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In the light of the challenges to formal agricultural research posed by renewed interest in diversity, local knowledge and end-user participation, this paper attempts to provide the beginnings of a theoretical underpinning for the response to repeated calls for greater farmer participation in agricultural research. Two views are explored. First that there is a degree of substitutability between formal and farmers' experiments, with the latter being important in adapting technology to particular local circumstances. Second that there is a potential for synergy from closer integration of formal and farmers' experiments. Empirical data from Africa is used to explore this synergy hypothesis and it is concluded that there is reason to be sceptical of claims for potential synergy. Thus, to make most efficient use of limited formal research resources, as a general rule partially specified technologies should be released to farmers for final …