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The interface role of farming systems research Almost every country uses different terms for FSR and its component methods (rapid rural appraisal, on-farm trials, and pilot production projects). Each country has important political reasons for its choice of terms. For example, "production programs can only be done by the Indonesian Extension Service, so the FSR team does a Development Research Project", or FSR in the Francophone scientific community means the systematic political analysis of the national agricultural economy, therefore, the FSR program becomes an "on-farm research program"; or multilocation tests have been done on rented farmland because of a lack of regional stations; therefore, "on-farm trials" become "participatory trials" to underline the difference in methods. Most of these terminological variations relate to the fact that FSR as a distinct institutional entity is a newcomer to national scenes and is an interface between well-established bureaucracies. Its aim is to solve problems, not to carry out a predetermined set of actions, although it has a core methodology of its own. Successful programs have been seen to act as intermediaries between the station- based research establishment and extension services, marketing boards, and irrigation authorities. Although they are usually based in the research service, they do not confine themselves to traditional scientific research methods and sometimes find themselves under attack for encroaching on the turf of another agency or operating outside their research mandate. Management of farming systems research: pulling strings and straws A number of issues have emerged concerning the organization and management of FSR project and programs: o Flexibility in the application of FSR principles. In many cases, it was observed that successful projects changed the technologies and the emphasis of the FSR activities as they proceeded. In cases where a staged approach appeared to have been followed, it was found that the program had continuously monitored and reformulated its program in accordance with the changes in policy, development, and context. o Clarification and agreement on FSR objectives. Most of the FSR projects had a wide range of differing and sometimes conflicting objectives. The expectations of many projects were over-ambitious. A management lesson from the case studies was that greater emphasis should be given during FSR planning to the projection of expected outcomes and to the methods of monitoring and assessing these outcomes. These issues should include how to assess the extent of FSR influence on research station priorities and on the strengthening and monitoring of farmer experimentation.
o More program and less project funding of FSR. In many successful FSR projects, it was found that research managers had additional funds and resources from other sources. Some successful FSR cases were the result of support after the project had been completed. A lesson from these experiences was that FSR projects should not be seen in isolation from other research and developnlent activities. A second lesson was that some FSR projects Livere terminated at the time when the group or project was becomlng most useful. o Farmer reszarch: the need for monitoring and strengthening. The country studies reveal an important and somewhat trivial fact. The issue is that in several cases, FSR interventions and improved technologies were based on already existing practices and commodity choices of farmers. The cases of rlce in Thailand, fish in ricefields in Indonesia, and potato in Sri Lanka illustrate that activities were defined and executed on the basis of esisting trends. It is noticeable that in Indonesia and Thailand, interventions were successful, although the courses of the events leading to success were quite different. In Sri Lanka, the suggested technological change was not accepted because the fdrmers had already esperimented with, and rejected, the component technology. Another observation was made with regard to the diversity of actual iinprovenients. In Thailand, the shift in the factor market and increased labor costs determined the viability of mechanized direct seeding, in fact, a move toward intensification. In Indonesia, in contrast, the inclusion of fish with rice could be considered as a type of intercropping, which intensified prodi~ction and increased land productivity. Efforts in Thailand and Indonesia led to improvement in component technolow; whereas, in Sri Linka, FSR confirmed the experience of the farmers, G-hich was based merely on observing existing practices and trends. The importawe of monitoring and strengthening farming practices is underlined. o The outgoing approach. FSR is a ~nultidisciplinary approach to solve farm problen~s. But shortage of skilled labor in different disciplines may inake it difficult to form a FSIi group in many developing countries. Sometimes, national institutes have governn~ent permission to conduct research on a particular crop or enterprise. In such a case, FSR can only be conducted by using resource persons. The host institute should therefore go to other organizations to find the required resource persons and divide the work responsibilities anlong them. Opportunities should also be divided among the collaborators. The implementing organization should not try to show that they are in charge. This approach has been quite successful in FSR in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia. Other organiz:itions that are conducting FSR can follow this outgoing approach to include other institutions in their FSR process.
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IRRl DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES NO. 15
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RECEIVED I RECU .- r b :'.i!~atlon
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Welcome address S .P.R. Weerasinghe
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Welcome Address S. P. R. Weerasingh
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Opening Comments After 15 yr of far
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increased as well, but only nlargin
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esult in high incomes for farmers,
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Investor concerns Usually investors
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WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES This workshop i
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Rice is the major food crop and die
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esource use and productivity varies
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Determination of ado,)tion factors
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number of active family members per
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At both sites, more than 73% of the
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Hossain A M, Nur-E-Elahi, Nazrul I
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Table 2. Crop varietal sequence sco
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Table 4. Correlation illatsix used
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- Table 6. Socioeconomic characteri
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Table 8. Extent of adoption and ave
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Table 10. Resource use and producti
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Table 12. Extent of adoption and di
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Table 14. Summary of per hectare ca
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IRlPACT OF FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH
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new information collected during FS
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average family owns seven heads of
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H Horticulture. To have a more regu
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improved varieties require higher l
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The types of the training provided
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extension agency in the district, t
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m Extension and other production-su
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Table 3. Farm characteristics of th
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Table 6. Farm practices and product
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Table 8. Major crops, crop varietie
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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
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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
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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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Page 219 and 220: assets). Patterns of food consumpti
Page 221 and 222: Production functions for first-seas
Page 223 and 224: and nonadopters indicate that there
Page 225 and 226: E~zdowr~tcnt of l~ouselrol~f assets
Page 227 and 228: variety, inadequate attention was p
Page 229 and 230: Table 1. Farming system research si
Page 231 and 232: Table 4. Comparison of levels of in
Page 233 and 234: Table-6. Compariso~i of le\.els of
Page 235 and 236: Table 9. Estimated production funct
Page 237 and 238: Table 11. Factor shares of first-se
Page 239 and 240: Table 13. Factor slirlres of third-
Page 241 and 242: Table 15. Endownlent of farm assets
Page 243 and 244: IAIPACT ASSESShlEhT OF FARMING SYST
Page 245 and 246: Depending on the adequacy of rainfa
Page 247 and 248: Demograpllic cllaractehtics. The co
Page 249 and 250: The major farm implements owned by
Page 251 and 252: Effect of RWCS on household cash fl
Page 253 and 254: Table 1. Average cash expenses per
Page 255 and 256: Table 5. Selected clia~~acteristics
Page 257 and 258: Table 7. Comparative pcrforinance o
Page 259 and 260: hiem bers Discussion and Recommenda
Page 261 and 262: Guideline 4: FSR impact projects sh
Page 263 and 264: hlem bers o The need to improve doc
Page 265 and 266: Members what is right depends on po
Page 267: Decentralization and farming system
Page 271 and 272: Bangladesh Mr. RaGqul Islam Banglad
Page 273 and 274: Dr. N.F.C. Ranawecru Di\ision of .-
Page 275 and 276: CFTSSF CLSU CSD CSSAC CVIADP CVRP-I
Page 277 and 278: PIADP PCA PCARRD PHARLAP PSC PTA RA
Page 279 and 280: Production Team Editor : Michael Gr
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