An overview of farming system typology methodologies and its use in the study of pasture-based farming system: a review

Abstract

The main objective of the paper is to do a critic study of the use of typology methodologies within pasture-based farming systems (PBFS), especially those situated in less favoured areas, showing in each case the more relevant variables or indicators determining the farming system classification. Another objective is to do an overview of the most used farming system typology methodologies in general. First some considerations about the concept of farming system and approaches to its study have been done. Next, the farming system typology methodologies have been showed in general to different farming systems, but addressed preferably to PBFS. The different tools integrated in these methodologies have been considered: sampling methods, sources of data, variables or indicators obtained from available data and techniques of analysis (statistical or not). Methods for farming system classification have been presented (expert methods, analytical methods or a combination of both types). Among the statistical methods, the multivariate analysis has been overall treated, including the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis. Finally, the use of farming system typology methodologies on different pasture-based farming systems has been presented. The most important aspects considered are following: the main objective of the typology, the main animal species, the employed methods of classification and the main variables involved in this classification.

Ways of farming and ways of thinking: do farmers’ mental models of the landscape relate to their land management practices?

“…Practices can be characterized from face-to-face ethno-technical interviews combining semi-structured questionnaires and preprint maps of the farm as a medium for facilitating discussions (Gibon 1999, Mottet et al 2006. Farmers' land management practices can then be categorized using a two-step statistical analysis commonly used in farming systems research (Mądry et al 2013). First, a multivariate analysis of farmers' land management practices is used to identify a limited number of composite variables called axes.…”

Challenges and Sustainability of Wheat Production in a Levantine Breadbasket: The Case of the West Bekaa, Lebanon

“…Wheat production systems. As defined by Madry et al (2013), homogeneous farms are classified as one group or type of farm, representing a single farming or production system. In order to identify the different wheat-based production farms, we developed a typology based on selected criteria related to the crop sequence and the integration of other agricultural activities, such as crops and animal production.…”

Trends and Drivers of Change of Pastoral Beef Production Systems in a Mediterranean-Temperate Climate Zone of Chile

“…Typology of livestock systems to identify relatively homogeneous farm groups would facilitate the development of targeted agricultural policies to help to ensure the viability of the Chilean livestock sector. Numerous multivariate statistical methodologies have been used to develop farm typologies (e.g., [24][25][26][27][28]).…”