Five formative dimensions to navigate effective farmer collaboration for biodiversity sensitive farming at the landscape scale
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If you are working with a Farmer Cluster (FC) as a facilitator or advisor and want to reflect on progress and achievements in collaboratively enhancing biodiversity sensitive farming at the landscape scale, the following five formative dimensions can offer support. These are: 1. governance, 2. leadership, 3. facilitation, 4. group characteristics, and 5. context. Reflecting upon these formative dimensions will highly likely lead to the recognition that these are interdepended. For example, governance structures and processes (dimension 1), such as a common communication channel and regular FC meetings, are likely to be related to the leadership qualities (dimension 2) and facilitation skills (dimension 3) present in a FC. Furthermore, context (dimension 5), such as social and political history of a country or region may influence what it takes for a group of farmers (dimension 4) to come together to set up a FC. While some dimensions may support FC development, such as likeminded motivated farmers (dimension 4) discussing a common environmental issue (dimension 5) that they would like to address together with the support of an advisor (dimension 3), others may act as a barrier, such as divergent views on land management (dimension 4). Reflecting upon the five dimensions, these can support FCs in navigating their development and finding a balance between these dimensions on a pathway towards more effective FC management for biodiversity sensitive farming at the landscape scale.
Hence, when planning to set up a FC or working with groups of farmers, keeping the five formative dimensions in mind enables a realistic picture of what can be achieved under certain circumstances to be drawn.
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Farmer Clusters for Realising Agrobiodiversity Management across Ecosystems (FRAMEwork)
Ongoing | 2020-2025
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- United Kingdom