Bridging knowledge through Buddhist temples: knowledge co-production in adaptive co-management of agricultural landscapes in Thailand

Abstract

Farmers in Thailand face increasing challenges from water-related disasters, prompting the implementation of the Khok Nong Na (KNN) model under the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) to promote integrated water and land management in the agricultural landscape. This study employs the adaptive co-management approach to examine the connections between diverse stakeholders and knowledge types in Thai Buddhist agricultural landscape management. Scholars emphasised the integration of science and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), as well as the roles of bridging organisations in knowledge co-production, which is a crucial factor in enhancing adaptive capacity. However, the literature still offers a limited understanding of the roles of faith-based institutions in natural resource management. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the roles of Buddhist temples as bridging organisations in the management of the Buddhist agricultural landscape and how their faith-based networks contribute to knowledge co-production. Using two good-practice case studies, i.e. agriculture–forest landscape management in Chiang Rai and rain-fed rice landscape management in Ubon Ratchathani, we examine the role of Buddhist temples through two brokerage mechanisms: bridging organisations and networks. The findings reveal that Buddhist temples play a moderating role in fostering trust among government officers, local communities, and other stakeholders. Faith-based networks and other contributing factors, including shared religious values, religious educational methods, and knowledge-brokerage roles, enhance social learning and collaboration, thereby contributing to both individual and collective adaptive capacity. Additionally, this study provides empirical evidence on the potential influence of faith-based institutions in shaping the dynamics and equality amongst diverse knowledge systems in knowledge co-production.