An intergenerational transmission of sustainability?:ancestral habitus and food production in a traditional agro-ecosystem of the Upper Guinea Forest, West Africa

摘要: The need for sustainable alternatives to industrial farming has led a revival of interest in traditional agro-ecosystems. Whilst it is well recognised that agro-ecosystems are both social and physical–technical – few case studies have examined interactions between these dimensions single system. For system be considered needs shown retained key characteristics over several generations. Case therefore demand location where intergenerational transmission agro-ecological knowledge practice ongoing. This paper examines the agro-ecosystem Loma people NW Liberia. We engage an innovative interdisciplinary combination methodologies analyzing between: (i) energy efficiencies (yield labour) 3 different food production systems, using longitudinal quantitative surveys, and, (ii) institutions mediate practice, qualitative methods. Our efficiency calculations show AfDE cultivation more than twice as efficient at producing calories either shifting or forest river extractivism, yet GPS mapping demonstrates highly spatially restricted despite clear opportunities expansion optimisation. raises important question: why not expanded cultivation? propose being fully aware AfDEs present, ‘ancestral habitus’ substantive economic rationality restrict areal optimisation cultivation, curtailing growth structuring social-ecological dynamic equilibrium. findings underline sustainability simply physio-technical issue; belief issues appear far framing behaviour