Level of D&D Methods:

a. Macro D&D

It is a large-scale analysis of an eco-zone within a country. Macro D&D is important for deciding on national agroforestry research-and extension agenda at-the national level. It relies heavily on secondary data which are verified and complemented by quick field surveys using Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques.

The Objectives of Macro D&D

Macro D&D is an analysis of an ecozone within a country or group of countries. The four main objectives of the Macro D&D are:

• to identify broad issues and problems of all the land use systems of a given eco-zone.
• to identify and prioritize areas for potential agroforestry interventions
• to identify research priorities and formulate research programs
• to identify needs, opportunities, and mechanisms for coordination and linkages with various line agencies for technology development.

b. Micro D&D

It gives attention on one land use system within the larger eco-zone that has special priority for agroforestry intervention. Micro D&D involves a detailed analysis of households and production systems in the land use system. It leads to guidelines for research that will address the constraints of the prioritized land use system.

Objectives of Micro D&D

The objectives of micro D&D are similar to those of macro D&D. The major difference is that whereas macro D&D has a broad scope (i.e., an ecozone), micro D&D focuses on detailed analysis of one prioritized land use system. The three main objectives of micro D&D are:

• to describe and analyze a land use system in order to identify its constraints
• to design and evaluate agroforestry technologies to address the constraints
• to design and evaluate appropriate research programs aiming to develop these technologies.

The basic principles or steps for achieving these objectives are as in macro D&D. These steps are as follows:

There are seven steps in macro/micro D&D exercise:

• Identification of study eco-zone or household or land use system within eco-zone.
• Delineation of land use systems within the eco-zone or household or land use system
• Description of land use systems
• Analysis of land use system constraints and potentials
• Analysis of potential agroforestry technologies (species selection, spacing and plantation establishment and management techniques)
• Definition of agroforestry research needs, and
• Coordination and linkages with various line agencies for agroforestry technologies and techniques development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and technology dissemination and extension.

Following points should be considered while evaluating new technology:

• Economic viability: benefit/cost ratio, and cost effectiveness; net returns to land/labor/cash; risk and sensitivity analysis.
• Sustainability: analysis of the capacity of new technology to meet short -and long-terms objectives; analysis of expected changes and requirements related to soils, water, vegetation, management, and commercial input/output streams, and sustainability of achievements.
• Farmer acceptability: comparability analysis with respect to resources and management; also, social analysis with respect to defined rules and responsibilities within household obligations. It is essential to analyze who in the household makes decisions on the resources required, who has to do the work, and who will receive the benefit accruing from proposed changes.
• Adoption potential: analysis of technology impacts in terms of number of farmers, lateral adoption, institutional and infrastructural support systems.