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Overview Agricultural research in the past had the luxury that accountability to the majority clientele, namely the farmers, was not a high priority in the research agenda. More recently, because of the greater demand for technologies that are relevant to the immediate ecological and socioeconomic environments, programs have focused their attention on the needs of farmers. This has been particularly true in the case of technologies developed within the framework of farming systems research (FSR), in which the concept of the whole farm and a systems perspective to the research has been adopted. Present-day agricultural research seeks to develop technologies that are sustainable over time, environmentally safe, and allow farmers to increase their incomes to achieve a better quality of life, whichever way it may be measured. During the last decade, pressures were placed on national programs to conduct agricultural research and development programs identified with FSR. International donor agencies tended to provide finances for research only if it was considered within such a perspective. The adoption of FSR and the resulting technologies have resulted in significant increases of food production and in benefits to the research community. It has provided knowledge on effective methodologies and approaches to research, provided opportunities for more qualified human resources, through both formal and on-the-job trainings, and developed improved technologies. WHY STUDY IMPACT? With the maturing of these programs and increased emphasis on strengthening farming systems research in developing countries, a valid question is whether the new technology has had the desired effects in terms of overall food production and, more significantly, real benefits to farmers. The question is then asked: why study the impact of any program? This could be done for a number of reasons. Pure inquisitiveness There are researchers who look at the impact of any program purely from the point of view of inquisitive~less. They want to know, in general, the effects of the new technology. '~ivision of Agricultural Economics and Planning, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya.
Investor concerns Usually investors are interested in the outcome of a new technology and its impact on various parameters that range from productivity to incomes. This is particularly true in the case of large-scale development programs that make significant investments in the agriculture sector. In these instances not only the direct benefits are of interest, but also the indirect social and other multiplier benefits. Donor requirements Doilors that fund research and development programs are often interested in the final impact of their investments. This is reflected in periodic reviews by project evaluation teams that go to the field to understand the benefits that farmers have obtained from the new technology. However, these cursory visits do not adequately provide the information. An assessment of the benefits that the larger group of farmers have obtained from a particular program is of interest to donors. Feedback to researchers Within a research complex, the greatest beneficiary of an impact study will be the researchers themselves. They benefit by obtaining a better appreciation of the benefits, or lack of benefits, from the perspective of the farmers. This is not usually done because, in most instances, researchers are satisfied with the knowledge that their research efforts are being practiced by farmers. Macrostatistics that indicate overall increases in production do not reflect the real picture in terms of differential impacts across different environments, or across different farmer groups and farming systems. This information can be obtained only from an in-depth impact study that analyzes the causes and effects of the use of a technology in a particular environment. IMPACT ON WHAT? Generally, economists involved in agricultural research tend to look at benefits from new technologies that reflect components of economic development. The issues can be categorized into micro and macro issues. Micro issues These issues are related more to direct effects in terms of increases in productivity, real incomes, and purchasing power of the farmers. These benefits are reflected in terms of a greater and more efficient use of inputs that further increase productivity. Increases in the accumulation of capital assets, both farm and nonfarm, and, from a
Page 1 and 2: IRRl DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES NO. 15
Page 3 and 4: RECEIVED I RECU .- r b :'.i!~atlon
Page 5 and 6: Welcome address S .P.R. Weerasinghe
Page 7 and 8: Welcome Address S. P. R. Weerasingh
Page 9 and 10: Opening Comments After 15 yr of far
Page 11 and 12: increased as well, but only nlargin
Page 13: esult in high incomes for farmers,
Page 17 and 18: WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES This workshop i
Page 19 and 20: Rice is the major food crop and die
Page 21 and 22: esource use and productivity varies
Page 23 and 24: Determination of ado,)tion factors
Page 25 and 26: number of active family members per
Page 27 and 28: At both sites, more than 73% of the
Page 29 and 30: Hossain A M, Nur-E-Elahi, Nazrul I
Page 31 and 32: Table 2. Crop varietal sequence sco
Page 33 and 34: Table 4. Correlation illatsix used
Page 35 and 36: - Table 6. Socioeconomic characteri
Page 37 and 38: Table 8. Extent of adoption and ave
Page 39 and 40: Table 10. Resource use and producti
Page 41 and 42: Table 12. Extent of adoption and di
Page 43 and 44: Table 14. Summary of per hectare ca
Page 45 and 46: IRlPACT OF FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Page 47 and 48: new information collected during FS
Page 49 and 50: average family owns seven heads of
Page 51 and 52: H Horticulture. To have a more regu
Page 53 and 54: improved varieties require higher l
Page 55 and 56: The types of the training provided
Page 57 and 58: extension agency in the district, t
Page 59 and 60: m Extension and other production-su
Page 61 and 62: Table 3. Farm characteristics of th
Page 63 and 64: Table 6. Farm practices and product
Page 65 and 66:
Table 8. Major crops, crop varietie
Page 67 and 68:
Table 10. Production and use of mil
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Table 13. Major problems and constr
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Table 15. Training undergone by the
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Table 17. Links between farmers and
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----l CROP SUBSYSlLM rnurt L OTT tb
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West Java provincial le~el BACKGROU
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OBJECTIVES The specific objectives
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Labor requirement Labor requirement
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system models. This indicated that
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Unit prices for all items were obta
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Price elasticity. The demand for al
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district fishery extension services
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Table 2. Production of freshwater f
Page 93 and 94:
Table 4. Level of inputs used in ea
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Table 6. Labor requirement for each
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able 8. Income analysis of each FS
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Table 10. Nonfood expenditure patte
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Table 12. The value of assets (IRP
Page 103 and 104:
Table 15. Nonfood expenditure patte
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Table 17. Elasticities of food comm
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l Oct k Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
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From 1980 to 1986, the Integrated R
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THE 1'\VO ;MATURE TECHNOLOGIES Dire
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Conceptual framework STUDY METHODS
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Tai. Mungbean was introduced in Dok
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Land preparation for rice. The reac
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price of mungbean was high, some fa
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manufacturers. The earlier models (
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Net farm income per household The a
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that although adopters were better
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W It produced a good stand of rice
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Table l. The promising technologies
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Table 3. Mungbean before rice areas
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Table 5. Number of farm households
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Table 7. Area planted to mungbean,
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Table 9. Area planted to mungbean,
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Table 11. Area under dry seeded ric
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continued.. . Table 12. Socioeconom
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continued.. . Table 12. Socioeconom
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l~ndicative figures only. '~ature t
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composition, increases in income ca
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not be captured if the criteria for
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crops (rice, maize, and mungbean) a
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The explanatory Lwiable, nitrogen (
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of the ratio of actual intake and r
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Farming Systems Research and Extens
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Table 3. Input levels and productiv
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Table 5. Comparison of annual house
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Table 7. Comparison of annual nonfo
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Table 9. Comparison of percentage p
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Table 11. Log-linear models of impa
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INSTITUTIONALIZING THE FARILIIIVG S
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agricultural production system by i
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In the midwest plain, where there a
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Varietal irnprovernent. This compon
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solutions to problems under the bas
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Table 2. Rice farming systems in Ca
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Table 5. Component-technology studi
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Wangwacharachul (1984) examined the
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household basis on an income and ex
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first crop. In 1989-90, the adopter
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Nonfarm expenses constituted the bu
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Herbicide is essential for DSR. How
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o The classification of farmers on
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Table 1. List of \,ariables idc~l~l
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Table 3. Conlparison of cash flow o
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Table 5. Level of input use for the
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Table 7. Production elasticities of
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FROXl GREEN REVOLUTION TO FARhlING
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ainfed areas. The RIARS project app
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stability and sustainability. 1nsti
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o Limited feedback at all levels. A
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Table l. Chronological sequcnce of
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Table l. Chronological sequence of
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Impact studies A number of studies
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some simple statistical tests to as
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assets). Patterns of food consumpti
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Production functions for first-seas
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and nonadopters indicate that there
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E~zdowr~tcnt of l~ouselrol~f assets
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variety, inadequate attention was p
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Table 1. Farming system research si
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Table 4. Comparison of levels of in
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Table-6. Compariso~i of le\.els of
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Table 9. Estimated production funct
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Table 11. Factor shares of first-se
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Table 13. Factor slirlres of third-
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Table 15. Endownlent of farm assets
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IAIPACT ASSESShlEhT OF FARMING SYST
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Depending on the adequacy of rainfa
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Demograpllic cllaractehtics. The co
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The major farm implements owned by
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Effect of RWCS on household cash fl
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Table 1. Average cash expenses per
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Table 5. Selected clia~~acteristics
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Table 7. Comparative pcrforinance o
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hiem bers Discussion and Recommenda
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Guideline 4: FSR impact projects sh
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hlem bers o The need to improve doc
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Members what is right depends on po
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Decentralization and farming system
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o More program and less project fun
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Bangladesh Mr. RaGqul Islam Banglad
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Dr. N.F.C. Ranawecru Di\ision of .-
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CFTSSF CLSU CSD CSSAC CVIADP CVRP-I
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PIADP PCA PCARRD PHARLAP PSC PTA RA
Page 279 and 280:
Production Team Editor : Michael Gr
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