The implications of farmer-to-farmer learning and local knowledge networks for food security in Solomon Islands and beyond

Abstract

Across the Pacific, socio-cultural networks are a key way to share knowledge and skills. However, as peer-to-peer learning is contextually and culturally located, it is important to understand the place-based specifics of such learning. This article draws on the evaluation of a series of household-based workshops on agricultural development and food security in a remote area of Solomon Islands. It outlines this community's kinship ecology for farmer learning pathways and demonstrates the interdependence of gender and kinship-based social networks, showing how topics related to ethics of living were shared within clans, while food and agriculture topics were shared within households. The article concludes that understanding local knowledge networks can contribute to the design of more effective peer learning for food security and rural development.