Competing agri-environmental paradigms and technology transfer: negotiating the nature of agroforestry in Missouri

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Agroforestry is promoted as an ecologically beneficial and economically viable alternative to the high-input, capital-intensive, commodity-oriented agricultural model that is dominant in Missouri and the Midwest. Despite agroforestry's stated potential to provide environmental and economic benefits for Missouri's land and landowners, adoption of agroforestry practices in the state has been limited. This study examines the question of agroforestry adoption by assessing the role that differing institutional paradigms, or world views, that drive the major agri-environmental actors in Missouri may have on agroforestry's potential acceptance. The results point to breaches between the paradigmatic orientations of the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that have led to institutional dissonance and controversy over the appropriateness of certain agroforestry practices for Missouri's landscape. The MDC and the NRCS are the largest agri-environmental actors in Missouri and have extensive contact with landowners. The findings suggest that agroforestry research and technology transfer efforts should assess agroforestry technology compatibility with the missions and objectives of the MDC, NRCS and other interested actors prior to implementation.