On-farm research: Experimental approaches, analytical frameworks, case studies, and impact

Abstract

On-farm research is becoming widespread due to a growing interest among farmers, agronomists and the research community. While the concept of on-farm research is not new, the scale and influence of on-farm studies conducted by farmers in partnership with industry and university researchers are expanding. New technologies, tools, and analytical approaches are rapidly evolving to advance the reach and impact of on-farm research. Papers in this special issue include the use of on-farm testing to increase economic and environmental sustainability in Africa and South America, the development of a new analytical collaborative frameworks for better summarization, visualization and communication of research results, and a new analytical approaches based on Bayesian hierarchical and multivariate analyses that can be used to assess complex relationships between management, genetics, soils, and the environment. Simulation approaches were also tested to identify the most efficient experimental designs and estimation methods of statistical parameters. In all situations, on-farm research leads to improved productivity, better economics, higher adoption of conservation practice and greater farmer satisfaction.