Do resource-poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face severe crop losses from pests and diseases? What are the different ways that rural households earn a living, and who are the poor? How does social organization shape the way that new technology is used and shared? How can we encourage farmers to participate in the design and evaluation of field experiments, yet still obtain results that are statistically valid? How can we create 'learning projects' that can change direction in response to the needs of their clients and what they find on the ground? These were some of the questions that challenged the Farming Systems Integrated Pest Management Project during four years of intensive fieldwork with resource-poor farmers in the Blantyre Shire Highlands, southern Malawi. In searching for answers, the project drew on expertise from pest management, agronomy, economics and anthropology. Learning and Livelihoods: The Experience of the FSIPM Project in Southern Malawi reflects on the project's experience, reviews the major lessons learned, and outlines an agenda for a follow-up project that addresses smallholders' needs for food security, cash income and information about new technology. The book will appeal not only to those interested in Malawi but also to those concerned with the wider issues raised by developing technology with resource poor farmers
