Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
inventory of farmer's knowledge and farmer's views on land use processes. To
monitor the agricultural and natural land production function, a sample of farmers
was selected and visited twice a year (wet and dry season) for the agricultural
production information and monthly for the natural production function. The
agricultural production function was also measured through yield measurements.
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Development of land use planning tool and its application (WP5)
Inputs and outputs of the agricultural production systems in the case study areas
under given boundary conditions (current and future) were calculated using the
technical coefficient generator Technogin (Ponsioen et al., 2004). Inputs and outputs
were incorporated in a knowledge system (OSIRIS), where the information was
combined with biophysical information and information on production systems
on natural land. A user friendly interface was developed to allow easy inspection
of results in the form of maps and graphs for different land use scenarios.
2) Can you identify disciplinary and multi-disciplinary activities?
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Disciplinary: inland valley characterization (soils, vegetation).
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Multi-disciplinary: integration of biophysical and socio-economic information in
technical coefficient generator and knowledge system, analysis of land use con-
straints, land use options and stakeholder analysis in Village Planning Workshop.
D) General project outputs
1) What are the scientific contributions of the project (to RDSA methodology or
more general scientific contributions)?
Biophysical and socio-economic characterization of inland valleys in study areas
New items are:
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Valuation of natural production systems.
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Highlighting of promising land use patterns and compositions (crops/natural
vegetation) based on the application of the land use planning support tools (TCG
and GIS-based), providing new perspectives on current land use systems.
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Realizing and testing natural resource and land use mapping exercise with local
communities in research villages.
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Analysis of agricultural versus natural production systems.
2) What are policy-relevant findings of the project for Dutch and for Southern
policymakers?
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The study area is an area with severe food shortages (especially Burkina Faso);
agricultural and natural production systems in the first place serve food provision.
However, for the agricultural production systems these are not the most profitable
ones. Better benefits can be obtained with other crops and modified cropping
systems. The access of farmers to land (tenure restrictions!), hired labour,
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