1. The first theory of change that providing new scientific evidence and improved practices would trigger decrease in deforestation was far too simplistic/naive about how science can influence the rest of the world 2. Interdisciplinary and multi-institutional approaches developed (e.g., ASB matrix) produced relevant and useful results that uni-disciplinary and uni-institutional approaches could not have produced 3. Governance and management structure need to be aligned with science implemented (inclusive, transparent, accountable) 4. To generate new knowledge, IPGs, it is essential to have baseline/benchmark in multiple sites, understanding of processes at play in environment and at spatial-temporal scales before scaling up 5. Flexibility, willingness to learn from mistakes, asking existential questions, re-inventing program are essential to evolve realistic Theories of Change overtime

1. Alterna(ves
to
Slash
and
Burn
Programme:
what
have
we
learned,
where
to
next?
Anne-­‐Marie
Izac
2nd
Chair,
GSG
of
ASB
(Consor(um
Chief
Officer,
Chief
Science
Officer,
Senior
Science
Advisor)

2. Outline
1. Looking
back
to
the
beginning:
ini(al
ASB
objec(ves
and
5
lessons
2. Looking
ahead:
ASB
and
future
lessons
for
the
evolving
set
of
CRPs

3. 1.
Ini(al
ASB
objec(ve:
1st
lesson
• Reduce
deforesta(on
by
S/B
agriculture.
By
providing
ecologically
and
economically
sustainable
op(ons
for
farmers
+
scien(fic
evidence
to
policy-­‐makers
• ToC:
providing
new
scien(fic
evidence
&
improved
prac(ces
would
trigger
â
in
deforesta(on
• 1st
lesson:
ToC:
far
too
simplis2c/naive
about
how
science
can
influence
rest
of
world

4. 1.
What
ASB
did
differently
on
partnerships
and
research
approaches
• For
1st
(me
in
CGIAR:
teams
of
biophysical
x
social
scien(sts,
from
≠
ins(tu(ons,
within-­‐
outside
CGIAR,
na(onal,
interna(onal,
some
stakeholders
• Interdisciplinary,
mul(
ins(tu(onal
teams
• Spent
2-­‐3
years
on
team
building
+
‘characterisa(on’,
priority-­‐se^ng
across
research
sites
• Worked
at
different
spa(al
scales

5. 1.
Second
and
third
lessons
• 2nd
lesson:
interdisciplinary
&
mul2ins2tu2onal
approaches
thus
developed
(e.g.,
ASB
matrix)
produced
relevant,
useful
results
that
uni
disciplinary
and
uni
ins2tu2onal
approaches
could
not
have
produced
• 3rd
lesson:
governance
and
mgt
structure
needs
to
be
aligned
with
science
implemented
(inclusive,
transparent,
accountable)
• both
lessons
used
in
criteria,
principles
for
current
CRPs:
new,
wider
partnerships
required,
CRP
governance
to
be
inclusive
• Interdisciplinary
work
s(ll
difficult
in
CRPs,
par(cularly
biophysical
x
social
scien(sts;
governance
s(ll
an
issue
in
various
CRPs

6. 1.
4th
lesson
• Lesson
4:
to
generate
new
knowledge,
IPGs,
essen2al:
baseline/benchmark
in
mul2ple
sites;
understanding
of
processes
at
play
in
≠
environments,
at
≠
spa2al-­‐temporal
scales
before
can
scale
up
• Today,
CRPs
struggling
with
’baseline
analysis’,
work
at
mul(ple
scales,
credible
scaling
up.
Realising
only
now
importance
of
this
for
RBM.

7. 1.
5th
lesson
• Ini(al
ToC
too
simplis(c,
subsequently
disproved
by
empirical
evidence.
Today’s
ToC
less
naive
about
influence
of
science.
• 5th
lesson:
flexibility,
willingness
to
learn
from
mistakes,
asking
existen2al
ques2ons,
re-­‐inven2ng
program:
essen2al
to
evolve
realis2c
ToC
over2me

8. 1.
To
summarise,
External
Review
of
ASB,
2005
…
‘ASB
has
created
the
world’s
pre-­‐eminent
system
for
use-­‐
driven,
compara2ve
scien2fic
inves2ga2on
of
human-­‐
environment
interac2ons
at
the
forest
margin
across
the
pan
tropic
domain….
ASB
has
developed
an
effec2ve
and
efficient
governing
structure
that
successfully
integrates
capabili2es
and
concerns
across
CGIAR
Centers,
tropical
regions,
scales
and
disciplines’.

9. 2.
Looking
ahead
• ASB
should
keep
breaking
new
ground
for
CGIAR.
Show
how
transdisciplinary
approaches
accelerate
discovery
and
innova(on
and
the
applica(on
of
innova(ons
for
complex
problems
• Contribute
new
perspec(ve
to
debates
on
reproducibility
of:
– Achievements
(innova(ons)
in
a
specific
geographical
loca(on
to
other
places
– Successes
in
influencing
policy-­‐making

10. 2.
Looking
ahead:
main
challenge
• Providing
more
secure,
diversified
&
healthy
food
grown
in
more
and
more
difficult
condi2ons,
whilst
decreasing
the
environmental
footprint
of
agriculture
and
decreasing
inequali2es
• Complex,
interconnec(ons,
uncertain(es,
beyond
any
discipline’s
reach.
Requires
‘transforma(ve’
integra(on
of
many
sciences
(life,
natural,
social,
human
health,
mathema(cal)
and
perspec(ve
of
stakeholders
• Inter/mul(disciplinary
approaches
insufficient
to
promote
collabora(on
and
synthesis
needed
to
produce
truly
innova(ve
solu(ons
to
large–scale,
complex
problems.

11. Complex,
mul2dimensional
challenges
Source:
IAASTD,
2008

12. 2.
Transdisciplinary
approaches
• Change
in
scien2fic
culture:
reality
is
mul2dimensional,
so
is
knowledge.
• New
ways
of
thinking,
new
tools
&
approaches
by
working
together
across
disciplines
&with
stakeholders.
Builds
upon
but
transcends
reduc2onism,
linear
logic.
• Systema2c
approach,
based
on
overall
coherence
rather
than
unity
• Crea2ve
“convergence–divergence”
process
that
brings
areas
of
knowledge
together
into
a
new
system
to
spin
off
applica2ons
and
elements
that
can
in
turn
be
recombined
and
integrated
• Results
in
new
social
distribu2on
of
knowledge
• ASB
has
more
experience
than
most
in
working
toward
this,
including
in
having
governance
&
mgt
structure
aligned,
facilita2ng
open
scien2fic
culture

13. Source:
Izac
et
al,06
More
integra2ve
approaches

14. In
conclusion
•
ASB’s
experience:
5
lessons
relevant
for
all
CRPs
today.
On
essen(ality
of
partnerships;
alignment
of
governance
&
mgt
with
research
needs;
importance
of
working
at
≠
scales,
in
≠
countries
and
of
learning
from
mistakes,
re-­‐crea(ng
•
Compara(ve
advantage
of
CGIAR
today:
capacity
to
work
globally
from
many
sites,
across
ins(tu(ons
&
disciplines
to
more
rapidly
design
robust
op(ons.
ASB
has
significantly
contributed
•
Given
complexity
of
challenges
ahead,
more
transforma(ve
changes
are
now
needed,
more
urgently.
ASB
is
more
nimble
than
CRPs;
can
con(nue
to
break
new
ground
for
CGIAR

15. In
conclusion,
for
a
new
science
• Complex
challenges
ahead
require
more
integra(ve
and
collabora(ve
approaches:
– Using
transdisciplinary
approaches
that
transcend
disciplinary
boundaries
,
involving
stakeholders
– To
design
truly
innova(ve
approaches,
bejer
tuned
to
complexity,
uncertainty,
constant
change
• Huge,
exci(ng
challenge
for
ASB
scien(sts:
new
type
of
science
needed,
new
way
of
conceiving
role
of
research
in
society
• Recent
recogni2on
of
this
need
(e.g.,
US
Academy
of
Sciences,
Special
Rapporteur
to
the
UN
on
the
right
to
food)
and
of
transforma(ve
improvements
resul(ng
from
such
approaches
(medicine,
engineering)