Creation and establishment of production systemes [i.e. systems] research in a national agricultural research institute : the Senegal experience

This paper traces the development of PSR in Senegal where it was pioneered, emphasizing institutional rather than methodological issues. Events leading to the creation of a separate PSR Department within the Senegal Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA) are described. The paper then explains in detail a PSR program launched by the Department in the Djibelor (Lower Casamance) region. The report draws lessons from the Senegal experience in the following areas: (1) links between production systems and commodity and subject matter programs; (2) research-extension; and (3) budgeting, personnel, and training. The major lesson is that ISRA may have been overly ambitious in creating a separate PSR Department with the same standing as the older research departments. Non-researchers rejected the legitimacy of the PSR Department"s role in programming and evaluation, believing it represented a threat to their autonomy. Creation of the Department also accentuated ISRA"s budgetary stress. Other problems included: (1) ISRA"s insufficient capacity to train and guide new personnel, (2) lack of integration among research disciplines, and (3) lack of attention to agricultural policy issues.