Exploring Agroecological Futures: DyTAEL Workshop and Forum Theatre in Bignona
From October 8 to 10, 2024, the deliberation hall of the Bignona Town Hall hosted a foresight workshop organized under the ARTS project in collaboration with the DyTAEL (Dynamique pour la Transformation Agroécologique Locale).
Imagining Desirable Futures Through Territorial Foresight
The territorial foresight exercise allowed participants to explore possible futures and reflect on the transformative pathways needed to achieve sustainable and inclusive food systems. Guided by experts from IPAR, local actors co-identified key drivers of change and analyzed their interdependencies. This groundwork laid the foundation for scenarios that will guide future actions while enhancing the DyTAEL members’ anticipatory capacities.
Forum Theatre: A Transformative Tool for Local Dynamics
Beyond conventional methodologies, the workshop stood out for its integration of forum theatre, facilitated by the Ka-Reng company. This innovative approach allowed participants to move beyond simple debate, actively engaging them as actors by creating and performing scenes inspired by their daily realities.
Unlike traditional awareness-raising theatre, the forum theatre format created a space for often-marginalized voices to be heard. By reactivating physical expression and breaking away from the formal structures of traditional workshops, this method fostered an atmosphere of open exchange and strengthened group cohesion—an essential yet often overlooked element for the success of multi-stakeholder initiatives.
ARTS: Science Serving Local Transformative Processes
The ARTS project plays a vital role in supporting local dynamics like DyTAEL by providing participatory tools, innovative exchange frameworks, and robust scientific approaches. By blending art, culture, and science, ARTS structures these dynamics while promoting a deeper understanding of agroecological challenges. It also strengthens their capacity to mobilize diverse stakeholders, from farmers to local decision-makers.
ARTS exemplifies a vision of science that goes beyond observation; it becomes an active participant in transformative processes, supporting communities in their pursuit of sustainable and equitable solutions.
A Lever for Collective Change
The event demonstrated that participatory tools like forum theatre, when combined with more traditional approaches, can be particularly effective in co-developing inclusive and sustainable solutions. These tools not only provide a conducive environment for exchange and collective reflection but also amplify the voices of marginalized actors.
The ARTS project is not limited to experimentation; it is committed to rigorously evaluating the impact of these innovative approaches. By measuring their contribution to local dynamics, ARTS aims to generate transferable insights to guide and strengthen the agroecological transition at a territorial scale.
