This chapter describes methods for assessing the adoption potential of agroforestry practices through participatory on-farm trials, and their application in the five Kenya and Zambia case studies. We discuss briefly the evolution of adoption assessments through on-farm research. We then define three types of on-farm trials and discuss their main features, management and suitability for generating information on adoption potential. The next section discusses the organization of participatory on-farm trials; the following section presents specific methods for determining the biophysical performance, profitability, feasibility/acceptability, boundary conditions and insights about dissemination of practices tested in on-farm trials. The chapter then discusses how this on-farm research approach fits into a new farmer-centred model of the research–development continuum, and concludes with some thoughts on future priorities.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851995618.0011Altmetric score:
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Publication year
2002
Authors
Franzel, S.; Scherr S J; Cooper P J M; Place F; Coe, R.
Language
English
Keywords
agroforestry, assessment, farming systems, research and development, technology
