How do you conduct a farmer-led research trial? How do you design it so that it reliably answers you questions? What are the key considerations?
The framework for farmer led research outlines this process:
1. Check whether your question already has a good answer!
2. Find like-minded farmers willing to replicate your trial.
3. Choose the field and the trial layout carefully, to make the test fair.
4. Apply treatments, locate them accurately, and record everything.
5. Photograph and assess treatment effects in the field.
6. Collect spatial data to assess the result: yield mapping, drone imagery or satellite imagery.
7. Compare the treatment effect(s) with ‘background effects’ to gauge how likely it is that the differences are ‘real’.
8. Share, learn and profit! … Now, what is the next question?
