IDENTIFYING TARGET GROUPS FOR AGRICULTURAL-RESEARCH - THE CATEGORIZATION OF RICE FARMERS IN THE DOMINICAN-REPUBLIC

A method is discussed for classifying small scale rice farmers from the Dominican Republic who have similar production systems and access to land, but differ widely in the yields they obtain and in the adoption of new technology. The results are used to define two recommendation domains, for farmers with 'good' and 'poor' production conditions, and to suggest appropriate technology for each. For farmers working in good production conditions the development of a technological package based on the double cropping of semi-dwarf varieties with high yield potential and production efficiency is recommended; for farmers with poor production conditions, a technological package is suggested based on varieties with a high tolerance of drought, flooding and weed development, which yield adequately at low input levels.