Periodic Report Summary 2 - QUINOA (Dynamic aspects of biodiversity management of Quinoa)
ACRONYM: QUINOA
Simulation on evolution of agriculture scenarios for analyzing the impact on variety dynamics.
The agricultural practices of domestication and selection of phytogenetic resources have generated a rich and original intra-specific biodiversity. The crop culture systems of southern countries integrate this species diversity linked to the exploited environments.
The QUINOA project is interested on the definition and implementation of management alternatives adapted to dynamic in situ preservation of genetic resources, particularly in face of global changes. This project is aimed to the identification of new management ways of crop varieties diversity based on the interaction of farmer’s seed systems at different scales, including related seed market system and institutional seed system. The restarting of quinoa crop in Chile (Latin America) and the relationship with access to existing ex situ seed banks define the study site. The methods are based on the co-construction of innovative tools, as multi agent models, able of integrating different actor’s points of view and then simulating dynamic aspects of managements of biodiversity to foresee its impacts on future evolutions.
Iterative approach alternating field data acquisition, conceptualization and modeling seed systems.
This methodological path steps into participative modeling with experts. A collective representation of the seed system has co-constructed with researchers of different disciplines, invoking different mechanisms favoring conservation and use of varieties diversity. At the end of this process, sharing all disciplinary points of view, we have a developed a general conceptual model of seed systems which is a global abstraction of the vision on the management of agrobiodiversity. Conceptualizing and developing seed systems models need a scientific coordination based on workshops animation. Here, participation involves dialogs of researches of different implied disciplines for debating modeling choices. Afterword models are validated by farmers, and then we used role playing games for foreseeing different future scenarios. The research methods using within each discipline are a) genetic diversity of crops, b) institutional and specific crops’ economy, c) social anthropology, d) agronomic performance of varieties and associated geographical considerations, e) complex system modeling associated to participative initiatives and research-action. Field works are structured at three system scales: studies on genetic diversity (farmer field, country and region), diversity of farmers’ agricultural systems to incorporate their strategies (of parcels, exploitation and country levels) and the regional/national study of social, economic and political regulations (of local and global markets and public policies). At each scale works are multidisciplinary. In addition, the different analytical levels overlap to answer specific questions raised at each level.
Principal results of the project
- Genetic characterization of crop diversity.
- Factors determining agrobiodiversity at the farmer exploitation level and characterization of variety dynamics in different agricultural contexts (agro-environmental and socio-institutional).
- Effects of the access of farmers’ exploitation on markets (selling) on the cultivated varietal diversity.
- Effects of roles of different intellectual property rights on the management of seed systems and international agreements under different seed access frameworks.
- Multi-agent generic model available to develop applications in other seed systems.
- A Generic Role Playing Games was developed in Chile that can be re-used to animate seed dynamic and dialogs between stakeholders (farmers, farmers’ organizations, NGO, researchers, breeders, etc.). Its applications imply explicit farmers’ choice, scenarios constructions according to market, agricultural policies or climate change.
- Formation of a formal company of agricultural counseling to farmers in Chile, using IMAS-agreed viewpoints.
- Formation of a public-private permanent roundtable invited by the National Office of Agricultural Planning (ODEPA, from the Chilean Ministry of agriculture), where different stakeholders and farmers were invited at a national scale.
- The project coordinator was invited by FAO-Latin America to meet the international Committee for animating the International Year of Quinoa in 2013 (www.iyq2013.org).
- Application and approval of a new project on agrobiodiversity and cultural diversity in Chile.
Scientific production since the beginning of the project :
The QUINOA project is a multidisciplinary project involving different scientific partners in the South. The research training is part of the missions of CIRAD and UNIBO So that’s explain why during the project, 23 students were able to achieve their thesis (final dissertation) on the research project: 1 PhD in Geography and Masters for French (10), or Chilean students (9).
Scientific output corresponds to cycles of life far beyond the duration of the project. During this first phase, preliminary results are presented in national seminars (3) or international congress (57). The exercise of formalization to expose at conferences is a collective work [98% multiple authors] participating in the iterative process of conceptualization modeling. The most remarkable results are then repeated for journals with peer review in France (4) or for international journals (38). Currently, starts another phase in the upgrading project for long-term positioning results QUINOA, nearly a dozen submissions are being finalized for journals with impact factor ISI and are being submitted or will be before June 2013.
List ok keywords
• Quinoa, Modelling, Role playing Game, Agrobiodiversity
Simulation on evolution of agriculture scenarios for analyzing the impact on variety dynamics.
The agricultural practices of domestication and selection of phytogenetic resources have generated a rich and original intra-specific biodiversity. The crop culture systems of southern countries integrate this species diversity linked to the exploited environments.
The QUINOA project is interested on the definition and implementation of management alternatives adapted to dynamic in situ preservation of genetic resources, particularly in face of global changes. This project is aimed to the identification of new management ways of crop varieties diversity based on the interaction of farmer’s seed systems at different scales, including related seed market system and institutional seed system. The restarting of quinoa crop in Chile (Latin America) and the relationship with access to existing ex situ seed banks define the study site. The methods are based on the co-construction of innovative tools, as multi agent models, able of integrating different actor’s points of view and then simulating dynamic aspects of managements of biodiversity to foresee its impacts on future evolutions.
Iterative approach alternating field data acquisition, conceptualization and modeling seed systems.
This methodological path steps into participative modeling with experts. A collective representation of the seed system has co-constructed with researchers of different disciplines, invoking different mechanisms favoring conservation and use of varieties diversity. At the end of this process, sharing all disciplinary points of view, we have a developed a general conceptual model of seed systems which is a global abstraction of the vision on the management of agrobiodiversity. Conceptualizing and developing seed systems models need a scientific coordination based on workshops animation. Here, participation involves dialogs of researches of different implied disciplines for debating modeling choices. Afterword models are validated by farmers, and then we used role playing games for foreseeing different future scenarios. The research methods using within each discipline are a) genetic diversity of crops, b) institutional and specific crops’ economy, c) social anthropology, d) agronomic performance of varieties and associated geographical considerations, e) complex system modeling associated to participative initiatives and research-action. Field works are structured at three system scales: studies on genetic diversity (farmer field, country and region), diversity of farmers’ agricultural systems to incorporate their strategies (of parcels, exploitation and country levels) and the regional/national study of social, economic and political regulations (of local and global markets and public policies). At each scale works are multidisciplinary. In addition, the different analytical levels overlap to answer specific questions raised at each level.
Principal results of the project
- Genetic characterization of crop diversity.
- Factors determining agrobiodiversity at the farmer exploitation level and characterization of variety dynamics in different agricultural contexts (agro-environmental and socio-institutional).
- Effects of the access of farmers’ exploitation on markets (selling) on the cultivated varietal diversity.
- Effects of roles of different intellectual property rights on the management of seed systems and international agreements under different seed access frameworks.
- Multi-agent generic model available to develop applications in other seed systems.
- A Generic Role Playing Games was developed in Chile that can be re-used to animate seed dynamic and dialogs between stakeholders (farmers, farmers’ organizations, NGO, researchers, breeders, etc.). Its applications imply explicit farmers’ choice, scenarios constructions according to market, agricultural policies or climate change.
- Formation of a formal company of agricultural counseling to farmers in Chile, using IMAS-agreed viewpoints.
- Formation of a public-private permanent roundtable invited by the National Office of Agricultural Planning (ODEPA, from the Chilean Ministry of agriculture), where different stakeholders and farmers were invited at a national scale.
- The project coordinator was invited by FAO-Latin America to meet the international Committee for animating the International Year of Quinoa in 2013 (www.iyq2013.org).
- Application and approval of a new project on agrobiodiversity and cultural diversity in Chile.
Scientific production since the beginning of the project :
The QUINOA project is a multidisciplinary project involving different scientific partners in the South. The research training is part of the missions of CIRAD and UNIBO So that’s explain why during the project, 23 students were able to achieve their thesis (final dissertation) on the research project: 1 PhD in Geography and Masters for French (10), or Chilean students (9).
Scientific output corresponds to cycles of life far beyond the duration of the project. During this first phase, preliminary results are presented in national seminars (3) or international congress (57). The exercise of formalization to expose at conferences is a collective work [98% multiple authors] participating in the iterative process of conceptualization modeling. The most remarkable results are then repeated for journals with peer review in France (4) or for international journals (38). Currently, starts another phase in the upgrading project for long-term positioning results QUINOA, nearly a dozen submissions are being finalized for journals with impact factor ISI and are being submitted or will be before June 2013.
List ok keywords
• Quinoa, Modelling, Role playing Game, Agrobiodiversity