Ellinor Isgren
Researcher
Rural social movements and sustainable agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa: towards a collaborative research agenda
Author
Summary, in English
Agriculture is key to sustainable development globally – particularly in
countries where agriculture both accounts for most of the land use and
provides a livelihood for most of the population. We map out a collaborative
research agenda aimed at tackling the urgent but poorly understood issue of
the role of farmer organisations in overcoming political barriers to
sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, with particular attention
to sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Building on a critical and
collaborative dialogue between a diversity of small-scale farmer-led
organisations, local activist groups, transnational civil society networks, and
heterogeneous academic institutions, our agenda is organized around two key
objectives: 1) understanding the conditions for, development of and outcomes
from farmer-based political mobilisation in rural areas; and 2) strengthening
participatory, action-oriented research capacity for critically engaged
research on agrarian questions in SSA. The approach we advocate emphasises
the scientific and societal benefits of combining theoretically informed cross-
country comparison of farmer-based rural social movements, with deepening
of academic-civil society collaboration.
countries where agriculture both accounts for most of the land use and
provides a livelihood for most of the population. We map out a collaborative
research agenda aimed at tackling the urgent but poorly understood issue of
the role of farmer organisations in overcoming political barriers to
sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, with particular attention
to sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Building on a critical and
collaborative dialogue between a diversity of small-scale farmer-led
organisations, local activist groups, transnational civil society networks, and
heterogeneous academic institutions, our agenda is organized around two key
objectives: 1) understanding the conditions for, development of and outcomes
from farmer-based political mobilisation in rural areas; and 2) strengthening
participatory, action-oriented research capacity for critically engaged
research on agrarian questions in SSA. The approach we advocate emphasises
the scientific and societal benefits of combining theoretically informed cross-
country comparison of farmer-based rural social movements, with deepening
of academic-civil society collaboration.
Department/s
- LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Faculty Office
Publishing year
2023-08
Language
English
Pages
22-45
Publication/Series
Interface: a journal for and about social movements
Volume
14
Issue
1
Links
Document type
Journal article
Topic
- Other Social Sciences
Status
Published
Project
- Mobilizing farmer organisations for sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa
- Farmer organization, mobilization and political opportunities for sustainable agricultural development in Africa: Towards comparative analysis
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 2009-2431