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o Limited feedback at all levels. A mechanism is needed to encourage
frequent interaction among project participants.
o Tools for monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment and the need to
link these activities as a continuum in FSR&E projects.
o Cases of extension specialists turned researcher. This attitude was
encountered with RADOS and RIARS; therefore, there is a need to
instill the extension responsibilities in FSR&D staff and to develop a
research-extension interface.
o Limited appreciation of the contribution of farmers to FSRRrE by other
development workers. There is a need for intensive training and
information dissemination on FSRRrE.
o Limited FSRRrE personnel because of the reassignment of trained
personnel with the implementation of the local government code.
Apart from these issues and problems, other matters must be mentioned: the need
for more practical and flexible approaches or methodologies for FSR&D, the
organization and managerial problenls associated with decentralized FSR&D, the
operations of a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary team, reorientation from a
technology-focused approach to problem (opportunity)-driven activities, indigenous
technical knowledge and the changing environment, and technology
commercialization and FSR&E.
A COURSE OF ACTION
This historical analysis of farnling systems research and development in the
Philippines has revealed the impact of the approach on the research and extension
system of the country. The impact is reflectzd in the changes that have occurred in
the focus, conceptual approacl~, organization, and management of the agricultural
research and extension system. The research and extension system responded to the
evolution of farming systems research and development methodologies and
concepts.
The farming s stems research and development approach is still evolving.
The potential of the ! arming systems research and development network to
orchestrate this evolution is evident. The farming systems research and development
could be mobilized to address these issues by specifically supporting the
development of (1) ASES and related tools (e.g., GIS) to make use of the data bases
that are generated a common framework for FS diagnosis and design that employs
RRA and related techniques and other formal approaches, (2) techniques to
integrate stability and sustainability analysis in farming systems development,
(3) impact assessment methodology to tackle both micro and macro impacts, and