Agroecosystem analysis
In recent years there has been a growing demand for a more multidisciplinary and holistic content to agricultural research and development and for the formulation of methods by which this can be acheived. Farming systems research and integrated rural development are two responses to this demand but, in common with other multidisciplinary approaches, they face the problem of trying to encompass a breadth of expertise while at the same time generating a common agreement on worthwhile practical action. At the heart of the procedure are the concepts of the system, system hierarchies, system properties and the agroecosystem. The participants begin by defining the objectives of the analysis and the relevant systems, their boundaries and hierarchic arrangement. This is followed by pattern analysis, the systems being analysed by all the participating disciplines in terms of space, time, flows and decisions. These patterns are important in determining the important system properties of agroecosystems, namely productivity, stability, sustainability and equitability. The outcome of the analyses are a set of agreed key questions for future research or alternatively a set of tentative guidelines for development
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Londres (RU)
1983
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