A Socio-Institutional Approach to Brighten Complexity under Agricultural Pest Invasion Conditions

David Romero Manrique de Lara, Serafin Corral (), David Legna de la Nuez and Jesús Hernández Hernández
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David Romero Manrique de Lara: Departamento de Economía Aplicada y Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Economía, Empresa y Turismo, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Guajara, 38200 La Laguna, Spain
David Legna de la Nuez: Departamento de Economía Aplicada y Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Economía, Empresa y Turismo, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Guajara, 38200 La Laguna, Spain
Jesús Hernández Hernández: Departamento de Geografía, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Guajara, 38200 La Laguna, Spain

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: This study illustrates the inherent complexity and uncertainties surrounding the Guatemalan potato moth pest on Tenerife that has affected potato crops for several decades using a Socio-Institutional methodology and a farmers’ focus group. It focuses on detecting major socioeconomic and environmental impacts caused by the pest. It identifies the stakeholders and historical decisions involved as well as systemic uncertainties. This methodology generates socially robust knowledge and introduces new variables into future decision-making processes. The results show that the efforts made so far to control the pest, based on technical and scientific knowledge, have not been commensurate with the enormous complexity of the issue. Novel alternatives to eliminate the plague and new recommendations have emerged after the application of the methodology. These alternatives and recommendations are related to breaking the reproduction cycle of the moth; promoting agro-ecological strategies and participatory processes; and dealing with uncertainties such as climate change or loss of agro-biodiversity on the island.

Keywords: complexity; socio-institutional analysis; stakeholders; governance; Guatemalan potato moth; uncertainty; agricultural pest (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:7:p:598-:d:72794

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