AGF 352 Agroforestry Lecture Notes PDF

Course Title: AGF 352 AGROFORESTRY MODULE 4: Farming Systems Research And Extension (FSR/E) & Agroforestry Diagnosis And Design ❖the FSR/E program was developed in response to the failures or inadequacies of the traditional transfer-of-technology extension methods th...

Course Title: AGF 352 AGROFORESTRY MODULE 4: Farming Systems Research And Extension (FSR/E) & Agroforestry Diagnosis And Design ❖the FSR/E program was developed in response to the failures or inadequacies of the traditional transfer-of-technology extension methods that were initiated to disseminate the researcher-driven green revolution technologies to resource poor, small-scale farmers. ❖FSR/E was designed to be interdisciplinary and holistic (i.e., encompassing the whole farm), as well as demanding farmer involvement from the outset ❖The D & D arose, "out of the demands of the agroforestry situation; it gives a special focus on agroforestry-related constraints and opportunities within existing land-use systems, and highlights agroforestry potentials that might be overlooked by other methodologies. For example, for most FSR/E practitioners, the trees within the farming system tend to be "invisible" ❖D & D is based on the philosophy that knowledge of the existing situation (i.e. diagnosis) is essential to plan and evaluate (i.e. design) meaningful and effective programs in agroforestry research for development. ❖It borrows from other methodologies used by research or development agencies, such as baseline surveys, What are the Basic procedures of the Diagnosis and Design (D & D) methodology ? D&D Stages Basic questions to answer Key factors to consider Mode of inquiry Prediagnostic Definition of the land use Distinctive combinations of Seeing and comparing the system and site selection resources, technology and land different land use systems (which system to focus on?) user objectives How does the system work? Production objectives and Analysing and describing (how is it organized, how strategies, arrangement of the system does it function to achieve its components objectives?) Diagnostic How well does the system Problems in meeting system Diagnostic interviews and work? (what are its problems, objectives (production shortfalls, direct field observation limiting constraints, problem - sustainability problems) generating syndromes & *Causal factors, constraints and intervention points?) intervention points Design & How to improve the system? Specifications for problem solving Iterative design and evaluation (what is needed to improve or performance enhancing evaluation of alternatives system performance) interventions Planning What to do to develop and Research and development needs, Research design, project disseminate the improved extension needs planning system? Implementation How to adjust to new Feedback from on-station research, Rediagnosis and redesign in information? on-farm trials and special studies the light of new information ✓D & D is based on the premise that, by incorporating farmers into research and extension activities, subsequent recommendations and interventions will be more readily adopted.  Levels of the D & D 1. Macro D & D: This is a large-scale analysis of an eco- zone within a country or a group of countries. Macro D&D is important for deciding on national agroforestry research-and extension agenda at-the national level. 2. Micro D & D: Micro D & D in contrast, focuses on one land-use system (LUS) within the larger eco-zone that has special priority for agroforestry intervention. Micro D&D involves a detailed analysis of households and production systems in the LUS. It leads to guidelines for research that will address the constraints of the prioritized LUS. NB: ❖ During the prediagnostic and diagnostic stages, a multidisciplinary team of researchers interacts with farmers and other land users either individually or in groups. ❖ These group exercises are used to characterize current agroforestry practices, identify economic, agronomic, social, and other forms of constraints to production, and discuss alternate production and management strategies. ❖ These activities are needed to identify or elicit farmer perceptions of land- use constraints. Special efforts are also made to involve women in the diagnostic interviews; by doing so, problems such as fuelwood shortages, which men may be unaware of or not concerned about, receive deserving attention. ❖ Farmer interviews are also useful in initiating linkages and developing trust between farmers and researchers, which is necessary for future program development.