Regional Platform Profile

Prolinnova–Andes is a regional initiative started by Vecinos Mundiales (World Neighbors), IIRR and AGRECOL (Bolivia) in 2004. It seeks to build partnership in the Andean region (Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru) in order to join efforts and share experiences in such similar geographical, environmental, social, historical and economical conditions.

Its main objective is to value, promote and strengthen local knowledge and initiatives related to ecological agriculture. This we call “people science” because peasant/indigenous knowledge and practices are developed not by chance, but following strategic steps using local resources according to the local context. In order to achieve this objective, we follow a four-pillar strategy:

1. Farmers’ experimentation

2. Documentation and dissemination

3. Capacity building and knowledge exchange

4. Policy advocacy and institutionalisation.

Farmers’ experimentation seeks to identify farmer innovation and to promote it through farmer-led joint experimentation and the establishment of local funds to support this. The idea is to let farmers “take over the stick” in an experimentation phase, while integrating local and scientific knowledge.

Documentation and dissemination include: farmers’ documentation of their innovations, reflection leading to improve practice, sharing local innovations in order to inspire other farmers and influencing policymaking.

Capacity building and knowledge exchange seek to develop skills to promote innovation development through participatory innovation development (PID) and other participatory methodologies that focus on “people's science”; influence in changing roles (e.g. from “extensionists” to “facilitators”) and promoting knowledge and experience exchange at local, national, regional and international level.

Policy advocacy and institutionalisation are designed to influence policymaking and research. These activities seek to make farmers’ knowledge, initiatives and innovations as part of government's, educational institutions' and researchers' approaches and policies. In order to do that, we need first to build and strengthen partnership at national and regional (Andean) level.

The platform is presently implementing activities in: a) Peru, under coordination of the RAAA and the ANPE (National Association of Agroecological Producers); b) Bolivia, with the support of AGRECOL Andes, World Neighbors Bolivia, PROSUKO (Programa de Suka Kollus), AOPEB (Ecological Producers Association of Organizations) and PROINPA Foundation (Research on and Promotion of Andean Products), among others; and c) Ecuador, within the "Colectivo de Agroecologia" group that brings together several grassroots organisations and local NGOS, in addition to EkoRural.

In 2007, an international seminar on local innovation and its role in agricultural research and development took place in Peru, bringing together partners from throughout the region. In June 2008, a workshop was organised by the Bolivian partners on Tiahuanaco. There, it was concluded that interested partners will constitute an informal network, exchange experience and foster learning, while focusing on organising key joint activities.