Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-16T13:13:15Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Amorim_2016_PRODEMA.pdf: 15565181 bytes, checksum: 379869bce0807cb4732ec2e2839e6b31 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-16T13:13:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Amorim_2016_PRODEMA.pdf: 15565181 bytes, checksum: 379869bce0807cb4732ec2e2839e6b31 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-11 / CNPq / Esta pesquisa partiu da hipótese de que os agricultores camponeses do Alto Sertão Sergipano, que utilizam as sementes crioulas, contribuem para a construção da agroecologia, uma vez, que o uso destas variedades, remete a um conjunto de práticas agrícolas tradicionais e relações sociais que contradizem o modelo imposto pelo agronegócio. O debate sobre a construção de um modelo de desenvolvimento rural pautado na sustentabilidade e no respeito aos conhecimentos tradicionais, passa centralmente pela valorização das sementes crioulas, pois estas se constituem como um elemento essencial para uma agricultura resiliente, além de nos auxiliar na compreensão da racionalidade camponesa, uma vez que aglutina outros aspectos importantes dos sistemas camponeses de produção. Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida no Território do Alto Sertão Sergipano, mais especificamente em comunidades camponesas nos municípios de Canindé de São Francisco, Poço Redondo, Porto da Folha e Monte Alegre de Sergipe. A orientação metodológica se deu a partir da perspectiva dialética, uma vez que esta permite à agroecologia transformar o objeto de pesquisa em sujeito da mesma, reconhecendo o saber popular como válido e base para a construção de um conhecimento novo e transformado. Para tanto, se fez necessário o uso de metodologias participativas, que permite uma diversidade de atores como participantes ativos de um processo interação criativa e proporciona o protagonismo de atores tradicionalmente excluídos do processo de pesquisa. Observou-se que os camponeses possuem um grande acervo genético, composto por 18 variedades de feijão de arranque, 16 de milho, 15 de fava, 8 de feijão de corda e andu cada um. Estas sementes são armazenadas, nos Bancos de Sementes Familiares, em toneis, silos de zinco, garrafas PET, entre outros recipientes. As médias de quantidade de variedades de sementes dos camponeses cujos sistemas de produção prevalecem o uso de práticas convencionais, foi significativamente inferior aqueles que mantem as práticas tradicionais. Isso corrobora a afirmação de que a modernização da agricultura no Alto Sertão e a conformação da bacia leiteira, interferiram negativamente da manutenção da diversidade genética deste território. A partir dos resultados e das discussões realizadas ao longo desta dissertação, observou-se que de fato, o uso das variedades crioulas, potencializaram a agricultura tradicional camponesa neste território, que por sua vez traz uma enorme contribuição para a construção do conhecimento agroecológico. Mas por outro lado, a manutenção destas práticas, por aqueles agricultores alheios a modernização, também está diretamente relacionada com a conservação da agrobiodiversidade no território estudado. Portanto, há uma relação dialética entre a agricultura camponesa e o uso das sementes crioulas. / The hypothesis of this study is that the peasants from Alto Sertão Sergipano who cultivate landrace seeds contribute to the construction of Agroecology since the use of these varieties involves a set of traditional agricultural practices and social relations that opposes the hegemonic agribusiness model. The debate over the construction of a sustainable rural development model based on respect for the traditional knowledge centrally involves the recovery of landrace seeds since that constitute an essential element for a resilient agriculture, and support us to understand the peasant rationality because brings together others important aspects of peasant production systems. This research was conducted on the Territory of Alto Sertão Sergipano, specifically in rural communities in the municipalities of Canindé de São Francisco, Poço Redondo, Porto da Folha and Monte Alegre from estate of Sergipe. The method was based on the dialectical perspective and this allows the agroecology transform the research object in the research subject recognizing the popular knowledge as a valid basis for building a new and transformed knowledge. Therefore, it was necessary use participatory methodologies, allowing a diversity of actors as active participants of a creative interaction process and provides the role of actors traditionally excluded from the scientific research process. We observed that the peasants of the research has a large genetic reserve composed of 18 varieties of common bean, 15 varieties of broad bean, 16 varieties of corn and 8 varietes of cowpea and of pigeon pea. These seeds are stored in the "Family Seed Banks", in vats, zinc silos, PET bottles, and other containers. The average amount of seed varieties of peasants who mostly adopted conventional practices in the production system was significantly lower than those peasants who maintained their traditional practices. This fact corroborate the affirmation that agricultural modernization and the implementation of the dairy production on the Alto Sertão Sergipano interfered negatively on the maintenance of genetic diversity of this territory. From the results and discussions held throughout this dissertation we observed that the use of landrace varieties leveraged the traditional peasant agriculture in the territory which brings a huge contribution to the construction of agroecological knowledge. In addition, the maintenance of these traditional practices by those peasants that are on the margins of Modernization is also directly related to the conservation of agrobiodiversity in the studied area. Therefore there is a dialectical relation between peasant agriculture and the use of landrace seeds.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:44:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Evandro_de_Oliveira.pdf: 3151535 bytes, checksum: 468586458d8182ef2b8c2e78ad1e5398 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In contemporary society the conventional agricultural model permeated with the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has gotten more importance since the late 1950 and it has spread throughout the world. This conventional agriculture benefited the large landowner, leaving the small producer on the fringes of rural development. Facing this unfavorable panorama to family farming, many small-scale farmers have opted for rural exodus, while those who stayed in rural areas try to survive by choosing alternative production. One of the alternatives to the family-owned is the Agroecology, which aims to produce food in a sustainable manner as well as the development of small farmers. However, in the Agroecology there are many obstacles that make it difficult the diffusion and maintenance of this agriculture. One of the issues that influence the adoption and perpetuation of Agroecology is about cultural elements. The existing culture in rural areas is a hybrid culture, whatever, it. is not a "pure" rural culture, but a culture in which is included several features that are unique to the rural environment. In this respect, many cultural aspects of rural surroundings influence the ecological agriculture. But it's not just rural cultural factors that influence Agroecology, cultural issues "external" the countryside also influence this agricultural practice. It is worth mentioning that culture also provides factors that contribute directly or indirectly in Agroecology, and also some cultural aspects "internal" or "external" in the rural environment that can intervene in Agroecology. It is in this perspective that the main objective of the dissertation is, to identify and understand the influence of culture on the adoption and maintenance of Agroecology. The study will be done with Agroecological family farmers associated in the Association of Family Farmers and Ecological Medianeira-AAFEMED. This association is located in Medianeira, Parana. The theoretical basis of the dissertation is based on theoretical-methodological ideas of Karl Mannheim, Norman Long, Michel Callon and Bruno Latur and some authors who work with the themes, culture, agroecology and family farming. The research will attempt to expose the cultural networks that influence the adoption and maintenance of Agroecology / Na sociedade contemporânea o modelo agrícola convencional permeado pelo uso de agrotóxicos e fertilizantes químicos ganha preponderância a partir da década de 1950 e se espalha pelo mundo. Esta agricultura convencional beneficiou o grande latifundiário, deixando o pequeno produtor à margem do desenvolvimento rural. Diante deste panorama desfavorável à agricultura familiar, muitos pequenos agricultores optaram pelo êxodo rural, enquanto os que ficaram no espaço rural tentam sobreviver optando por alternativas de produção. Uma das alternativas para a propriedade familiar é a agroecologia, que visa à produção de alimentos de maneira sustentável bem como também o desenvolvimento dos agricultores de pequeno porte. Contudo, a agroecologia possui muitos empecilhos que dificultam a difusão e manutenção desta agricultura. Uma das questões que influenciam na adoção e perpetuação da agroecologia são os elementos culturais. A cultura existente no meio rural é uma cultura hibrida, ou seja, não é uma cultura rural pura , mas uma cultura em que estão inseridas diversas características que não são exclusivas do ambiente rural. Neste sentido, muitos aspectos culturais do meio rural influenciam a agricultura agroecológica. Mas não são apenas fatores culturais do rural que influenciam na agroecologia, questões culturais externas do meio rural também influem nesta prática agrícola. Vale ressaltar que a cultura também propicia fatores que contribuem direta ou indiretamente na agroecologia, e, também, alguns aspectos culturais internos ou externos do ambiente rural que podem intervirna agroecologia. É nesta perspectiva que reside o principal objetivo da dissertação, que é identificar e entender a influência da cultura na adoção e manutenção da agroecologia. O estudo será realizado com agricultores familiares agroecológicos associados à Associação dos Agricultores Familiares e Ecológicos de Medianeira- AAFEMED. Esta associação localiza-se na cidade de Medianeira, Paraná. A base teórica da dissertação baseia-se nas ideias teóricas-metodológicas de Karl Mannheim, Norman Long, Michel Callon e Bruno Latur e alguns autores que trabalham com as temáticas, cultura, agroecologia e agricultura familiar. A pesquisa tentará expor as redes culturais que influenciam na adoção e manutenção da agroecologia

This thesis applies a resilience lens to investigate conversions of farmland from conventional to organic status as transformations in social-ecological systems. Transformation is widely promoted in resilience literature yet there are relatively few empirical studies of transformation at multiple scales. This research addresses this distinct gap in understanding by analysing dimensions of transformations including the roles of key individuals, social-ecological innovation, and different capacities to manage dynamic change. Resilience concepts and ideas are embedded in action research practice to provide new directions and insights on transformation. These insights are the result of a process of research that engaged with the Tamar Valley Organics Group, UK, during the period 2012 to 2016. Reflective interviews, mental models interviews, and participatory scenario planning research activities facilitate past, present and future perspectives on transformation. The findings of these research methods are synthesised to elaborate a resilience perspective on transformation. Transformations are identified as intertwined fundamental shifts in understanding and management of agroecosystem fertility. These transformations emerge from processes of self-organisation and social learning that are shaped by distinct contributions from key individuals across temporal and spatial scales. Innovation builds capacities to manage uncertain dynamics of agroecosystem fertility. Signals of social-ecological innovation are identified but are considered more akin to processes of adaptive management. These findings act as the foundations for a more nuanced set of issues to emerge. Transformations involve complex cross-scale interplay between small and large changes. It is the way in which these cross-scale dynamics work with each other, and the ways in which different capacities change, that informs a more grounded understanding of transformations in social-ecological systems.

Some of the most problematic agricultural weeds found in the Midwest United States are found in the Amaranthaceae family, such as Amaranthus palmeri and A. tuberculatus. These summer annual weeds are troublesome due to their competitive ability, high seed production, and resistance to herbicides from several modes of action which complicates management in field crops and has led to significant yield loss. Achyranthes japonica and Iresine rhizomatosa are two perennial species in the same family as A. palmeri and A. tuberculatus that occur in similar habitats as one another, but differ in invasiveness. Achyranthes japonica is a non-native, invasive species that is becoming a threat to forested areas and has been observed along agricultural field margins. Iresine rhizomatosa also occurs in forest habitats but is an endangered species in Illinois. This research seeks to determine the comparative life history and relative competitiveness of closely related weedy species when challenged with a dominant species. Specifically, select, closely related weedy species in the Amaranthaceae plant family that occur in southern Illinois were compared, i.e., Achyranthes japonica, Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus tuberculatus, and Iresine rhizomatosa. The first study examined the life history characteristics of A. japonica in regards to survivorship, growth and fecundity at two sites in southern Illinois (Chapter 2). Achyranthes japonica is a relatively new invasive species that has been poorly studied. This experiment showed that regardless of site, environmental factors had a significant effect on seedling emergence and seed viability, which decreased from 2012 to 2013 during a drought year and rebounded from 2013 to 2014 following flooding. On average, individuals at the driest site had higher performance and fecundity, regardless of year. The second experiment tested the relative competitive effect and response of the Amaranthaceae species to Glycine max, first in a greenhouse study that tested shading and nitrogen resource drawdown for each species, and second in a controlled field experiment that tested intraspecific competition (Chapter 3). In addition, A. japonica seedlings were planted as either unmanipulated seedlings (uncut A. japonica) or as a seedling cut back to the soil surface at the four-node stage (cut A. japonica) at which point seedlings have reached a perennial growth stage. The greenhouse experiment showed that the four species each drew down light significantly, but not nitrogen. Shading decreased the aboveground biomass of the species in comparison to unshaded controls. Supplemental nitrogen, however, increased the aboveground biomass of A. palmeri and A. japonica. The supporting controlled field experiment showed that the competitive response of the weed species to the presence of G. max showed a reduction in height compared to the weed species grown in monocultures. Glycine max and the weed species, except I. rhizomatosa, showed a similar competitive effect and response when aboveground biomass was measured. Achyranthes japonica attained the highest belowground biomass when grown as a monoculture and in the presence of G. max. A competitive effect ranking was determined to be A. palmeri > A. tuberculatus > cut A. japonica = uncut A. japonica = I. rhizomatosa with the competitive response ranking being the inverse. The third study implemented an integral projection model (IPM) to determine the population growth rate of each species and how they compared to one another (Chapter 4). This experiment showed that A. palmeri, A. tuberculatus and A. japonica each had a population growth rate greater than one indicating rapidly growing populations. By contrast, I. rhizomatosa had a population growth rate less than one indicating a declining population. The results suggest that A. japonica has not yet shown the ability to escape management strategies in agricultural fields implemented by farmers, but it is still an aggressive invasive species that farmers and land owners need to be able to identify. This species has many similar characteristics to the Amaranthus species, such as the ability to colonize in areas with limiting resources, continual flushes of germination throughout the growing season, the ability to outcompete other weed species, and high fecundity but, A. japonica also is a perennial species that can withstand removal of shoot material and has a high germination rate. Based on these results, only early detection and rapid response methods should be relied on to keep these species out of areas in and around agricultural fields. Iresine rhizomatosa’s performance in these studies was consistent with its rarity.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T20:22:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zilma Borges de Souza.pdf: 15370150 bytes, checksum: fe5fcc954716ab72060be0a35d546bc6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this thesis is to reflect about the organized work in productive social networks, taking as an example the Rede de Agroecologia Ecovida (Ecovida Agroecology Network), located in the States of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. For the purpose of this study it was selected the ecological production in family farming as a relevant form of alternative work in the Brazilian context, that demands public policies and exert an important function in the food security policies of the country. The research payed a special attention to the complexities inherent to the network that was developed by the family farmers in two locations in the state of Santa Catarina Planalto Serrano and Litoral Catarinense (sea coast). It has been researched, among others, the peculiarities of the agroecology production, the innovative techniques to produce, the increase in worth of the traditional social practices in the rural environment, as the increasing risks for the small farmer. In front of such a broad scenario of the worsening in the work relations, the reflection concentrated in forms of the organization of social productive networks, characterized as alternative production projects, that presents two directions that of cooperation and that of the drive to economical results. More specifically, it intended to investigate the consequences and challenges of these relations, paying attention to the real configuration of the work in society / O objetivo desta tese é refletir sobre o trabalho organizado em redes sociais produtivas, tomando-se como exemplo a Rede de Agroecologia Ecovida, situada nos estados de Santa Catarina, Paraná e Rio Grande do Sul. Selecionou-se para estudo a agricultura familiar de produção agroecológica, como forma alternativa de trabalho relevante no contexto brasileiro, a qual demanda políticas públicas e exerce função significativa na política de segurança alimentar do país. A pesquisa privilegiou a complexidade inerente à configuração do trabalho em rede, desenvolvido pelos agricultores familiares em dois núcleos desta rede no estado de Santa Catarina Planalto Serrano e Litoral Catarinense. Foram investigadas, dentre outras, as peculiaridades da produção agroecológica, as inovações técnicas na forma de produzir, a revalorização das práticas sociais tradicionais no meio rural, assim como a ampliação dos riscos para o pequeno produtor. Diante do cenário mais amplo de precarização das relações de trabalho, a reflexão se concentrou nas formas de organização em redes sociais produtivas, caracterizadas como projetos alternativos de produção, que apresentam duplo direcionamento - o da cooperação e o da orientação para resultados econômicos. Mais especificamente, se pretendeu investigar as consequências e desafios destas relações, atentando para a configuração atual do trabalho na sociedade

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T14:57:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zilma Borges de Souza.pdf: 15370150 bytes, checksum: fe5fcc954716ab72060be0a35d546bc6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this thesis is to reflect about the organized work in productive social networks, taking as an example the Rede de Agroecologia Ecovida (Ecovida Agroecology Network), located in the States of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. For the purpose of this study it was selected the ecological production in family farming as a relevant form of alternative work in the Brazilian context, that demands public policies and exert an important function in the food security policies of the country. The research payed a special attention to the complexities inherent to the network that was developed by the family farmers in two locations in the state of Santa Catarina Planalto Serrano and Litoral Catarinense (sea coast). It has been researched, among others, the peculiarities of the agroecology production, the innovative techniques to produce, the increase in worth of the traditional social practices in the rural environment, as the increasing risks for the small farmer. In front of such a broad scenario of the worsening in the work relations, the reflection concentrated in forms of the organization of social productive networks, characterized as alternative production projects, that presents two directions that of cooperation and that of the drive to economical results. More specifically, it intended to investigate the consequences and challenges of these relations, paying attention to the real configuration of the work in society / O objetivo desta tese é refletir sobre o trabalho organizado em redes sociais produtivas, tomando-se como exemplo a Rede de Agroecologia Ecovida, situada nos estados de Santa Catarina, Paraná e Rio Grande do Sul. Selecionou-se para estudo a agricultura familiar de produção agroecológica, como forma alternativa de trabalho relevante no contexto brasileiro, a qual demanda políticas públicas e exerce função significativa na política de segurança alimentar do país. A pesquisa privilegiou a complexidade inerente à configuração do trabalho em rede, desenvolvido pelos agricultores familiares em dois núcleos desta rede no estado de Santa Catarina Planalto Serrano e Litoral Catarinense. Foram investigadas, dentre outras, as peculiaridades da produção agroecológica, as inovações técnicas na forma de produzir, a revalorização das práticas sociais tradicionais no meio rural, assim como a ampliação dos riscos para o pequeno produtor. Diante do cenário mais amplo de precarização das relações de trabalho, a reflexão se concentrou nas formas de organização em redes sociais produtivas, caracterizadas como projetos alternativos de produção, que apresentam duplo direcionamento - o da cooperação e o da orientação para resultados econômicos. Mais especificamente, se pretendeu investigar as consequências e desafios destas relações, atentando para a configuração atual do trabalho na sociedade

Submitted by JOÃO HENRIQUE SOUZA PIRES null (souzapires77@gmail.com) on 2016-04-01T18:44:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PIRES. J.H.S..pdf: 849958 bytes, checksum: 7abaf5bd3ff94566ac04da1ce04c075e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-04-05T18:57:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 pires_jhs_me_mar.pdf: 849958 bytes, checksum: 7abaf5bd3ff94566ac04da1ce04c075e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-05T18:57:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 pires_jhs_me_mar.pdf: 849958 bytes, checksum: 7abaf5bd3ff94566ac04da1ce04c075e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a formação de técnico em agroecologia desenvolvida nos Centros/Escolas do MST. Teve – se como objeto concreto de análise apreender as práticas pedagógicas e metodológicas do II curso técnico em agroecologia integrado ao ensino médio realizado no Centro/Escola José Gomes da Silva (EJGS) do MST do Paraná (PR), Turma Revolucionários da Terra (2010-2013). Tomou-se como procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa bibliográfica e análise documental. Considerando que a agroecologia tem como base uma abordagem holística e participativa, buscou – se compreender como essa duas categorias são contempladas no Projeto Político Pedagógico, no Projeto Metodológico e as ementas disciplinares do II curso técnico em agroecologia, bem como no Regimento interno da EJGS. O trabalho está estruturado em três capítulos. No primeiro abordamos a questão agrária e como foi o processo de modernização da agricultura, suas consequências, contradições e como o MST emerge em meio a aglutinação das lutas sociais que voltam a ganhar força no final da década de 1970 e início da década de 1980. No segundo, temos como foco exclusivo a agroecologia, seu histórico, seu desenvolvimento no Brasil e suas abordagens e dimensões. No terceiro e último capítulo, analisa-se a construção dos Centros/Escolas de Agroecologia no PR, o perfil de técnico almejado pelo MST e o processo formativo da Turma Revolucionários da Terra. / This study aims to analyse the technical training in agroecology studies, developed in MST’s educational centres/schools. There was, as a concrete object of analysis, the understanding of the pedagogical and methodological practices of the II agroecology vocational education integrated to the high school, fulfilled at the Centre/School José Gomes da Silva (EJGS) in the MST of Paraná (PR), Group Revolutionary Earth (2010 -2013). It was taken as methodological procedures the literature search and document analysis. Considering that agroecology is based on a holistic and participatory approach, it was sought to understand how these two categories are included in the Pedagogical Political Project in the Methodological Project and disciplinary roll of the II agroecology vocational education, as well as the Rules of Procedure of the EJGS. The study is divided into three chapters. In the first approach the agrarian issue and how was the process of the agricultural modernization, its consequences, contradictions and how the MST emerged amidst the agglutination of the social struggles that came back stronger in the late 70s and early 80s. In the second, we have an exclusive focus on agroecology, its history, its development in Brazil and its approaches and dimensions. In the third and last chapter, it's analysed the construction of centres/Agroecology Schools in Paraná, the technical profile desired by the MST and the formation process of the Group Revolutionary Earth.

L’étude des phénomènes agraires propres à la colonisation israélienne de la Palestine permet de révéler plusieurs formes de dépossessions participant à l’effacement de la population autochtone du paysage. Bien que l’agriculture demeure l’un des moyens les plus employés afin de coloniser la Cisjordanie, elle demeure paradoxalement l’un des outils les plus puissants de résistance du peuple palestinien en permettant l’exercice d’une territorialité autochtone. Or, si le gouvernement palestinien voit en l’agriculture industrielle un outil de développement économique dans une conception agro-industrielle, des modèles alternatifs visant une territorialisation du système alimentaire palestinien émergent depuis la première Intifada (1987-1993), dont l’agroécologie. Fondamentalement radicale et œuvrant pour une transformation des systèmes alimentaires dans une optique d’atteinte de souveraineté alimentaire, cette dernière permet une agriculture limitant la consommation d’eau et d’intrants, tout en réduisant la superficie de terres agricoles utilisées par les producteurs. Le contexte palestinien étant caractérisé par la dépossession territoriale, hydrique, commerciale et de la main-d’œuvre, l’utilisation de ce modèle à des fins de résistance et de transition revêt une pertinence notable. En s’appuyant notamment sur des données recueillies sur le terrain lors d’un séjour en Cisjordanie durant le mois d’octobre 2022, cette recherche exploratoire analysera la portée de l’agroécologie politique comme outil de transition du système alimentaire palestinien dans une optique d’économie de résistance. Il s’agira donc de présenter les limites d’application de ce modèle en contexte de colonisation directe. / The colonization of Palestine by Israel and its use of agriculture as a tool of dispossession is a concrete measure leading to the erasure of Palestinian natives from the landscape. However, the study of agrarian resistance allows us to see agriculture as both a tool of destruction and reproduction. By occupying the land and consequently preventing the use of tenure laws by Israeli settlers to steal the land from Palestinians, native agricultural workers are leading a movement of agro-resistance. Amidst the Palestinian government’s vision of conventional agriculture as a tool of development, alternative models of agriculture such as agroecology have been emerging since the First Intifada (1987-1993). Fundamentally radical, agroecology aims to transform food systems and is based on the principles of food sovereignty and agrarian sustainability. By reducing the dependency of agricultural workers on chemical inputs, heavy use of irrigation techniques and large areas of land, this alternative model could be an interesting path of transition in Palestine as a tool of resistance and decolonization of the agricultural sector. Using data collected during field work carried out in October 2022, this exploratory research will demonstrate the potential of political agroecology as a path of transition through the lens of resistance economy. The limits of its application in a settler-colonial context will be presented as well as their connection to different forms of dispossession carried out by the Israeli government.

Although there is a growing literature on resilience and collaborative approaches to ecosystem management, there are relatively few empirical case studies on the process of adaptive governance. Moreover, previous research offers limited insights into the conditions that facilitate new ecosystem management trajectories. By analyzing the emergence of an adaptive co-management initiative in Bali, the UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape of Bali Province, this dissertation seeks to contribute to recent research on institutional governance approaches to enhance ecosystem management and social well-being. To that end, it addresses two questions. First, it identifies and explores three primary characteristics that fostered a new multi-level adaptive governance approach to cultural landscape management in Bali: the widespread perception of environmental crisis on the island that triggered collective action and the political will for a new form of ecosystem management; the emergence of a shared ideology--articulated in the Balinese Hindu philosophy of tri hita karana, or "the three causes of prosperity"--that unified diverse actors and actor networks and established a common platform for ecological resource management; and context-specific governance strategies that built on existing institutions and local-level initiatives. The second question centers on an analysis of the emergence of the management plan for the World Heritage site in Bali. The management plan was developed to support the Balinese subak in its struggle to adapt to current and future pressures that threaten to undermine the island's unique social-ecological system. For centuries, the subak have maintained Bali's terraced rice paddy landscape as a network of semi-autonomous irrigation associations, mediated through water temples. The adaptive co-management plan draws on principles of adaptive governance to connect subaks with other actors and actor groups across multiple institutional levels and regional jurisdictions. Research findings support the likelihood that the World Heritage initiative can promote transformative change in cultural landscape management in Bali. As the initiative develops, it will provide a fertile site for future research on adaptive governance, to better understand interdependent social-ecological relationships and the evolution of adaptive co-management approaches.

There are currently numerous alternative food production models that may have potential to contribute substantially to improved environmental sustainability. However, such alternatives are not well studied, particularly within the context of the Canadian Prairies. To increase knowledge in this area, this thesis performed a preliminary agronomic trial for food grain production in intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium), investigating the effects of legume intercropping and residue management. Mean grain yields were 520 and 447 kg/ha in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and a significant yield increase was observed following grazing with sheep. A series of farm case studies were also conducted in order to characterize ecological farming approaches on the Canadian prairies. The most consistent strategy among the farms was to increase diversity in multiple facets for both environmental and economic benefit, including more crop and livestock species, system and landscape components, and marketing strategies. / October 2016