Opportunities, Use, and Transfer of Systems Research Methods in Agriculture to Developing Countries : Proceedings of an International Workshop on Systems Research Methods in Agriculture in Developing Countries, 22–24 November 1993, ISNAR, The Hague

In December 1993, ISNAR, in collaboration with International Consortium for Application of Systems Approaches, organized a three-day workshop on systems approaches and modelling for agricultural development. Sponsored by the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation, the workshop was attended by participants from 12 national agricultural research systems (NARS), nine international agricul­ tural research centers (lARCs), and five advanced research organizations (AROs). Although application of systems approaches in agricultural research and resource management is a rather new field, there is already increasing demand for implemen­ tation of these approaches. This will require a critical mass of specialists in the NARS and IARCs. Before this critical mass can be obtained, however, the experience that has been gained in this area needs to be evaluated, further possibilities need to be explored, and new objectives and targets need to be set. This book, which contains the papers presented at the workshop, assesses the state of the art of systems approaches in agricultural research, resource management, and rural planning. It also gives an impression of the evolution of this interdisciplinary field and its use in national and international research centers. Another, less tangible, outcome of the workshop was its contribution toward strengthening the network of NARS, lARCs, and AROs. It gave participants and organizers a chance to develop contacts, and provided an opportunity to make the first proposals for collaborative programs. Special thanks are due to Peter Goldsworthy and Luc Boerboom for their crucial role in making the workshop a success in this regard. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Sustainable growth in agricultural production: the links between production, resources, and research....Pages 3-27 A case for setting common objectives for natural resource management....Pages 29-39 Back Matter....Pages 41-42 Front Matter....Pages 43-43 Supporting agricultural research policy and priority decisions: an economic-ecologic systems approach....Pages 45-66 The role of systems analysis as an instrument in policy making and resource management....Pages 67-79 The development of strategies for improved agricultural systems and land-use management....Pages 81-96 Back Matter....Pages 97-101 Front Matter....Pages 103-103 Needs and priorities of NARS for the management of natural resources: Bangladesh....Pages 105-125 Bhutan’s research needs and priorities for the management of natural resources: a small country’s perspective....Pages 127-138 The institutional and organizational implications of integrating natural resource management and production-oriented research....Pages 139-152 Data requirements for agricultural systems research and applications....Pages 153-166 Issues of development of an international soils and terrain database....Pages 167-178 Back Matter....Pages 179-185 Front Matter....Pages 187-187 Multiple-goal planning as a tool to analyze sustainable agricultural production options in Mali....Pages 189-198 Needs and priorities for the management of natural resources: a large country’s perspective....Pages 199-211 The use of systems analysis methods—the experience at a national level (India)....Pages 213-225 Opportunities for use of systems approaches in agricultural research in developing countries—the Senegal experience....Pages 227-232 The SANREM CRSP: a framework for integration of systems analysis methods in a sustainable agriculture and natural resource management research and development agenda....Pages 233-246 Back Matter....Pages 247-251 Front Matter....Pages 253-253 Requirements for systems research in agricultural and environmental sciences....Pages 255-265 Back Matter....Pages 267-268 Front Matter....Pages 269-269 Systems research methods and approaches at CIAT—current and planned involvement....Pages 271-280 Systems approaches for crop improvement and natural resource management research in CIMMYT: past and future....Pages 281-288 CIP’s experiences in the use of systems analysis and simulation....Pages 289-294 Experience of the use of systems analysis in ICARDA....Pages 295-302 Back Matter....Pages 351-357 Front Matter....Pages 269-269 Systems analysis for agroforestry research for development: the experience of and future use by ICRAF....Pages 303-311 The use of systems analysis at international and program levels: IITA’s experience....Pages 313-322 Capacity building and human resource development for applying systems analysis in rice research....Pages 323-339 Systems research at WARDA....Pages 341-350 Back Matter....Pages 351-357 Back Matter....Pages 359-367