Presentation Title
Role of Farmer Networks in Supporting Adaptive Capacity of Farmers in the Northeastern US
Abstract
My research explores the role of farmers' networks in building the adaptive capacity of small and diversified farmers in the Northeastern US. Previous research suggests that farmers’ networks are the backbone of practical agricultural knowledge systems in the US, serving as a critical venue where growers exchange and negotiate new ideas. Drawing upon empirical evidence from a regional survey on climate resilience and a series of focus groups conducted in collaboration with nine farmer organizations from Pennsylvania to Eastern Canadian provinces, this paper examines how the emergence of new ideas and agroecological innovations are influenced by geography, network affiliation and perceived agency. The collaborative approach used in this research highlights the importance of strategic problem structuring as critical to successful problem-solving and communication about climate change. Multiple theories of change in agriculture communities are applied to the dataset to illuminate the factors that influence the emergence of innovative ideas for adaptive agroecosystem management in the region. This research offers a Farmer’s First perspective on how agricultural communities change in the face of climate change and what resources they need to successfully adapt.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Ernesto Mendez
Secondary Mentor Name
Joshua Faulkner
Status
Graduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Plant and Soil Science
Primary Research Category
Food & Environment Studies
Role of Farmer Networks in Supporting Adaptive Capacity of Farmers in the Northeastern US
My research explores the role of farmers' networks in building the adaptive capacity of small and diversified farmers in the Northeastern US. Previous research suggests that farmers’ networks are the backbone of practical agricultural knowledge systems in the US, serving as a critical venue where growers exchange and negotiate new ideas. Drawing upon empirical evidence from a regional survey on climate resilience and a series of focus groups conducted in collaboration with nine farmer organizations from Pennsylvania to Eastern Canadian provinces, this paper examines how the emergence of new ideas and agroecological innovations are influenced by geography, network affiliation and perceived agency. The collaborative approach used in this research highlights the importance of strategic problem structuring as critical to successful problem-solving and communication about climate change. Multiple theories of change in agriculture communities are applied to the dataset to illuminate the factors that influence the emergence of innovative ideas for adaptive agroecosystem management in the region. This research offers a Farmer’s First perspective on how agricultural communities change in the face of climate change and what resources they need to successfully adapt.