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Linking research and public engagement: weaving an alternative narrative of Moroccan family farmers’ collective action

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Abstract

Rural development policies are often inspired by narratives that are difficult to challenge because they are based on an apparently obvious and coherent reading of reality. Research may confront such narratives and trigger debates outside the academic community, but this can have a feedback effect and lead to a simplistic or biased posture in research. This article analyzes a research-based initiative that questioned a commonly held narrative in large-scale irrigation schemes in Morocco concerning the structural weaknesses of farmer-led collective action. This initiative conceived an alternative narrative of farmer-led collective action, based on research and actions undertaken in collaboration with the farmers. The article assesses to what extent it was possible to design this narrative and to draw on it to orient research activities, actions with farmers and public engagement, without impairing the quality of the research process. The alternative narrative was designed and diffused based on three intertwined activities: (1) the identification and analysis of farmer-led collective actions, (2) the diffusion of information on successful farmer-led collective actions especially through the production of videos, and (3) exchanges with and between local farmers’ organizations. The alternative narrative that resulted from these activities emphasizes the potentialities of farmer-led collective action, and more broadly, the willingness and capabilities of many family farmers to play an active role in the governance of rural areas. The message of the alternative narrative and the distinction made between the research articles and videos in both their content and role ensured that research did not fall into simplistic or biased analyses. The alternative narrative also became a key to renewed relations between farmers and researchers and helped design training for students that pay more attention to local dynamics. In a situation in which scheme-level organizations show limited interest in reflexive enquiry, this initiative proposes some stepping stones to make it possible for changing narratives to accompany changing relations between actors.

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Notes

  1. See www.eau-sirma.net.

  2. The non-Moroccan members of the team were associated lecturers or invited researchers at the two main agricultural universities of Morocco.

Abbreviations

ORMVA:

Office Régional de Mise en Valeur Agricole [Regional Agricultural Development Authority]

WUA:

Water users association

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Acknowledgments

The study was based on activities undertaken in the framework of the Wademed project, financed by the European Union, and the SIRMA project, financed by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. We are grateful to J. Y. Jamin for helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIRAD, G-EAU Research Unit, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BP S/40, km 10, Haj Kaddour Road, Meknes, Morocco

    Nicolas Faysse

  2. Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, BP S/40, km 10, Haj Kaddour Road, Meknes, Morocco

    Mostafa Errahj

  3. Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco

    Catherine Dumora

  4. Cap Rural, 7, rue Pasteur Ville Nouvelle, 50000, Meknes, Morocco

    Hassan Kemmoun

  5. CIRAD, G-EAU Research Unit, Institut agronomique et vétérinaire Hassan II, BP 6202, Madinat Al Irfane, 10101, Rabat, Morocco

    Marcel Kuper

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  1. Nicolas Faysse
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  3. Catherine Dumora
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  4. Hassan Kemmoun
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Correspondence to Nicolas Faysse.

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Faysse, N., Errahj, M., Dumora, C. et al. Linking research and public engagement: weaving an alternative narrative of Moroccan family farmers’ collective action. Agric Hum Values 29, 413–426 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-012-9361-2

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