Research with Farmers: Lessons from Ethiopia

The overall objective of this volume is to show the impact of farming systems research (FSR) activities in Ethiopia on agricultural research and on the development of technologies and policies for small-scale farmers. The work reported is based on research conducted by scientists at the Institute of Agricultural Research, in collaboration with staff from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Center for tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Livestock Center for Africa (ILCA). Ethiopia is one of the few developing countries where FSR activities have been institutionalized and have had and important influence on the development of new technologies for farmers. Consequently, the research results, as well as the policy analysis, methodology and the institutionalization process, will be relevant to all researchers and change agents concerned with the developing world, whether they be economists, policy makers or administrators.