The development of strategies for improved agricultural systems and land-use management

There is a pressing need for better management of agricultural lands in much of the developing world. Understanding what changes are needed and how they might be stimulated is the central task of agricultural systems research. But past experience in systems research in non-agricultural fields, where systems research methods developed, shows that a scientific approach to management has had limited effect on what managers actually do. In agriculture, farming-systems research methodology has demonstrated the importance of farmer involvement if research is to change the practice of agriculture. Yet, although participation appears necessary, it has proved to be insufficient in systems where there are strong resource constraints.