Small-scale Farmers’ Land Management Strategies In The Upper Amazon: An Action Research Case Study

Marquardt, K., et al., 2010. Interciencia

Original research (primary data)
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Abstract

Local agricultural knowledge in the Amazon and its processes of experimentation and diffusion continues to receive scant attention from researchers despite its growing regional importance. This case study has documented and evaluated the broad variety of land management activities which small-scale farmers perform in the Peruvian Upper Amazon in terms of slope-, fallow-, fire-, weed- and agro-biodiversity management. The research shows that local non-indigenous farmers are testing different strategies in order to handle their situation of erosion and land degradation, and that these land management techniques are relevant from a larger land management perspective. The research also shows that farmers prefer to re-direct soil management related questions to a “forest perspective”, that is, considering the spatial and temporal dynamics of agriculture as related to fallowing cycles and spatial rotation of gardens. This highlights the importance of reflecting on the farmers’ point of departure when talking about agriculture and soil. The conception of soils as a property of the forest, and forest management as the driver of the forest-soil complex, has important implications on how to develop land management processes in the region. The action research approach used in the study strongly supports participatory methods and local, contextually adapted, knowledge and skills in land management programs.

Case studies

Basic information

  • Case ID: INT-138-1
  • Intervention type: Combination
  • Intervention description:

    Forest reserves (Forest groves saved in especially steep areas not suitable for agriculture) ... natural reforestation (Steep areas left to become forest again)

  • Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
  • Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures
    Soil erosion  Positive outcome assessment based on a thorough participatory action research (where the researcher is involved) using a variety of approaches over several years (interviews, field visits) to assess / investigate the approaches harnessed by local farmers
  • Approach implemented in the field: Yes
  • Specific location:

    the highland forest (selva alta) of Peru, in the province of San Martín

  • Country: Peru
  • Habitat/Biome type: Montane/Alpine |
  • Issue specific term: Not applicable

Evidence

  • Notes on intervention effectivness: Effectiveness assessed from anecdotal evidence from farmers practising the intervention "The farmers also use reforesta- tion techniques or leave small forest reserves in particularly steep zones or plant tree seedlings as the tree roots help to hold the soil during heavy rains." ac 8.23.2019 - it is not 'anectodal' - it was thorough participatory action research (where the researcher is involved) using a variety of approaches over several years (interviews, field visits) to assess / investigate the approaches harnessed by local farmers
  • Is the assessment original?: Yes
  • Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
  • Compare effectivness?: No
  • Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
  • Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
  • Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
  • Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: No
  • Impacts for the ecosystem: Not reported
  • Ecosystem measures:
  • Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: No
  • Impacts for people: Not reported
  • People measures:
  • Considers economic costs: No
  • Economic appraisal conducted: No
  • Economic appraisal described:
  • Economic costs of alternative considered: No
  • Compared to an alternative: Not reported

Evaluation methodology

  • Type of data: Qualitative
  • Is it experimental: No
  • Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
  • Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
  • Study is systematic: