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Project properties |
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| Title | Model-based exploration of synergies in rice-based farms |
| Group | Farming Systems Ecology |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Jeroen Groot |
| Examiner(s) | Rogier Schulte |
| Contact info | jeroen.groot@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2017/03/01 |
| End date | 2020/08/30 |
| Description | INTRODUCTION
Rice-based smallholder farms face many challenges to increase productivity in order to improve nutritional and economic aspects of rural livelihoods in a sustainable way. In on-station and on-farm trials new options for improved rice cultivation are being investigated, focusing on better cultivars, inputs and cultivation practices. These new cultivation options have to fit into family farms are very diverse and dynamic. Farm systems can be analyzed in the context of the livelihood strategies of the farm family, which may comprise other activities besides farming. Farms differ in production objectives, socio-economic and biophysical conditions, which affect strategic choices for crops and animals to be kept. Often these choices have long-term implications, since they require investments (e.g. machinery and infrastructure) and improvement of natural resources like soils. Most farmers adjust their farms continuously to fine-tune and improve their system, and to respond to changing conditions in markets and the environment such as climate change and policy adjustments. An overarching priority is to improve the sustainability and resilience of farms. The objective of this study is to assess farm system-level impact of improved rice cultivation options on the productivity, profitability, socio-institutional interactions and environmental performance of farms. These analyses can be performed in sites located in sub-Saharan African countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and Tanzania. OBJECTIVES The main objective is to conduct an ex-ante exploration of tradeoffs and synergies between productive, economic, social and environmental performance indicators at the farm system-level, as affected by implementation of innovative rice cultivation activities. PROCEDURES • Collect on-farm data in a selected case study region • Perform surveys and interviews with experts and policy makers • Process data into a database and perform analyses • Whole-farm modeling with FarmDESIGN • Statistical analysis (multivariate statistics, analysis of variance, regression analysis) EXPERIENCES GAINED • Preparation of a detailed proposal • Learning how to work with large datasets, models and/or GIS-based tools • Conducting field, farm and/or landscape observations • Interpretation and analysis of (spatial) data • Writing an MSc thesis (and preferably a manuscript for a journal) in English |
| Used skills | • Preparation of a detailed proposal
• Learning how to work with large datasets, models and/or GIS-based tools • Conducting field, farm and/or landscape observations • Interpretation and analysis of (spatial) data • Writing an MSc thesis (and preferably a manuscript for a journal) in English |
| Requirements | to be discussed |