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12 Timothy Reevesand this is another clear example of the need for partnerships between those who develop, and thosewho deliver and adopt, sustainable agricultural systems.The Role of People (P)It is people who must implement and adopt sustainable agriculture, and it is people whoCIMMYT and others seek to help. It is therefore somewhat strange that the role of people indeveloping, refining, and implementing sustainable agricultural technologies has often beenoverlooked. Many of the formal priority setting systems for sustainable research have not tapped theknowledge of farmers, or at best have done so only late in the process when farmers are often asked toadopt some technology that they may not consider very appropriate for their needs. If sustainability isto be a reality, far greater emphasis must be given to an effective combination of farmers' traditionalknowledge with the contributions of science.There may be significant cultural and social issues to consider when accessing information fromfarmers, but none are insurmountable. Farmers the world over are generally conservative, risk-averseindividuals who are most comfortable in their own environment. For this reason, it is ess