important contribution to make in the selection of
research problems and priorities, the design and analysis
of results, and the screening of recommendations for
farmers. Carrying out multi-disciplinary team work in an
interdisciplinary manner is not an easy mode of operation
for most persons trained in narrow disciplinary fields.
It needs to be encouraged and supported.
 Although on-farm research activities are a logical
outgrowth of research institutions, it is also possible to
have an extension institution involved in applied or
adaptive research. This alternative should not be
considered as a shift of the research responsibility from
a research to an extension institution. The on-farm
program should be related to the research institution for
technical orientation and support needed by the extension
staff.
 Close cooperation between research and extension is
not common in most developing countries. Often their
institutions are budgetarily and physically separated;
national extension and research organizations are seldom
equal in budget and number of personnel. It is also not
uncommon to find a lack of cooperation between these
organizations and even personal animosity between
researchers and extensionists. All these factors affect
the flow of technology transfer from the research program
to extension activities. Therefore the alternative to
have on-farm research activities within an extension
framework is, in principle, one way to establish a
rewarding relationship between the two organizations.

PLANNING AND MANAGING ON-FARM RESEARCH

 Any successful research program requires some
mechanism for establishing a work plan and for
periodically reviewing progress. Advanced planning of
on-farm research is particularly important because the
work occurs off-station. Consequently, it is important to
specify, in advance, what research is to be undertaken and
the degree of support to be provided by commodity or
disciplinary teams, as they must work in a decentralized
manner.
 The first step in developing a work plan is problem
identification. Objectives of the initial
characterization and exploratory stages of a regional