Putting Sustainability into Practice in Agricultural Research for Development

Cox, P. G.; MacLeod, Neil D.; Shulman, Arthur D.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-0265-8_6

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…King (1998) illustrate the myriad of ways in which the sustainability concept is approached. Agricultural researchers have been 'seen to act as if sustainability is either goal-prescribing (meeting certain goals) or system-describing (focusing on fixed properties or levels) concepts' (Cox et al 1997). These goal-prescribing and system-describing approaches are based on 2 main assumptions.…”

Section: How Can Indicators Address Short-term and Long-term Considermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…That is, the meaning of sustainability is constantly changing in different ways for different people in different contexts and hence different realities or perceptions about sustainability will inevitably emerge. Based on this indeterminate perspective of sustainability, an alternative approach has been put forward by Cox et al (1997) that aims to re-construct sustainability as a process improvement tool in research. The difference with this approach is 2-fold.…”

Section: How Can Indicators Address Short-term and Long-term Considermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reflections on collectively working toward sustainability: indicators for indicators!

Freebairn¹,

King²

2003

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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Abstract. A variety of indicators have been developed and applied by farmers and scientists for the northern cereal belt. A general overview is presented of 'What are we trying to monitor?' followed by some example concepts; erosion hazard, salinity hazard, nutrient balance, production efficiency and participatory learning. These examples illustrate the complexity of indicator application and their dependence on context, purpose and scale. Emphasis is given to providing a rationale for developing indicators that focus on 'soft' system status (e.g. behaviour) as well as 'hard' system status. The propositions put forward are that indicators need to be integrated with the development of improved management systems, and that land managers (and community) as a collective, are key to this process. Some frequently asked questions about indicator development and application are responded to. Some 'Indicators for Indicators' that we have found useful in aiding indicator development, particularly in participatory fora are presented.

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Section: How Can Indicators Address Short-term and Long-term Considermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: How Can Indicators Address Short-term and Long-term Considermentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflections on collectively working toward sustainability: indicators for indicators!

Freebairn¹,

King²

2003

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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“…Thus, there is incongruity between word properties and the quest for quantification. This adds to the ambiguous nature of sustainability (Cox et al 1997), which is a hindrance to the development and adoption of a clear assessment framework, although sustainability has long been a popular notion in general terms (e.g. Kane 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Theoretical concepts of agricultural sustainability have been seen as either goal-describing or system-describing (Thompson 1992). The goal-describing concept specifies a priori how the system ought to be, and entails normative judgements about agricultural practices and their sustainability (Cox et al 1997;von Wirén-Lehr 2001 refers to it as meansoriented). It has been criticised as being logically flawed (Thompson 1992;Hansen 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

et al. 2013

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Concepts of agricultural sustainability and possible roles of simulation modelling for characterising sustainability were explored by conducting, and reflecting on, a sustainability assessment of rain-fed wheat-based systems in the Middle East and North Africa region. We designed a goal-oriented, model-based framework using the cropping systems model Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). For the assessment, valid (rather than true or false) sustainability goals and indicators were identified for the target system. System-specific vagueness was depicted in sustainability polygons-a system property derived from highly quantitative data-and denoted using descriptive quantifiers. Diagnostic evaluations of alternative tillage practices demonstrated the utility of the framework to quantify key bio-physical and chemical constraints to sustainability. Here, we argue that sustainability is a vague, emergent system property of often wicked complexity that arises out of more fundamental elements and processes. A 'wicked concept of sustainability' acknowledges the breadth of the human experience of sustainability, which cannot be internalised in a model. To achieve socially desirable sustainability goals, our model-based approach can inform reflective evaluation processes that connect with the needs and values of agricultural decision-makers. Hence, it can help to frame meaningful discussions, from which actions might emerge.

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Systems for Sustainability: People, Organizations, and Environments

Wheeler

1998

Journal of the Operational Research Society

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Putting Sustainability into Practice in Agricultural Research for Development

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

Reflections on collectively working toward sustainability: indicators for indicators!

Reflections on collectively working toward sustainability: indicators for indicators!

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

Systems for Sustainability: People, Organizations, and Environments

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