Learning for change

By
22 December 2010

Editorial – Kanthamma, a widow of approximately 70 years old, used to collect ladybird beetles from neighbouring fields and release them in her own: “These insects help me keep the aphids in my cotton crop under control. My neighbours did not believe me that it worked, so they did not mind me ‘stealing’ the beetles from their fields. But now they have seen with their own eyes that it works, so I have to find my ladybird beetles somewhere else.”

Farmers are keen observers. But new technologies and other far-reaching changes in agriculture have taken many decisions out of their hands. Inevitably, some crucial observation skills have got lost. Farmer Field Schools and other participatory learning approaches stimulate farmers to reconnect with nature through discovery learning. The focus of such schools is to improve farmers’ observation skills and to trust their own assessments, rather than depending on the advice of extension workers and input providers. This may seem a simple idea, but it is crucial. Such an approach empowers small-scale family farmers.

Discovery learning is not just about facts; it is about relationships in a system, about causes and effects. It empowers farmers to deal with complex, often unexpected, situations. The common theme (or as us Dutch say, the “red thread”) of this issue is the role of partnerships in learning .

How do different stakeholders collaborate? What do they learn from working together? What drives them to collaborate? We all know that such processes are complex and often “messy”. They are always political. Pressures on the natural resource base are increasing everywhere, so partnerships that involve different actors – be it a Climate Field School or a group of actors working to establish a sustainable commodity chain – have to deal with an increasing range of perspectives, power relations and vested interests.

Yet groups and individuals increasingly recognise the benefit of collaboration, as people can rarely solve such problems by themselves. We hope that the articles in this issue will trigger your imagination. The real learning adepts will enjoy Steve Sherwood’s thematic overview which discusses some interesting theoretical perspectives on learning, knowledge and social change.

Let’s get cracking and have a closer look at partnerships and learning.

Text: Edith van Walsum