Presented by Mirja Michalscheck, Wageningen University of Research at the Africa RISING–CSISA Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Meeting, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 11-13 November 2013

1. Farming Systems Approach
Mirja Michalscheck, Wageningen University of Research
Africa RISING–CSISA Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Meeting,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 11-13 November 2013

2. … to answer questions like …
… to better understand
methods
Landscape
data
tools
Communities
Household
• Landscape images
• Ecological Structure
• Social Emphasis
• Commons
• Farm Business
• Single Plots
How suitable are certain
technologies / practices in a
particular setting?
How poor / wealthy are potential
beneficiaries?
How vulnerable are they to shocks?
Farming Systems Analysis
Possibilities / Limitations
What questions do we answer?
AR Research

3. Suggested
SImeasures
Food Prices
1.
Labour Market
Input Prices
Farming System
(Business)
2.
3.
Dimensions
of Evaluation
Climate Change
Impact on Scales

4. Models
Scale
Landscape
FarmDESIGN
FARMSIM
Farm
Plot/field
Complexity
static
dynamic

5. Farm DESIGN and FARMSIM serve to..
• Assess components and characteristics (DESCRIBE)
• Analyse and diagnose (EXPLAIN)
• Explore opportunities & trade-offs (EXPLORE)
• Evaluate and suggest changes (DESIGN)
… related to farming systems
D
D
E E

6. Input: Data & Tools
• AR Surveys
•
•
•
•
ImpactLITE for West Africa (Ghana and Mali)
N2Africa
Farm Design Data Sheet for Tanzania and Malawi
Simleza
• Secondary Data (including experimental data)
• Conceptually linked to large-scale IFPRI surveys: Statistical backup

7. Suitability of
Technologies &
Practices
• Availability (markets, services)
• Acceptability (culture)
• Affordability (farm business)
• Projected Impacts (yields, ecological quality)
• Ability to operate & maintain (skills)

8. How poor / wealthy
are potential
beneficiaries?
• Socio-economic profile of target group?
• Poor households, but: power set-up within household/business?

9. Vulnerability to Shocks
• Snapshot of Breeds/Varieties , Financial Buffer,
Family Labour Availability
• Dynamic Models

10. Vision
• Growing AR Data Base: Model Inputs, Details on Context
• Stronger link to community and landscape aspects in the static model
(e.g. through agent based models)
• Integrate Gender and Nutrition in Farm DESIGN

11. Thank you very much !
Questions to the Research Group: jeroen.groot@wur.nl
Questions on the ppt: mirja.michalscheck@wur.nl

12. Entry Points for Research
Error
Total
Parameters
Structure
Complexity
Passioura (1996)

13. Impressions of Field Work

14. Structural
Typology
Survey
Functional
Typology
Rapid
Characterization
Extrapolation
Systems
(Re)design
Potential Impact
Farm
Innovations
n = 50 - 100
Farm
Diagnoses
Detailed
Description
Explore
Innovations
Trade-Off
Analysis
n = 10-50