AGRECOL is focal point in the Global North for Prolinnova

Prolinnova: Promoting local innovation in ecologically oriented agriculture and nature resource management

Prolinnova is an NGO-initiated international network and community of practice that promotes local innovation processes in ecologically oriented agriculture and NRM. It focuses on recognising the dynamics of indigenous knowledge and enhancing capacities of family farmers (including pastoralists, fishers and forest dwellers) to adjust to change – to develop their own site-appropriate systems and institutions of resource management so as to gain food security, sustain their livelihoods and safeguard the environment.

The network builds on and scales up approaches to farmer-led participatory research and development that start with finding out how family farmers create new and better ways of doing things. Understanding the rationale behind local innovation transforms how agricultural researchers and advisors view local people. This experience stimulates interest on both sides to enter into joint action. Local ideas are further developed in a process that integrates indigenous and scientific knowledge.

The multistakeholder Country Platforms (CPs) – currently 21 in number – interact in subregional or regional platforms in Eastern & Southern Africa, West & Central Africa, Asia, the Andes and Europe. Agrecol–Afrique coordinates the CP in Senegal and Agrecol–Andes is a member of the CP in Bolivia.

The Focal Point in the Global North for the international Prolinnova network is the AGRECOL Association for AgriCulture & Ecology in Germany.

VISION: A world where women and men small-scale farmers play decisive roles in agricultural research and development for sustainable livelihoods

Website: www.prolinnova.net