Revisiting the farming systems research in Indonesia: How to interpret the past twenty-five years of history and how to move forward from here?

During the past thirty years, Farming Systems Research (FSR) in Indonesia has changed significantly. This article traces the development of FSR from the 1970s, a time of confusion over the actual meaning of FSR, to the twentieth century, when major problems were the policy constraints and expectations to produce measurable results. The authors argue for a decentralized system of FSR as well as an appropriate balance between basic and on-farm research.