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 3.3 The farming system is determined by the environment in which the
 farming family operates. The "total" environment in which it operates
 can be divided into the technical (natural) and human elements.

 3.4 The technical element reflects what the potential farming system can
 be and, therefore, provides the necessary condition for its presence.
 The technical element can be divided into:

 (a) Physical factors-water, soil, solar radiation, temperatures, etc.
 (b) Biological factors-crop and animal physiology, disease, insect
 attack, etc.

 Technical scientists have been able to modify the technical element
 to some extent.

 3.5 The human element has often been neglected in traditional research
 approaches to development of improved technologies, which accounts
 for their often being rejected or, at best, being differentially
 adopted, thereby resulting in an inequitable distribution of benefits.
 The human element, providing the sufficient condition for the presence
 of a farming system, determines what the actual farming system will
 be-being a subset of the potential defined by the technical element.

 3.6 The human element can be divided into two components or groups of
 factors. The exogenous factors-the social milieu in which the
 fearing household operates-are largely out of the control of the
 individual farming household, but will influence what its members are
 able to do. They can be divided into three broad groups:

 (a) Community structures, norms, and beliefs.
 (b) External institutions or support systems. This is often provided
 by government, both on the input (extension, inout distribution)
 and product (direct and indirect intervention) sides.
 (c) Miscellaneous influences-location, population density, etc.

 On the other hand, endogenous factors-land, labor, and capital,
 along with management-which are under the control of the individual
 farming household, can be used by them to derive a farming system
 consistent with their goals) subject to the boundary conditions laid
 down by the technical element and exogenous factors. The endogenous
 factors can, under certain circumstances, be complemented and
 supplemented in quantitative and qualitative terms through the
 influence of exogenous factors-such as capital through a credit
 program, management via extension, etc.

4. Defining the farming systems approach to research (FSAR)

 4.1 The primary aim of the FSAR is to increase the overall productivity
 of the farming system-therefore, hopefully the welfare of
 individual farming families--in the context of the entire range of
 private and societal goals-given the constraints and potertials
 imposed by the determinants of the existing farming systems.