Dated: May 2016
Authors: Bernard Vanlauwe , Ken Giller , Ric Coe
A journal article focused on the need for different approaches for the measurement and evaluation of options in agricultural experiments taking place on smallholder farms, due to the inevitable heterogeneity of this environment.
Abstract:
In recent years, many studies have demonstrated the heterogeneity of the smallholder production environment. Yet agronomic research for development (R4D) that aims to identify and test options for increasing productivity has not consistently adapted its approaches to such heterogeneous conditions. This paper describes the challenges facing research, highlighting the importance of variation in evaluating the performance of soil management recommendations, integrating aspects of production risk management within the formulation of recommendations, and proposing alternative approaches to implement agronomic R4D. Approaches are illustrated using two multi-locational on-farm paired trials, each having one no-input control treatment and a treatment with fertilizer application for maize in Western Kenya and for beans in Eastern Rwanda. The diversity of treatment responses should be embraced rather than avoided to gain a better understanding of current context and its relation with past management.
The individual components of the trove are listed below. Click on one to download the file or go to the external url. You can download the full trove below as a .zip file.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303720245_Beyond_average_new_approaches_to_understand_heterogeneity_and_risk_of_technology_success_or_failure_in_smallholder_farming
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303720245_Beyond_average_new_approaches_to_understand_heterogeneity_and_risk_of_technology_success_or_failure_in_smallholder_farming
vanlauwe-coe-mas-alla-de-promedios-2.pdf
2 MB
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