The Sino-German project “SURUMER: Sustainable rubber cultivation in the Mekong region” is looking for “…an integrative, applicable, and stakeholder-validated concept for sustainable rubber cultivation” in Xishuangbanna region, South-west China. In order to at least partially implement solutions for problems of the complex rubber-dominated land use situation, project partners are testing a holistic approach to research-practice-integration which combines profound scientific analyses with a range of activities to enhance interaction and collaborative learning amongst stakeholders (i.e., practitioners and reseachers).

In this presentation we discuss the approach to research-practice-integration. Furthermore we will discuss strengths and weaknesses, identify the mayor challenges and draw conclusions for future process management. The effort follows the assumption that the possibility for implementation will be the higher the more “realistic” the concepts are and the better they are communicated with stakeholders. Three key stakeholder groups have been identified so far, namely innovative rubber farmers and village heads, prefecture administration, and provincial politicians. For stakeholder involvement, a pragmatic communication approach has been chosen which consists of a range of discourse instruments such as bilingual information material, newsletters, focus groups, and a series of workshops with key stakeholders. One of its main elements is participatory scenario development including discussions on the economic and ecologic trade-offs of different land use.

Various aspects supporting or hindering implementation have been analysed: Generally, communication amongst researchers but mainly between researchers and practitioners takes more time and resources than initially estimated.

This mainly affects the testing of new approaches. For example, “scenarios” are discussed in a complete different way within the group of researchers than amongst practitioners, which means that there is need for translation not only from English to Chinese and vice versa, but between abstract modeller-thinking and concrete needs of practice. “Demonstration plots” on intercropping with endangered tree species can show only the very initial planting processes; evidence that intercropping is more sustainable than conventional rubber cultivation is limited.

Stakeholders are open towards innovative solutions. Most of them are aware of ecological problems such as water quantity and quality even if they do not necessarily link them with rubber cultivation. More important is the fact that prices for latex have decreased to less than a quarter in recent years and farmers may have lost two-third of their income. Many farmers either search for work in town or they rent their community land to investors. If farmers rent out land to external investors there is a threat that rubber might be replaced by ecologically more adverse cultures such as banana.

Despite the time constraints and limited resources for interaction with stakeholders, SURUMER has shown ways to mutually develop solutions amongst research and practice. Experience shows that communication processes must be managed carefully. It is obvious that significant resources are needed, and that even long research projects of five years can not expect full implementation.