Real world lab participatory Workshop at the SOR4D conference
Under the overarching theme “Advancing Transdisciplinary Research for Global Development: Crisis, Collaboration, and Change”, the conference explores how research can respond to current global challenges and contribute to sustainable and scalable solutions. https://www.sor4d.ch/en/V6kPVrvBJtdM3hy4/event/sor4d-research-conference-2026
WS 4 Workshop | 11:15–12:45 The Real-world lab workshop: Challenges of scaling-up agroecology
Lead: Emilie Cremin, University of Lausanne, Switzerland | Jinat Hossain, University of Bern, Christophe Gironde, IHEID | Shirisha Junuthula, CSA, and Lucile Mougeat, UNIGE
Abstract: This workshop will involve participants in reflecting on the challenges small farmers face in many parts of the world when willing to implement agroecological solutions. Participants will review the laws and policies governing land access. They will experiment with the challenges posed by environmental conditions, socio-economic conditions, and power relations that underpin the governance of land and water, access to bio-inputs, value addition to their products, and access to consumers and the market. The game is set within multiple disruptive risks (climate change as a ‘wicked problem’) in different spaces and places.
Objectives of the game: The participants take the role of a stakeholder and will have to exchange their perspectives on environmental and livelihood issues they are facing. They will elaborate on sustainable solutions.
Organisation: 4 tables of 4 to 10 people, each table elaborate on one case study
Material available
• 4 site profiles of each type of stakeholder, including farmers and their farms and explaining their constraints and solutions inspired by SOR4D projects
• Local profiles for each site, presenting the economic and social constraints (one page for each profile)
• Mapping of the sites: 4 large maps (A0 format)
Your role
Phase 1: Present the main issue and the perspective on the issue by each stakeholder
Phase 2: Prepare 3 scenarios per sites
Both on an A0 flipchart
Session duration = 90 minutes
Organisation / timing of the game
• 10′: presentation of the game and rules
• 40′: Discussions around the tables/ 5 to 8 participants? 5 minutes per profile.
o 20’ Phase 1 (present yourself to the other players and present the main issue from each one perspective) /
o 20’ Phase 2 (Prepare 3 scenarios: elaborate solutions altogether)
• 10′: preparing synthesis of the RT to be presented in plenary
• 30′: Plenary to present each Living labs (5′ each) on poster
4 case studies selected in our SoR4D projects
1- Indian Sundarbans: Forest management and livelihoods lead by Emilie Cremin
2- Bangladesh Sundarbans: Shrimp and disaster management lead by Jinat Hossain
3- Andhra Pradesh: Paddy and horticulture – bioinputs lead by Shirisha Junuthula
4- Bolivian Altiplano: vegetables – irrigation – commercialization lead by Christophe Gironde and Lucile Mougeat
Participants will assume the roles of various actors in the field to identify the challenges of implementing and scaling up agroecological solutions.
