Participatory On-Farm Research in Indias Semi-Arid

Abstract

Farming systems in India's semi·arid tropics are complex, diverse and risk-prone. One of the major challenges to farming systems improvement in India is the development of environmentally sustainable farming practices, which are profitable to small farmers and can be implemented within these farmers' severe resource constraints. Solutions to India's farming problems cannot be solved by technological solutions alone due to the complex socioeconomic and socio-cultural issues relating to caste, gender, farm size, farm ownership and labour. This paper firstly provides an outline of an innovative participatory action research methodology developed and implemented through an India - Australia co-learning partnership to try to address this challenge. Secondly, the paper reports on the practice change facilitated by the use of this methodology and explores the potential for this methodology to facilitate further change in agricultural practice, including agricultural research and extension.