WISO302099 Facilitating change for sustainable development

Type
Lecture and seminar
Semester hours
4
Lecturer (assistant)
Hauser, Michael , De Faria, Alexandre
Organisation
Development Research
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Change that promotes sustainable agriculture, fair food systems, and human well-being has long been an important goal in international development. This course focuses on facilitating change within households, communities, and organisations. We do so by treating them as social systems. In these systems, communication and decision-making structures influence how change is perceived, negotiated, and sustained. Facilitators can mix these theories and models to help actors create change and impact pathways. Since all change is context-dependent—relying on interrelationships, interdependencies, and interconnectedness—the course emphasises the need for integration and for understanding the whole. For example, it highlights the importance of broadening perspectives of all actors in agricultural development and related systems, considering multiple levels, stakeholders, and timescales. It also considers agricultural knowledge and innovation systems, the “we-identity” that fosters a sense of connectedness and ownership for development initiatives, and collaborative leadership and networks within and between farmer communities. Furthermore, it stresses the need to integrate internal and external factors driving change in sustainable development processes. The course aims to acquaint future practitioners with the theoretical foundations for facilitating complex change processes in agriculture and sustainable development.
Previous knowledge expected

Participants should be interested in concepts related to facilitating change within households, communities, or food value chains. Active participation in discussions, group work, and online check-ins is expected, along with a willingness to read, listen to, and watch online resources. Additionally, students should be committed to a mini-study project.

This course is the second out of three, offering students insights into the management of farm and food system transitions in complex environments. The other two courses are Livelihood system dynamics in rural development (AGRI302098) and Participatory methods in development research and practice (AGRI302101).
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

1. Recall conventional development models and alternative approaches.
2. Identify good learning principles for facilitating a change process with adult groups.
3. Understand the importance of group dynamics for facilitation processes.
4. Apply facilitation methods in the role of a “change facilitator”.
5. Debate on the challenge of translating program goals into real interaction.
6. Propose means to overcome barriers towards a new professionalism in agricultural development.
7. Organise facilitation methods into method families.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.