This paper describes the use and role of trade-off analysis as a decisionmaking tool in the implementation of new technologies and sustainability evaluation. As an example, soils in the Purhepecha region in Mexico have been eroding for decades and crop residue retention has been suggested as an effective method to reduce soil loss; but it is not widely implemented. The effect of crop residue retention on systems' sustainability indicators have been investigated using trade-off analysis. The system used by most farmers (35% crop residue retention with free-grazing) reduced soil loss substantially, led to self-sufficiency in forage and maximized net income.
AstierM. (2002), ‘El efecto de las leguminosas en el mejoramiento de la calidad de los suelos Ando en sistema agrícolas de ladera en la cuenca del Lago de Zirahuén’, PhD thesis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, DF.
2.
AstierM.Perez-AgisE.MotaF.MaseraO.Alatorra-FrenkC. (2000), ‘El diseño de sistemas sustentables de maiz en la Región Purhepecha’, in MaseraO.López-RidauraS., eds, Sustentabilidad y sistemas campesinos. Cinco experiencias de evaluación en el México rural, MundiPrensa-GIRA-UNAM, Mexico, pp 271–323.
3.
AstierM.Perez-AgisE.OrtízT.MotaF. (2004), ‘Sustentabilidad de sistemas campesinos de maíz después de cinco años: El segundo ciclo de evaluación mesmis’LEISA Revista de Agroeocología, Número especial: Ocho estudios de caso, pp 39–46.
4.
BarbierB. (1996), Impact of Market and Population Pressure on Production, Incomes and Natural Resources in the Dryland Savannas of West Africa: Bio-Economic Modelling at the Village Level, EPTD Discussion Paper No 22, IFPRI, Washington, DC.
5.
DentD. L. (1993), ‘What do we mean by land use planning?’ in DentD. L.DeshpandeS. B., eds, Land Evaluation for Land Use Planning, NBSS & LUP Publication No 42, Nagpur, pp 21–27.
6.
DespotakisV. K. (1991), ‘Sustainable development planning using geographic information systems’, PhD thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen.
7.
EilersC. H. A. M.KoopsW. J. (2004), ‘Introduction and development of new production systems with non-traditional animal species: With special reference to iguana production in Panama’, Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 33, No 2, pp 113–123.
8.
ElgersmaA. (1999), Grassland and Forage Science, Course Book F350–244, Wageningen University, Wageningen, pp 119, 151–158.
9.
FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization (1993), Guidelines for Land Use Planning, Development Series No 1, FAO, Rome.
10.
FrescoL. O. (1994), ‘Planning for people and the land of the future’, in FrescoL. O.StroosnijderL.BoumaJ.van KeulenH., eds, The Future of the Land. Mobilising and Integrating Knowledge for Land Use Options, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp 395–398.
11.
FrescoL. O.HuizingH.van KeulenH. (1990), Land Evaluation and Farming Systems Analysis for Land Use Planning, Working Document No 64, FAO, Rome.
12.
HartkampA. D. (2002), ‘Learning from biophysical heterogeneity. Inductive use of case studies for maize cropping systems in Central America’, PhD thesis, Wageningen Universiteit, Wageningen, pp 165–187.
13.
IMTA – Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (1999), ERIC II-Extractor Rápido de Información Climatológica v.2, IMTA, Morelos, Mexico [CD-ROM].
14.
JordahlH. C. (1984), ‘Land use planning in the 1980's’, in KralD. M., ed, Land Use Planning Techniques and Policies, SSSA Special Publication No 12, SSSA, Madison, WI, pp 13–36.
15.
KeatingB. A.CarberryP. S.HammerG. L.ProbertM. E.RobertsonM. J.HolzworthD.HuthN. I.HargreavesJ. N. G.MeinkeH.HochmanZ.McLeanG.VerburgK.SnowV.DimesJ. P.SilburnM.WangE.BrownS.BristowK. L.AssengS.ChapmanS.McCownR. L.FreebairnD. M.SmithC. J. (2003), ‘An overview of APSIM, a model designed for farming systems simulation’, European Journal of Agronomy, Vol 18, pp 267–288.
16.
López-RidauraS.van KeulenH.van IttersumM. K.LeffelaarP. A. (2005), ‘Multiscale methodological framework to derive criteria and indicators for sustainability evaluation of peasant natural resource management systems’, Environment, Development and Sustainability, Vol 7, pp 51–69.
17.
MaseraO.AstierM.Lopez-RidauraS. (1999), Sustainability and Natural Resource Management. The MESMIS Evaluation Framework, MundiPrensa, GIRA, UNAM, México City.
18.
MaseraO.López-RidauraS., eds (2000), Sustentabilidad y sistemas campesinos. Cinco experiencias de evaluación en el Mexico rural, MundiPrensa-GIRA-UNAM, Mexico, pp 271–346.
19.
McCownR. L.HammerG. L.HargreavesJ. N. G.HolzworthD.FreebairnD. M. (1996), ‘APSIM: A novel software system for model development, model testing, and simulation in agricultural systems research’, Agricultural Systems, Vol 50, pp 255–271.
20.
MiranowskiJ. A. (1984), ‘Impacts of productivity loss on crop production and management in a dynamic economic model’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol 66, No 1, pp 61–71.
21.
O'HaraS. L.StreetF. A.BurtT. P. (1990), ‘Accelerated soil erosion around a Mexican highland lake caused by Prehispanic agriculture’, Nature, Vol 362, pp 48–51.
22.
SAGAR/SEDAGRO – Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería y Secretaría de Desarrollo y Agricultura (1998), Anuario estadístico de la producción agropecuaria, forestal y pesquera, SAGAR, SEDAGRO y Alianza para el Campo, Michoacán, México.
23.
SAGAR/SEDAGRO (1999), Anuario estadístico de la producción agropecuaria, forestal y pesquera, SAGAR, SEDAGRO y Alianza para el Campo, Michoacán, México.
24.
SAGAR/SEDAGRO (2001), Anuario estadístico de la producción agropecuaria, forestal y pesquera, SAGAR, SEDAGRO y Alianza para el Campo, Michoacán, México.
25.
Salinas-GarcíaJ. R.de Velázquez-GarcíaJ.Rosales-RoblesE.Báez-GonzálezA. D.Tiscareño-LópezM.Uribe-GómezS. (2000), ‘Mid-term effects of tillage on microbial biomass and nutrient distribution in vertisols and andisols under rainfed corn production’, Terra, Vol 18, No 4, pp 349–359.
26.
SchipperR. A. (1996), ‘Farming in a fragile future. Economics of land use with applications in the Atlantic Zone of Costa Rica’, PhD thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU), Wageningen.
27.
Tapia-VargasM.Tiscareño-LópezM.StoneJ. J.Oropeza-MotaJ. L.Velázquez-ValleM. (2001), ‘Tillage system effects on runoff and sediment yield in hillslope agriculture’, Field Crops Research, Vol 69, pp 173–182.
UdoH.CornelissenT. (1998), ‘Livestock in resource-poor farming systems’, Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 27, No 4, pp 237–242.
30.
Van der WerfH. M. G.PetitJ. (2002), ‘Evaluation of the environmental impact of agriculture at the farm level: A comparison and analysis of 12 indicator-based methods’, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Vol 93, pp 131–145.
31.
Van LierH. N.JaarsmaC. F.JurgensC. R.De BuckA. J., eds (1994), Sustainable Land Use Planning, Proceedings of an international workshop, 2–4 September 1992, Wageningen, The Netherlands; and Developments in Landscape Management and Urban Planning, No 6, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
