Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi

Designing decentralized policies has been recently recognized as more appropriate to address the immediate development problems of local communities. In this paper, a knowledge-based system approach is used to generate decentralized policy recommendations of crop choices in order to achieve househol...

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Main Author: Babu, Suresh Chandra
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 1997
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161546
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author Babu, Suresh Chandra
author_browse Babu, Suresh Chandra
author_facet Babu, Suresh Chandra
author_sort Babu, Suresh Chandra
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Designing decentralized policies has been recently recognized as more appropriate to address the immediate development problems of local communities. In this paper, a knowledge-based system approach is used to generate decentralized policy recommendations of crop choices in order to achieve household food security and nutrition. Using a case study of smallholder Malawian farmers, a decentralized approach to production-oriented policymaking for household food security and nutrition is presented. Based on solutions of farm level optimization models and with the facilities of macro-programming in spreadsheet programs a rule-based system which is easily understood and modified by the local development agents with little or no knowledge of programming languages is developed. It is argued that similar programs could be written for designing and implementing decentralized policies for other rural development sectors. Given the increased use of microcomputers at district and sub-regional levels in sub-Saharan Africa, the approach developed in this paper could be highly practical in designing decentralized food and nutrition policies where experts in these fields are scarce.
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spelling CGSpace1615462025-11-06T06:10:03Z Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi Babu, Suresh Chandra food security Designing decentralized policies has been recently recognized as more appropriate to address the immediate development problems of local communities. In this paper, a knowledge-based system approach is used to generate decentralized policy recommendations of crop choices in order to achieve household food security and nutrition. Using a case study of smallholder Malawian farmers, a decentralized approach to production-oriented policymaking for household food security and nutrition is presented. Based on solutions of farm level optimization models and with the facilities of macro-programming in spreadsheet programs a rule-based system which is easily understood and modified by the local development agents with little or no knowledge of programming languages is developed. It is argued that similar programs could be written for designing and implementing decentralized policies for other rural development sectors. Given the increased use of microcomputers at district and sub-regional levels in sub-Saharan Africa, the approach developed in this paper could be highly practical in designing decentralized food and nutrition policies where experts in these fields are scarce. 1997 2024-11-21T09:56:25Z 2024-11-21T09:56:25Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161546 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Babu, Suresh Chandra. 1997. Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies;a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi. Outreach Division Discussion Paper 13. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161546
spellingShingle food security
Babu, Suresh Chandra
Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title_full Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title_fullStr Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title_full_unstemmed Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title_short Designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies: a knowledge-based system approach in Malawi
title_sort designing decentralized food security and nutrition policies a knowledge based system approach in malawi
topic food security
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161546
work_keys_str_mv AT babusureshchandra designingdecentralizedfoodsecurityandnutritionpoliciesaknowledgebasedsystemapproachinmalawi