COSA Poster (2006)

Soil Science Society of America Past President, Dr. John Havlin views poster at 2006 Annual Meetings in Indianapolis, IN.

The poster developed from the breakout sessions during the Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA) Annual Roundtable (2006).

Systems Research: Challenges and Oppurtunities

Managing complexity in systems research

i. Managing multiple perspectives

ii. Identify windows of interest rather than boundaries

iii. Changing systems to maintain multiple perspectives

iv. Mechanistic tools may not fit

Balancing Farming Integrity and Research Needs in Simulated Cropping Systems
i. Address both ecological and economic problems/ concerns

ii. Reward structure should balance quick success with long-term benefits

iii. Perform treatments on farm-relevant scales

iv. Communicate cross disciplinary approaches with example applications

v. Embrace a dynamic research model (e.g. crop sequences)

Keeping the Research Components Integrated During the Implementation Phase

i. Need a vision keeper, group capacity builder

ii. Publish process as well as research

iii. Pursue adaptive management research

iv. Need to share common vision, or commitment to solve a problem

v. Forge shared hypothesis, detailed objectives

Including Farmers as Equal Collaborators While Also Being Efficient in Using Their Time

i. Offer fair compensation for farmer’s time

ii. Clearly outline goals, objectives, and expectations

iii. Develop a project so farmers have vested interest

iv. Develop mutual respect and honor farmer knowledge

v. Respect farmer time constraints during the growing season.

Reducing the time required for meetings in interdisciplinary research

i. Use visual tools such as concept mapping

ii. Use highly qualified and motivated research staff

iii. Invest in human capacity, such as a good facilitator

iv. find the right time for collaborators

v. empower farmer and students to take responsibility for the agenda

Melding disciplines within a systems level research project

i. Encourage more merging of disciplines in school so that new faculty are accustomed to this process

ii. Since you need multiple perspectives to understand whole systems each discipline should take the time to appreciate the strengths of all the other disciplines.

Leaving Behind the Factorial Mentality in Designing Systems Experiments

i. Don’t forget factorials but use them wisely. Consider starting with systems then working backwards. Pulling out the smaller questions to use in factorials

ii. Need new sources of funding. Current examples include SARE and NRCS Innovation Grants

iii. Need alternate publications to support systems research

iv. Appreciate the synergy of systems/ narrative as science. There is still a need to use regular quantitative analysis.

Building Flexibility into Systems Level Research

i. Put a lot of time and focus into initial design and principles. If you stick to these principles, and they are strong, then fluidity will be accepted.

ii. Build on an idea of adaptive metrics (which tell us how well we are responding to the challenges presented to us by our environments.

Systems Research: Plant and Animal Breeding

Train breeders skilled in cultivar development and knowledgeable in systems thinking

• Continue to develop new cultivars
• Maintain a critical mass of students at universities with major plant breeding programs and insure that there are opportunities for training in allied disciplines
• Ensure that there are plant breeding faculty with the expertise to teach critical courses
• Explore alternative models of education for post-baccalaureate students and farmer breeders
• Reinvigorate education of international plant breeders through graduate student training and collaboration

Increase utilization of new public cultivars

• Collaborate with stakeholders in trailing new varieties, seed production, and marketing
• Develop the capacity of foundation seed and crop improvement organizations to market specialty crops and organic seed

Breed cultivars for organic and sustainable systems

• Have listening sessions with farmers to understand their needs
• Conduct on-farm trials in the target system
• Work with interested farmers on participatory breeding projects to select cultivars or improved populations
• Make breeders and policy makers aware of the importance of breeding annual and perennial cultivars adapted to complex rotation and diverse agro-ecosytems

Engage stakeholders to support plant breeding for sustainable and organic agriculture

• Develop a white paper explaining the centrality of plant breeding to sustainable systems
• Connect with sustainable agriculture organizations
• Develop materials for the popular press and general audiences