Introduction
The Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology (AE-TPP), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launched a bold citizen science campaign during UNFSS in September 2021 to involve smallholder farmers, farm workers, and food consumers in generating knowledge to accelerate and document agroecological transitions. This initiative aimed to give a voice to all small-scale farmers who practice agroecology in their own way as well as consumers who are committed to sustainable and equitable systems to participate in defining national food systems transition pathways.
Aim
The overall goal of the project was to develop one single or a series of contextually relevant approaches and tools that enable farmers, producer organizations, consumers, or other potential end users to inclusively participate in agroecology movements. Smallholders occupy various positions in value chains, including producers, transporters, transformers, distributors and sellers, and are in a unique position to elicit and contribute information to fill key knowledge gaps on the performance of agroecology.
The objective of the initiative was to bring them together and have them lead the way to identify and develop solutions to support agroecological transitions, generate knowledge and data on agroecology, while following the principles on participation, inclusion, and overall social equity in its approach.
In brief, the goal was to develop a tool, or a series of tools, that enable users to:
- inclusively participate in agroecology movements
- support sustainable adoption of agroecology
- contribute to the collection, co-creation and sharing of information to fill key knowledge gaps on the performance of agroecology.
Project Scope and Timeline
The project had a timeframe of 18 months, starting with a UNFSS side event on 24 September 2021.
Modality
The initiative promotes a participatory co-creation process with regional farmers, producers and indigenous associations. These associations engage regional dialogues amongst their constituents to identify the desired scope of the initiative, including:
- The underlying research question – or an answer to the question ‘what do you want to know more about, what can you imagine contributing to, what can you imagine using?’
- Realistic modes of engagement in a proposed citizen science campaign (i.e., data collection vs. analysis; personal phone app vs. online platform filled by others, etc.)
These dialogues are accompanied by a worldwide review and analysis of existing approaches for citizen science that support agroecology and agroecological transitions. In close collaboration with knowledge partners, namely the Citizen Science Centre Zurich, a tool will be launched and scaled with the partnering associations to engage at least one million people in generating new knowledge in support of agroecological transitions.
Key Deliverables
Partners
- CIFOR-ICRAF in collaboration with the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA) for Asia Dialogues
- CIFOR-ICRAF India for South Asia Dialogues
- Citizen Science Centre Zurich
- Community of Practice Facilitator for Mcknight Foundation for Latin America Dialogues
- Groundswell International for the Africa Dialogues
Contact
Lisa Fuchs, Scientific Coordinator, Agroecology TPP: L.Fuchs@cgiar.org
Donors
The One Million Voices Initiative was generously funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
