The transition to agroecology in Nicaragua:Transformation or reconfiguration

of the agri-food regime? Katharina SchillerDecember 3, 2016

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Context: Nicaragua

(mapsof.net 2014)

• Tropics: highest potential bioproductivity, most biodiverse, hit hard by climate change

• 30 years of Movimiento Campesino a Campesino spreading agroecological knowledge and practices amongst small farmers

• 1998: Hurricane Mitch: agroecological farms shown to be more resilient

• 2011: Agroecology and Organic Production Law (Ley 765) and Normas Técnicas (NTON 11-037)

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Research question & methods

• Part of ongoing PhD research: Field study:2014, 2016-2017• Mix of qualitative and quantitative methods (PAR)

- Qualitative: key stakeholder interviews, workshops, innovation timeline construction- Quantitative: closed-question social-psychological survey of farmers’ values, beliefs

and norms in adopting agroecological practices- Feedback sessions with research partners (farmers, organizational actors)

Research question: Will agroecology remain a niche mode of production, or is it being instrumentalized to fundamentally change the dominant agri-food regime in Nicaragua?

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Transitions in agroecological farming

(Ernesto Méndez et al 2013)

Agroecologybeyond a “set of agricultural practices to produce significant amounts of food by valorizing in the best way ecological processes and ecosystem services” (Wezel et al 2014)

(MAGFOR 2013)

Institutional framework

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Interrelated social and technical change: Multi-Level Perspective (MLP)

Conceptual framework

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• Geels and Schot (2007): Typology of socio-technical transition pathways, based on• Timing of interactions – when simultaneous alignment occurs• Nature of interactions – how the alignment occurs

(Geels 2007)

De-alignment/re-alignment

Typology of socio-technical transition pathways

Transformation

Technological substitution

Reconfiguration

(Geels and Schot, 2007)

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Results: Agroecological Innovation Timeline

1987:MCAC comes to Nicaraguafrom Mexico

2016: INTA’s first National

Agroecology Congress

2011: Law 765: Agroecology2009:

- Law 693: Food & Nutrition Security & Sovereignty- MAONIC

2014: Alliance forAgroecology

2013: Min. 20,000 UNAG farmers

using agroecological practices

1990s

2006:Re-election of FSLN

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Year Law (number, issue)

2007 620: Regulation of national water sources

2008 648: Equal rights and opportunities for all citizens

2009 693: Food and nutrition security and sovereignty

2010 705: Regulation of the use of biotechnology

2011 747: Animal rights

2011 765: Organic and agroecological production

2012 807: Conservation and sustainable use of national biological diversity

Related legislation passed since 2006AbbreviationsUNAG: Union Naciónal de Agricultores y GanaderosATC: Asociación de Trabajador@s de CampoLVC: La Via CampesinaMCAC: Movimiento Campesino a CampesinoFSLN: Frente Sandinista de Liberación NacionalMAONIC: Movimiento de Productor@sAgroecológicos y Orgánicos de NicaraguaINTA: Instituto Nacional de TechnologíaAgropecuaria

1979: UNAG

1979: ATC (LVC member since 1990s)

Results: Transformation or Reconfiguration?

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Transformation ….

… Reconfiguration?

OR……..

Results: Municipality of Estelí

Changes in organizations: • Institution of Territorial Learning Alliance to support scaling of agroecology• Organizations working with agroecology as part of wider issues (social justice,

environmental protection)• Focus on youth outreach as next generation of change-makers

Changes in municipal politics/policy:• None

Changes in financing options:• None

Changes in markets:• Creation of “Campesino Market” in Estelí and other nearby cities by local CSOs• Women selling processed farm products (ie baked goods, cheeses, etc)

Changes in extension:• Beyond farmer field schools: “Field University”

Changes in formal higher education:• Degree programs at universities for agroecology, but degrees in e.g. agricultural

engineering still don’t have any focus on environmental or social justice issues9

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Transformation ….

… Reconfiguration?

OR……..

Results: Transformation or Reconfiguration?

Conclusions

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• Dichotomy:• Global South: radical, structural changes • vs. Global North: progressive, superficial changes

-> Nicaraguan experience shows this is extremely simplified and does not hold true

Why?

• Agricultural system still dominated by input-intensive monocropping and conventional agricultural models

• Organic agriculture: export-oriented high-value crops (e.g. cocoa, coffee)

• Agroecological agriculture still a small niche :• Both input and output markets for agroecological products lacking• Universities and INTA have idealized perceptions of agroecology as diversified

systems integrating social justice issues, but not as money-makers for farmers

-> On paper, government is strongly supportive of agroecology; in reality, laws exist but real structural changes are not implemented (i.e. financial instruments for agroecological farmers; input- and output-market development)

Humidtropics is a CGIAR Research Program,which aims to help poor farm families in tropicalAfrica, Asia, and Americas to boost their incomefrom integrated agricultural systems’ intensification while preserving their land for future generations.Research organizations involved in core partnership with Humidtropics are AVRDC, Bioversity, CIAT, CIP, FARA, icipe, ICRAF, ILRI, IITA, IWMI and WUR.

Presented by:Katharina Schillerkatharina.schiller@wur.nlWorkshop: Envisioning the Future of Food Across North-South Divides: Transregional Food Networks and MovementsForum Transregionale Studien, Berlin, December 3, 2016

Published by Humidtropicshttp://humidtropics.cgiar.org/

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THANK YOU

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THANK YOUReferences

Ernesto Méndez, V., Bacon, C.M., Cohen, R. 2013. Agroecology as a transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented approach. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 37, 3-18.

Geels, F.W. 2007. Feelings of discontent and the promise of middle range theory for STS: Examples from technology dynamics. Science, Technology & Human Values 2007:32, 627-651.

Geels, F.W., Schot, J., 2007. Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. Research Policy 36, 399–417.

MAGFOR 2013. Documento final del estudio de políticas agroambientales en Nicaragua. Managua.

Wezel, A., Casagrande, M., Celette, F., Vian, J-F., Ferrer, A., Peigné, J. 2014. Agroecological practices for sustainable agriculture. A review. Agronomy & Sustainable Development 34, 1-20.