ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses that the relation between basic research in anthropology and applied agricultural research known as Farming Systems Research. The role of anthropology in Farming Systems Research has been a topic of interest. In anthropology, basic science elucidates the nature of culture by studying such phenomena as cultural adaptation and evolution, the structure of social systems, and the logic of symbolic systems. The chapter describes the relation differently by examining the importance of Farming Systems Research (FSR) for anthropology and asking whether certain basic anthropological research can be better done in the context of an applied institution. The antecedents of applied FSR lie partly in the base social sciences, especially economics. The chapter concludes that while basic anthropological research can be improved through more cooperation with applied research, impediments created by institutional frameworks and pressures must be acknowledged in order to strengthen both sides.
