Maize adaptive research: achievements and prospects in Southern Africa
1990
Low, A.R.C. | Waddington, S.R.
In the last six to eight years, farming systems adaptive research has contributed much to the understanding of maize production constraints on smallholder farms in southern Africa. It has contributed less to the development of more appropriate maize technology and improved maize productivity. The potential production impact of farming systems adaptive research (FSAR) has been constrained by the often inappropriate technology available to FSAR from component research and the ineffective use of results of FSAR by extension. However, FSAR has demonstrated the utility of a problem (client) oriented approach to technology development. This approach is now extending into some maize commodity research and extension programmes. Truly effective linkages have stiff to be developed in most instances, but if these developments can be fostered and both formal and informal linkages encouraged, then the prospects for building on the lessons learned and results achieved through FSAR so far are good, provided that the resulting input supply implications are adequately addressed. The latter is something that FSAR has yet to do.
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