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Bringing Farmer Knowledge and Learning into Agricultural Research: How Agricultural Anthropologists Transformed Strategic Research at the International Rice Research Institute
Author(s) -
Price Lisa Leimar,
Palis Florencia G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
culture, agriculture, food and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.308
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2153-9561
pISSN - 2153-9553
DOI - 10.1111/cuag.12067
Subject(s) - mandate , agriculture , work (physics) , upstream (networking) , political science , sociology , geography , engineering , mechanical engineering , telecommunications , archaeology , law
During the post‐Green Revolution period of rice research at the International Rice Research Institute ( IRRI ), a wide range of innovative methodologies were introduced by anthropologists that transformed the way rice research is conducted, with a particular focus on valuing farmer knowledge, criteria, and practices, and on bringing farmers into the research process. This study presents a historic account of the contributions of eight practicing agricultural anthropologists at IRRI , one of the 15 world Consortium for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers, between 1978 and 2010. The types of research undertaken reflect how anthropologists work in the area of strategic research, with the mandate to contribute upstream to basic science and downstream to applied outcomes. We document the innovations of IRRI anthropologists, including methodologies by which integrated pest management interventions and other technical tools are adapted by and for farmers; as well as the development of Farmer Field Schools, farmer‐to‐farmer training, and other innovations drawing on anthropological skill sets.