Farming system research (FSR) is on-farm research that brings cutting-edge agricultural technologies to growers to enhance farm production, family income, and livelihood status. In 2007, an on-farm study was started on FSR in central India, and the effect was assessed after 5 yr (2012-2013) of implementation by comparing adopters and nonadopters of FSR-based promoted technologies. Further, in 2018-2019, the status of adoption of introduced technologies was also assessed. The study revealed that improved practices such as pre-sowing irrigation, high-yielding varieties, and crop protection measures collectively improved the system productivity of the adopters by 28%; the improved productivity was mainly due to increased yield of blackgram (Vigna mungo L., 157%), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L., 34%), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L., 12%). Adoption of ration balancing and healthcare practices promoted under the FSR project accentuated the milk yield of farm animals (200 L yr -1 cattle -1 ) of adopters. The farm diversification and sustainable production practices under the FSR-based interventions increased family income of adopters by 35% (US$1,517.7 yr -1 ) and employment by 42%. Adopter households averaged a 33.76% higher return per unit of investment than nonadopters. The estimated change is primarily due to the non-neutral technological change. The findings of the study Abbreviations: FSR, farming system research; FYM, farmyard manure; VIF, variance inflation factor.

In my last editorial I wrote that it was a 'floody' quarter. Well, this quarter, till early December, as I write this,

A project to promote multipurpose trees on unutilized wastelands of farmers in a semiarid region of India involved farmers in tree planting to meet their future requirements for firewood, small timber, fruit and fodder. Five such species were selected based on species suitability for the region and the choice of the majority of the farmers -Acacia nilotica, Dalbergia sissoo, Embilica officina/is, Psidium guajava and Ziziphus jujuba. The paper describes farmers' perception towards these species and their performance after three years of growth in the field. The adoption of such species by the farmers on a large scale will require actions to motivate them to invest for their future needs.

An investigation on integrating horti-pastoral systems into prevalent farming systems in central India was undertaken by the team of scientists in Bundelkhand region of India. The preference of fruit species was done through matrix ranking by the farmers and experiments conducted at their fields. The study indicated that majority of farmers following mixed farming, growing crops and rearing farm animals for their livelihood. The maize, groundnut, sesame, black gram, sorghum and pearl millet were found mostly grown in kharif season and wheat, gram, lentil in rabi. However, the mono cropping is still in practice in the area. The acute shortage of quality green fodder has been noticed during summer. The fresh stalk and stover of maize, sorghum and pearl millet in kharif, straw of wheat, gram and green fodder of Egyptian clover was found main source of fodder in winter. The survival of animals managed by the farmers but their production level was much below to their potential. Mostly the farmers have large families as well as animals, small holdings and comparatively better literacy. The farmers did not utilize the land earlier for any purpose, now utilizing and producing quality fodder. The production from fruits expected in succeeding years will contribute additional source of income in the years to come and improvements of degraded lands.

The study was undertaken in three blocks of district Mandi and data were collected about the level of knowledge among dairy and non dairy farmers in district Mandi of Himachal Pradesh. The study reported that the highest average area under cultivated fodder found in Maize crop (0.44ha) followed by Oats (0.25ha), Sorghum (0.16ha) and Berseem (0.15ha) while per non dairy farmer the highest area (0.16ha.) recorded under Maize followed by (0.13ha) Oats, Berseem (0.11ha) and (0.08ha) under Sorghum. As the area possessed under pastures the dairy farmers noticed highest area (0.96ha.) under common pastures followed by (0.68ha) family pasture and (0.24ha). Under hortipastures while in case of per non dairy farmers the highest area (0.93ha) was found under family pasture followed by (0.91ha) common pasture and 0.36ha in hortipasture. As regards to percent area per dairy and non dairy farmers is concerned; the dairy farmers possess more area (14.17%) compared with non dairy farmers (8.43%) in forage crops while non dairy farmer possess more area (34.42%) in pasture compared to dairy farmers (26.65% area). The reasons possessing more area by non dairy farmers under pasture that the maintenance and quality of pastures was not found proper and not getting sufficient fodder out of such pastures.