Farming Systems Research (FSR) may be defined as a diagnostic process, providing a collection of methods for researchers to understand farm households and their decision-making. Its applications use this understanding to increase efficiency in the use of human and budgetary resources for agricultural development, including research, extension and policy formulation.

This book provides a detailed history of FSR. While it includes the application of FSR to developed country agriculture, its main focus is on FSR in its original role, with small-scale, resource-poor farmers in less...