Email sent to Sub committee on systems

Farming systems research subcommittee-
Heather, Alex, Stefan, Paul Porter, Michelle, Caron, Kim,
Karl for logistics-
A summary of what I understood to be our charge follows.
The Charge: Plan symposia for 2007, for farming systems
research, based on roundtable discussions.
It is clear that some affiliated with the tri-societies and
other national and international entities have a long history
with systems research. It is also clear that as organic
agriculture matures, entirely new dimensions of the system
call for attention.
The purpose of our sub-committee is to organize a
conversation on systems research to be held at this year's
round table. The product of this discussion will be a
proposal for a symposia (to be submitted to A-8?) for the
2006 meeting. To that end, we must decide how to facilitate
a constructive discussion of systems research that is germane
to organic agriculture.
So far is seems we are interested in providing some
background to participants that includes a combination of
looking back (highlights of what has been done by A-8, the
international ag division #?, and individual researchers) and
examples that are forward looking (current efforts supported
by Southern SARE, ongoing international efforts, and
strategies to address emerging systems issues).
An example of an interesting international effort I mentioned
during the call was that a previously informal EU network on
Organic Agriculture (European Organic Agrciulture University
Teachers which uses the acronym ENOAT) has decided that to
achieve desired outcomes of their teaching project they will
merge with the MRENet project which "aims to support the
development of a European dimension to teaching and learning
for disciplines relating to the multifunctional rural
environment by redefining the curricula to reflect
environmentally sustainable, ethically defensible and risk
conscious agricultural and forestry industries that foster
the wellbeing of rural communities, and of the biophysical
and socio-cultural environment in which they live."
* We might all forward such examples to Caron to assist her
with her compilation.
It might be also helpful if we can clarify what we mean by
systems research and maybe identify areas of particular
importance to organic agriculture. I don't know if someone
has already categorized systems research, but I suspect we
are not all thinking about soft-systems engineering. Below
is a start on a short list, please add/revise or scrap as you
see fit.
Looking back- these are still important tools
• Farming systems research - interdisciplinary
assessment of farming systems
• Participatory research - engage subjects in process
of defining, asking and answering questions
• Farming systems approach to research - use of designs
that are of practical relevance to farmers that are not
designed to study the individual components of production
systems. Sadly this is still controversial.
Now and in the future- here it gets wilder-
• Life cycle, energy analyses
• Food systems/food shed
• Farming, food and human health
• Regulatory net works, harmonization of certification,
administrative burden and farm scale
• Agriculture, human and community development
In addition to sending comments/additions/corrections to the
previous note, please let me know if at this time you want to
find an individual or two to provide an overview or instead,
prefer we find individuals share examples that showcase
promising strategies or identify areas of need.
Next steps:
Does any one want to take a shot at crafting the questions we
ask round table participants to discuss?
Who among us is interested in using the outcome of the round
table discussion to draft the symposium proposal?
And... Tasks underway:
Caron – research groups involved in systems research in last
5 yr
Kim – contact Laurie Drinkwater and seek NRI funding
opportunities
I'll try to summarize responses and move us forward by the
end of next week so please reply within a week.
Michelle