Books

Gibbon, D. (2018) Tales from an itinerant agronomist. Learning from peoples, places and writings for a more equitable, systemic and sustainable world. Leicester: Troubadour Publishing.

Elzen, B., A.M. Augustyn, M. Barbier and B. van Mierlo (eds.) (2017). AgroEcological Transitions. Changes and breakthroughs in the making. Wageningen: WUR, 304 pp.

Barbier, M. and B. Elzen (eds.) (2012) System innovations, knowledge regimes and design practices towards transitions for sustainable agriculture. INRA-SAD, 264 pp.

Darnhofer, I., D. Gibbon and B. Dedieu (eds.) (2012). Farming Systems Research into the 21st century: The new dynamic. Dordrecht: Springer, 490 pp.

Ison, R. (2010) Systems practice: How to act in a climate change world. Heidelberg: Springer, 324 pp. (Overview of Springer Books on systems approaches) (Review of the book)

Leeuwis, C. and R. Pyburn (eds.) (2002). Wheelbarrows full of frogs. Social learning in rural resource management. Assen: Van Gorcum, 480pp.

Dixon, J., A. Gulliver and D. Gibbon (2001). Farming systems and poverty. Improving farmer's livelihood in a changing world. Rome: FAO and Washington: World Bank. 412 pp. (download complete book)

Cerf, M., D. Gibbon, B. Hubert, R. Ison, J. Jiggings, M. Paine, J. Proost and N. Roling (2000). Cow up a tree. Knowing and learning for change in agriculture. Case studies from industrialised countries. Paris: INRA editions, 492 pp.

Collinson, M. (Ed.) (2000). History of farming systems research. Rome: FAO and Wallingford: CABI. 432 pp.

Colin, J.-P., E. Crawford (Eds.) (2000). Research on agricultural systems: Accomplishments, perspectives and issues. Nova Science Publishers, 280 pp.

Röling, N. and M.A. Wagemakers (Eds.) (1998). Facilitating sustainable agriculture. Participatory learning and adaptive management in times of environmental uncertainty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 318 pp.

Dent, J. and M. McGregor (1994). Rural and farming systems analysis. European perspectives. Wallingford: CABI. 361 pp.

Brossier, J., L. de Bonneval and E. Landais (Eds.) (1993). Systems studies in agriculture and rural development. Versailles: INRA editions. 415 pp.

Feldstein, H., C. Flora and S. Poats (1989). The gender variable in agricultural research. Manuscript report No. 225e. Ottawa: IDRC. 64 pp.

 

Papers on Farming Systems

Blackmore, C.; N. Sriskandarajah and R. Ison (2018). Developing learning systems for addressing uncertainty in farming, food and environment: what has changed in recent times? Proceedings of the 13th IFSA Symposium held 1-5 July in Chania, Greece.

Bawden, R. (2018). Pedagogies for persistence: Cognitive challenges and collective competency development.

Darnhofer, I., D. Gibbon and B. Dedieu (2012). Farming Systems Research: An approach to inquiry.

Dedieu, B., I. Darnhofer, S. Bellon, K. de Greef, F. Casabianca, L. Madureira, R. Milestad, M. Paine, P. Steyaert, D.J. Stobbelaar and S. Zasser-Bedoya (2009). Innovations in farming systems approaches. An Introduction. Outlook on Agriculture 38(2): 108-110. 

Bawden, R. (2007). A paradigm for persistence: a vital challenge for the agricultural academy. Int. Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 5(1): 17-24.

Schiere, J.B., R.L. Baumhardt, H. van Keulen, A.M. Witbread, A. Bruinsma, T. Goodchild, P. Gregorini, M. Slingerland and B. Wiedemann-Hartwell (2006). Mixed crop-livestock systems in semi-arid regions. In: G.A. Peterson, P.W. Unger and W.A. Payne (eds.). Dryland agriculture, 2nd Ed. Madison (WI): ASA, CSSA and SSSA, pp. 227-292.

Schiere, J.B., R. Groenland, A. Vlug and H. van Keulen (2004). System thinking in agriculture: An overview. In: K. Rickert (ed.). Emerging challenges for farming systems: Lessons from Australian and Dutch agriculture. Barton, ACT (Australia), pp. 57-86.

Doppler, W. (2000). Farming and rural systems - State of the art in research and development. In: W. Doppler and J. Calatrava (Eds.). Technical and social systems approaches for sustainable rural development. Weikersheim: Markgraf, pp. 3-21.

Gibon, A., A.R. Sibbald, J.C. Flamant, P. Lhoste, R. Revilla, R. Rubino and J.T. Sorensen (1999). Livestock farming systems research in Europe and its potential contribution for managing towards sustainability in livestock farming. Livestock Production Science 61: 121-137.

Schiere, J.B., J. Lyklema, J. Schakel and K.G. Rickert (1999). Evolution of farming systems and system philosophy. Systems Research and Behavioral Science 16: 375-390.

Doppler, W. (1999). Environmental perspectives in farming and rural systems analyses. In: W. Doppler and A. Koutsouris (Eds.). Rural and farming systems analyses - Environmental perspectives. Weikersheim: Markgraf, pp. 1-10.  

Bawden, R. (1997). The community challenge: The learning response. Paper presented at the 29th annual International Meeting of the Community Development Society, held 27-30 July 1997 in Athens, Georgia, USA.

Bawden, R.J. (1995). On the systems dimension of FSR. Journal of Farming Systems Research and Extension 5(2): 1-18.

Merrill-Sands, D. and M.-H. Collion (1994). Farmers and researchers: The road to partnership. Agriculture and Human Values 11(2-3): 26-37.

Bawden, R.J. and R. Packham (1993). Systemic Praxis in the education of the agricultural systems practitioner. Systems Practice 6(1): 7-19.

Bawden, R. (1991). Towards action research systems. In: O. Zuber-Skerritt (ed.). Action research for change and development. Aldershot: Avebury, pp. 10-35.

Sriskandarajah, N., R. Bawden and R. Packham (1991). Systems agriculture: A paradigm for sustainability. AFSRE - Association for Farming Systems Research-Extension Newsletter 2(3): 1-5.

Merrill-Sands, D., S. Biggs, J. Bingen, P. Ewell, J. McAllister, and S. Poats (1991). Institutional considerations in strengthening on-farm client-oriented research in national agricultural research systems: Lessons from a nine-country study. Experimental Agriculture 27(4): 343-373.

Stoop, W. and J. Bingen (1991). 'Systems research' or 'research with a systems perspective' in Africa. Some organizational and technical issues. Agricultural Systems 35(3): 235-249.

Brouver, R. and J. Kees (1989). Critical introductory notes on farming systems research in developing Third World agriculture. Systems Practice 2(4): 379-395.

Farrington, J. (1988). Wither Farming Systems Research?Development Policy Review 6(3), 323-332. 

Merrill-Sands, D. (1986). Farming systems research: Clarification of terms and concepts. Experimental Agriculture 22(2): 87-104. 

 

Summary papers from the 2008 Symposium in Clermont Ferrand

P. Steyaert, M. Paine and E. Noe. Learning, collective action and empowerment for rural reorganisation, pp. 1-2.

F. Casabianca and K. de Greef. Vertical integration: farming systems in the food chain, pp. 193-197.

I. Darnhofer, S. Bellon, B. Dedieu and R. Milestad. Adaptive farming systems - A position paper, pp. 339-351.

D.J. Sobbelaar, L. Madureira and J. Baudry. Landscape as a frame for, and a product of, developments in rural areas, pp. 523-527.

H. Langeveld, C. Macombe and P. Roux. GHG emission reduction and energy production in agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and mariculture: Potentials and impact, pp. 655-657.

A. Cristovao, A.M. Sorensen-Langvad and M. Kügler. Change in knowledge systems and extension services: Role of new actors, pp. 783-786.

Barbier, M. V. Garandel-Batifol and M. Bompart (2008). A textual analysis and scientometric mapping of the dynamic of knowledge in and around the IFSA community. Paper presented at the 8th European IFSA Symposium in Clermont Ferrand. 

 

IFSA digital collection at the Univ. of Florida

Over 2000 documents that were collected over the years by Peter Hildebrand have been digitalized by the library of the University of Florida and are now available for download on-line:

IFSA digital collection at the University of Florida

For those interested in sustainable farming in countries of the 'global South', the New Agriculturist might be of interest. There, youwill also find a page on the GFAR (Global Forum on Agricultural Research)

 

Related international publications

World Bank (2012). Agricultural innovation systems. An investment sourcebook. Washington DC: The World Bank. (full pdf can be downloaded on-line).