Implementation of Ecological Engineering: Experiences in the last decade and options

for LEGATO & dissemination (WP 5.2 & 6)

K.L. Heong & Monina Escalada

Adding value to scientific research

Ecological engineering

Distillation

Evaluation

Communication

Adaptation/Adoption

The challenge: reaching millions

Perceptions and decisions

• Perceptions of risks • Beliefs and attitudes • Social norms – influence of friends,

family, neighbors, pesticide retailers, other farmers

• Mass media

How people make decisions?

Human decisions in real life are behavioral in nature.

Satisficing rather than optimizing (Simon, 1957)

Simplicity & frugality rather than rationality & optimality.

Fast and slow thinking (Kahneman, 2012)

Heuristics

Rules of thumb Simplifications that effectively limit

the search for solutions

Heuristic (or simple rule)

“”In the first 40 days of the rice crop,

spraying for leaffolder

control is not necessary"

Systematic biases in heuristics (Tversky & Kahneman 1974)

Representativeness - tendency to judge a stimulus belonging to a class on the basis of how “typical” it appears e.g. “all worms are pests”

Availability - tendency to judge an event to be more common when it is more easily recalled e.g. “Banaue farmers think giant earthworms are very common pests.”

Anchoring bias - tendency to fix judgment based on initial impression and failure to revise bias even when new information is presented e.g. “Despite training, decisions remain unchanged”

emic - etic framework An anthropological tool for understanding farmer decisions

Emic (Local knowledge)

Leaf folders cause damage and yield loss

Insecticides must be used to prevent leaf folders from increasing.

Etic (Research knowledge)

Leaf folders cause damage but rarely result in yield loss

Natural biological control keep leaf folders from increasing

Ratoon

Buto Dapog, Nagsusuhi Naglilihi Nabusbos Sapaw Pahinog AanihinSukdulang pagsusuhi

PauhayBinhi,

Punla Malagatas

Malahipon,

Malabato

Pahuwa

Seed Seedling Tillering Maximum tillering Booting Flowering Ripening Harvest

30 40 500 90 12010 20 70 8060 100 110Days

Panicle initiation

Seed Seedling Branching Maximum branching

Nagbubuntis Namamatala,

Conceiving Pregnant About to exert flowers Flowering Fruiting About to ripe Harvestable Harvested

Milk-like

Shrimp-like,Stone-like

Tipasi Binhi Pagsipak Pagpanaha Paglilihi Pagbusog Pagpamuswak

Pagtibos

Paghinog Anihunon Subing

Farmers’ classification of leaf feeding insects

Insekto

Ulod

Kapan (Grasshopper)

Lipit-lipit (Leaffolder)

Bunhok (Leafhopper)

Langaw-langaw (Whorlmaggot)

Dangaw-dangaw (Semi-looper)

Ulod (Caseworm)

Ulod (Cutworm)

Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991)

Attitude toward the behavior

Subjective norm

Perceived behavioral

control

Behavior

Intention

Source: Ajzen, Icek (1991). Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 50, pp. 179-211.

Scaling up framework Assess farmer needs and problems. – FGD, emic-etic, audience research & baseline survey

Evaluate available technical information and “distill” them into decision rules.

Encourage farmers’ evaluations, modify, and design intervention through a participatory planning process with stakeholders.

- farmer participatory research

Simplify innovation/technology in easy-to-follow steps.

Scaling up framework

Select the most cost-effective extension materials

Develop prototype extension materials

Pretest the prototypes, revise and finalize

Plan distribution scheme and timeline, outline committee members’ responsibilities

Implement dissemination plan.

Monitor and evaluate.

To integrate IPM & EE principles, farmers were trained to:

Populate their bunds with nectar rich flowers, such as those from the compositae family

Withhold insecticide sprays in the first 40 days after planting

Observe hymenopteran biodiversity, particularly bees in yellow pan traps installed for farmers

Community with nectar-rich flowers in crop stages (Ho Van Chien)

Landscape transformation in many Vietnam provinces

Three common planthopper parasitoids: A = Oligosita B = Anagrus C= Gonatocerus

How to communicate egg parasitism

Life cycle of parasitoid of hopper eggs

Simple rule cluster

Flowers on the bunds provide food to attract bees and relatives.

The bees and relatives will help me control the hopper invading my fields, so I don’t need insecticides.

If I apply insecticides, it will kill the bees and relatives.

•Bees are bigger, easier to observe and also well known.

•Farmers are taught to observe the bee populations as indicators of parasitism.

Why bees?

Multi-media was used to promote the EE initiative – posters, leaflets, billboards, radio and TV spots.

Ecological Engineering TV series Vinh Long TV, Vietnam – Saturday, 1640 hrs, replayed on Sunday 0800 hrs

Part 1 – Entertainment – This part is a funny vignette that revolves around three characters categorized as “positive”, “transitional” and “negative” with regard to their attitudes toward ecological engineering.

Part 2 – Education – In response to the question in Part 1, this part provides the scientific explanation.

Part 3 – Summary – This part summarizes the key points learned from this episode and announces next episode’s topic.

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