A new professionalism for agricultural research for development
There have been repeated calls for a ‘new professionalism’ for carrying out agricultural research for development since the 1990s. At the centre of these calls is a recognition that for agricultural research to support the capacities required to face global patterns of change and their implications...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2017-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2017.1314754 |
| _version_ | 1827814155732647936 |
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| author | Boru Douthwaite J. Marina Apgar Anne-Maree Schwarz Simon Attwood Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu Terry Clayton |
| author_facet | Boru Douthwaite J. Marina Apgar Anne-Maree Schwarz Simon Attwood Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu Terry Clayton |
| author_sort | Boru Douthwaite |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There have been repeated calls for a ‘new professionalism’ for carrying out agricultural research for development since the 1990s. At the centre of these calls is a recognition that for agricultural research to support the capacities required to face global patterns of change and their implications on rural livelihoods, requires a more systemic, learning focused and reflexive practice that bridges epistemologies and methodologies. In this paper, we share learning from efforts to mainstream such an approach through a large, multi-partner CGIAR research program working in aquatic agricultural systems. We reflect on four years of implementing research in development (RinD), the program’s approach to the new professionalism. We highlight successes and challenges and describe the key characteristics that define the approach. We conclude it is possible to build a program on a broader approach that embraces multidisciplinarity and engages with stakeholders in social-ecological systems. Our experience also suggests caution is required to ensure there is the time, space and appropriate evaluation methodologies in place to appreciate outcomes different to those to which conventional agricultural research aspires. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:41:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4213f5eceec645e79c46a22675f56033 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1473-5903 1747-762X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:41:39Z |
| publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj.art-4213f5eceec645e79c46a22675f560332023-09-19T15:22:19ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Agricultural Sustainability1473-59031747-762X2017-05-0115323825210.1080/14735903.2017.13147541314754A new professionalism for agricultural research for developmentBoru Douthwaite0J. Marina Apgar1Anne-Maree Schwarz2Simon Attwood3Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu4Terry Clayton5WorldFishWorldFishWorldFishBioversity InternationalInternational Water Management InstituteIndependent ConsultantThere have been repeated calls for a ‘new professionalism’ for carrying out agricultural research for development since the 1990s. At the centre of these calls is a recognition that for agricultural research to support the capacities required to face global patterns of change and their implications on rural livelihoods, requires a more systemic, learning focused and reflexive practice that bridges epistemologies and methodologies. In this paper, we share learning from efforts to mainstream such an approach through a large, multi-partner CGIAR research program working in aquatic agricultural systems. We reflect on four years of implementing research in development (RinD), the program’s approach to the new professionalism. We highlight successes and challenges and describe the key characteristics that define the approach. We conclude it is possible to build a program on a broader approach that embraces multidisciplinarity and engages with stakeholders in social-ecological systems. Our experience also suggests caution is required to ensure there is the time, space and appropriate evaluation methodologies in place to appreciate outcomes different to those to which conventional agricultural research aspires.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2017.1314754systems approachesparticipatory action researchparadigm changecapacity to innovatemonitoring and evaluation |
| spellingShingle | Boru Douthwaite J. Marina Apgar Anne-Maree Schwarz Simon Attwood Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu Terry Clayton A new professionalism for agricultural research for development International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability systems approaches participatory action research paradigm change capacity to innovate monitoring and evaluation |
| title | A new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| title_full | A new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| title_fullStr | A new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| title_short | A new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| title_sort | new professionalism for agricultural research for development |
| topic | systems approaches participatory action research paradigm change capacity to innovate monitoring and evaluation |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2017.1314754 |
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