Revisiting the knowledge exchange train: scaling up dialogue and partnering for participatory regional planning

Abstract

In an integrated world, knowledge exchange is becoming more important for empowerment to participate in planning processes. This is particularly the case in areas undergoing rapid change and with unequal stakeholder constituencies. The ‘knowledge exchange train’ (KET) model was designed to address knowledge inequalities and large-scale change by disseminating the results of new research rapidly and on a large scale. The KET involves two-way dissemination of knowledge as a means to support the formation of partnerships and participation in regional environmental planning. We compare three KET experiences in the southwestern Amazon: comparisons of KET I and II highlight adjustments in the model to amplify two-way exchange and to focus on key planning issues, and comparisons of KET II to III show how KET fosters partnerships for downstream environmental planning and management activities. KETs thus address knowledge inequalities and catalyse follow-on environmental management activities, both of which facilitate public participation in regional environmental planning.

Keywords:

• planning
• environment
• climate
• infrastructure
• Amazon

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work came from the US Agency for International Development, Cooperative Agreement 512-A-00-08-00003-00. The authors wish to thank the other members of KET I (Cesar Aguilar, Gabriel Alarcón, Jacob Carballo, Andrea Chavez, Jaime Chavez, Georgina Cullman, Monica de los Rios, Amy Duchelle, Hugo Dueñas, Christiane Ehringhaus, Jeff Luzar, Matt Marsik, Julio Mayna, Armando Muñante, Vera Reis and Cora van Oosten), KET II (Roberto Tavares, Inglit da Silva Freitas and André Tomasi), and KET III (Adaildes Oliveira Barroso, André Tomasi, Antonio José de Sousa Tomé, Antonio Feitosa de Paiva, Átila de Araújo Magalhães, Elissandra da Silva Monte, José Neri Souza Vaz, José Andreilson dos Santos de Moura, Joventina Claro da S. Nakamura, Ihuelitomar dos Santos de Moura, Iracema Elisabeth de Souza Moll, Maria dos Santos de Moura, Rosa Maria de Sousa da Silva, and Antonio Sergioni Freitas de Paiva). Any errors are the responsibility of the authors.