OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK

Conceptually, an operational framework should not only involve institutional mechanisms but should also be looked upon as the process for setting priorities process for ideas for research within the activities originates from a number of sources:

• The process should be bottom up, in which research is driven by farmers' needs, i.e., a demand-driven approach evolved through an ex-ante assessment

• At the same time, ideas for research should originate with the scientists, or flow up from the field.

• In addition, the regional and global implications need to be considered as the research relates to the rest of the world, i.e., a commonality focus as in Global Warming and Biodiversity.

The framework also involves joint efforts among three groups of institutions:

• The consortium of international centres will serve as a resource pool of expertise not available in developing countries.

• Eight developing countries with designated national research institutions have endorsed the project and will host primary sites representative of major agro-ecologies where slash-and-burn systems are widely used and where improved systems can be developed and evaluated.

• A network of national research institutions from additional developing countries will be engaged in practical field evaluation of policies and technologies identified in the project.