Integrated agricultural landscape management: Case study on inclusive innovation processes, monitoring and evaluation in Tanzania
This article (PDF) in the Outlook on Agriculture Journal describes the process, the results, challenges, and lessons emanating from applying integrated agricultural landscape management (IALM) processes in innovation platforms. IALM is deliberately designed to support food production, ecosystem conservation, and rural livelihoods. It aims to simultaneously contribute to human well-being, food and fiber production, climate change mitigation, and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems services. These multiple livelihood functions are important features of an agricultural landscape in Mbeya, Tanzania. Due to environmental damage caused by agricultural expansion and charcoal burning, the IALM process was implemented to address this problem. This encompassed the identification and involvement of a range of key landscape actors. Awareness creation and joint problem analysis was needed, followed by solution framing, learning, planning and implementation of actions, and monitoring and evaluation. A multi-stakeholder innovation platform was formed for creating a coordination mechanism, common understanding, vision and goals, and networking. Fifty IALM ideas were identified and six selected by the stakeholders. Outcomes of using the IALM process included policy recommendations, joint learning, and innovative actions and were co-developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated with the local communities.