Transdisciplinary innovation research in Uzbekistan – one year of ‘Follow-the-Innovation’

Abstract

In 2008, a German-funded interdisciplinary research project in Khorezm province, Uzbekistan, initiated a participatory approach to innovation development and diffusion with local stakeholders. Selected agricultural innovations, developed by the project and identified as ‘plausible promises’, have since then been tested and modified accordingly by teams of researchers, local farmers and water users. This paper discusses the challenges faced in this process of joint experimentation and learning between researchers and local stakeholders whose behaviours, attitudes and actions are heavily shaped by the local context, academic discipline and hierarchical culture of knowledge governance.

Recherches transdisciplinaires en matière d'innovation en Ouzbékistan – un an de « Following the Innovation »

En 2008, un projet de recherches interdisciplinaires financé par l'Allemagne mené dans la province de Khorezm, en Ouzbékistan, a lancé une approche participative du développement et de la diffusion de l'innovation avec des parties prenantes locales. Une sélection d'innovations agricoles, mises au point par le projet et identifiées comme des « promesses plausibles », ont depuis été mises à l'épreuve et modifiées selon les besoins par des équipes de chercheurs, d'agriculteurs locaux et d'utilisateurs de l'eau. Ce document traite des défis rencontrés dans ce processus d'expérimentation et d'apprentissage entre chercheurs et parties prenantes locales dont les comportements, les attitudes et les actions sont fortement influencés par le contexte local, la discipline universitaire et la culture hiérarchique de la gouvernance des connaissances.

Pesquisa sobre inovação transdisciplinar no Uzbequistão – um ano de “Acompanhando a Inovação

Em 2008, um projeto de pesquisa interdisciplinar financiado pela Alemanha na província de Khorezm, no Uzbequistão, iniciou uma abordagem participativa para o desenvolvimento e difusão da inovação com as partes interessadas locais. Inovações agrícolas selecionadas, desenvolvidas pelo projeto e identificadas como “promessas plausíveis”, têm desde então sido testadas e modificadas de acordo por equipes de pesquisadores, produtores rurais locais e usuários de água. Este artigo discute os desafios enfrentados neste processo de experimentação e aprendizado conjuntos entre pesquisadores e as partes interessadas locais cujos comportamentos, atitudes e ações são fortemente influenciados pelo contexto local, disciplina acadêmica e cultura hierárquica de governança de conhecimento.

Investigación multidisciplinaria e innovadora en Uzbekistán – un año de “Aplicando Innovaciones”

En 2008, un proyecto de investigación multidisciplinario implementado en la provincia de Khorezm de Uzbekistán y financiado con fondos de Alemania inició un método participativo innovador de desarrollo y de difusión entre los actores locales. Varias innovaciones agrícolas desarrolladas en el marco del proyecto e identificadas como “promesas plausibles”, desde su inicio fueron probadas y mejoradas por equipos de investigadores, campesinos locales y usuarios de agua. Este ensayo examina los retos que se enfrentaron en el proceso de experimentación y aprendizaje conjunto entre investigadores y actores locales, cuyos comportamientos, actitudes y acciones se vieron determinados en gran parte por el contexto local, la disciplina académica y la cultura jerárquica donde el conocimiento manda.

Keywords:

• Environment
• Technology
• Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted under the ZEF/UNESCO project ‘Economic and Ecological Restructuring of Land and Water Use in the Region Khorezm (Uzbekistan): A Pilot Project in Development Research’, funded by the Ministry Education and Research (BMBF), Germany (Project Number 339970D). The authors would like to thank the transdisciplinary FTI-teams (project members and local stakeholders) mentioned in this article for the continuous learning process achieved. Further, we would like to thank Iskandar Abdullaev, Lisa Oberkircher and John Lamers for valuable comments on this article, as well as Oybek Egamberdiev, Inna Rudenko, Akmal Akramkhanov, Nodir Djanibekov, Elena Kan, Farida Abdullaeva and Bashorat Ismailova for their hard work in fostering the FTI process. We thank Maike Retat-Amin for her valuable assistance in editing and formatting.

Notes

Source: Ul-Hassan 2008.

The case study presented therefore contributes to an emerging body of literature on transdisciplinary research; see for instance www.transdisciplinarity.ch/d/Bibliography.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna-Katharina Hornidge

Dr Anna-Katharina Hornidge (corresponding author), Senior Researcher, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn is the Coordinator of the social science research in the ZEF-UNESCO project ‘Economic and Ecological Restructuring of Land- and Water Use in the Region Khorezm (Uzbekistan)’. <[email protected]>

Mehmood Ul Hassan

Mehmood Ul Hassan, Senior Researcher, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn is the Facilitator of the ‘Follow the Innovation’ component in the ZEF-UNESCO project ‘Economic and Ecological Restructuring of Land- and Water Use in the Region Khorezm (Uzbekistan)’.

Peter P. Mollinga

Dr Peter Paul Mollinga, Senior Researcher, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn who formerly coordinated the social science research in the ZEF-UNESCO project ‘Economic and Ecological Restructuring of Land- and Water Use in the Region Khorezm (Uzbekistan)’ and was responsible for designing the ‘Follow the Innovation’ component.