State of knowledge of methodologies for establishing “typologies of production systems”

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, climatic hazards and land pressure have stimulated a search for production intensification methods, adapted to the various environments and types of farming, in a bid to ensure food security in the region. Indeed, this intensification is conditioned by the availability to farmers of innovations that are adapted to their constraints and priorities. Thus, the adaptation of innovations to the diversity of agricultural production systems requires establishment of typologies that reflect the heterogeneity of farms and make it possible to reduce diversity to a manageable scale. In this article, we reviewed the state of knowledge on methods for establishing “typologies of production systems”, based on existing knowledge, in order to examine the extent to which they enable understanding of this reality of the agricultural economy. Faced with current global challenges, such as population growth and climate change, sufficient food supplies and quality will require more efficient and robust production systems, based on good agricultural practices that ensure efficient use of the natural resource base, and within an enabling policy and institutional environment. Improving production systems for sustainability will, therefore, need to be based on the implementation of relevant recommendations derived from typologies built through science-based robust methodology, combining participatory approaches and quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods, “data mining”.