The ICRAF’s Diagnostic and Design Methodology
Diagnosis and Design (D&D) is a systematic methodology developed by International Centre For Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) to initiate, monitor, and evaluate agroforestry programs. It is based on the philosophy that knowledge of the existing situation (diagnosis) is essential to plan, implement and evaluate meaningful and effective programs in agroforestry research for development. In the design of appropriate agroforestry systems following three criteria’s are used:
- Productivity – high production of both agriculture and forest products.
- Sustainability– It is a pattern of resource development and use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come.
- Adaptability– Technology (species and techniques) recommended for agroforestry system development should be locally applicable.
Objectives or Purposes of D & D methodology:
- To describe and analyze existing land use systems with respect bio-physical and socio-economic condition
- To design appropriate agroforestry technologies or research work
- To develop technologies to solve farmers’ problems in priority land use systems in specific eco-zones.
The basic unit of D&D analysis is the land use system that can be defined and analyzed at the level of a farming system, crop system, eco-zone or any other unit. The structure and function of any land use system are determined by climatic, physical, biological, technological, economic, social, and political factors. D&D focuses on the interactive effects these factors have on the land use system, and searches for opportunities for improved system development in the land use system.
There are six main steps in the process:
- Level of D and D methods: Macro D&D (national and ecozone level) and Micro D&D (land use analysis at the production systems level)
- Technology design
- Component experimentation
- Technology testing
- Technology dissemination and adoption