DFG research unit “The role of nature for human well-being in the Kilimanjaro Social-Ecological System” (Kili-SES-2) - Sub project 3: “Understanding social-ecological transformations: the role of initiatives’ values, rules and knowledge”

Sub project 3 “Understanding social-ecological transformations: the role of initiatives’ values, rules and knowledge”, led by Prof. Dr. Berta Martín-López, is part of the DFG research unit “The role of nature for human well-being in the Kilimanjaro Social-Ecological System” (Kili-SES-2). The sub project’s main goal is to assess how the decision-making contexts of sustainability initiatives and projects (“Seeds”) at Mt. Kilimanjaro lead to a greater transformative potential towards sustainable and just futures. The DFG research unit has entered a second funding phase in February 2025, in which SP3 will build on its preceding work. Specifically, the previous SP3 “Demand and values of Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP)” provided an in-depth understanding of the existing values held by different stakeholders, and the Indigenous and Local Knowledge held by farmers. Its researchers also established a network with several groups, e.g. with farmers, conservation agencies and tour guides. The SP3 of the second phase can now draw on this first diverse pool of “Seeds of Good Anthropocenes” and achieve its goal through the three sub-objectives: (i) to identify clusters of social-ecological transformation based on the decision-making patterns of the Seeds as defined by their values, rules, and knowledge; (ii) to characterize those different clusters based on their transformative outcomes; and (iii) to explore the potential to leverage transformation within and beyond the Kilimanjaro SES by understanding the social networks of the Seeds.