Planning technologies appropriate to farmers : concepts and procedures

This manual was prepared to present procedures and guidelines to assist agricultural researchers in formulating technologies truly appropriate to farmer needs and is divided into three parts. Part I presents an overview of a research program aimed at developing appropriate technologies. Included are descriptions of on-farm and experimental station research - the key research procedures involved - and the government policy context in which research must occur. It is emphasized that successful research must proceed from knowledge of the farmer"s circumstances, that is, the factors, both natural (e.g., climate and soils) and socioeconomic (e.g., farmers" goals, markets, national policy) that affect farmers" decisions on crop technologies. Part II describes procedures for obtaining information on these circumstances, with stress laid on the need to make the process a true collaboration between researchers and farmers. Specific procedures detailed are: gathering and analyzing pertinent background data from government and research reports; conducting an exploratory survey, that is, informal interviews with farmers and other knowledgeable individuals; and conducting a formal survey or questionnaire. Individual chapters discuss questionnaire development, sampling methods, and practical ways to make the survey truly collaborative. In Part III, methods are discussed for gleaning from survey results the information pertinent to planning crop research. In particular, the authors present guidelines for prescreening a few - two or three at most are recommended - "best-bet" technologies for research. A final chapter exemplifies use of these guidelines in two on-farm programs and one on-station program. The authors note that those who think reseachers should only go to farmers with finished technologies for demonstration will find this manual less useful than those who support on-farm research. Graphs, charts, and a 25-item glossary of terms are included. Short bibliographies are appended to each chapter.