Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The role of citizen science in sustainable agriculture

Mourad, Khaldoon A. LU ; Hosseini, Seyyed Hasan LU and Avery, Helen LU (2020) In Sustainability (Switzerland) 12(24).
Abstract

Farmers know much more than we think, and they are keen to improve their knowledge in order to improve their farms and increase their income. On the other hand, decision-makers, organizations, and researchers are increasing their use of citizen volunteers to strengthen their outcomes, enhance project implementation, and approach ecosystem sustainability. This paper assesses the role of citizen science relating to agricultural practices and covers citizen science literature on agriculture and farmers’ participation during the period 2007–2019. The literature was examined for the role of citizen science in supporting sustainable agriculture activities, pointing to opportunities, challenges, and recommendations. The study identified the... (More)

Farmers know much more than we think, and they are keen to improve their knowledge in order to improve their farms and increase their income. On the other hand, decision-makers, organizations, and researchers are increasing their use of citizen volunteers to strengthen their outcomes, enhance project implementation, and approach ecosystem sustainability. This paper assesses the role of citizen science relating to agricultural practices and covers citizen science literature on agriculture and farmers’ participation during the period 2007–2019. The literature was examined for the role of citizen science in supporting sustainable agriculture activities, pointing to opportunities, challenges, and recommendations. The study identified the following gaps: insufficient attention to (1) long-term capacity building and dialogue between academics and farming communities; (2) developing countries in the global South and smallholders; (3) agriculture trading and marketing; (4) the rationales of selecting target groups; (5) contributing to accelerated sustainability transitions. The main aim of the research projects reviewed in this study tended to focus on the research outcomes from an academic perspective, not sustainable solutions in practice or sustainability in general. More research is needed to address these gaps and to widen the benefits of citizen science in sustainable agricultural practices.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adaptation strategies, Capacity building, Climate impacts, Community engagement, Environmental impacts, Rural development
in
Sustainability (Switzerland)
volume
12
issue
24
article number
10375
pages
15 pages
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097561864
ISSN
2071-1050
DOI
10.3390/su122410375
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4a703734-f764-4825-b895-2c92d9156181
date added to LUP
2020-12-22 07:07:37
date last changed
2023-09-24 15:56:21
@article{4a703734-f764-4825-b895-2c92d9156181,
  abstract     = {{<p>Farmers know much more than we think, and they are keen to improve their knowledge in order to improve their farms and increase their income. On the other hand, decision-makers, organizations, and researchers are increasing their use of citizen volunteers to strengthen their outcomes, enhance project implementation, and approach ecosystem sustainability. This paper assesses the role of citizen science relating to agricultural practices and covers citizen science literature on agriculture and farmers’ participation during the period 2007–2019. The literature was examined for the role of citizen science in supporting sustainable agriculture activities, pointing to opportunities, challenges, and recommendations. The study identified the following gaps: insufficient attention to (1) long-term capacity building and dialogue between academics and farming communities; (2) developing countries in the global South and smallholders; (3) agriculture trading and marketing; (4) the rationales of selecting target groups; (5) contributing to accelerated sustainability transitions. The main aim of the research projects reviewed in this study tended to focus on the research outcomes from an academic perspective, not sustainable solutions in practice or sustainability in general. More research is needed to address these gaps and to widen the benefits of citizen science in sustainable agricultural practices.</p>}},
  author       = {{Mourad, Khaldoon A. and Hosseini, Seyyed Hasan and Avery, Helen}},
  issn         = {{2071-1050}},
  keywords     = {{Adaptation strategies; Capacity building; Climate impacts; Community engagement; Environmental impacts; Rural development}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{24}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Sustainability (Switzerland)}},
  title        = {{The role of citizen science in sustainable agriculture}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su122410375}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/su122410375}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}