Download CSE Program Research Strategy

Cropping Systems and Economics Research Program Strategy
Global context/trends
Food security is a major concern since the 2007 food price crisis. This crisis was centred on
rice prices, along with other staple cereal crops. Prices for these commodities remain
relatively high compared to pre-crisis levels. A number of factors that drove that crisis remain
intricately linked to food pricing and the certainty of production: climate change and its
impacts; failures of major exporting nation’s crops; use of cropping land for non-food crops
such as biofuels; and policy responses centred on national needs. Productivity gains,
particularly amongst vulnerable smallholder producers, are the best means of insuring
against future shocks.
International 'fit'
Increasing farm-level food security and productivity is an ongoing challenge in developing
country smallholder systems. Unproductive cropping systems have a range of factors:
complex and dynamic problems requiring an understanding of inputs and their interactions;
inefficient production practices; and poor incentives due to risks such as climate and market
uncertainties. Cropping system research encompasses a broad range of applications of
proven technology—focusing on improved management and profitability of soil fertility,
conservation tillage, equipment and system interactions—as well as effective, participatory
linkages between researchers, service providers and farmers of both genders.
Research themes
Research themes
Unproductive cropping systems:
Poor producer incentives:
Risk-constrained productivity or
livelihoods:
Inefficient production:
Complex and dynamic production
problem complexes which lack a
clear definition of well focused
research issues:
Priority research areas
Adjustment of farm-enterprise patterns and
production practices and linkages to supporting
institutions, for intensification and diversification.
For example: crop-management–value-chain–
germplasm integration, SIMLESA, Africa; wateragronomy–livestock–markets integration, southern
Laos.
Improved management of tradeoffs between crops,
between inputs, between income and risk, between
food supply and reliability, to lead to better
profitability and livelihoods and reduced market and
climate risk.
Improved resilience of cropping systems, changed
crop varieties, patterns or production practices, or
mitigation of market or climate risks through
mechanisms such as insurance or market access.
For example: risk reduction in SIMLESA, Africa.
Overcome significant production constraints at farm–
cropping-systems level (in contrast to soil or basin
levels) and increase resource and input
productivities/efficiencies.
For example: Happy Seeder projects, India.
Understand interactions between inputs or farm
enterprises—either currently or at a future date—in
order to scope and focus research questions.
Cropping Systems and Economics Research Program Strategy
Countries
Country
% of budget: active projects
Delivery on corporate goals
ACIAR goal, to
improve:
Food and nutrition
security.
Productivity and
resilience of crop,
livestock, forestry and
fisheries systems.
Smallholder and
community livelihoods.
Individual and
institutional R&D
capacity.
Contributions of projects in the Cropping Systems and
Economics program
Intensified maize–legume cropping systems in east and
southern Africa.
Rice varieties which fit into existing cropping systems.
Increased resilience to climate and market risks through better
crop management, varieties and linkages to input and produce
chains in east and southern Africa.
Conservation agriculture systems for cereal production.
Better crop-establishment methods to improve productivity and
overcome labour constraints.
Diversified rice-based cropping systems which respond to new
market opportunities.
Project capacity-building activities for scientists and farmers,
formal and informal; John Allwright Fellowships.
Future focus
Programs and projects focus research on adjustments in cropping systems and farm-level
economic conditions, for increased productivity to contribute to improved food security,
poverty reduction, farm-systems adjustments and household decision making, and where
crops are a major source of livelihoods. As with other Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research (ACIAR) projects in general, this program targets research which:
contributes to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); is aligned with government priorities;
has commitment of local partners and champions; has Australian expertise and comparative
advantage; and with high probability of impact.
This research is often associated with livestock, aquaculture and tree-crop research, as well
as climate change and policy research, in order to devise systems that are biologically
efficient.
Research Program Manager: Dr John Dixon
Phone: + 61 2 6217 0531
Facsimile: + 61 2 6217 0501
Email: [email protected]