Project Workshops
2014
Feedback Workshop in Kalpetta
April 22nd, 2014
The BioDIVA project (2010-2014) with its main goal to co-create knowledge towards a Gender-Equitable and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity organized a series of multi-stakeholder dialogues during its life span. The central focus of these dialogues was to achieve a common understanding on land-use change and related impact on agriculture transitions, loss of agrobiodiversity and the sociocultural diversity.
Complimented with empirical analysis by disciplinary experts from multiple sectors viz., economists, ecologists and sociologist, the project outputs intended to contribute towards sustainable land use in the ‘polictical sphere’. A farm level workshop with prominent representation from Panchayat level officials was held on 22nd April 2014 at Kalpetta, the district headquarter of Wayanad in Kerala.
Focusing on ‘Land Utilization and Agriculture Biodiversity’, the event witnessed active participation from farmers’ representatives, member of local governing bodies (Panchayats) and researchers from Germany and India. The main highlight of the event was to discuss scientifically derived findings with local-level stakeholders, to invite their feedback and to work together towards the prioritization of solutions.
2013
National Level Dialogue Workshop in Chennai
September 2nd - 4th, 2013
From 2nd-4th September 2013, the national level dialogue workshop "Cultivating Diversity" was held by the Indo-German research program BioDIVA at MSSRF in Chennai. The workshop brought together around 50 scientists and practitioners, all of them having a stake in the overall topic of transdisciplinary research on agrobiodiversity and land use change.
The workshop comprised three thematic sessions (1) Transdisciplinary (2) Equity and Sustainability (3) Agrobiodiversity, Agroecosystems and Land Use Change. After a working group session on perspectives for transdisciplinary and a plenary session on transdisciplinarity in practice: Linking academics with practitioners, the workshop was closed by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan who expressed his best wishes for the BioDIVA research project and hoping for a continuity of the partnership.
More information: National Level Dialogue Workshop in Chennai
Photos of the workshop in Chennai
Order form: Handbook Cultivate Diversity!
State Level Policy Integration Workshop
January 17th - 18th, 2013
The conference organised by BioDIVA and M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation was held at the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) in Thiruvananthapuram. The main focus was to gain insights into stakeholders' assessment of the current situation of land use change in Kerala and to develop ideas for policy integration for sustainable land use management.
The workshop brought together experts, civil society and policy makers concerned about the trend of land use change affecting ecological services and agrobiodiversity. Equipped with background information and the latest research findings, various actors with a stake in making land use sustainable explored viable strategies for sustainable land use and elaborate means for policy integration.
2012
District Level Scenario Workshops
February & September 2012
The two scenario workshops were held at district level in the research area Wayanad, India. Participants were members of the local government and representatives of organisations at village level as well as non governmental organisations and members of the local administration.
The objective of both workshops was to discuss the views of the participants on sustainable development and the way and instruments to achieve it. As a result scenarios for a development until the year 2030 were drawn and the possibilities of cooperation between different stakeholders were identified.
2011
Scenario Workshop
November 18th, 2011
BioDIVA and its project partner MSSRF conducted a Scenario Workshop with local officials and land users. The goal of the workshop was to sensitise relevant policy actors to land use change and its contributing factors in Kalpetta district. Representatives of the local district administration, local CBOs, selected staff from MSSRF, local farmers and other land users attended. Highlights of the programme included a brief outline of BioDIVA's rationale, intermediate results form the research by the disciplinary tandems and stakeholder feedback workshops. Based on this, all participants were invited to identify different scenarios for land-use change, identify factors leading to certain scenarios and developing a vision for a sustainable and equitable future. The workshop closed with plans for the formation of a working group to develop the ideas raised at the workshop further.
Scenario Workshop
Inception Workshop: "The Future of Rice in Wayanad"
February 16th - 18th, 2011
The BioDIVA Inception workshop presented the starting point of an inter- and transdisciplinary research endeavour on the social-ecological complexities of rice production systems in Wayanad district. The overall aim was to introduce the use of participatory approaches including tools of land use modelling. During this, the development of a ‘sustainable future for rice production’ in Wayanad has been discussed among all workshop participants in order to draw up action points for collaboration and identify criteria and special features that would impact on the study.
The workshop was organised in Kalpetta by our partner, the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (India) and BioDIVA International.
Workshop Report (9.4 MB)
2010
Start-Up Workshop Hannover
April 22nd, 2010
Topics and speakers:
Genetic erosion and degradation of ecosystem services of wetland rice fields: a case study from Western Ghats, India (availaible as a video: part 1, part 2, part 3)
Dr. Anil Kumar, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai
BioDIVA – Transformation knowledge for gender-equitable and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity
Dr. habil. Martina Padmanabhan, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Integration in sustainaibility research
Dr. Matthias Bergmann, Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Frankfurt Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advances Study, Berlin
Gender and agrobiodiversity
Prof. em Janet Momsen, Univeristy of California, Davis
The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity
Dr. Heidi Wittmer, Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig
People and pixels – old gaps or new bridges? Linking empirical studies to a land use model
PD Dr. Sylvia Hermann/Dr. Karin Berkhoff, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Panel discussion: Transdisciplinarity – A paradigm shift in academia?
Chair: Dr. Anja Christinck, seed4change consulting
Start-Up Flyer (807.3 kB)
Start-Up Workshop Hannover
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