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Transdisciplinary agricultural research in Lao PDR
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Transdisciplinary agricultural research in Lao PDR

Garry Greenhalgh, Kim S Alexander, Silva Larson, Phommath Thammavong, Silinthone Sacklokham, Manithaythip Thephavanh, Phonevilay Sinavong, Magnus Moglia, Pascal Perez and Peter Case
Journal of Rural Studies, Vol.72, pp.216-227
2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.10.020
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.10.020View
Published Version

Abstract

adoption technology knowledge international development rural development agriculture innovation
Transdisciplinary research focussing on improving smallholder farmers' uptake of technological innovations enables the integration of knowledge systems and the co-design and delivery of creative solutions. In this paper, we illustrate how scientific research can be mobilized within professionally facilitated change management workshops to engage a broad range of stakeholders and co-create knowledge in a rural development context. Multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary and multi-national stakeholders have contributed to finding innovative solutions to challenges experienced by smallholder farmers. By combining different worldviews we were able to assess research priorities, define problems and determine research options based on new hybrid knowledge systems. The outcome of this transdisciplinary process was the co-creation of a Research Discussion Tool and identification of 9 thematic areas which, in combination, enabled obstacles to technology uptake to be overcome and for smallholder farmers to benefit from research-based innovations. The process involved assisting Lao national researchers and extension agents to co-develop solutions, strategies and methods to improve technology uptake by farmers in the lowlands of southern Lao PDR using a series of change management interventions. A complex ecology of factors involving farmers' decision drivers/motivations and farmers' decision enablers within farmers' production systems influence technology uptake. The relative importance of each factor is dependent on the specific technology that is being introduced. Hence, projects that introduce new technologies struggle to address all relevant factors and often do not have the ability to deal with the complex array of factors that are at play. The process of co-construction embeds local knowledge that becomes accessible to projects. The approach we document in this paper also has the potential to harness collaborative exchanges with other projects in similar geographical regions.

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#2 Zero Hunger

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