Abstract

MARQUES, M.; ALVAREZ, J.; SPOSITO, V.  and  RODRIGUEZ, N.. Implemetation of a referential framework to evaluate the sustainable development of family farmers in the Southeast of Uruguay. Agrocienc. Urug. [online]. 2021, vol.25, n.2, e414.  Epub Dec 01, 2021. ISSN 2730-5066.  https://doi.org/10.31285/agro.25.414.

This research aimed to explore means of evaluating a co-innovation and interinstitutional project for the sustainable development of family farmers in the Southeast of Uruguay (named FPTA 343) in order to finally implement an Evaluation Monitoring Framework (EMF) for assessing the accomplishment of the main actors’ aims.

Data arose primarily from diagnoses of the social, technical and economic situation in the region, and interaction activities with farmers in the local groups, institutions and technicians (through interviews and workshops). Results demonstrated it is possible to adapt and implement an EMF, including the following steps:

1. Describing the region or formulating the problem, including values of the actors involved.

2. Discussing boundaries using multiple methodologies and theories (especially some that allow to explore sources of motivation, power, knowledge and legitimacy), and planning for rural sustainable development, considering the principles of “endogeneity”.

Actors were able to actively participate by getting involved in the follow-up and evaluation of the project. The generation of shared spaces of dialogue is considered a starting point for the promotion of actions, contributing to farmers feeling subjects of the development to be encouraged, preventing identified issues of marginalisation and increasing their chances of sustainability. The most important contribution of this research is the creation of new ties, patterns and expectations, as well as the communication of new ways of appreciating extension, that could lead the generation of new purposes and goals.

Keywords : co-innovation; family farmers; rural extension; systems thinking; sustainability.

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