Criteria for research on sustainable agriculture : a case study of the Selwyn Stewardship Monitoring Scheme

Abstract

Interest in sustainable agriculture has grown to worldwide proportions over the last two decades. This is primarily a result of the environmental degradation associated with conventional agriculture and because some sectors of society are questioning conventional agriculture's long term viability. Interest in sustainable agriculture has also been expressed by the research community. Evidence can be found in the number of researchers that are involved in 'sustainable agricultural research' and the range of research initiatives being undertaken. One such initiative is the Selwyn Stewardship Monitoring Scheme (SSMS). Established in 1994, and based in the Selwyn district of Canterbury, New Zealand, the programme aims to identify sustainable farming practices on four farms by monitoring a range of environmental and socioeconomic indicators. However, the term sustain ability has no one universal definition and there is some concern that the word sustainability has become a catch phrase found in many research funding proposals. There is also some scepticism whether these initiatives can claim to be 'sustainable agricultural research', when there are certain qualities and characteristics which research needs to embody if it is to aid in development of a more sustainable agriculture. These characteristics distinguish it from other research. There are five main characteristics which research should embody if it is to be more effective in developing sustainable farming practices. One, a systems perspective and process to research; two, an interdisciplinary nature; three, a focus on the development of technologies, practices, and innovations that are site specific; four, a recognition of the importance of farmers and the benefits they can bring in developing a more sustainable agriculture; and five, be of a long term nature. In addition, monitoring programmes such as the Selwyn Stewardship Monitoring Scheme, need to have well defined goals, suitable monitoring tools, a knowledge base that allows land managers to respond to monitoring outcomes, and to fully utilise the monitoring results. The SSMS has demonstrated how most of these characteristics can be incorporated into one programme. However, it could be improved if it develops social indicators, places more emphasis on developing user -friendly indicators, involves some form of experimentation, encourages more community participation and creates a collective pool for all of the monitoring results. These recommendations can easily be incorporated into the existing framework of the scheme.