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In Indonesia, swidden practices have been part of traditional rice farming for centuries. Swidden agriculture is a fundamental part of all remaining large tropical forests and provides a critical form of biodiversity-friendly agriculture. Meanwhile, peatland degradation and land conversion for oil palm plantation and agriculture have created an annual transboundary environmental disaster in Southeast Asia. This article adopts a transnational lens to highlight the complex multi-scale interactions that perpetuate recurring transboundary air pollution in the region. Having examined the traditional practices of swidden agriculture in Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra (Indonesia), the article reveals that swidden agriculture has been misunderstood generally, and in particular in international and national law and policy. It argues that existing laws fail to identify the important role that swidden agriculture plays in sustainable ecosystem management and cultural expression. Nuanced understandings of fire use, alongside transnational multi-stakeholder and multi-scale approaches, are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fertiliser value chain in Ghana faces many challenges that limit its potential contribution to food production and food security in the country. This has necessitated discussions on the need to establish a multi-stakeholder platform to address existing value chain challenges. In preparation for this platform, this study conducted 31 interviews and identified 24 stakeholder groups in the fertiliser value chain using stakeholder analysis and social network analysis. We found that while many of the public sector stakeholders have a lot of power and show high interest in the fertiliser value chain, they usually face resource constraints in exercising their duties. Conversely, a majority of the private sector stakeholders have a high interest in fertilisers but do not have much power to influence decisions. Also, development partners are very powerful and resourceful, but practically, they have a temporary presence in the value chain. The study subsequently combined the results from stakeholder analysis and social network analysis and identified 19 critical stakeholders out of the initial 24 who can highly influence the initial planning and subsequent success of the platform. Lastly, the study identified challenges that the platform may face and the conditions to put in place to avoid/address these identified challenges. Overall, the study concludes that if the identified critical stakeholders are engaged and the platform clearly outlines its objectives and vision, it can address the challenges in the fertiliser value chain, contribute to the development of the general agriculture sector and improve food production and food security in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety is a top priority for the European Commission, which policies aim at sustaining a high level of protection of human health and consumers' interests, while ensuring an effective functioning of the internal EU market. Under the New Transparency Regulation (EU/2019/138), the 3‐year EU‐funded FoodSafety4EU project (FS4EU) kicked off in January 2021, represents a significant step for the European Union (EU) food safety system (FSS), towards more transparency, better engagement, and closer cooperation. This Horizon 2020 Project, coordinated by CNR‐ISPA (Italy), focuses on building a multi‐stakeholder platform for the future EU FSS. The FoodSafety4EU Network currently consists of 23 consortium partners and around 50 stakeholders: Food Safety Authorities (FSA), consumer associations, academia, research centres and networks, food industries and sector associations, thinktanks, etc. Through a structured, digitally supported, participatory process, the platform hosts the co‐design of future strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA), as well as risk communication models tailored to the specificities of various target groups. Among the goals: providing scientific advice and technical support for EU food safety policies, by enabling actors to access, share and exchange scientific knowledge, resources, and data more efficiently, to better synchronise food safety research and policies, and to contribute to a more transparent communication through the FSS. Overall, the FS4EU project underpins the EFSA missions in risk assessment, including risk communication, with the ambition to be a basis for a Knowledge Centre for Food Safety in Europe. Accordingly, the EU‐FORA 2021–2022 fellow (based in CNR‐ISPA under the Work Programme RECIPE: Risk AssEssment/Risk CommunIcation: understanding the context and addressing Priorities of the futurE – a learning‐by‐doing approach) committed to multiple Work Packages, actively participated to various activities, thus successfully contributing to the FS4EU project meeting its objectives by the end of 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have proved popular as network governance approaches to align business, government, NGOs and other stakeholders in dealing with complex sustainability challenges in the agri-food sector. However, secretariats, members, stakeholders and funders rarely possess good information regarding MSP effectiveness, leaving them in the dark regarding how best to allocate resources and expectations towards different MSPs or MSP activities. This paper explores the feasibility of generating better and more timely evidence of the effectiveness of MSPs as agents of agri-food system transformation. It is based on the findings of action research with two agri-food MSPs: Bonsucro and the Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA), which used a theory-based methodology to understand progress towards intended results. Through critical questioning of their theory of change alongside multiple sources of evidence, the approach generated new insights regarding MSP effectiveness. The findings also offer lessons on three critical challenges in assessing network governance forms like MSPs: causal inference, goal attainment, and the potential for scale. The findings have implications for improving MSPs’ own monitoring in order to adaptively manage and improve their effectiveness, and for generating meaningful evidence of MSP contribution to more sustainable food systems.

A Learning Alliance (LA) is a multi-stakeholder approach widely used by research organizations to provide a platform for technology or innovation adoption. It heavily relies on communication among varied and interacting stakeholders with shared interests. Thus, it is important to understand how these interactions play a role in forming and sustaining the network. Using the case of a LA in Can Tho province, Vietnam, we analyzed the communication processes generated in the interactions through document analysis of project materials, focus group discussions, key informant interviews with the LA facilitators, and observation notes from eight LA events. Findings reveal that communication underlies network development and maintenance. It facilitated the alignment of stakeholders’ interest and reorganization of roles, particularly when stakeholders played an intermediary role in facilitating the LA. The network also explored inclusive strategies to upgrade the rice value chain. However, challenges arose due to communication breakdown related to the strategic positioning of the LA in the broader innovation system. Furthermore, with the network's reliance on the lifespan of bilateral projects led by research institutions, hindered its long-term success. While LA foster negotiated change and inclusivity, more reflections are needed on mechanisms for local uptake, deliberate planning, and enhancement of communication roles to support the learning processes of a LA so that the network can be intentional in pursuing desired change addressing emergent challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Food safety is a top priority for the European Commission, which policies aim at sustaining a high level of protection of human health and consumers' interests, while ensuring an effective functioning of the internal EU market. Under the New Transparency Regulation (EU/2019/138), the 3‐year EU‐funded FoodSafety4EU project (FS4EU) kicked off in January 2021, represents a significant step for the European Union (EU) food safety system (FSS), towards more transparency, better engagement, and closer cooperation. This Horizon 2020 Project, coordinated by CNR‐ISPA (Italy), focuses on building a multi‐stakeholder platform for the future EU FSS. The FoodSafety4EU Network currently consists of 23 consortium partners and around 50 stakeholders: Food Safety Authorities (FSA), consumer associations, academia, research centres and networks, food industries and sector associations, thinktanks, etc. Through a structured, digitally supported, participatory process, the platform hosts the co‐design of future strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA), as well as risk communication models tailored to the specificities of various target groups. Among the goals: providing scientific advice and technical support for EU food safety policies, by enabling actors to access, share and exchange scientific knowledge, resources, and data more efficiently, to better synchronise food safety research and policies, and to contribute to a more transparent communication through the FSS. Overall, the FS4EU project underpins the EFSA missions in risk assessment, including risk communication, with the ambition to be a basis for a Knowledge Centre for Food Safety in Europe. Accordingly, the EU‐FORA 2021–2022 fellow (based in CNR‐ISPA under the Work Programme RECIPE: Risk AssEssment/Risk CommunIcation: understanding the context and addressing Priorities of the futurE – a learning‐by‐doing approach) committed to multiple Work Packages, actively participated to various activities, thus successfully contributing to the FS4EU project meeting its objectives by the end of 2023.

Oil palm landscapes are often characterised by land conflicts. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) may be a promising means to contribute to conflict resolution. However, the merits of MSPs are limited in contexts with strong power imbalances and entrenched conflict histories. This study analyses an MSP from Myanmar. We developed an analytical framework based on literature on MSPs and social learning and used qualitative methods such as participatory observation and interviews. The study investigates how the MSP was designed and governed and whether it was effective in addressing the land conflicts around oil palm concessions. The study discusses several promising factors of the MSP for being effective, such as adequate inclusion of stakeholders, secured resources, or effective facilitation. However, the analysis also reveals how hindering factors such as lack of a clear mandate, goal, and decision-making competences of the MSP, insufficient communication, or lack of legal and land governance expertise contributed to only limited effectiveness of the MSP. Further, we discuss whether the MSP was a suitable approach in the given context of nontransparent land governance mechanisms, persisting power disparities, and longstanding conflict history. We conclude that designing and governing an MSP in such a context needs to be done very cautiously—if at all—and recommend paying special attention to ten specific points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have proved popular as network governance approaches to align business, government, NGOs and other stakeholders in dealing with complex sustainability challenges in the agri-food sector. However, secretariats, members, stakeholders and funders rarely possess good information regarding MSP effectiveness, leaving them in the dark regarding how best to allocate resources and expectations towards different MSPs or MSP activities. This paper explores the feasibility of generating better and more timely evidence of the effectiveness of MSPs as agents of agri-food system transformation. It is based on the findings of action research with two agri-food MSPs: Bonsucro and the Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA), which used a theory-based methodology to understand progress towards intended results. Through critical questioning of their theory of change alongside multiple sources of evidence, the approach generated new insights regarding MSP effectiveness. The findings also offer lessons on three critical challenges in assessing network governance forms like MSPs: causal inference, goal attainment, and the potential for scale. The findings have implications for improving MSPs' own monitoring in order to adaptively manage and improve their effectiveness, and for generating meaningful evidence of MSP contribution to more sustainable food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm landscapes are often characterised by land conflicts. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) may be a promising means to contribute to conflict resolution. However, the merits of MSPs are limited in contexts with strong power imbalances and entrenched conflict histories. This study analyses an MSP from Myanmar. We developed an analytical framework based on literature on MSPs and social learning and used qualitative methods such as participatory observation and interviews. The study investigates how the MSP was designed and governed and whether it was effective in addressing the land conflicts around oil palm concessions. The study discusses several promising factors of the MSP for being effective, such as adequate inclusion of stakeholders, secured resources, or effective facilitation. However, the analysis also reveals how hindering factors such as lack of a clear mandate, goal, and decision-making competences of the MSP, insufficient communication, or lack of legal and land governance expertise contributed to only limited effectiveness of the MSP. Further, we discuss whether the MSP was a suitable approach in the given context of nontransparent land governance mechanisms, persisting power disparities, and longstanding conflict history. We conclude that designing and governing an MSP in such a context needs to be done very cautiously—if at all—and recommend paying special attention to ten specific points.

Multi-stakeholder forums are considered an essential element of landscape approaches for sustainable development and integrated ecosystem management. Such forums are widely adopted in environmental management policies and introduced as precursors for novel institutional arrangements for collective action in complex landscapes. However, while they are often held up as a mechanism for greater inclusion and representation, they can also further marginalize less powerful stakeholders. In this respect, the importance of politics in shaping the success of a multi-stakeholder forum is often overlooked. This article examines different multi-stakeholder mechanisms for governing the Lake Malili Complex in Sulawesi, Indonesia —a landscape characterized by competing land use interests and the presence of threatened endemic species. The case highlights a successful bottom-up multi-stakeholder approach that became a model for collaboration, and which was subsequently scaled up to cover the broader Lake Malili Complex area.. The research is based on longstanding participation in the politics of decision-making processes at the Lake Malili Complex, complemented by in-depth examination of the establishment of the multi-stakeholder forum. The findings show that strong, locally-based initiatives provide an avenue for generating greater participation in achieving mutual goals for conserving the Lake Malili Complex. However, participation in the multi-stakeholder platform is not enough to push for decision making at the district level, where more powerful management decisions take place. We therefore note that outcomes of community-based resource management are limited when they are not backed by more political approaches to influence decision making

Amid Myanmar's political transition and despite its new government's discourse of inclusion and dialogue, land conflicts have increased across the country's ethnic-minority areas. We argue that land plays a central role in the complex interplay of state formation, armed conflict and international development in Myanmar's contested borderlands and that land conflicts can provide an entry point to make sense of these dynamics. We use ethnographic data and a framework combining Deleuze and Guattari's concept of assemblages with Foucault's conception of power to provide a detailed analysis of a multi-stakeholder platform (MSP) addressing land disputes in Myanmar's south-east. Analysing the platform's discourses, practices and technologies, we argue that, despite its emphasis on inclusion, participation and dialogue, it is the operation of power that upholds this inherently conflictive assemblage. The platform opens spaces for agency for less-influential actors, but it equally produces de-politicising and exclusive effects. While scholars have typically used assemblage thinking to analyse how state authority is disassembled by the growing role of non-state actors, we aim to further post-structural reflections on state formation and international development by arguing that the central state in Myanmar actually expands its reach into the borderlands through assemblages such as the MSP. This happens at the expense of the authority of quasi-state formations of ethnic armed organisations. Thus, this process is reminiscent of how the Burmese state expanded its reach through assemblages of land and resource extraction during the 'ceasefire capitalism' before the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several hurdles to ensure sustainable seed production and consistent flow of improved legume varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA). The unreliable demand, autogamous nature of most of the grain legumes, and slow variety replacement rate by smallholder farmers do not provide strong incentive for private seed companies to invest in legume seed business. Unless a well thought‐out and comprehensive approach to legume seed delivery is developed, current seed shortages will continue, eroding emerging market opportunities. The experiences reported here are collated through a 10‐year partnership project, the Tropical Legumes in SSA and SA. It fostered innovative public–private partnerships in joint testing of innovative market‐led seed systems, skills and knowledge enhancement, de‐risking private sector initiatives that introduced in new approaches and previously overlooked entities in technology delivery. As new public and private seed companies, individual seed entrepreneurs and farmer organizations emerged, the existing ones enhanced their capacities. This resulted in significant rise in production, availability and accessibility of various seed grades of newly improved and farmer demanded legume varieties in the target countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the conditions under which social learning occurs and leads to adaptive measures through two empirical examples of Peruvian cities that invested in watershed protection for their urban water supplies. Social learning is an increasingly popular approach aimed at achieving socio-ecological resiliency through multi-stakeholder collaborative governance processes. Social learning is a convergence in knowledge that occurs through dialog and deliberation. Yet, assumptions that social learning will necessarily lead to more environmentally sustainable and resilient practices may be overly optimistic, especially as they rarely consider the political and organizational dimensions of decision making. This study analyzes two seemingly similar case studies of multi-stakeholder water management in Peru that resulted in watershed protection programs—a novelty in Peru that will help ensure future water supplies. Despite similar programs adopted, though, the social interactions were markedly different. Social learning occurred in Moyobamba, where the multi-stakeholder platform was characterized by trust, flexibility, and sustainability. In Cusco, however, stakeholders reached an agreement on projects for watershed protection, but the process exhibited little evidence of social learning, trust, or flexibility. In this article, I use process tracing to analyze if and how social learning occurred in each case. Then, I identify factors that contributed to social learning, including diverse participation, open communication, multiple sources of knowledge, extended engagement, unbiased facilitation, and an opportunity to influence outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated landscape initiatives typically aim to strengthen landscape governance by developing and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms. These are institutional coordination mechanisms that enable discussions, negotiations, and joint planning between stakeholders from various sectors in a given landscape. Multi-stakeholder platforms tend to involve complex processes with diverse actors, whose objectives and focus may be subjected to periodic re-evaluation, revision or reform. In this article we propose a participatory method to aid planning, monitoring, and evaluation of such platforms, and we report on experiences from piloting the method in Ghana and Indonesia. The method is comprised of three components. The first can be used to look ahead, identifying priorities for future multi-stakeholder collaboration in the landscape. It is based on the identification of four aspirations that are common across multi-stakeholder platforms in integrated landscape initiatives. The second can be used to look inward. It focuses on the processes within an existing multi-stakeholder platform in order to identify areas for possible improvement. The third can be used to look back, identifying the main outcomes of an existing platform and comparing them to the original objectives. The three components can be implemented together or separately. They can be used to inform planning and adaptive management of the platform, as well as to demonstrate performance and inform the design of new interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the municipal solid waste management system in Managua, Nicaragua. It updates an initial profile developed by the authors for the 2010 UN-HABITAT publication Solid Waste Management in the World’s Cities and applies the methodology developed in that publication. In recent years, the municipality of Managua has been the beneficiary of a range of international cooperation projects aimed at improving municipal solid waste management in the city. The article describes how these technical assistance and infrastructure investments have changed the municipal solid waste management panorama in the city and analyses the sustainability of these changes. The article concludes that by working closely with the municipal government, the UN-HABITAT project Strengthening Capacities for Solid Waste Management in Managua was able to unite these separate efforts and situate them within a strategic framework to guide the evolution of the municipal solid waste management system in the forthcoming years. The creation of this multi-stakeholder platform allowed for the implementation of joint activities and ensured coherence in the products generated by the different projects. This approach could be replicated in other cities and in other sectors with similar effect. Developing a long term vision was essential for the advancement of municipal solid waste management in the city. Nevertheless, plan implementation may still be undermined by the pressures of the short term municipal administrative government, which emphasize operational over strategic investment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Responding to pressure from international markets, environmental NGOs and donors, several logging companies in the Congo Basin have opted for voluntary certification schemes, such as the one proposed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC scheme promotes forest management that is environmentally appropriate, economically viable and socially beneficial. The latter component, which is the focus of this paper, aims at the optimal integration of the local population in the forest management. We assess local organizations active around six FSC certified concessions in Cameroon and evaluate their legitimacy and effectiveness in building and maintaining a positive relationship between communities and logging companies. Results show that FSC certification plays a key role in the emergence of multi-stakeholder platforms that function as mechanisms of improved 'social exchange'. To some extent, such exchanges also contribute to less conflicting relations between logging companies and local communities, as well as reinforcing the social requirements of the forest law. Some shortcomings, however, remain, and we suggest logging companies should consider improving the balance of power between themselves and the communities, notably by reviewing the current top-down approach in establishing and managing discussion platforms. Sous la pression des marchés internationaux, des ONG environnementales et des bailleurs, plusieurs compagnies forestières du bassin du Congo ont opté pour des systèmes de certification volontaire telle que le Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Le FSC encourage une gestion forestière respectueuse de l'environnement, économiquement viable et socialement bénéfique. La dernière composante qui est l'objet de cet article vise à intégrer les populations locales dans la gestion forestière. Nous examinons les plateformes de concertation actives autour de six concessions forestières certifiées au Cameroun et évaluons leur effectivité ainsi que leur légitimité à établir et maintenir des relations positives entre les compagnies forestières et les populations. Les résultats montrent que la certification FSC est déterminante dans l'émergence des plateformes qui sont des mécanismes de collaboration. Dans une certaine mesure, cette collaboration contribue également à diminuer les tensions entre les compagnies forestières et les populations locales et rendre effectif la réglementation forestière. En respuesta a la presión de los mercados internacionales, las ONG ambientales y los donantes, varias empresas madereras de la Cuenca del Congo han optado por participar en sistemas de certificación voluntarios, como el ofrecido por el Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). El sistema del FSC promueve una gestión forestal apropiada para el medio ambiente, económicamente viable y socialmente beneficiosa. Este último componente, que constituye el foco de este estudio, tiene como objetivo la integración óptima de la población local en la gestión forestal. Para ello, evaluamos las organizaciones locales activas en torno a seis concesiones certificadas por el FSC en Camerún y analizamos su legitimidad y efectividad en la construcción y el mantenimiento de una relación positiva entre las comunidades y las empresas madereras. Los resultados muestran que la certificación FSC juega un papel clave en la aparición de plataformas de partes interesadas múltiples, que funcionan como mecanismos de 'intercambio social' mejorado. Hasta cierto punto, estos intercambios contribuyen también a la reducción de conflictos en las relaciones entre las empresas madereras y las comunidades locales, así como a reforzar los requisitos sociales de la legislación forestal. Siguen presentes, sin embargo, algunas deficiencias, por lo que sugerimos que las empresas madereras deberían considerar el mejorar el equilibrio de poder entre ellas y las comunidades, en particular mediante la revisión del enfoque actual de tipo arriba-abajo para el establecimiento y la gestión de foros de discusión. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have been widely promoted as a promising means of resolving conflicts over natural resources, first in developed countries and, more recently, as a global good practice. However, many MSPs have been implemented in an unfavourable context — primarily of social inequities — and have not met initial high expectations. The article analyzes the challenges MSPs face in an unfavourable context, and identifies five main issues: • Power relationships; • Platform composition; • Stakeholder representation and capacity to participate meaningfully in the debates; • Decision-making power and mechanisms; and finally • Cost of setting up an MSP. The analysis is mainly based on two case studies of MSPs set up under inauspicious conditions. The first focuses on water user associations in South Africa, the second on a negotiation platform set up to resolve conflicts over a water and sanitation project in Bolivia. It is argued that MSPs should be seen less as an ideal communication process, and more as a negotiation process — always imperfect — but where positive outcomes may nevertheless outweigh negative ones, if and when the above-mentioned issues are adequately taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effective interactions among different policy instruments can improve conservation governance. • Strategic coordination among policy instruments is the key to success. • Multi-stakeholder platform and field-based experimentation need to be managed for the transition toward a policy mix. This paper aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of articulating a policy mix in conservation governance noting that various conservation policy instruments are currently under implementation elsewhere in tropical regions. However, an approach of strategically combining these policy instruments in their application as a policy mix is still limited. The paper finds, by referring to the case of Gunung Palung National Park, Indonesia, that interactions of different policy instruments can produce either positive or negative outputs depending on their processes so that a strategic coordination of policy instruments becomes essential. Also, non-conservation policy instruments for economic or business development under implementation by various stakeholders such as local governments or private companies sometimes have a significant impact on conservation governance. Therefore, incorporating such instruments into a policy mix should be part of strategic coordination. To realize an effective policy mix for mitigating anthropogenic disturbance on biodiversity and forest ecosystems, adopting a parallel approach of overall policy coordination through a multi-stakeholder platform and field-based experimentation of policy interactions prior to their scaling-up are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]