Bridging the gap between academia and practice: the interactions of different forms of knowledge in the context of agroecological schools

In recent years, the co-production of knowledge has gained increased attention within sustainability studies. The interaction between researchers and stakeholders is commonly described as fruitful, fostering accountability to the "social contract" with society, facilitating impactful solutions to sustainability problems, and incorporating diverse forms of knowledge. The transformation of the current agri-food system stands out as a pivotal concern in sustainability studies, with the co-production of knowledge finding notable applications within agroecology. Agroecology, defined as a practice, movement, and science (Gliessman 2018, 600), has evolved to support a more sustainable food system, positioning knowledge co-production as a core principle and a pivotal factor in its amplification. Mediterranean systems of agriculture, characterized by the presence of traditional agricultural and ecological knowledge intertwined with a robust connection between agriculture and society, offer a relevant regional focus for a more in-depth exploration of knowledge co-production. In the broader context of Italy's lagging implementation of agroecological policies, Sicily emerges as a notable exception, showing the highest adoption of agroecological practices. This transition is further supported by the recently enacted law "Provisions on agroecology, protection of biodiversity, and Sicilian agricultural products and technological innovation in agriculture." Considered as the first law aligning with the objectives of the European Laws of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy, it emphasizes the support of agroecological training and the fortification of collaboration between universities and practical implementation. Italy, overall, exhibits a gap between practical agroecological applications and academia, mitigated primarily through regional initiatives. In Sicily, a noteworthy example is the Practical Agroecology School, organized by the organic food cooperative "Valdibella" in the Palermo region. To extend its regional impact, a collaboration with an agroecological producer consortium in the Eastern part of Sicily was established last year. To identify the role of knowledge co-production in the amplification of agroecology this paper seeks to answer the question: How do different forms of knowledge interact in the context of practical agroecological schools? Addressing the role of knowledge co-production in amplifying agroecology necessitates exploring how various forms of knowledge interact within the context of practical agroecological schools. The Multi-Evidence (MEB) approach by Tengö et al. (2014) is employed to analyze this. The main idea is to bring together different forms of knowledge to create an enriched picture of a complex problem within environmental assessments. The interactions can be categorized into knowledge integration, cross-fertilization, and co-production. With its core principle of valuing different forms of knowledge equally in addressing environmental challenges, the MEB approach proves promising for analyzing the diverse interactions of different knowledge forms within the collaboration of food producers and scientists. The study utilizes results from participatory observations during practical agroecological school meetings of the Valdibella cooperative and qualitative interviews with participants and facilitators to apply the MEB framework. The paper aims to provide deeper insights into the interactions of diverse knowledge forms and the model's applicability within the context of agroecological schools.