Selecting appropriate practices for specific locations that are aligned with the needs, values and priorities of farmers is difficult. Researchers are using Decision Analysis to overcome the challenge.
In an attempt to fill this methodological gap, researchers from World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and the University of Bonn, Germany have been pioneering the use of Decision Analysis approaches.
They have already applied Decision Analysis in a number of different contexts, including municipal water supply and honey-based value chains in Kenya, reservoir restoration in Burkina Faso and conservation agriculture throughout East Africa.
At the heart of this research approach is a participatory modelling process to gather ‘domain expertise’ on systems of interest and translate this knowledge into programmable impact pathways and generate forecasts of the outcomes of value to decision makers.
The Decision Analysis process allows for the integration of expert knowledge with scientific research into a comprehensive analytical framework. The process can assess the likely outcomes of agricultural interventions and can be widely applied in designing sustainable-development policies and programs.
