Citizen Science in the Field: Co-experimentation at Pilot Scale for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Rosana Maria Kral, Rizki Maftukhah, Axel Mentler, Murtiningrum Murtiningrum, Ngadisih Ngadisih and Katharina Maria Keiblinger
Additional contact information
Rosana Maria Kral: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute for Development Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Rizki Maftukhah: Department of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Axel Mentler: Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Murtiningrum Murtiningrum: Department of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Ngadisih Ngadisih: Department of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Katharina Maria Keiblinger: Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Natural resource management is a cross-sectoral topic, as reflected by its inclusion in several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDGs 2, 6, 12, 15). In the study area on Bangka Island, Indonesia, agriculture is a pillar of local food security and livelihoods, making restoration of degraded lands also a local issue. The present study aims at restoring degraded land after tin mining and at restoring the natural soil base rendering it more suitable for agriculture. We use co-experimentation with citizens as a tool to develop options for re-habilitation at a pilot scale. The recruitment process in this study was reversed insofar as local citizens were at the origin of the project idea. Consequently, buy-in was high among local stakeholders. This set to increase the probability of successfully scaling up effective and actionable practices that were developed during co-experimentation at both local and regional levels. Co-experimentation provided a platform for exchange between local citizens and scientists. Citizens did not need to learn new skills to be able to participate in the scientific process and could autonomously evaluate results. We see involvement of citizens in this type of scientific projects not only as feasible, but as rewarding for all involved partners and as beneficial for the project outcomes. In light of the call for partnerships to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we can only recommend investing in communication and relationship building to work together on better solutions to the challenges we face.

Keywords: co-experimentation; co-creation; citizen science; participation; soil re-habilitation; soil amendments; community development; tin mining; transdisciplinary research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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