'Farming Systems Research: Hitting a Moving Target' in World Development, Vol 14, No 1, pp 65-77, 1986

The paper argues that although targetting is a key element in farming systems research (FSR), neither the concepts nor the procedures take sufficient account of the fact that farming systems are in constant flux: the “target” is not static, but continuously on the move. A framework is presented for the analysis of change and the practical implications for farming systems research are analyzed.