Braun, A., D. Peters, M. Covault, and J.C. Mercado. 2002. Mid -Term Evaluation of: CATIE's Program on Ecologically-Based Participatory Implementation of IPM and Agroforestry in Nicaragua and Central America (CATIE-MIP/AF) Phase III. 59 pp. CATIE-MIP/AF is a well-conceived and well-managed program that has capitalized on lessons learned in previous phases and from other programs. It developed in response to the weakening of the extension function within national agricultural systems in Central America and has contributed to the reorientation of the linear transfer-of-technology model prevailing in Nicaragua and other Central American Countries into a participatory extension approach that links farm families, extensionists, researchers and trainers, and decision-makers. The participatory methodologies developed by the program are a major strength in addressing challenges posed by modern-day complexity, uncertainty and dynamism in agriculture and natural resource management by farmers. The Program has catalyzed the establishment of a field-based multi-level, multi-institutional platform for participatory development and extension of technology for three important Central American farming systems, coffee, vegetables and basic grains (maize and beans), combining these with a broad array of ecological practices based on principles of agroforestry, integrated pest management, and natural resource conservation. The participatory capacity-building supported by the program develops powers of ecological reasoning, and incorporates a gender and family focus. The program has supported participatory training of significant numbers of farmers, extensionists, trainers and has involved decision-makers in joint planning and public monitoring of the process. Future emphasis on developing empresarial reasoning as a complement to the current focus on ecological reasoning. could increase the sustainability of achievements and the chances of significant impact on poverty alleviation in the future

Pound, B., S. Snapp, C. McDougall and A. Braun (Eds). 2003. Managing Natural Resources for Sustainable Livelihoods: Uniting Science and Participation. Earthscan/IDRC.Management of local resources has a greater chance of a sustainable outcome when there is partnership between local people and external agencies, and agendas relevant to their aspirations and circumstances. Managing Natural Resources for Sustainable Livelihoods analyses and extends this premise to show unequivocally that the process of research for improving natural resource management must incorporate participatory and user-focused approaches, leading to development based on the needs and knowledge of local resource users.Drawing on extensive and highly relevant case studies, this book presents innovative approaches for establishing and sustaining participation and collective decision-making, good practice for research, and challenges for future developments. It covers a wide range of natural resources – including forests and soils, and water and management units such as watersheds and common property areas and provides practical lessons from analysis and meta-analysis of cases from Asia, Africa and Latin America. It offers insights on how to make research participatory while maintaining rigour and high-quality biological science, different forms of participation, and ways to scale up and extend participatory approaches and successful initiatives.This book will be invaluable for those professionally involved in natural resource management for sustainable development, and an essential resource for teachers and students of both the biophysical and social science aspects of natural resource management.

Allen, W., Bosch, O., Kilvington, M., Oliver, J. and Gilbert, M. 2001. Benefits of collaborative learning for environmental management: Applying the Integrated Systems for Knowledge Management approach to support animal pest control. Environmental Management 27:2 pp. 215-223.

Heong, K.L. and Escalada, M.M. 1999. Quantifying rice farmers' pest management decisions - Beliefs and subjective norms in stem borer control. Crop Protection, 18:315-322. Request reprintThe paper introduces the pest belief model and Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action to analyze farmers' decisions in stem borer management. Farmers spent an average of $39/ha (median $18) on insecticides believing that if they had not controlled an average loss of 1004 kg/ha or $402 (median 592, $237) would occur. Farmers' estimates of the worst attack averaged 19 white heads/m2 (median10) with the associated average loss of 1038 kg/ha or $415 (median 592, $270), implying that farmers' decisions were guided by the worst attacks. Perceived benefits from insecticides were directly related with farmers' insecticide use and perceived severity. Perceived susceptibility was also high, with 59% of farmers believing that a loss of 450 kg/ha would be "extremely or very likely". Farmers believed insecticides could destroy natural enemies but placed only moderate importance to conserving them. Health was believed to be very important but farmers had mixed beliefs that spraying could bring about poor health. This study also provides evidence suggesting high peer pressure on farmers' spray decisions directly influencing perceived benefits from sprays, insecticide spending and spray frequency.

Escalada, M.M. and K.L. Heong. Participatory Frameworks for Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research in Rice Pest Management. Synopsis of forthcoming book.

Loevinsohn, M.E., G. Meijerink and B. Salasya, 2001. Developing Integrated Pest Management with Kenyan Farmers: Evaluation of a Pilot Project. In: N. Lilja, J.A. Ashby and L.J. Sperling (eds) Assessing the Impact of Participatory Research and Gender Analysis, CIAT, Cali, pp. 231-247.The farmer field school (FFS) is a group learning approach to building capacity among farmers in integrated pest management (IPM) and other aspects of natural resource management (NRM). This chapter reports on an evaluation of a pilot project in Kenya, one of the first to adapt to African conditions the approach pioneered in Asia. International partners in the project are: the International Institute of Biological Control (IIBC), the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALDM), the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF), the Kenyan Institute of Organic Farming (KIOF), and the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). The Global IPM Facility provided financial support. Two purposes motivated the evaluation. First, Kenyan and international partners in the project were considering a follow-up to the pilot phase and needed to understand what it had accomplished. Second, the evaluation serves as a case study within a wider review of different types of participatory research and development. It is intended to provide policy makers of the national agricultural research systems (NARS) with greater insights into the costs, benefits, and institutional implications of the choices they must make when taking up participatory approaches.

Escalada, M.M., Heong, K.L., Huan, N.H. and Mai, V. 1999. Communications and behavior change in rice farmers' pest management: The case of using mass media in Vietnam. Journal of Applied Communications, 83 (1), 7-26 .Winner of the 2002 St. Andrew Prize for the Environment  Request reprintRice farmers' unnecessary insecticide use for leaf folder control is due to misperceptions. A mass media campaign was organized to motivate farmers to test a conflict information expressed as a heuristic. After the campaign, insecticide use dropped from 3.35 sprays per farmer to 1.56. Proportions of farmers spraying at the early and late tillering and booting stages decreased from 59%, 84% and 85% to 0.2%, 19% and 30%, respectively. Leaf folder control perceptions, expressed as the belief index, changed from 11.25 to 7.62. Proportions of farmers believing that leaf folders could cause damages, yield loss and needed sprays, dropped from 66%, 70% and 77% to 24%, 25% and 23%, respectively. The study showed that mass media could effectively transfer some elements of knowledge-intensive pest management, especially simple non-site specific information designed to motivate.

Van Mele, P. & N.T.T. Cuc. 2003. Ants as Friends: Improving your Tree Crops with Weaver Ants. CABI Bioscience¸ pp. 67. (English, Bahasa Indonesia, and from 2005 also in Vietnamese)Contains practical tips on how to make best use of the weaver ant to protect your fruit and other tree crops. The authors have combined rich sources of scientific and farmers' knowledge to provide an attractive and colourful manual that will appeal to university students, NGO workers, extension staff and all engaged in communicating agricultural science to farmers. English versions can be ordered from Simon Lea at CABI Bioscience. The Bahasa Indonesia version can be ordered from Subekti Rahayu at ICRAF-Indonesia.