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Towards a participatory systems approach to managing complex bioeconomy interventions in the agrarian sector

  • Calls for a “sustainable bioeconomy” have recently begun to proliferate in academic and political circles as an answer to global challenges such as the rapidly increasing world population and changing environmental conditions due to climate change. To build economies that rely on various sources of biomass rather than on fossil-based resources, bioeconomy policies highlight a need to explore ways in which productivity in agriculture can be increased. While the focus on productivity growth has largely been inspired by technology optimism and modernisation thinking, the local knowledge of farmers and other rural stakeholders – as a means of contributing to socially and ecologically more sustainable bioeconomy pathways – has frequently been sidelined. This perspective article proposes and discusses a participatory approach to strategy formulation and evaluation in agricultural transformation and bioeconomy development that is based on the methodological toolbox MARISCO (Adaptive MAnagement of vulnerability and RISk at COnservationCalls for a “sustainable bioeconomy” have recently begun to proliferate in academic and political circles as an answer to global challenges such as the rapidly increasing world population and changing environmental conditions due to climate change. To build economies that rely on various sources of biomass rather than on fossil-based resources, bioeconomy policies highlight a need to explore ways in which productivity in agriculture can be increased. While the focus on productivity growth has largely been inspired by technology optimism and modernisation thinking, the local knowledge of farmers and other rural stakeholders – as a means of contributing to socially and ecologically more sustainable bioeconomy pathways – has frequently been sidelined. This perspective article proposes and discusses a participatory approach to strategy formulation and evaluation in agricultural transformation and bioeconomy development that is based on the methodological toolbox MARISCO (Adaptive MAnagement of vulnerability and RISk at COnservation sites). By offering a means of developing a comprehensive knowledge map, bringing together both insights and perspectives from diverse local stakeholders, this approach enables a systemic evaluation of the social and ecological effects of intervention strategies on the ground. The article outlines the benefits – and challenges – of such a systemic and participatory approach and briefly sketches how the results can be utilised in more sustainable governance processes in the development of bioeconomy strategies. We conclude that our adapted MARISCO methodology offers a viable tool to make more visible the perspectives and knowledge of biomass producers for policymakers and to contribute to a much-needed discursive shift in bioeconomy debates towards more holistic and inclusive perspectives.show moreshow less

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  • Supplementary File 1. Generic structure of the systemic knowledge map developed in Phase 1 of the original MARISCO methodology as adapted from Spies et al. (2021) 10.3389/fsufs.2021.750252.

  • Supplementary File 2. Excel template for (bioeconomy) strategy rating based on MARISCO. The table includes some illustrative examples from a methods workshop conducted by the authors, drawing on insights from local case studies in Central and South Asia.

  • Supplementary File 3. Strategy rating criteria proposed by the MARISCO methodology (adapted from Pierre L. Ibisch, Peter R. Hobson (Eds.), MARISCO: Adaptive MAnagement of Vulnerability and RISk at COnservation Sites. A Guidebook for Risk-Robust, Adaptive and Ecosystem-Based Conservation of Biodiversity, Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, Eberswalde (2014))

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Metadaten
Author:Michael SpiesORCiDGND, Mehwish ZuberiORCiD, Madlen Mählis, Aksana Zakirova, Henryk AlffORCiDGND, Christoph RaabORCiD
URN:urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-4205
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.03.020
ISSN:2352-5509
Parent Title (English):Sustainable Production and Consumption
Publisher:Elsevier
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Year of Completion:2022
Date of first Publication:2022/03/21
Publishing Institution:Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
Release Date:2023/05/19
Tag:Bio-based economy; Participatory methods; Social-ecological systems; Intensification; Agriculture
Issue:31
First Page:557
Last Page:568
Institutions / Departments:Fachbereich Wald und Umwelt / Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
University Bibliography:University Bibliography
Zweitveröffentlichung
Peer-Review / Referiert
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International
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