Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island
Studies on decision-making processes are generally aimed at identifying farmers' needs and predicting farmers' reactions to technical innovations. In the present paper we study these decision-making processes, with reference to dairy farms, to build a whole-farm computer model (WFM) which simulates farmers' actions. In this study, (i) a multi-tool and multi-step methodology is proposed, which can also be qualified as an iterative and interactive methodology to reveal decision rules and (ii) a generic structure to formalise how action is conducted, tenned 'structure for action modelling' (SAM). In the case of forage crop-dairy cattle systems, we have tested the current methodology to capture the decision rules and the SAM to represent action concerning farm management. An 'immersion' approach, inspired by the ethnographic approach has been adapted to access operational technical decisions (taken on a daily basis). This study helped in understanding how detailed and large approaches can be complementary and can facilitate identification of what can be generalised in a conceptual model. To define the generic structure (SAM), a set of descriptive variables concerning technical operations has been selected. The conceptual model generated is composed of decision rules reconstructed by researchers with farmers' committed participation. The validation method is based on participatory approaches and on comparing of actions simulated by the model with practices on the ground. Not contesting the fact that farmers plan their action, this study also revealed the importance of adjustments in action. For example, 20 to 55% of the time the planned food ration is not distributed to the milking cows because of forage unavailability. We also discuss how this structure can facilitate integration of decision mechanisms in biophysical models and how such an integration of adjustment decision rules can produce more realistic simulations of technical actions. Error of biotechnical evaluations done by the WFM is reduced from about 25% to about 10% with the application of the proposed method.
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Subjects: | U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques, L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales, E16 - Économie de la production, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081, |
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dig-cirad-fr-5406952024-01-28T15:20:09Z http://agritrop.cirad.fr/540695/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/540695/ Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island. Vayssières Jonathan, Lecomte Philippe, Guerrin François, Nidumolu Uday Bhaskar. 2007. Animal (Cambridge), 1 : 716-733.https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731107696657 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731107696657> Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island Vayssières, Jonathan Lecomte, Philippe Guerrin, François Nidumolu, Uday Bhaskar eng 2007 Animal (Cambridge) U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production La Réunion France http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 Studies on decision-making processes are generally aimed at identifying farmers' needs and predicting farmers' reactions to technical innovations. In the present paper we study these decision-making processes, with reference to dairy farms, to build a whole-farm computer model (WFM) which simulates farmers' actions. In this study, (i) a multi-tool and multi-step methodology is proposed, which can also be qualified as an iterative and interactive methodology to reveal decision rules and (ii) a generic structure to formalise how action is conducted, tenned 'structure for action modelling' (SAM). In the case of forage crop-dairy cattle systems, we have tested the current methodology to capture the decision rules and the SAM to represent action concerning farm management. An 'immersion' approach, inspired by the ethnographic approach has been adapted to access operational technical decisions (taken on a daily basis). This study helped in understanding how detailed and large approaches can be complementary and can facilitate identification of what can be generalised in a conceptual model. To define the generic structure (SAM), a set of descriptive variables concerning technical operations has been selected. The conceptual model generated is composed of decision rules reconstructed by researchers with farmers' committed participation. The validation method is based on participatory approaches and on comparing of actions simulated by the model with practices on the ground. Not contesting the fact that farmers plan their action, this study also revealed the importance of adjustments in action. For example, 20 to 55% of the time the planned food ration is not distributed to the milking cows because of forage unavailability. We also discuss how this structure can facilitate integration of decision mechanisms in biophysical models and how such an integration of adjustment decision rules can produce more realistic simulations of technical actions. Error of biotechnical evaluations done by the WFM is reduced from about 25% to about 10% with the application of the proposed method. article info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal Article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://agritrop.cirad.fr/540695/1/document_540695.pdf application/pdf cc_by_nc_nd info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731107696657 10.1017/S1751731107696657 http://catalogue-bibliotheques.cirad.fr/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=191069 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1017/S1751731107696657 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/purl/https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731107696657 |
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U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 |
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U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 Vayssières, Jonathan Lecomte, Philippe Guerrin, François Nidumolu, Uday Bhaskar Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
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Studies on decision-making processes are generally aimed at identifying farmers' needs and predicting farmers' reactions to technical innovations. In the present paper we study these decision-making processes, with reference to dairy farms, to build a whole-farm computer model (WFM) which simulates farmers' actions. In this study, (i) a multi-tool and multi-step methodology is proposed, which can also be qualified as an iterative and interactive methodology to reveal decision rules and (ii) a generic structure to formalise how action is conducted, tenned 'structure for action modelling' (SAM). In the case of forage crop-dairy cattle systems, we have tested the current methodology to capture the decision rules and the SAM to represent action concerning farm management. An 'immersion' approach, inspired by the ethnographic approach has been adapted to access operational technical decisions (taken on a daily basis). This study helped in understanding how detailed and large approaches can be complementary and can facilitate identification of what can be generalised in a conceptual model. To define the generic structure (SAM), a set of descriptive variables concerning technical operations has been selected. The conceptual model generated is composed of decision rules reconstructed by researchers with farmers' committed participation. The validation method is based on participatory approaches and on comparing of actions simulated by the model with practices on the ground. Not contesting the fact that farmers plan their action, this study also revealed the importance of adjustments in action. For example, 20 to 55% of the time the planned food ration is not distributed to the milking cows because of forage unavailability. We also discuss how this structure can facilitate integration of decision mechanisms in biophysical models and how such an integration of adjustment decision rules can produce more realistic simulations of technical actions. Error of biotechnical evaluations done by the WFM is reduced from about 25% to about 10% with the application of the proposed method. |
format |
article |
topic_facet |
U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques L01 - Élevage - Considérations générales E16 - Économie de la production http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6543 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081 |
author |
Vayssières, Jonathan Lecomte, Philippe Guerrin, François Nidumolu, Uday Bhaskar |
author_facet |
Vayssières, Jonathan Lecomte, Philippe Guerrin, François Nidumolu, Uday Bhaskar |
author_sort |
Vayssières, Jonathan |
title |
Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
title_short |
Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
title_full |
Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
title_fullStr |
Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
title_sort |
modelling farmers action: decision rules capture methodology and formalisation structure: a case of biomass flow operations in dairy farms of a tropical island |
url |
http://agritrop.cirad.fr/540695/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/540695/1/document_540695.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT vayssieresjonathan modellingfarmersactiondecisionrulescapturemethodologyandformalisationstructureacaseofbiomassflowoperationsindairyfarmsofatropicalisland AT lecomtephilippe modellingfarmersactiondecisionrulescapturemethodologyandformalisationstructureacaseofbiomassflowoperationsindairyfarmsofatropicalisland AT guerrinfrancois modellingfarmersactiondecisionrulescapturemethodologyandformalisationstructureacaseofbiomassflowoperationsindairyfarmsofatropicalisland AT nidumoluudaybhaskar modellingfarmersactiondecisionrulescapturemethodologyandformalisationstructureacaseofbiomassflowoperationsindairyfarmsofatropicalisland |
_version_ |
1792496703724584960 |