Participatory Research (PR) at CIP with Potato Farming Systems in the Andes: Evolution and Prospects

AbstractResearch aimed at advancing conservation farming practices is typically performed using traditional scientific approaches, which have been highly successful in increasing agricultural output and efficiency. With the current emphasis on environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture, there is a need for a more integrated approach to applied agricultural research. Participatory research helps to bring scientific methods and the integrated production needs of farmers together to develop practical, effective, and carefully tested farming methods. The strength of participatory research is in the synergism of scientists and farmers working together to design, implement, and evaluate research. The development of new technologies for farming systems large or small, conventional or organic, can be greatly enhanced through more extensive use of participatory research.

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Participatory organic research in the USA and Italy: Across a continuum of farmer–researcher partnerships

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170516000247 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 331-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kathleen Delate ◽

Stefano Canali ◽

Robert Turnbull ◽

Rachel Tan ◽

Luca Colombo

Keyword(s):

Participatory Research ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Research Activities ◽

The Us ◽

Organic Farmers ◽

The Usa ◽

On Farm ◽

The Eu ◽

Organic Research

AbstractOrganic agriculture continues to expand in the USA and in the European Union (EU), particularly in Italy, which had 48,650 organic farms in 2014 compared with 19,474 in the USA. Additionally, EU support for organic research is nearly double than that of the USA. Along with increased support for organic research, the EU organic community has achieved recognition at the European Commission policy level for a dedicated innovation platform, advocating the practice of farmer-first models for participatory research. The US land-grant universities have a long history of on-farm research, primarily through the Extension Service, but the need exists for more inclusive, second-loop, co-research with organic farmers. A survey was conducted of organic farmers and researchers in Italy and in the USA to ascertain the extent of participatory organic research activities and experiences, and explore the vision each group had for the future of co-innovation between organic farmers and researchers. Results indicated that, despite the higher level of organic research support in the EU, the percentage of researchers involved in on-farm/participatory organic research was equivalent in Italy and the USA, presumably due to the more recent emphasis in Italian/EU agricultural research agendas on the importance of farmer knowledge and participation in organic research. Overall, 60% of surveyed organic researchers in both countries cited involvement in on-farm/participatory organic research, with ‘farming systems’ and ‘nutrient/pest management’ the main research focus in the USA, compared with ‘farming systems’ and ‘equipment’ in Italy. Both countries’ researchers expressed their vision of participatory research as helping to improve communication between researchers and farmers, to enable work on relevant research, and to allow farmers to adapt technologies to their own conditions. Organic farmers in Italy completed survey questionnaires as part of a field day activity, leading to more Italian farmers responding to the survey, compared with USA counterparts who were queried via e-mail. Organic farmers in Italy identified ‘knowledge-sharing’ as a critical value of participatory research, and were conducting on-farm research with less compensation than US farmers. The ‘lack of time’ was cited as the most important constraint limiting participatory research by Italian and US farmers, although the ‘lack of common language’ also was rated as potentially impairing full participation. Lessons shared between EU and US organic researchers as a result of this project included methods to institute policies aimed at increasing support for organic research and co-innovations with organic farming communities, and connecting experienced on-farm researchers in the US with Italian colleagues to enhance collaborative activities with organic farmers.

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Impact of Conventional Cattle Farming Systems on Farmer Awareness, Livestock Output and Household Income

Jurnal Ilmu Produksi dan Teknologi Hasil Peternakan ◽

10.29244/jipthp.8.3.144-150 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 144-150

Author(s):

D. A. Iyai ◽

D. Nurhayati ◽

S. Pakage ◽

I. Widayati

Keyword(s):

Field Study ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Household Income ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Farming System ◽

Government Services ◽

Long Time ◽

Cattle Farming ◽

Analyze Data

Cattle was introduced in Papua a long time ago. However, it was unpredictable to adapt to raise cattle.An explorative field study was performed in fifteen villages using participatory research to betterunderstand the dynamics of cattle performances. Cattle farming system has been categorized in threetypes, i.e. small- and medium-sized systems. They used ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis to analyze data. Thefinding of this research was that the three sizes of cattle farming in many components of good farmingpractices were similar (p>0.05). No large gap was found along the lines of farmers, cattle, and economicperformance. West New Guinea’s Tropical Livestock Unit was low and has the potential to increase dueto agribusiness potential. Better government services and other related stakeholders should narrow thelack of good agricultural practices.

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Undertaking participatory research at a national scale: the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze approach

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an09007 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 49 (10) ◽

pp. 916 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

K. L. Bridle ◽

R. J. Price

Keyword(s):

Participatory Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Limited Information ◽

Multiple Stakeholders ◽

National Scale ◽

Electronic Communications ◽

National Network ◽

Mixed Farming ◽

Environmental Goals ◽

Research Organisations

Limited information is available on the management and delivery of national-scale biodiversity projects. Even less information is available on such projects operating in agricultural matrices, particularly how they address the expectations of multiple stakeholders from paddock to farm, regional and national scales. This paper describes the approach taken to implement and deliver the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze project, which was national in focus, regional in operation and local in delivery. The project was instigated by four research and development corporation partners who were keen to connect the interests of mixed-farming producers to the environmental goals of nine collaborating regions across Australia. One aim of the project was to engage producers in participatory research on the biodiversity values of mixed-farming systems. This aim could not have been met without considerable effort building regional capacity in biodiversity research and developing a national network of researchers, regional extension staff and stakeholders. This national network was engaged primarily through program and project workshops, regular electronic communications and site visits. Levels of engagement were high, resulting in a sense of ownership by all stakeholders, counteracting to some degree the ill feeling associated with the late inclusion of the biodiversity project to regional activities. Issues relating to goal confusion were evident throughout the whole project, despite a concerted effort by the project team to address such tensions. Previous studies have indicated, and we concur, that biodiversity components need to be built into programs like Grain & Graze at the beginning, and need to be developed in consultation with farmers, regional agencies and research organisations to ensure that expectations are shared and the project is fully supported.

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Effects of sowing date and sowing rate on plant development and grain yield of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) in a temperate environment

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s002185960006706x ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 117 (3) ◽

pp. 325-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

J. Risi ◽

N. W. Galwey

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Chenopodium Quinoa ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Target Population ◽

Sowing Date ◽

Row Spacing ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

The Andes ◽

Row Width ◽

Temperate Environment

SUMMARYQuinoa produces a cereal-like grain with a higher protein content and a better balanced amino acid composition than the major cereals. It is cultivated at high altitudes in the Andes, and is believed to have potential for temperate regions. In the development of quinoa as an arable break crop, sowing date, sowing rate and row spacing are identified as agronomic variables having a high priority for investigation. The variety Baer, from high latitudes at sea-level in Chile, and the variety Blanca de Junin, from the inter-Andean valleys of Peru, were sown on 25 March, 14 April and 7 May 1982 at spacings between rows of 0·8 and 0·4 m and sowing rates within rows of 0·2, 0·4 and 0·6 g/m, at Cambridge, England. These varieties were chosen for their strongly contrasting origins and plant types. In another experiment sown on 15 March 1984, Blanca de Junin was replaced by another valley variety, Amarilla de Marangani, somewhat better adapted for cultivation in England. Between-row spacings of 0·4 and 0·2 m, and sowing rates of 15, 20 and 30 kg seed/ha were used. Weed competition was more intense after later sowings, causing the plots sown in May to be abandoned. At the higher sowing rates, plants were shorter, a higher proportion were stunted, branching was reduced and maturity was earlier. These effects were more marked in the valley varieties, particularly Blanca de Junin. Increases in within-row density caused greater increases in competition effects than corresponding reductions in row width, except for the effect on the proportion of branched plants. The highest grain yield, 6·96 t/ha, was obtained with Baer sown in March in rows 0·2 m apart at 20 kg seed/ha. However, Amarilla de Marangani produced a higher yield at 30 kg seed/ha than at 20 kg seed/ha, which is surprising since valley varieties are normally sown with low target population densities or in intercrop, and Amarilla de Marangani was, in other respects, less tolerant of competition than Baer. The implications of these results for the cultivation of quinoa in mechanized farming systems, both in temperate and in highland tropical regions, are discussed.

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