Knowledge production in agroforestry systems of South America: Analysis of publications, international cooperation and the influence of funding origin

SOLER R.; PERI P.L.; BAHAMONDE H.; GARGAGLIONE V.; ORMAECHEA S.; SANCHEZ JARDON L.; LENCINAS M.V.; MARTÍNEZ PASTUR G.

Evora

Congreso; World Congress Silvopastoral Systems; 2016

Silvopastoral World Congress

Information about agroforestry systems has increased sharply in South America during the last years due to its relevance in the development of regional economies. Knowledge production and its direction has been influenced by different socio-political factors such as funding assigned to research by each country (state or private sector), institutions priority and international cooperation (from the region or other continents). These factors usually determine where and what research is conducted, and how obtained results are interpreted and communicated. The objective of this contribution was to evaluate: a) publication issues, b) cooperation among institutions and countries, c) funding provenance, d) relationship between the provenance of founding and research objectives in agroforestry systems of South America. We used Scopus database to search and analyze scientific publications in agroforestry topics from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru. For each country, 25 scientific articles from 1983 ? 2014 were analyzed. Most works (85%) were published in international journals outside South America, such as the favorite Agroforestry Systems (30%). In general, the studies were leaded equally by authors from South America (54%) and foreign authors (46%), mainly co-authored by >3 people (72%) which impacted in a more interdisciplinary work (different institutions working together). Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile better represented cooperation among institutions and other countries, but using own funding. In contrast, while 56% of the research in Paraguay was conducted by single author and 81% by one single institution, Ecuador and Peru had almost 100% of the studies supported by foreign countries (USA and UE). In addition, countries with greater self-financing generated more long-term studies (>5 years). The objectives were mainly oriented to productivity in Argentina and Chile, conservation in Brazil, productivity and conservation in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, productivity and social topics in Paraguay. Cluster analysis highlighted two clear groups of countries: i) Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru: research supported by external countries investigating conservation and social topics; and ii) Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia: research supported by own countries with high cooperation among institutions investigating mainly productivity issues. The current knowledge about agroforestry systems in South America is heavily influenced by foreign interests, except in those countries where national governments leads and coordinates the national policy on science, technology and innovation.