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The two major differences to emphasize about the
administrative changes the project has experienced between 198o and 1984 are 1) "vertical" linkages have been replaced by more "horizontal" linkages, which has had the effect of moving the project "out of Gainesville" and "into the counties," and 2) collaborative planning and evaluation efforts involving researchers and extension agents with the team are stronger. During 1934, a majority of the project's on-farm trials have been put in utilizing labor and resources from the Live.Qa Aricult-ur41/73unation Center. While most of the data are still processed in Gainesville due to the availability of facilities, some processing has been transferred to Live Oak, and Swisher keeps copies of research results on hand. Personal computers. have been purchased which will expand the processing capacities of the research station based staff even more during 1984-85.
Discussions at the 1983 annual review suggested that the FSR/E Pr'ject begin to consider expansion. This would require moving into new counties and perhaps into new types of farming systems. In order for this to develop, further institutional-administrative modifications would probably be necessary. The idea that has the most merit at present is to create "regionally-based" FSR/E units. Regional units would be stationed at the Agricultural Research Centers around the state. Regional fleld teams could consist of multicounty agents affiliated with FSR/E, FSR/E trainees on internships or. other kinds of support-in-training, and paraprofessionals. This represents a general organizational form common to other farming systems projects, such as ICTA's in Guatemala. These team members would cooperate with station research scientists and county extension agents. Figure 5 depicts this type of institutional organization.
As of June, 1984, the Assistant Deans for Extension and Research have been appointed to oversee the North Florida Project's future development, evaluation, and planning. This is yet another step in the institutiotialization of the project in IFAS.
Decision-making
How does'the team make decisions about the research and
extension activities it conducts? The following steps summarize the decision-making process as it is generally and somewhat ideally employed.
1) a need or problem is identified on the basis of
observations of and discussions with members of the clientele, and/or with extension agents and researchers. Initially, these needs were determined through a Sondeo. Once the team began working in the region, periodic assessznents )L farm conditions have been used to determine new needs or problems. The evaluation to be 1--ndulcted over 1984-87 will help provide such data.