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Farmer strategies and production system in fragile environments in mountainous areas of Latin America

Objective



THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO INVESTIGATE THE LINKAGES BETWEEN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY HAVE DEVELOPED AND THE PROCESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DETERIORATION. THE RESEARCH WILL CONCENTRATE ON DETAILED INVETIGATION AT A HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY LEVEL WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AT A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL. IT WILL BE LOCATED IN HONDURAS AND BOLIVIA.

IT WILL USE THE CONCEPT OF HOUSEHOLD LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES TO RELATE FARMING DECISIONS TO THE BROADER CONTEXT OF OTHER HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITIES AND TO DEVELOP AN ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. WORK WILL BE CARRIED 0uT BY TEAMS INCUDING BOTH NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH RURAL PEOPLE AND LOCAL-LEVEL ORGANISATIONS. IT WILL AIM TO AID THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF MORE PRODUCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD-PRODUCING LAND USE SYSTEMS.

DETAILED ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE PLOTS OF A SAMPLE OF HOUSEHOLDS IN EACH STUDY AREA WILL ESTABLISH THE DEGREE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DETERIORATION ON THE BASIS OF OBSERVATION, OF FARMER EVALUATION AND DATA ON SOIL AND VEGETATION QUALITY. DATA WILL ALSO BE COLLECTED AT A HOUSEHOLD LEVEL oF DOMESTIC LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES, SOURCES OF FOOD SUPPLY AND DEGREE oF MARKET INCORPORATION. AT A LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL INFORMATION WILL BE GATHERED ON LAND TENURE, TRANSPORTATION AND FARMER ORGANISATION THAT WILL SHOW HOW HOUSEHOLDS HAVE RESPONDED To ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS IN THE CONTEXT OF CHANGING SOCIAL RELATIONS.

AT A LATER STAGE oF THE WORK REGULAR MONITORING OF SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS WILL REVEAL THEIR RESPONSES TO SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES AS WELL AS REACTIONS To NEW LAND USES AND PRACTICES INTRODUCED BY OUTSIDE AGENCIES. THE FIELD WORK WILL CONCLUDE WITH A SECOND SURVEY OF HOUSEHOLDS TO PROVIDE COMPARATIVE INFORMATION TO THAT GAINED THREE YEARS PREVIOUSLY.

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Call for proposal

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS.
EU contribution
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Address
Woodhouse Lane
LEEDS
United Kingdom

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Participants (4)