This paper describes and critically reflects on a participatory policy process which resulted in a government decision not to introduce genetically modified (GM) cotton in farmers’ fields in Mali (West Africa). In January 2006, 45 Malian farmers gathered in Sikasso to deliberate on GM cotton and the future of farming in Mali. As an invited policy space convened by the government of Sikasso region, this first-time farmers' jury was unique in West Africa. It was known as l’ECID—Espace Citoyen d’Interpellation Démocratique (Citizen’s Space for Democratic Deliberation)—and it had an unprecedented impact on the region. In this Deliberative and Inclusive Process (DIP), the ECID combined the citizens’ jury method with indigenous methods for debate and dialogue, including the traditional African palaver. The ECID brought together male and female producers representing every district in the Sikasso region of southern Mali, specialist witnesses from various continents and a panel of independent observers, as well as resource persons and members of the national and international press and media. As an experiment in deliberative democracy, the ECID of Sikasso aimed to give men and women farmers the opportunity to share knowledge on the benefits and risks of GM cotton, and make policy recommendations on the future of GM technology in Malian agriculture. Designed as a bottom-up and participatory process, the ECID’s outcomes significantly changed national policy on the release of GM technology and have had an enduring influence in Mali. In this paper, we describe our positionality as action researchers and co-organisers of the ECID. We explain the methodology used for the ECID of Sikasso and critically reflect on the safeguards that were put in place to ensure a balanced and trustworthy deliberative process. The ECID and its key outcomes are discussed in the context of the political economy of GM cotton in West Africa. Last, we briefly highlight the relevance of the ECID for current international debates on racism in the theory and practice deliberative democracy; the production of post-normal transdisciplinary knowledge for technology risk-assessments; and the politics of knowledge in participatory policy-making for food and agriculture.

本文描述并批判性地反思了参与式政策过程，该过程导致政府决定不在马里（西非）农民的农田中引入转基因 (GM) 棉花。2006 年 1 月，45 名马里农民聚集在锡卡索，讨论转基因棉花和马里农业的未来。作为锡卡索地区政府特邀的政策空间，这个首次举办的农民评审团在西非是独一无二的。它被称为 l'ECID—— Espace Citoyen d' Interpellation Démocratique（公民民主审议空间）——它对该地区产生了前所未有的影响。在这个协商和包容性过程 (DIP) 中，ECID 将公民陪审团方法与土著人的辩论和对话方法相结合，包括传统的非洲palaver。ECID 汇集了代表马里南部锡卡索地区每个地区的男性和女性生产者、来自各大洲的专家证人和独立观察员小组，以及专家和国家和国际新闻媒体的成员。作为协商民主的试验，锡卡索的 ECID 旨在让男性和女性农民有机会分享关于转基因棉花的好处和风险的知识，并就转基因技术在马里农业的未来提出政策建议。作为一个自下而上的参与式过程，ECID 的成果显着改变了国家关于转基因技术发布的政策，并对马里产生了持久的影响。在本文中，我们将我们的定位描述为 ECID 的行动研究人员和联合组织者。我们解释了用于 Sikasso 的 ECID 的方法，并批判性地反思了为确保平衡和值得信赖的审议过程而采取的保护措施。ECID 及其主要成果在西非转基因棉花的政治经济背景下进行了讨论。最后，我们简要强调了 ECID 与当前关于协商民主理论和实践中种族主义的国际辩论的相关性；生产用于技术风险评估的后规范化跨学科知识；以及参与式粮食和农业决策中的知识政治。ECID 及其主要成果在西非转基因棉花的政治经济背景下进行了讨论。最后，我们简要强调了 ECID 与当前关于协商民主理论和实践中种族主义的国际辩论的相关性；生产用于技术风险评估的后规范化跨学科知识；以及参与式粮食和农业决策中的知识政治。ECID 及其主要成果在西非转基因棉花的政治经济背景下进行了讨论。最后，我们简要强调了 ECID 与当前关于协商民主理论和实践中种族主义的国际辩论的相关性；生产用于技术风险评估的后规范化跨学科知识；以及参与式粮食和农业决策中的知识政治。