FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND THE ADAPTIBILITY OF THE OBTAINED RESULTS IN SOME LIBYAN AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS

AMER A.

Abstract
It has been recognised that an important element of food problem lies in increasing the agricultural production by many millions of small and large-scale farmers in the developing countries. The third -world farmer manages a complex farming system which produces a number of commodities, often, both crop and animal products. Increased productivity may stem either from the use of improved crop varieties and animal breeds or from intensification of land use by better management of land and water resources and other more comprehensive improvements in the farming systems.

However, not until recently much research has been devoted nationally or internationally to intensification via system-wide consideration of the small farming system. The aim of most research today has been to improve single crop or animal species considered in isolation. The Farming System as a whole has not been generally emphasised despite the fact that farmers must operate in the context of their particular Farming System and the new technology must be implemented within this system

By the application of Farming Systems Research as an up to date method, - the author studied projects in his country, Libya. Two selected projects out of four have been evaluated concentrating on the achieved results of the previous three years together with the applied technology.

Based on the obtained results the activity of the two projects is very promising, however there are certain fields which need more attention to be given for their improvement in the future. To provide more scientific and practical help the author worked out recommendations by which better results and higher performances can be obtained.

Key Words:
economic analyses, farming system research, improved technology, input- output ratio, production results

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