Coastal communities in the Banyuasin District heavily rely on mangrove ecosystem services. However, unsustainable livelihood practices are driving mangroves into degradation. Our study aims to identify alternative livelihoods that can transform more sustainable mangrove businesses and practices. This will be achieved by co-developing a business model through participatory action research (PAR)in mangrove villages of Banyuasin. Our study revealed potential community-driven edu-ecotourism businesses in Sungsang and Marga Sungsang Village for further development. This business heavily relies on the natural authenticity of its mangrove, which amplifies the urgency to restore the degraded mangrove in the landscape. Thus, there is a high alignment of the business model canvas components with restoration activities such as the development of a mangrove seedling nursery, selling, and planting. This community-driven business is financially viable, according to the financial metrics, with a net present value (NPV) of IDR 180,148,622, a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.3, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 52.88%, and a payback period (PBP) of 1.7 years. The development of this business model can leverage sustainable livelihood opportunities and reconcile multiple interests while amplifying the urgency of restoring mangroves. The collaborative efforts among the community during this process serve as an exercise to build collective knowledge, strengthen social ties, and enhance trust and communication. This, in turn, leads to stronger collective action and social capital, which can sustain mangrove restoration beyond the project duration.
Tag: participatory research
Enhancing maize (Zea mays) productivity through integrated soil fertility management: a participatory approach in the degraded soils of Kigoma, Tanzania
Maize yields in sub-Saharan Africa remain low due to poor soil fertility, inadequate crop management, and erratic rainfall. This study evaluated the effects of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices—using combinations of manure, lime, and NPK fertilizer—on soil chemical properties and maize yields. Conducted through participatory methods (InPaC-S), the study found that lime + NPK significantly improved yields by 149% and enhanced soil health indicators such as CEC, organic carbon, and nutrient content. While this treatment had the highest production cost, it also yielded the greatest net revenue. Sensitivity analysis revealed that rising fertilizer costs could reduce profitability, making alternative ISFM combinations (e.g., lime or manure alone) more viable. The findings support scaling up ISFM to improve food security and rural livelihoods across the region.
Harnessing the Power of Citizen Science for Agroecological Transitions: The Case of the One Million Voices of Agroecology Initiative and Digital Platform
The One Million Voices (OMV) citizen science initiative seeks to harness citizen science to accelerate agroecological transitions globally. Its primary objective is to co-develop a participatory platform that enables farmers, producer organizations, and consumers worldwide to engage in agroecology movements, adoption efforts, and collaborative knowledge-sharing on agroecological performance. The initiative employs a facilitated co-design process, incorporating a global review, regional partnerships, and structured dialogues across four regions to collectively shape the platform’s scope and features. In alignment with recommendations to leverage existing networks, OMV collaborated with Agroecology Map to create the OMV of Agroecology platform. The platform addresses the key research question: What agroecological practices are being implemented globally, by whom, and with what effects? It facilitates participatory mapping of innovative agroecological practices, their characterization and evaluation, and fosters connectivity among stakeholders. Users can access mapped locations and practices, engage with peers, and analyze personalized summary data, providing scientific insights into geographic trends, actor preferences, and context-specific agroecology performance. This study illustrates how a co-created citizen science process can be effectively structured and leveraged transdisciplinarily. The success of the OMV platform in advancing agroecological transitions hinges on broad, diverse, and decisive participation.
Farmers’ preferences and use of local fodder trees and shrubs in Kenya
Indigenous fodder trees and shrubs are now receiving increased research attention. Systematic information from farmers about the species they use is, however, scanty. The objective of this study was to find out farmers’ ranking of local fodder tree species of their choice; their criteria for assessing fodder trees; how the most preferred species rated on each criterion; species’ uses, management, and ways of establishment; and implications of these results for the design of similar studies in the tropics. The study consisted of informal and formal surveys in three agroecological zones with mean annual rainfall of 775, 950 and 1300 mm, respectively. Farmers used an indigenous board game, bao, to rank species. Improved, stall-fed dairy animals were the dominant livestock type in the subhumid zone whereas communally-grazed, local-breed cattle and goats were common in the dry zone. A total of 160 different local fodder trees and shrubs were used by farmers in the three zones. The three most preferred species in the subhumid zone were Triumfetta tomentosa, Commiphora zimmermanii, and Bridelia micrantha; in the medium zone, Aspilia mossambicensis, Lantana camara, and Grewia tembensis, and in the low zone, Melia volkensii,Crotalaria goodiiformis, and A. mossambicensis. In the subhumid zone, the most frequently mentioned criteria were the ability of the fodder to satisfy hunger and contributions to animal health. Palatability and drought resistance of the tree were the most important criteria in the medium zone and, effect on the condition of the animal and palatability were most important in the dry zone. Farmers’ ratings on palatability for cattle and goats, and milk production for goats differed significantly among tree and shrub species (P < 0.05). The study has helped identify species for further research and development activities, with the aim of improving their productivity and disseminating them among farmers.