A presentation from the WCCA 2011 event held in Brisbane, Australia.

1. Coping with heterogeneity. Typologies for
agricultural research and development
Santiago Lopez Ridaura (Pablo Tittonell)

2. What is a typology?
The study, analysis or classification based on
types or categories
What are they used for in AgSci:
Describe heterogeneity
Simplify complexity
Target technical innovations
Develop organisational alternatives
Aim policy measures
Select collaborators for R&D projects

3. Different kind of typologies:
A continum between structural and functional characteristics
Farm Types Farming Styles
STRUCTURAL
FUNCTIONAL
Biophysical Economic Socio-cultural
Quantitative Qualitative
Explorative Descriptive
Predictive Explicative
Mechanistic Empirical

4. A structural typology
The CMDT farm types in Mali
Farm characteristic A B C D
Household size (persons) 25.1 11.9 8.5 5.5
Labour force (persons) 11.8 5.7 3.9 2.5
Area cultivated (ha) 17.8 10.1 5.8 3.3
Cattle (TLU)* 23.1 3 .6 .1
Oxen (TLU) 5.8 2.7 1 .2
Ploughs 4.2 2.2 .9 .1

5. A structu-functional typology
Farms in Camargue, South of France
TYPE Brief description
Specialized large size rice producer Farm size > 265 ha.
Rice surface > 80%
Specialized middle size rice producer Farm size < 265 ha.
Rice surface > 80%
Large size rice producer More than 60% of their surface under Rice, the rest in durum
wheat, more than 276ha
Middle size rice producer More than 60% of their surface under Rice, the rest in durum
wheat, less than 276ha
Partially organic rice producer Same land use as middle sire rice producer but an average of
20% of LU in organic
Livestock breeder Around 35% of rice, 35% of forages and 30% of other crops
Organic livestock breeder Same land use as livestock breeder but with partial or total
area in organic
Diversified crop producer More than 50% of durum wheat and other crops, an average
of 35% of rice
Organic diversified crop producer Same land use as diversified crop producer but with partial
or total area in organic

6. Typologie des types de sol camarguais

7. A functional typology
Response of small scale
coffee farmers to the
price crisis in 2000

8. A functional typology
Response of small scale coffee farmers to the price
crisis in 2000
A) Clusters diferenciation
50% of More than
households or Developping 75% of
less new activity households
Using more than Developping
one agronomic new production
change
Less than More than Less than More than
25% of 75% of 25% of 75% of
households households households households
“Agronomic “Off-farm “Farming
“Few Changes”
Changes” diversification” diversification”
(11 households)
(8 households) (5 househlods) (10 households)

9. Farm characteristics Agricultural Farming orientation Intensity level
activities
Intensive
Conventional
Livestock and Extensive
annual crops Extensive
120 ha Organic
(20 flat sandy soils, Intensive
80 slope clay soils, Intensive
20 loamy slope) Conventional
Perennial and Extensive
annuals crops Extensive
Organic
Intensive
Instensive
Conventional
Extensive
Annual crops
Extensive
50 ha Organic
Intensive
(10 flat sandy soils,
40 slope clay soils) Intensive
Conventional
Extensive
Perennial crops
Extensive
Organic
Intensive

10. But:
Keep in mind that typologies are a social
construct done in relation to the
objectives of research and development
project
So:
What kind of typology for what kind of
studies?