18 Dec 2007 16:00
Unit:
Wageningen University
Location:
Aula, building 362, Gen. Foulkesweg 1, Wageningen
Organisation:
Wageningen University
Promotor:
prof.dr.ir. J.A.J. Verreth (Fish Culture and Fishery)
Co Promotor:
Dr.ir. H.M.J. Udo, Dr.ir. J. van den Berg (TU Delft), Dr.ir. Uzay Kaymak (EUR)
Whereas agricultural extension shifted to more participatory approaches, as yet common mathematical models of farming systems represent farmers’ motives solely by ‘utility maximisation’. Hence this thesis focused on the modelling of farmers’ motives in their decision-making with regard to mixed farming which is considered more sustainable than specialisation. We gathered data from 144 farms in Vietnam where the rice-based systems have diversified into integrated agriculture–aquaculture. The desire to improve livelihood and diet especially for children was a main motive for diversification whereto livestock and fish were essential in specific stages of farmhousehold’s life-course. We conceptualised farmers’ decision-making in a hierarchical fuzzy model of several inference systems using linguistic rules. Though smaller than its sensitivity to labour, capital and land endowment, the models’ sensitivity to family related motives was of the same magnitude as to products’ prices. Farm models that don’t include family-related motivations need to be revisited.
Title thesis: "Using fuzzy logic models to reveal farmers’ motives to integrate livestock, fish, and crops."