A commentary on three papers

How refreshing it is, to this old seasoned campaigner at least, to read articles that make significant connections between participation, learning, and systems thinking in the context of the pursuit of the development of sustainable agriculture and other natural resource endeavors. From their differing perspectives, all three papers address issues concerned with the complexity of matters in these domains and with the conflicts that seem inherent to them in the search for "betterment." And all three talk of the importance of dialogue among different stakeholders with different perceptions and different degrees of power, and how such dialogue both influences, and is influenced by, the extent to which vital relationships of trust and rapport can be built.