Involving farmers in all stages of research is a principle of FRNs and more generally of participatory research. It is expected to lead to faster progress to agroecological transformations than alternatives.

Many researchers and others working in CRFS are trained in and use research methods that involve farmers in some steps but not all steps.

We have run workshops on the topic in the past, but the last such workshop in East and Southern Africa was in 2018 and few of the participants are still involved in CRFS.