Abstract

Farming systems, and ways of thinking about them, evolved in space and time. Rapid evolution took place in the last two decades when crop and livestock yields increased, together with concerns about their socio-economic and biophysical tradeoffs. The application of farming systems research to agricultural development was a response to problems arising from a predominantly reductionist approach to research and a cornucopian view of external inputs. Modern technologies were either not welcome or caused unexpected negative trade-offs. This paper reviews definitions and forms of FSR and the need for evolution in thinking about agricultural development. Application of thermodynamic theory I to the study of farming systems influences discussion between cornucopians and conservationists, and between reductionist and holistic approaches to research. There is a need to recognize context, and to pay more attention to relations within systems and to defining criteria for sustainability. The paper links biophysical and socio-economic processes, gives a physical background for the anthropomorphic concepts of waste, and reviews aspects of objectivism and constructivism. It is argued that FSR can only advance if the full portent of these issues is considered in thinking about development of FSs. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.