On Thursday, 13 June 2024, the Plant Production Systems (PPS) Group at Wageningen University organized a symposium themed “Farming systems analysis: What have we learned?” The event honored the Emeritus Professor of Plant Production Systems at Wageningen University, Prof. Ken E. Giller, at his retirement ceremony. It featured presentations from his former students, who shared their research activities and the lessons they learned over the years.
A researcher at Wageningen University, Jens Andersson, moderated the symposium. He began by outlining the three foundational elements of farming systems analysis: system thinking in agriculture, interdisciplinary collaborations, and interactions with stakeholders. With this introduction, he invited the speakers to share their experiences.
The Director of Research and Development at the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) in Benguérir, Morocco, Shamie Zingore, presented “Site-specific nutrient management in smallholder farming systems: Insights from two decades of farming systems research.” He emphasized the need to double crop productivity to close the gap between low production and food consumption, ensuring smallholders can access site-specific agronomic recommendations. Zingore highlighted that fertilizer is crucial for sustainable crop production and smallholder farmers’ productivity. He noted the challenges in developing technologies that work for individual farms but pointed out that effective fertilizer use can double productivity and drive sustainability.
Professor of Livestock Systems at the School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Prof. Mariana Rufino, discussed “Grazing lands: Building resilience in smallholder farming.”
The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) Systems Agronomist, Frederic Baudron, shared his views on the successes, remaining challenges, and new demands on farming systems analysis in Africa.
Assistant Professor at Plant Production Systems (PPS) Group, Wageningen University, Lotte Woittiez, spoke about “Perennial cropping systems research at PPS: What have we learned?”
Following Prof. Giller’s students’ presentations, IITA Research for Development (R4D) Director and a friend to Prof. Giller, Bernard Vanlauwe, presented “Beyond farming systems analysis to facilitate change at scale: Experiences and reflections.” He highlighted the benefits of viewing a “research object” from different angles and discussed the way forward in farming systems analysis. Emphasizing some ways, Vanlauwe mentioned certification, such as the roundtable for sustainable palm oil, where certified farmers achieve higher yields, and intensification, which involves increasing yield per unit of resource— land, labor, water, and nitrogen.
The event concluded with a general discussion, wrapping up a day of insightful reflections and forward-thinking strategies in farming systems analysis.
Contributed by Ochuwa Favour Daramola
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