Farmer First Revisited

Innovation for Agricultural Research and Development

As part of Practical Action's climate change series, co-author Ian Scoones and supporter Robert Chambers, who wrote the forward for the book, highlighted their research for agricultural innovation described in the book.

The book presents 'dangerous ideas in development' by enabling farmers in vulnerable areas to be innovators of agricultural research and method.
Agriculture is an urgent priority worldwide and farmers in the developing world find themselves in the front line of some of the world's most pressing issues, such as climate change, food security, water shortage and globalisation. Very often, farmers are not given the support they require and perish under these tough circumstances.

DFID, as part of its 2008 strategy, had invested £200m for agricultural research system, so that farmers can be involved in joint learning, ventures and testing methods suitable for their climate. Key findings focus on farmers, farms and technology available to the market from a broad aspect. Revamping agricultural education systems to new generations will address today's challenges by supporting new ways of thinking and doing.

Robert Chambers described agricultural research and development as a 'radical transformation' stressing that female re-education and cooperation will largely bring about change. This is in partnership with innovation stemming from universities engaging in active field work, and donor support.
The general observation is that co-learning, changing of bureaucratic behaviour and the 'bottom-up' approach is the main ingredients to innovative systematic change, which is needed in our current agricultural market. Agricultural innovation now takes place within national public-sector research and diversified public-private systems. This book brings the concerns of grassroots farmers to the fore. Innovation needs to spread to the South, thus fully supporting inatitives brought by this publication.