Evolution of farming systems and system philosophy

Farming systems (FSs), and ways of thinking about them, evolved in space and time. Rapid evolution took place in the last two decades when crop and livestock yields increased, together with concerns about their socio‐economic and biophysical trade‐offs. The application of farming systems research (F...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Systems research and behavioral science 1999-07, Vol.16 (4), p.375-390
Main Authors: Schiere, J. B., Lyklema, J., Schakel, J., Rickert, K. G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural development
Agricultural policy
Agricultural systems
Animal Production Systems
Applied Philosophy Group
Constructivism
context
Dierlijke Productiesystemen
Farming systems
Laboratorium voor Fysische chemie en Kolloïdkunde
Leerstoelgroep Dierlijke productiesystemen
Leerstoelgroep Toegepaste filosofie
Livestock
MGS
Philosophy
Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science
Planning
relation
thermodynamics
Trade-off
WIAS
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Summary:Farming systems (FSs), and ways of thinking about them, evolved in space and time. Rapid evolution took place in the last two decades when crop and livestock yields increased, together with concerns about their socio‐economic and biophysical trade‐offs. The application of farming systems research (FSR) to agricultural development was a response to problems arising from a predominantly reductionist approach to research and a cornucopian view of external inputs. Modern technologies were either not welcome or caused unexpected negative trade‐offs. This paper reviews definitions and forms of FSR and the need for evolution in thinking about agricultural development. Application of thermodynamic theory (TDT) to the study of farming systems influences discussion between cornucopians and conservationists, and between reductionist and holistic approaches to research. There is a need to recognize context (suitability of technology), and to pay more attention to relations within systems (system dynamics) and to defining criteria for sustainability. The paper links biophysical and socio‐economic processes, gives a physical background for the anthropomorphic concepts of waste, and reviews aspects of objectivism and constructivism. It is argued that FSR can only advance if the full portent of these issues is considered in thinking about development of FSs. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ISSN:1092-7026
1099-1743
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1743(199907/08)16:4<375::AID-SRES254>3.0.CO;2-Q