2
research results that perform poorly on farms (Figure 1), or the rejection on-station of technologies which might have performed well on farms but were never released (Figure 2).
As methods have developed over time, FSRE is not limited to small farms. Indeed, efficiency in the use of research resources is enhanced by incorporating farmers from multiple environments. In this chapter, methods for incorporating large numbers of limited resource farmers into on-farm research are discussed. Later in the chapter, means of including larger, more commercial farms is covered.
CONCEPTS AND METHODS
Using FSRE methods, farm problems are diagnosed by rapid rural appraisal procedures
(Chambers, 1981) or sondeois (Hildebrand, 1981), that incorporate farmers as active participants working with multidisciplinary research and extension teams. These methods are flexible and may or may not use formal questionnaires in the process. Problems encountered are elaborated and prioritized for research by several methods including those proposed by Tripp and Woolley (1989) from CIMMYT and CIAT.
Research domains
An earlier concept that sought homogeneous groups of farms (Hildebrand, 1 981; Norman, 1980) has been modified to incorporate the concept of a research domain (Wotoweic, et al., 1988) which recognizes the fact that farms, and farmers are highly variable and taot this vaiability. Often research- domains are chosen, based on biophysical characteristics although they may be chosen politically. Research domains ideally contain a wide range of environments that are incorporated as early as possible in the technology screening process. Environments in this context can be associated with farms, fields or even portions of fields. The use of socioeconomic considerations in the choice of environments withinthe research domain enhances efficiency in technology development and evaluation.
To comprehend a research domain, compare the environment for producing tobacco in the field on the small, resource-poor farm in north Florida shown in Photo 1 with the environment for raising tobacco in the field on a larger farm, in the same area, but which has enough resources that it can dominate the environment to a much greater extent. shown in Photo 2 and to the environment for raising tobacco on an experiment station, also in the same area, where it is grown with few limitations, allowing most environmental factors to be dominated, Photo 3.
All of these environments can be considered part of the same research domain and be incorporated simultaneously into an integrated technology development, evaluation and diffusion process for tobacco in north. Florida. The;-nature .of -on-farm research in research domains is exploratory, to answer the questions WHAT and WHERE, not why and when. Diverse environments such as those shown in north Florida. enhance the exploratory nature of on-farm research in research domains.
Recommendation doman
In a research domain, an integrated, multidisciplinary research and extension team conducts both biophysical and socioeconomic on-farm research and analyzes the results to 1) characterize the biophysical envirornents associated with each location, 2) elicit farmers! evaluation criteria with respect to the technology being evaluated, and 3) define recommendation domains. A