Systems in the Field 359 On the Origin of Self-governed, Common-pool Resources 360 Theoretical Puzzles 361 What Kinds of Systems do Appropriators Design? 364 Affecting the Characteristics of Users through Boundary Rules 365 Affecting the Set of Allowable Actions through Authority Rules 368 Affecting Outcomes through Payoff and Position Rules 372 Affecting Outcomes through Changes in Information, Scope and Aggregation Rules 375 Policies as Experiments 375 17 Social Research and Researchers in CGIAR: an Underused Potential 387 Realities: the Context of Accelerating Change 387 Paradigms and Practical Theory 388 Comparative Disadvantages of the CGIAR System 389 Comparative Advantages through Social Researchers 390 Methodologies 392 Institutional Learning and Change in CGIAR 393 Questions, Systems and Directions 395 18 The Rockefeller Foundation and Social Research in Agriculture 399 Social Sciences in International Agricultural Research 400 The ‘Rocky Doc’ Programme 402 The Future 404 19 A Donor Perspective: Accomplishments, Limitations and Opportunities for Social Research 408 Past Efforts 409 Shaping Donor Development Policy through Social Research 413 Strengthening Social Research and its Role in CGIAR 415 Do the Right ‘Agents’ Spread the Message about the Relevance of Social Research? 419 Have Social Researchers Crafted the Right Message? 420 How Should Centres Change to Enhance the Success of Social Research? 421 20 Seeking Half our Brains: Constraints and Incentives in the Social Context of Interdisciplinary Research 429 Status and Rewards for Social Science in the CGIAR: the International Potato Center Experience 431 Status and Rewards for Social Science Agriculture Research in the US University 439 21 Roots: Reflections of a ‘Rocky Doc’ on Social Science in CGIAR 447 Introduction to CIAT 447 The World Bank and CGIAR: a Brief Comparison 453 22 Social Science Knowledge as a Public Good 457 Definitions and Dimensions 458 Characteristics of Public Social Science Research 461 Funding and Prioritizing Public Social Science Research 462 A Broad View of the Landscape for Public Goods 464 Some Implications for Social Research in CGIAR 465 Contributors 473 List of Abbreviations 493 Index 497 A 497 B 498 C 499 D 502 E 502 F 503 G 504 H 505 I 506 J 510 K 510 L 510 M 511 N 511 O 512 P 512 Q 515 R 515 S 516 T 521 U 521 V 521 W 522 Y 523 Z 523 This book analyzes the functions, content, methods, findings, and impacts of social and cultural research carried out by the worldwide network of 16 International Agricultural Research Centers of the CGIAR (Conservative Group on International Agricultural Research). Its two parts - ''insiders''. and ''outsiders'' - brings together the perspectives of over 50 eminent scholars and social researchers from 30 countries, working within the Centers or within outside academic and development institutions. The authors examine critically the priorities, strengths, and weaknesses of research on the. socio-structural, behavioral, cultural and institutional variables of developing agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries. The studies focus on farmers' values, needs and knowledge, their patterns of social organization, issues of food security, natural resource management and poverty. reduction. Alternative methods of multidisciplinary research, reuniting biological, natural, economic and social sciences are scrutinized in the light of experience and results, with emphasis on the nature of social science research as a source of international public goods and a key contributor to. induced development This book analyzes the functions, content, methods, findings, and impacts of social and cultural researchcarried out by the worldwide network of 16 International Agricultural Research Centers of the CGIAR(Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research). Its two main parts -'insiders'and'outsiders'-bring together the perspectives of over 50 eminent scholars and social researchers from 30 countries,working within the Centers or within outside academic and development institutions. The authorsexamine critically the priorities, strengths, and weaknesses of research on the socio-structural, behavioural,cultural, and institutional variables of developing agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries. The studiesfocus on farmers'values, needs and knowledge, their patterns of social organization, issues of food security,natural resource management and poverty reduction. Alternative models of multidisciplinary research,reuniting biological, natural, economic and social sciences are scrutinized in the light of experience andresults, with emphasis on the nature of social science research as a source of international public goodsand a key contributor to induced development.