Session 2. 6.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of local knowledge pertaining to socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) within the agro-ecological zones of the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam Plain, Northeast India. Guided by the Satoyama Initiative and the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies Policy Report (2013), this study examined four key SEPL resilience principles: ecosystem protection and biodiversity maintenance, agricultural biodiversity, knowledge, learning, and innovation, as well as social equity and infrastructure. Utilising the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) method, this study elicited diverse perspectives from local communities across three agro-ecological zones within the Brahmaputra Valley catchment area.

Twenty indicators derived from the Satoyama Initiative and UN University Policy Report were employed to assess SEPL resilience, emphasising the interconnected nature of these indicators. A comprehensive table framework was utilised to assign both qualitative and quantitative scores to each indicator, with participants collaboratively discussing and scoring questions on a 5-point scale. The final indicator ratings, obtained by averaging the scores across all questions, elucidated patterns specific to individual zones, revealing critical areas for intervention, particularly in social equity, infrastructure, and ecosystem protection.

These findings underscore the significance of targeted interventions to strengthen these areas, along with enhancing knowledge, learning, and innovation, which are essential for sustaining agricultural biodiversity. By addressing these challenges, this study posits that the overall sustainability and resilience of SEPLs in Brahmaputra Valley can be significantly improved, contributing to the long-term sustainability of these vital landscapes.

Despite extensive promotion of conservation practices in agriculture, the adoption of such measures remains low. Among these practices, cover crops are widely recognized as an effective method for reducing soil erosion, minimizing nutrient loss, and enhancing soil health. However, adoption rates of cover crops by farmers remain limited. Farmers are a heterogeneous group, varying in their motivations and constraints. Understanding these differences is crucial to addressing broader societal goals related to pro-environmental behaviors. To inform the development of more effective conservation outreach and incentive programs, this study aims to develop a typology of farmers in Indiana, a key agricultural state in the U.S. Midwest. Using survey data and multivariate analysis, we will explore latent and unobservable constructs related to conservation behavior. Through this approach, we expect to identify distinct types of farmers based on key characteristics that influence their engagement with soil conservation practices. By identifying and understanding the differences between these farmer types, we aim to provide insights for crafting more targeted and tailored conservation messages and incentives.

Bangladesh is renowned as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, facing profound challenges in agriculture due to climate change. Both technological and institutional innovations are vital for addressing these challenges. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) aims to increase agricultural productivity, adapt to climate change, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Despite considerable attention to technological innovations, there's limited literature on institutional innovation. One such institutional innovation is the Common Interest Group (CIG). This study focuses on process and outcome features of participatory governance and to present the effects of institutional structures in a bottom-up manner. It has been combined the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and Network of Adjacent Action Situation (NAAS) as coherent approach for analyzing the institutional structures, endogenous and exogenous factors. By scrutinizing institutional structures and considering both exogenous and endogenous factors, the research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of CSA diffusion. Through a comparative analysis of four CIGs with similar mandates, the study uncovers nuances in institutional arrangements and the different degree in the working rules among the four cases. Besides institutions, climate uncertainty and community attributes play an important role for choice and diffusion of CSA technologies. The examination of governance qualities across the cases highlights varying levels of legitimacy, effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and equity. Findings revealed that the legitimacy and effectiveness were medium and high for all cases, while transparency, accountability and equity were low for two cases. However, the study underscores the importance of tailoring CSA interventions to local contexts while addressing institutional deficiencies to ensure their successful implementation and diffusion. This study suggests disseminating context-based CSA technologies by overcoming institutional shortcomings.

Land-use changes and agricultural expansion practices are directly associated with deforestation, land degradation, and the subsequent consequences on water bodies. Understanding these practices and perspectives is necessary to develop policies for the sustainable management of the commons. However, in densely populated agricultural regions, the views of local communities remain poorly understood and their involvement in decision-making processes is limited. This study explored stakeholder perspectives in two Ethiopian lake ecosystems, Abaya-Chamo and Tana, using Q-methodology. The Q-sort analysis identified three discourses. The identified discourses were sustainable land-use, economic-centric pragmatism and agricultural expansionism. The sustainable land-use discourse, mainly advocated by experts and academics working in environmental conservation, indicates ecological concerns with socioeconomic considerations. Economic-centric is dominated by smallholder farmers from the Abaya-Chamo Basin, who prioritise economic gains and blame environmental conservation policies for their ineffectiveness. Smallholder farmers in the Tana Basin take a pragmatic approach to economic development by intensively using resources. There were distinctive opinions among the experts and smallholder farmers in the two basins. This indicates that managing lakes as commons requires participatory approaches that promote stakeholders' understanding and ownership and develop balanced strategies to address complex agroecological challenges, such as water hyacinth invasion.