Agronomy and Policy Design: Tackling the ‘where, what and how’ Questions

Abstract

A methodology is presented for exploring future land use options, aimed at supporting strategic land use policies. A major role of agronomists in implementing this methodology is to quantify future-oriented production activities (technologies) for the various land units within the system to be explored. These technologies are confronted with value-driven objectives and preferences of stakeholder groups within a mathematical linear programming model. The consequences of different priorities are revealed at the systems level, both in terms of trade-offs and associated land use. The SysNet project in South East Asia operationalizes such a methodology in four case studies. Major milestones of this project are highlighted.