various types of knowledges and technologies (see Chapter 1 and Figure 1-1). The conventional approach taught by universities and advanced technical institutes strongly advocates agroindustry; the agroecological approach espoused by universities and some NGOs serve to create more diverse systems in terms of the production of environmental goods and services; and the local/traditional know-how imparted by families and local social groups is based on extraction and low-input family-based agriculture. It is clear that in the particular case of each management typology, the AKST system used employs different proportions of each type of

Figure 4-2. Types of production systems in space defined by types of AKST (triangle) bodies used and possible trajectories depending on implementation of alternative AKST systems. Source: Authors’ elaboration

AKST. While projects undertaken have shown how systems interact with each other (FAO, http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/ agll/farmspi/; Settle et al., 1996), greater effort is needed to expand and institutionalize these initiatives.

It is argued that the different systems replicate their drawbacks and reinforce their potential through the integration of elements of other typologies directed always towards the achievement of development and sustainability goals. The option proposed therefore argues that it is necessary to bring about changes in the respective systems that bring them closer to other systems in order to take advantage of their strengths and to optimize the practices of each of the three groups identified. In an ideal world, the differences between locally observed practices should not depend on access to resources and economic assets and possible access to formal education, but rather on how producers can adapt to the restrictions imposed by the environment and to market conditions.

There is need for partnerships between researchers, extension workers, producers and producer associations for the pursuit and sharing of research. This would be only one step in a very complex process that requires more than partnerships. The conventional model that separates those who conduct research from those who disseminate the results and, above all, from those who use the resulting product showed that many of the alternative technologies generated are of little use, especially to traditional producers (families, indigenous groups) (Salles Filiho and Souza, 2002; Embrapa, 2006).

It is also necessary to encourage a debate on what should be the role of each of the agents of AKST and which scientific, technological and innovation policies should be applied in rural areas of Latin America. Parallel initiatives result in wasted efforts, resources and time and do not al-