Difficulties existed in trying to achieve a common understanding about
research with collaborating farmers
Although the reasons for locating the experiments on-farm were mainly
ecological in nature, it was also expected that the farmers would offer their
own criteria in the evaluation. Farm owners were consulted about the site for
the trial, and the general purpose of the experiment was discussed, but the
nature of the treatments was not fully explained, nor were farmers consulted
in their selection. Although it was repeatedly explained that the farmers
should consider themselves participants in the trial, they would still refer
occasionally to: "CATIE's trial ...". This may be explained as a way for
collaborating farmers to demonstrate "status", by indicating that they had
been specially chosen to host one of CATIE's trials. Farmers also demonstrated
less interest in the trials than expected (e.g., asking for some results or
commenting on a specific treatment), unless directly addressed.