Workshop Objectives

Dr Dennis Garrity (ICRAF) presented the objectives of the workshop, outlining the need for a consensus on appropriate research methods. He introduced the social and biophysical rationale behind the methods to be validated in the field exercise. He challenged the workshop participants to accomplish three tasks:

• to review and exchange hands-on experience in the latest systems research concepts and methods applicable to the Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Programme

• to establish a set of common state-of-the-art methodologies by which the social and biophysical environments may be characterized in the course of research implementation at the global sites

• to conduct a validation exercise to test a range of methods at one of the benchmark sites, and use this experience to further develop and modify the methodology

Dr Garrity pointed out that the workshop would cover a set of successive activities:

Monday, 22 Feb
Presentation of two background papers, which were discussed during the Global Steering Group Meeting (immediately prior to the workshop)

Thurs & Fri, 25-26 Feb
Presentations and panel discussions to evaluate, expand, refine and agree upon the methodologies to be used

Sat 27 Feb-8 Mar
Field exercises in West Sumatra that would involve

• practical field testing of methods

• initial characterization of the Indonesian site by the scientists and development specialists from partner organizations

This document reports on the content of the workshop and the field exercise in West Sumatra. The major points raised in the exercises are covered. The appendices contain additional background material regarding the field exercises and papers presented during the course of the workshop (table 1).

Table 1. Activity schedule for the diagnostic field exercise: West Sumatra

Output from this global workshop will include this summary workshop report, which covers the workshop process, conclusions and future directions with examples from the field exercises, and a handbook on methodology guidelines for research on alternatives to slash-and-burn. These two documents will be prepared by ICRAF with assistance from TSBF and IFPRI.

Nationally and regionally, the initial outputs will be a summary report on the site selection process in each country, prepared by the site selection team. A preliminary characterization of each selected site will then be prepared.