Versuche, Innovationen und Erfindungen von Biobauern

Organic Farmers' Experiments - Learning Local Knowledge in Austria, Israel, and Cuba

An international comparative research project funded by the FWF (Austrian Science Fond www.fwf.ac.at).

Data about the project in BOKUs Research Database

Team: Racheli Ninio, Susanne Kummer, Friedrich Leitgeb and Christian R. Vogl
Working Group for Knowledge Systems and Innovations
Institute for Organic Farming
Department for Sustainable Agriculture Systems
University for Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences / BOKU
Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria

A basic research project, which aims at generating empirical knowledge on the processes by which organic farmers’ local knowledge is created, and hence to contribute to the study of agricultural innovation and experimentation in particular, and to the broad study of the processes of knowledge generation.

Farmers' experiments are one important source of information and knowledge that supports the evolution of agricultural practices and systems. A better understanding of processes of agricultural innovation and experimentation could contribute to the study of the process and intervening variables of knowledge generation.

Farmers defined organic agriculture long before institutional research did. Most of the organic agriculture improvements seen in the past decades have arisen despite existing national policies. The organic farming movement and actors have coped with challenging issues and made advances and innovations in organic farming. For that reason, we believe that organic farmers hold a large body of knowledge of their local environment, conditions, problems, and priorities, and that they are actively engaged in experimentation as part of their farming routine.

We believe that learning from this highly dynamic, innovative, and successful movement about their research topics, methods and outcomes, could help us understand the role that experimentation plays as a mode of learning and creative innovation.

These learning processes do not stop at the farm boundaries, or at the local level. Organic farming has spread worldwide, and yet maintained its basic principles. Conducting a comparative study about organic farmers’ experiments in three different countries could permit us to determine the nature of farmers’ experiments and to analyze the significance of factors associated with variation in these characteristics, within and among sites.

The research is taken place in Austria, Israel and Cuba. The countries were selected to represent organic farmers in different environmental conditions; different agricultural systems; different socio-economic conditions and different phase of the organic farming movement.

Link to the project in the BOKU Research Database (German, English)

Kummer, S.; Vogl, C.R. (2009): Bäuerliche Experimente. Forschung ohne Wissenschaftler. Ökologie & Landbau, 152, 4/2009, 54-56; ISSN 1015-2423

Kummer, S., Ninio, R., Leitgeb, F., Vogl C.R. (2008): How do farmers research and learn? The example of organic farmers´ experiments and innovations – a research concept.. In: Neuhoff, D., Halberg, N., Alföldi, T., Lockeretz, W., Thommen, A., Rasmussen, I.A., Hermansen, J., Vaarst, M., Lueck, L., Caporali, F., Jensen, H.H., Migliorini, P., Willer, H. (Eds.), Cultivating the future based on science. Proceedings of the Second Scientific Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, 18 – 20 June 2008 in Modena, Italy, 2nd ISOFAR Conference , 18.-20.6.2008, Modena, 789-792; ISBN: 978-3-03736-023-1 (POSTER)

Kummer, S.; Leitgeb, F.; Vogl, C. R. (2008): Changes as triggers and as results of farmers´ experiments: Examples of organic farmers in Austria. In: Dedieu, B. Zasser-Bedoya, S. (Eds.), Empowerment of the rural actors: A renewal of Farming Systems perspectives., INRA SAD 2008, 8th European IFSA Symposium, 6.-10.7.2008, Clermont-Ferrand, 413-422; ISBN: 978-2-7380-1252-4

Kummer, Susanne; Leitgeb, Friedrich; Ninio, Racheli; Vogl, Christian R. (2008): Experimente und Innovationen von Biobauern in Österreich, Israel und Kuba.. In: Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft (Hrsg.), Bioforschung für die Praxis. Präsentation laufender und abgeschlossener Projekte zur und für die österreichische Bio-Landwirtschaft, Bioforschung für die Praxis, 8.4.2008, Wien

Leitgeb F., S. Kummer, R. Ninio, C. R. Vogl (2008): Experimentos de agricultores para el desarrollo sostenible – Una comparación entre Cuba, Austria e Israel. In: ACTAF, VII Encuentro de Agricultura Orgánica y Sostenible; ISBN: 978-959-282-071-5

Kummer, S., Ninio, R., Leitgeb, F. & C. R. Vogl (2007): Organic farmers’ experiments and innovations – A debate. In: Sustainable food production and ethics; EurSAFE 2007, Vienna, Austria; Zollitsch, W., Ch. Winkler, S. Waiblinger & A. Haslberger (eds.); p. 512 - 514. Wageningen Academic Publishers, the Netherlands.

Leitgeb, F., Ninio, R., Kummer, S. & C. R. Vogl (2007): Organic farmers innovate – An Austrian Experience. In Honeybee 18(2): 4 & 11.

Kummer, S.; Ninio, R.; Leitgeb, F. & C. R. Vogl (2007): Ideenreiche Biobauern von Österreich bis Kuba. Blick ins Land, 08, 16-18

Leitgeb, F., E. Sanz, S. Kummer, R. Ninio, C.R. Vogl (2008): La discusión académica sobre experimentos de agricultores (farmers’ experiments) – una síntesis // Academic discussion about farmers’ experiments – a synthesis (Spanish and English). Pastos y Forrajes (31)1:3-24

Students interested in organic farmers' experiments are highly welcome to join our team for their masters thesis, PhD thesis or seminar paper!!

In 2007 students of the lecture "Projekt Ökologische Landwirtschaft" produced an exhibition and a brochure about organic farmers' experiments and innovations.

• Brochure: Experience, Creative, Organics - Farmers Innovations in Organic Farming
• Folleto: Ecológica, Creativa, Original - Innovaciones campesinas en la agricultura ecológica
• Ausstellungsbroschüre (11 MB): Biologisch, Innovativ, Originell
• Austellung der Projektgruppe zum Thema: "Biologisch, Innovativ, Originell - Bäuerliche Innovationen im Biolandbau" (Poster; 28 MB)

• Prolinnova is an NGO-initiated programme to build a global learning network to promote local innovation in ecologically-oriented agriculture and natural resource management (NRM). The focus is on recognising the dynamics of indigenous knowledge (IK) and enhancing capacities of farmers to adjust to change.
• ETC Ecoculture is a research and advisory group that promotes sustainable use of natural resources for secure livelihoods of people living in rural areas of developing countries.
• Banana hill is a values-driven company based in The Netherlands, serving NGOs, international agencies, private companies and universities in the fields of environment and agriculture in developing countries.
• Current thinking is pointing at the importance of the interplay between biological and cultural diversity. The loss of Bio-Cultural Diversity has a negative impact on local governance, health, food sovereignty and management of natural resources.
• COMPAS (comparing and supporting endogenous development) is an international network implementing field programmes to develop, test and improve endogenous development (ED) methodologies.
• The purpose of the Institute for Food and Development Policy - Food First - is to eliminate the injustices that cause hunger. We do research on the root causes of hunger, and publish a wide range of materials used by activists, professors, the media and our members.
• The website of the international workshop, ‘Farmer First Revisited' presents information for participants and other interested readers on this major workshop and related efforts that aim to put farmers first.
• IDRC is a Canadian Crown corporation that works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies.
• LEISA is a agazine which document and publish experiences with Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture for agricultural smallholders in the South.
• This website opens a gateway to development approaches that rely on traditional knowledge systems to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
• SRISTI is a non-governmental organisation setup to strengthen the creativity of grassroots inventors, innovators and ecopreneurs engaged in conserving biodiversity and developing eco-friendly solutions to local problems.

Cuba

• ACTAF is a Cuban association which aims to facilitate the construction of sustainable agricultural systems with a focus on gender and participatory methods.
• The Forum of Science and Technology is a movement in Cuba with the aim to integrate the whole society to find useful solutions for everyday problems at local level.

Israel

• The IBOAA Israel Bio-Organic Agriculture Association  
• The Israeli Anthropology Association
• Efraim Lev, our Israeli counterpart

Racheli Ninio, Susanne Kummer, Friedrich Leitgeb, Christian R. Vogl