In the ABAC network, the collaboration with farmers who have totally or
partially converted their farms to organic farming, or others who are reluctant to
do so, was extremely rewarding. The community of researchers was the first to
change, in terms of its science and messages to partners, with another perspective
from the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) on organic agriculture
and the difficulties of the socioecological transition. Beyond the unifying and
participatory activities, participants were looking to build up a common vision on
the challenges and the means to reconcile environmentally friendly agriculture with
farmers’ incomes while maintaining or improving water quality.
In the Grand Morin experiment, the evaluation was carried out within the
framework of a thesis [37] based on observations made during the workshops,
interviews with the participants and, finally, decisions taken by the management of
river works on the Grand Morin River. Concerning the mobilization of scientific
knowledge, the members of the local river commission (CLE) found that, compared
with the data provided by consulting firms, working with the scientists and
constructing knowledge through modelling allow them to truly assimilate the results.
The participants said they had a better perception of the interactions between the
various elements of the system, the complexity of the management of the sluices,
their positive effects on fish and kayak movement or the uselessness of certain weirs.
For some participants, this way of sharing knowledge would even be a means to
change the modes of public action. ‘The infused science delivered in meetings does
not make it possible to appropriate things. And it is just how we can join projects. In
thematic commissions in the CLE there are exchanges but no co-construction. One
could imagine the life of a SAGE
2 with tools allowing a real implication’ (Chamber
of Agriculture).
In the BRIE’eau project, attention is also paid to questions such as ‘How do we
learn?’ or ‘What could have facilitated this learning?’. The underlying assumption is
that some tools would facilitate certain types of knowledge; for example, the
scenario-building approach would lead to the construction of knowledge and technical skills, while the role-playing game is more likely to facilitate political, relational and communicational learning. These learning effects are less expected results
and are often made invisible when trying to evaluate them. However, they are likely
to influence public action – the way in which the actors of a territory discuss and
decide together.
These experiments make it possible to mobilize other types of data in the debates
and to advance the discussions. ‘The ABAC project has enabled us to fill the obvious
gap in baseline data on organic agriculture and to interpret its environmental effects
in terms of water quality’ (said by a PIREN-Seine researcher). By instrumentalizing
approximately 15 typical crop rotations on different pedo-climatic conditions, the
scientists aimed to obtain, within a comparatively short period of time, scientifically
original results that would also be useful from a societal point of view for regional
policies. The Île-de-France region is mobilized to promote rural and peri-urban areas
2 SAGE: water management scheme.
406
C. Carré et al.
partially converted their farms to organic farming, or others who are reluctant to
do so, was extremely rewarding. The community of researchers was the first to
change, in terms of its science and messages to partners, with another perspective
from the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) on organic agriculture
and the difficulties of the socioecological transition. Beyond the unifying and
participatory activities, participants were looking to build up a common vision on
the challenges and the means to reconcile environmentally friendly agriculture with
farmers’ incomes while maintaining or improving water quality.
In the Grand Morin experiment, the evaluation was carried out within the
framework of a thesis [37] based on observations made during the workshops,
interviews with the participants and, finally, decisions taken by the management of
river works on the Grand Morin River. Concerning the mobilization of scientific
knowledge, the members of the local river commission (CLE) found that, compared
with the data provided by consulting firms, working with the scientists and
constructing knowledge through modelling allow them to truly assimilate the results.
The participants said they had a better perception of the interactions between the
various elements of the system, the complexity of the management of the sluices,
their positive effects on fish and kayak movement or the uselessness of certain weirs.
For some participants, this way of sharing knowledge would even be a means to
change the modes of public action. ‘The infused science delivered in meetings does
not make it possible to appropriate things. And it is just how we can join projects. In
thematic commissions in the CLE there are exchanges but no co-construction. One
could imagine the life of a SAGE
2 with tools allowing a real implication’ (Chamber
of Agriculture).
In the BRIE’eau project, attention is also paid to questions such as ‘How do we
learn?’ or ‘What could have facilitated this learning?’. The underlying assumption is
that some tools would facilitate certain types of knowledge; for example, the
scenario-building approach would lead to the construction of knowledge and technical skills, while the role-playing game is more likely to facilitate political, relational and communicational learning. These learning effects are less expected results
and are often made invisible when trying to evaluate them. However, they are likely
to influence public action – the way in which the actors of a territory discuss and
decide together.
These experiments make it possible to mobilize other types of data in the debates
and to advance the discussions. ‘The ABAC project has enabled us to fill the obvious
gap in baseline data on organic agriculture and to interpret its environmental effects
in terms of water quality’ (said by a PIREN-Seine researcher). By instrumentalizing
approximately 15 typical crop rotations on different pedo-climatic conditions, the
scientists aimed to obtain, within a comparatively short period of time, scientifically
original results that would also be useful from a societal point of view for regional
policies. The Île-de-France region is mobilized to promote rural and peri-urban areas
2 SAGE: water management scheme.
406
C. Carré et al.