This chapter describes an agricultural project (Ecosalud II) in Ecuador that aims to tackle the complex drivers of inappropriate use of highly hazardous pesticides, with the long-term goal of greater agroecosystem sustainability, including better human health. The project is similar to Ecosalud I, apart from some modifications, including an expansion of the project to 3 provinces (Carchi, Chimborazo and Tungurahua,). Furthermore, in Ecosalud II, "potato platforms" were used as social spaces that encouraged diverse actors with different knowledge, experience and decision-making power to gather monthly to address issues related to potato farming. The participants included small-scale farmers, leaders of community organizations, technical staff of nongovernmental development organizations (NGOs), staff of various municipal governments, provincial government representatives and provincial university faculty members. Drivers that affected the livelihoods and health of farm families are as follows: cheap and readily available highly hazardous pesticides; farmers' lack of knowledge about handling pesticides and reducing their exposure in the field and at home; poor general awareness of the extent of health impacts among both NGO and government actors; and weak policy responses to promote alternative crop-management technologies and practices that favour the sustainability of agro-ecosystem and farmers' health. These issues are tackled based on knowledge production, capacity building and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Data show that the strategic communication and use of research results with farmers, key government officials, NGOs and other stakeholders was effective in fostering change in potato-production systems in the three provinces targeted by the project and helped make potato production a safer income-generating activity with less damage to farmers' health and their environment.
