The evaluation of preliminary farming systems technologies: Zero-tillage systems in West Africa

Abstract The appropriate form of evaluation of new farming systems depends on the stage of development of the technology. At each state of technology development new systems are screened and the most promising ones selected for further research. Linear programming is a cost-effective tool for the evaluation of preliminary technologies as it allows interaction between the production parameters, quantifies the impact of limiting factors by shadow prices and can also be used for simulation. The screening of potential zero-tillage systems for West Africa is a concrete example.