The user perspective and the agroforestry research and action agenda

This paper focuses on the user perspective and the agroforestry research and action agenda. The main points are that tapping farmer expertise and experience can provide information and judgment and "successful" technologies can often have a negative effect on specific groups. (author)

This document looks at why there is a need for a user perspective in tropical research and development, especially for agroforestry projects. It also looks at what agroforestry is used for and for whom is serves. The design and practice in rural areas where the landscape presents a challenge to agroforestry is looked at. Indigenous knowledge and agroforestry is discussed along with the four foci of a user perspective in agroforestry. It provides the agroforestry research and action agenda and it answers the question of: How can institutions develop and apply a user perspective for projects?