Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Why Partners Build Social Networks
Farmers and agricultural scientists, with the help of farmers' organiza-
tions and public agencies, have created agroecological partnerships. This
chapter analyzes the participation of these four kinds of partners in
agroecological partnerships. The most successful partnerships have been
driven in part by the initiative of farmers. This chapter analyzes “leading
growers” like Karl Kupers, explains how they impact other farmers, and
describes a three-fold typology of farm-management styles of participat-
ing farmers. It then turns to analyzing the roles and motivations of
participating scientists. Agricultural scientists are arrayed in a hierarchy,
with LGU research scientists occupying the top echelons, extensionists
like Diana Roberts in the middle, and applied, field scientists at the base
of the pyramid. Partnerships have had to secure the active contributions
of scientists with research and applied skills. Agroecological partnerships
mark the entry of agricultural organizations into extension activities, and
this chapter concludes with an analysis of their contributions to partner-
ships. Public agencies concerned with resource conservation have played
a role in most partnerships, linking agriculture with public concern
about its practices.
This chapter and the next two draw heavily from original research into
the organization and practices of California's 32 partnerships, but the
findings have broad implications for organizing any agroecological
initiative. This chapter explains the activities of participants in partner-
ships like ACIRDS/CPAI using data from the California partnerships to
illustrate the motivations for collaboration. Farmers, scientists, farmers
organizations, and public resource agencies exist in every agricultural
state, and have conducted agroecological initiatives, some of which rise
to the level of partnerships; all can benefit from using a network
approach.
Farmers like Karl Kupers participate in agroecological partnerships
because they believe they will help them become better farmers, perhaps
learn how to save some money, and better manage environmental
regulatory and public perception problems. Through their participation,
farmers confer critical legitimacy to partnerships and their activities,
processes, and goals. Growers have expressed their leadership by identi-
fying problems, proposing collaborative solutions, initiating partnerships,
