RCUK-CIAT Newton Fund Towards BIO-smart livestock farming in Colombia: cultural landscapes, silvo-pastoral systems and biodiversity
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Clinical Veterinary Science
Abstract
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world with a rural population of small-holder, low income farmers. As the demand for meat and dairy increases, livestock farming continues to expand onto land that is not apt for farming, causing environmental damage through forest clearance, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. Different national initiatives aim to encourage more sustainable farming that support farmers' livelihoods, and protect the environment and its rich biodiversity. Silvo-pastoral farming is one of those initiatives as it combines forestry and grazing. The international Centre for Tropical Agriculture CIAT runs two interrelated projects, "Livestock Plus" and "Sustainable Amazon Landscapes" to encourage the adoption of silvo-pastoral farming. However, farmers find silvo-pastoral farming changes the landscape of their farm in ways that conflict with their ideas of what 'a good farm' should look. These social factors, in combination with possible economic and agronomic influences, may limit the uptake of sustainable silvo-pastoral practices.
This interdisciplinary project brings together cultural geography, environmental economics and agricultural ecology to investigate the cultural and socio-economic reasons for low adoption of silvo-pastoral livestock farming practices that have been designed to protect and restore biodiversity in Colombia. It will also quantify the benefits of silvo-pastoral farming for plant and insect biodiversity, both for their intrinsic value but also the contribution it may make to support long-term sustainable production. In doing so, this research will provide evidence to underpin effective policy that allows intensification of livestock farming while supporting environmental priorities. This may encourage farmers to adopt more sustainable and biodiversity enhancing silvo-pastoral systems.
This interdisciplinary project brings together cultural geography, environmental economics and agricultural ecology to investigate the cultural and socio-economic reasons for low adoption of silvo-pastoral livestock farming practices that have been designed to protect and restore biodiversity in Colombia. It will also quantify the benefits of silvo-pastoral farming for plant and insect biodiversity, both for their intrinsic value but also the contribution it may make to support long-term sustainable production. In doing so, this research will provide evidence to underpin effective policy that allows intensification of livestock farming while supporting environmental priorities. This may encourage farmers to adopt more sustainable and biodiversity enhancing silvo-pastoral systems.
Planned Impact
Our project will support the economic and welfare needs of Colombia by contributing evidence to support the sustainable intensification of pasture farming in Colombia, particularly through the improved implementation of CIAT's Sustainable Amazonian Landscape project. This project will provide national environmental authorities and farmers in Colombia with scientific evidence about the role that more sustainable land management methods can play in enhancing their capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change, while improving ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits for farmers. By supporting the evidence gathering and implementation for this wider project, our proposal will deliver impact and support the environmental and socio economic benefit of farmers in Colombia.
Our project activities will deliver impact by benefitting:
i) Farmers by providing evidence for a better appreciation of their relationship with biodiversity and of the direct role of retaining forest in and around their farms on improved production as well as of the wider social and environmental benefits of biodiversity protection.
ii) Policy makers by providing evidence of farmer perception of ecosystem service value of natural forest and biodiversity and the role of cultural ideas on farmer adoption of silvo-pastoral livestock systems so that it may inform policies which promote effective farm scale and landscape scale management.
iii) Colombian researchers will benefit from an increased capacity to deliver research that considers cultural contexts, measurement of biodiversity and other ecosystem services and production measures.
Thus, the project will support the widespread implementation of methods to measure the impact forest conservation and improved silvo-pastoral management on biodiversity, which could be rolled out across the wider networks of farms involved in projects such as the Sustainable Amazonian Landscapes Project and other similar initiatives lead by CIPAV.
Our project will contribute elements for public policy that better considers the farmer and local community perception of forest conservation as well as an understanding of how to work with farmers to protect and enhance biodiversity and forest areas. The implementation of a more effective, nuanced and considerate government policy for landscape scale management would be a long-term impact of this research.
Our project activities will deliver impact by benefitting:
i) Farmers by providing evidence for a better appreciation of their relationship with biodiversity and of the direct role of retaining forest in and around their farms on improved production as well as of the wider social and environmental benefits of biodiversity protection.
ii) Policy makers by providing evidence of farmer perception of ecosystem service value of natural forest and biodiversity and the role of cultural ideas on farmer adoption of silvo-pastoral livestock systems so that it may inform policies which promote effective farm scale and landscape scale management.
iii) Colombian researchers will benefit from an increased capacity to deliver research that considers cultural contexts, measurement of biodiversity and other ecosystem services and production measures.
Thus, the project will support the widespread implementation of methods to measure the impact forest conservation and improved silvo-pastoral management on biodiversity, which could be rolled out across the wider networks of farms involved in projects such as the Sustainable Amazonian Landscapes Project and other similar initiatives lead by CIPAV.
Our project will contribute elements for public policy that better considers the farmer and local community perception of forest conservation as well as an understanding of how to work with farmers to protect and enhance biodiversity and forest areas. The implementation of a more effective, nuanced and considerate government policy for landscape scale management would be a long-term impact of this research.
Publications
Alvarado Sandino CO
(2023)
Examining factors for the adoption of silvopastoral agroforestry in the Colombian Amazon.
in Scientific reports
Barnes A
(2022)
European Farmer Perspectives and their Adoption of Ecological Practices
in EuroChoices
Barnes A
(2022)
Finding the ecological farmer: A farmer typology to understand ecological practice adoption within Europe
in Current Research in Environmental Sustainability
Barnes A
(2021)
Defining interpretative communities towards climate change: Examining growers of common bean in Latin America
in International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
Barnes A
(2022)
Farmer intentional pathways for net zero carbon: Exploring the lock-in effects of forestry and renewables
in Land Use Policy
Botero H
(2021)
The determinants of common bean variety selection and diversification in Colombia.
in Ecological economics : the journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics
Botero H
(2021)
The determinants of common bean variety selection and diversification in Colombia.
in Ecological economics : the journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics
Kholová J
(2021)
In pursuit of a better world: crop improvement and the CGIAR.
in Journal of experimental botany
Muoni T
(2022)
Effects of management practices on legume productivity in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa
in Food and Energy Security
| Title | Comunidades, bosques y biodiversidad en la Amazonía colombiana |
| Description | This bilingual documentary describes the interdisciplinary research carried out by the International Biosmart team, presents their main findings in economics, environmental geography, entomology and botany, portrays the reality of the living conditions of rural populations in the Department of Caquetá, Colombia, and reflects on recommendations to improve their livelihoods while protecting Amazonian biodiversity and stopping deforestation. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | It led to several media interviews described in another section. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyC5jSSMT9I |
| Description | We had three research objectives: 1. To understand if and how farmers' ideas about what a "good farm" should look like affect their willingness to adopt more conservation-friendly farming systems called silvo-pastoral, where pasture areas combine grasses, bushes and trees, which change the look of the farm in ways farmers sometimes think are "messy". 2. To explore if and how farmers' decision to adopt silvo-pastoral system is related to how risk-averse or risk-taking farmers are. 3. To build scientific evidence on the interaction between silvo-pastoral farming systems and the biodiversity of plants and ground level insects. We did that by measuring and comparing biodiversity levels in three habitats within each farm: pasture, silvo-pasture and forest. Our findings suggest that: 1. In contrast to UK farmers, the farmers we interviewed and who have adopted silvo-pastoral systems do not have a conflict with the new look of their farms. This new look speaks of better animal nutrition, improved milk yield and higher income. Instead, when asked about why they might not adopt conservation-friendly farming systems, farmers spoke of problems with the design and implementation of projects. Farmers complained about promises not being met and support not being sufficient: apart from the financial and material support, projects need to also accompany farmers in the changes they make to their farms so farmers can have constant monitoring and advice. This is important because it shifts the problem of limited adoption from farmers' perceptions to project designers, which means that if we wish to increase adoption of these systems we need to work with project designers. 2. Farmers who adopt silvo-pastoral systems and have a more positive perception of their benefits seem to be more risk-averse than those that have perceived them in a less beneficial way. Again, farmers who have a more critical perception mention the need for more financial and knowledge support as key to their decision to adopt silvo-pastoral systems and fully benefit from their positive results. 3. Each habitat showed a distinct community of plant and insect biodiversity. This means that supporting all three land uses increases biodiversity and that forest conservation does increase biodiversity. |
| Exploitation Route | Project designers can use these initial insights, which will be deepend and enhanced during our Phase II project, to adjust and improve the design and implementation of their projects. They can also use the biodiversity findings to support farmers in their land-use decisions. Farmers can se the biodiversity findings to make land-use decisions. Policy-makers and academics have evidence on the benefits of silvo-pastoral systems in terms of biodiversity conservation, which is an ecosystem service that has received less attention than others, like CO2 sequestration, but that is also relevant, specially for farmers, who could see a direct benefit from higher biodiversity in terms of pest control for example. We will explore this further in Phase II. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | PHASE II Towards BIOSmart livestock farming in Colombia: cultural landscapes, silvo-pastoral systems and biodiversity |
| Amount | £808,150 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S018840/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | Research Travel Grant |
| Amount | £350 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Reading |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 04/2019 |
| Description | UKRI ODA Block Grant |
| Amount | £124,648 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | GCRFN11 |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2022 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Title | Measuring jugs and papers in a hat to explain lottery game |
| Description | The tool we refer here emerged within the economics component of this interdisciplinary project and so we feel none of the options in the previous question really describe its type. Lottery games to ascertain individuals' proclivity to risk (risk averse vs risk taker) have been used in many contexts but not with small and subsistence farmers in LMIC. We decided to use it for our project but during fieldwork it quickly became apparent that despite accounting for literacy levels and context, participants were still struggling with the game presented as a written set of options. We devised a set of drawings representing the options as measuring jugs which farmers found they could relate to more. In one ocassion we went further and presented the options as coloured papers in a hat to illustrate the options to the farmer. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Participants could immediately relate to this visual tool more easily and during our event to present results they remembered this activity in particular. By creating the tool we are more confident in the data the lottery game generated. |
| Title | Database of plant species in Bio-Smart silvo-pastoral farms |
| Description | The database holds presence / absence and abundance of plant species in the silvo-pastoral farms assessed for the Bio-smart project. The data is currently available to team members and a publication is being prepared. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | No Impact yet - data not published |
| Title | Farmers Preferences Database |
| Description | 21 farmers involved in the CIAT Sustainable Amazonian Landscape (SAL) Project were interviewed to determine their risk perceptions towards the uptake of silvopastoral systems and their preferences for risk-taking in general. To determine risk perceptions, perceptual statements were constructed with a likert-scale for potential answers. In addition, risk-taking preferences were computed using a lottery game with a dichotomous answer structure. These two measures were then cross-tabulated to determine the relationship between the degree of the perceived riskiness of a silvopastoral system and farmers' general propensity to assume risks. Perceptual questions and lottery game were prepared at SRUC, UK, and information was collected at the farms of selected SAL participants. Results were organized at SRUC. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Database and applied methodologies will be used as a reference for extending this research to a larger population of farmers in the Amazon region. In addition, the methodology helped understand that risk-taking preferences are important drivers behind risk attitudes towards uptake of silvopastoral systems in the region. These preferences also help explain Colombian farmers' managing practices and can be exploited to maximize uptake of the silvopastoral systems in other farming communities. Finally, analysis of this information supported a successful BBSRC proposal. |
| Title | Invertabrate Collection from sweep net and Malaise trap sampling of Sustanable Amazonian Landscape farms |
| Description | This is a collection of 18200 invertebrate specimens collected using sweep netting and malaise traps from different land uses across 5 livestock farms involved in the CIAT Sustainable Amazonian Landscape Project. The farms are located in the Caqueta region of Colombia near Morelia. Specimens are stored by family and stored in alcohol in specimen vials of mixed sizes. The specimens are stored at the University of Amazonas in Florencia Colombia and curated by the Entomology Department. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The specimens and associated database has only recently been established but will be available for further work as necessary. Preliminary analysis of the database supported a successful BBSRC proposal. |
| Description | Collaboration with Universidad del Valle |
| Organisation | University of Valle |
| Country | Colombia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have built a collaboration relationship with Universidad del Valle to work on the social science component of the project. We hope to expand onto the other components in future joint proposals. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We have worked together to analyse and write up social science data. We have co-authored a paper to submit for publication and are working on a second one. |
| Impact | The collaboration is multidisciplinary and brings together Anthropology (University of Valle) and Human Geography (University of Bristol). We have a paper and will submit before the 31st of March 2023. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Universidad de la Amazonia |
| Organisation | University of the Amazon |
| Country | Colombia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have contributed by working together with Professors (entomology and botany) from the University during fieldwork (collecting and identifying specimens), during which undergraduate, post-graduate and PhD students also participated. The collections we have built have remained in the University for the benefit of their academic community. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners have contributed their local expert knowledge of the invertebrates and plant communnities found in the Amazon for the benefit of our UK team. |
| Impact | The collaboration is multi-disciplinary and involves botany and entomology. Outputs include the invertebrate collection and the plant specimens which have remained at the University |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Research collaboration with Asopastoril |
| Organisation | Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation |
| Country | Colombia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Asopastoril and Bristol have been in conversations to potentially include the Corporation within the group of farms currently associated under Bristol's Global Farm Platform initiative. Asopastoril have been trying to find international partners for their iniative to create a regional and then potentially national Observatory of Silvopastoral systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Asopastoril have provided information about silvopastoral system projects in Colombia for our research project and have also linked with us to participate in our Symposium for the Annual Meeting of the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation which will take place in Cartegena, Colombia in July. |
| Impact | The collaboration is multidisciplinary as it includes agriculture, veterinary and social science researchers. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Research collaboration with CIAT |
| Organisation | CGIAR |
| Department | International Center for Tropical Agriculture |
| Country | Colombia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This is our partner in Colombia. We have provided further analysis to data they initially collected and aim to deliver outputs that enhance the understanding of the impacts of silvopastoral farming system in terms of plant and invertebrate diversity and in terms of project implementation and uptake. Our collective fieldwork has enhanced mutual knowledge about the contributions that other disciplines make to research. We have been allowed to support subcontracts for fieldwork assistants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | CIAT has allocated researchers to work with us on data collection during fieldwork, has subcontracted fieldwork assistants and has been essential to coordinate logistics for data collection and in-country analysis. |
| Impact | The collaboration is interdisciplinary. CIAT has provided local experts to math the UK expertise on entomology, social sciences, economics and botany. Out puts aredelayed due to COVID-19 but we received additional funding to deal with these impacts and are on schedule to deliver. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | 'Entomology and a bit of gastronomy' a blog written by Mike Garratt hosted on the BioSmartAmazonia website from 17/08/2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 'Entomology and a bit of gastronomy' blog was written by Mike Garratt and covers his experiences while working on the BioSmart project including academic and research but also wider social experiences and the value of collaboration for effective research. The blog was published on 17/08/2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.biosmartamazonia.org/blog |
| Description | A presentation at the University of Reading Centre for Agri-Environmental Research on 11/03/2019 with the title 'The Biosmart Project: what have we done so far' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I presented the results of the BioSmart project so far at the Centre for Agri-environmental research at the University of Reading. there were 20+ researchers and student in attendance and there were many questions about the research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | COP-26 and the doughnut economics of agroforestry a blog written by Andrew Barnes and hosted on the BioSmartAmazonia website from 05/03/2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | COP-26 and the doughnut economics of agroforestry was written by Andrew Barnes and covers his experiences whilst working on the Biosmart project. The purpose was to align for the general public how silvopastural farmers align with the movement of sustainability and ecological economics. It also aligns with Global Climate Change targets - with a focus on the COP 26 to be held in Glasgow in 2021. This blog included texts in both English and Spanish, along with a recording of the text, again in English and Spanish |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.biosmartamazonia.org/blog/cop26-and-the-doughnut-economics-of-agroforestry |
| Description | Determining the drivers behind farmers' demand for common bean varieties in Santander, Colombia. Presentation at ZALF LAndscape 2021 conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of work to international audience - offered discussion of new methods towards working developing countirs. Led to follow ups and invitation to Hrizon Europe Consortium |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://pure.sruc.ac.uk/en/publications/determining-the-drivers-behind-farmers-demand-for-common-bea... |
| Description | Effects of the implementation of silvopastoral systems on native plant diversity, in pasture and forest habitats (Cristina Rosique-Esplugas) - presentation to UKCEH Biodiversity colleagues |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation given to UKCEH Biodiversity section by Cristina Rosique-Esplugas a post doc on the BioSmart 2 project . Effects of the implementation of silvopastoral systems on native plant diversity, in pasture and forest habitats |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Effects of the implementation of silvopastoral systems on native plant diversity, in pasture and forest habitats (Cristina Rosique-Esplugas), talk given at ATBC annual conference at a symposium organized by the Biosmart 2 project team |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation given virtually at ATBC's 2021 online annual meeting. Attendees of the conference also had the option to re-watch our session for 6 months after the live session. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.atbc2021.org/symposia/is-silvopasture-a-sustainable-option-to-help-tackle-deforestation%... |
| Description | Hay Festival, Cartagena, Colombia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was one of three panellists interviewed by a BBS journalist during a session on Conservation and Research during the Hay Festival that took place in Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.hayfestival.com/cartagena/projects |
| Description | Identifying the Determinants of Farmers' uptake of Silvopastoral Systems in Caquetá, Colombia. Presentation to Landscape 2021-Diversification for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture, Zalf |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to stakeholders, academics and policy on options for landscape solutions. Gave an oppourtunity to discuss work in developing countries. Follow ups with interested parties leading Horizon Europe Consortiums |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://pure.sruc.ac.uk/en/publications/identifying-the-determinants-of-farmers-uptake-of-silvopasto... |
| Description | Invited talk to the Royal Dublin Society as part of their policy targets to increase organic area |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | An invited talk at the Royal Dublin Society and their Climate-Smart Agriculture Series. The talk followed the EU secretary for Organics and the Irish Minister for Land and Biodiversity. This was a live-online event and around 600 farmers and stakeholders had signed up for the event. This raised the profile of organic farm conversion in Ireland, which has a target to increase organic land coverage. The debate covered numerous aspects and concerns of organic farming and the talk helped to understand the main barriers to adoption. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOtX7cf7ynU |
| Description | Journey to the Heart of Academic Research Blog entry for BIOsmart website, published 02/16/2021 and subsequently republished in MMB LAtin America and CABOT websites |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This is an entry blog for the project's website, which is also linked to the project's twitter account. The blog is in English and Spanish versions and also in audio versions in both languages to reach publics who prefer auditive formats. The blog was then re-published in the Vet School newsletter and then in the Migration Mobilities Bristol Latin America website. I provide the Spanish version link https://mmblatinamerica.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2021/02/24/viaje-al-corazon-de-la-investigacion-academica/ The blog was also re-published in the CABOT Institute website http://cabot-institute.blogspot.com/. The blog has been commented on in the project's website and I have also received e-mails. Traffic data for the website below (before the post was published). The website has been live for 10 months. Average unique visitors per month: 60.5 Top month: May 174 unique visitors. 1.5K total visits. The website was visited from 26 different countries. The visits are broken down by percentage of total unique visitors below. UK 40.80% US 14.20% Colombia 14% Chile 7% Canada 4.50% Ireland 3.99% Australia 2.39% Netherlands 2.23% Finland 1.75% Germany 1.44% China 1.28% France 1.28% Spain 1.12% Switzerland 0.48% Hong Kong 0.48% Austria 0.32% Belgium 0.32% Cayman Islands 0.32% Malaysia 0.32% Peru 0.32% Poland 0.32% Mexico 0.16% Sweden 0.16% Thailand 0.16% Taiwan 0.16% |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.biosmartamazonia.org/blog/journey-to-the-heart-of-academic-research |
| Description | Meeting with participants to report findings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | All the farmers that participated in the project were invited to an event to listen to the project's findings, discuss them, ask questions and provide feedback. The questions and comments that emerged during the event afforded further insights for the research planned for Phase II. Our research partner in Colombia, CIAT, and our local operative partners in the research area (Caquetá, Colombia), that is the Universidad de la Amazonía and the Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria CIPAV were also present both to present their own research contributions to the umbrella project with which we have been working (CIAT's Sustainable Amazonian Landscapes) and to listen to our findings and engage in the discussion. The farmers were particularly appreciative of our effort to go back to the region and report our findings as this does not always happen. Some of the results they heard they were interested in learning more about as they thought they could adapt their practices accordingly. All participants expressed an interest in supporting the activities planned for Phase II. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Meeting with policy-makers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | We invited a number of participants from government, industry and NGOs to listen, discuss and ask questions on our findings. We also presented our plans for Phase II and received insights that will steer our approach and activities in Phase II. We also received their commitment to participate in and support said activities . Participants were particularly welcoming of the entomoloy and botanic data that would support policy decision-making on one hand; and on the other, they particularly appreciated the evidence afforded by the project's social science component, which was novel to them. Some individuals were interested in learning more about our social science methodologies as they also work directly with farmers. All participants commented positively on how the project has changed their perspective that project implementation is a technical issue and now see it as necessary to incorporate social science too. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Organised workshop with academics discussion on the prospects for uptake of more ecological farming approaches |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Organized workshop on uptake of ecological approaches within farming against the EU farm to fork ambitions, speakers from a number of European countries presented to an international audience. Chaired by SRUC and one of the papers presented by SRUC. The workshop allowed debate from across Europe in terms of the creation of value chains which recognise ecological approaches, and the overall policy implications of switching to more ecological farming |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Our Mountain Range a blog by Adriana Suarez-Delucchi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This is a blog written by Adriana Suearez-Delucchi for the project's website, which is bilingual in English and Spanish. The project laso has a twitter account. The blog is also recorded as an audio, again in both languages, to reach publics that prefer auditive rather than visual formats. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.biosmartamazonia.org/blog/our-mountain-range |
| Description | Post for Women in Science Day in CEH |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We submitted a post for the Women in Science Day at CEH |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/UK_CEH/status/1227185603873255425 |
| Description | Presentation at ISA forum of Sociology by Adriana suarez-Delucchi 25/02/2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The ISA is the International Sociological Association and they held their IV Forum online from Porto Alegre, Brazil. This presentation belonged in a Session called The Work of Social Justice Activism and the Ontology of the Everyday. The session was attended by less than 50 people in real time, but it is accessible on recording to the whole ISA membership and participants in this Forum, so it has the potential to reach more than 500 people. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/forum2020/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/113221 |
| Description | Presentation at the BES Annual Meeting, interdisciplinary approach and cultural geography component |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of the symposium we organised at the meeting of the Tropical section of the British Ecological Society, I presented a paper called "Agri-socio-ecology: the value of interdisciplinarity in pursuit of policy-relevant evidence on uptake of silvo-pastoral systems in Colombia's Amazonia". The paper presented the key findings from the cultural geography element of our project, which looked at farmers' notions about farming landscapes and at whether these notions constituted a barrier to the uptake of silvo-pastoral systems. These findings are further described in the Key Findings Section of this award. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/ute2019/essential-information/ |
| Description | Presentation at the BES annual meeting - Behavioural Economics component |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Andrew Barnes, who leads the Behavioural Economics component of our project presented the findings of our risk perceptions study. These findings are detailed in the Key Findings section of this award. The presentation was called "Behavioural Economics and Biosmart livestock farming in Colombia". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/ute2019/essential-information/ |
| Description | Presentation of the biodiversity results at the BES annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of our Symposium at the BES annual meeting in Edinburgh, Dr Michael Garratt presented the findings from the biodiversity component of our team. His presentation was titled "Silvo-pastoral systems in Caquetá, Colombia: effects on invertebrate and plant biodiversity". The audience had questions about silvo-pastoral systems. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/ute2019/essential-information/ |
| Description | Presentation to BES in Edinburgh |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Around 50 members of the british ecology society , who heard a talk on the behavioural economics and results of the research. This raised the issues around working across multiple disciplines and field experiments with farmers for behavioural economics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to the Migration Mobilities Latin America event 21/01/2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The MMB is a cross-university ßpecialist Research Institute that brings together a network of academics and others to discuss, research and conceptualise notions of mobilities in a wide understanding of the concept. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://migration.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/event/mobility-capitalism-and-the-peace-process-in-colombia-an... |
| Description | Project Findings Documentary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This is a bilingual documentary (original language is Spanish but it has subtitles in English) that presents the project, our findings and tells the reality of the communities we worked with. It has been viewed 4248 times at the time of writing (13 March 2022). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyC5jSSMT9I |
| Description | Symposium at BES tropical conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The symposium was part of the British Ecological Society Tropical section "Unifying Tropical Ecology" conference in Edinburgh. People from several countries, undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics from a range of disciplines attended. Our symposium was called "Upscaling tropical silvopastoral systems- ecological and social and economic implications". We demonstrated the interdisciplinary nature of our BioSmart project and gave talks on aspects of plant and insect biodiversity, policy-relevant evidence on uptake of silvopastoral systems, and examining farmer perceptions on Colombian Silvopastoral systems using behavioural economics in Colombia. There were several questions and good discussions after the talks and new potential collaborations were discussed, and links were made to silvopastoral projects in other countries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/ute2019/essential-information/ |