The tricot approach: an agile framework for decentralized on-farm testing supported by citizen science. A retrospective
Authors: de Sousa Kauê , van Etten Jacob , Manners Rhys , Abidin Erna , Abdulmalik Rekiya O. , Abolore Bello , Acheremu Kwabena , Angudubo Stephen , Aguilar Amilcar , Arnaud Elizabeth , Babu Adventina , Barrios Mirna , Benavente Grecia , Boukar Ousmane , Cairns Jill E. , Carey Edward , Daudi Happy , Dawud Maryam , Edughaen Gospel , Ellison James , Esuma Williams , Mohammed Sanusi Gaya , van de Gevel Jeske , Gomez Marvin , van Heerwaarden Joost , Iragaba Paula , Kadege Edith , Assefa Teshale M. , Kalemera Sylvia , Kasubiri Fadhili Salum , Kawuki Robert , Kidane Yosef Gebrehawaryat , Kilango Michael , Kulembeka Heneriko , Kwadwo Adofo , Madriz Brandon , Masumba Ester , Mbiu Julius , Mendes Thiago , Müller Anna , Moyo Mukani , Mtunda Kiddo , Muzhingi Tawanda , Muungani Dean , Mwenda Emmanuel T. , Nadigatla Ganga Rao V. P. R. , Nanyonjo Ann Ritah , N’Danikou Sognigbé , Nduwumuremyi Athanase , Nshimiyimana Jean Claude , Nuwamanya Ephraim , Nyirahabimana Hyacinthe , Occelli Martina , Olaosebikan Olamide , Ongom Patrick Obia , Ortiz-Crespo Berta , Oteng-Fripong Richard , Ozimati Alfred , Owoade Durodola , Quiros Carlos F. , Rosas Juan Carlos , Rukundo Placide , Rutsaert Pieter , Sibomana Milindi , Sharma Neeraj , Shida Nestory , Steinke Jonathan , Ssali Reuben , Suchini Jose Gabriel , Teeken Béla , Tengey Theophilus Kwabla , Tufan Hale Ann , Tumwegamire Silver , Tuyishime Elyse , Ulzen Jacob , Umar Muhammad Lawan , Onwuka Samuel , Madu Tessy Ugo , Voss Rachel C. , Yeye Mary , Zaman-Allah Mainassara 
Published: January 2024

Matching crop varieties to their target use context and user preferences is a challenge faced by many plant breeding programs serving smallholder agriculture. Numerous participatory approaches proposed by CGIAR and other research teams over the last four decades have attempted to capture farmers’ priorities/preferences and crop variety field performance in representative growing environments through experimental trials with higher external validity. Yet none have overcome the challenges of scalability, data validity and reliability, and difficulties in capturing socio-economic and environmental heterogeneity. Building on the strengths of these attempts, we developed a new data-generation approach, calledtriadic comparison of technology options(tricot). Tricot is a decentralized experimental approach supported by crowdsourced citizen science. In this article, we review the development, validation, and evolution of the tricot approach, through our own research results and reviewing the literature in which tricot approaches have been successfully applied. The first results indicated that tricot-aggregated farmer-led assessments contained information with adequate validity and that reliability could be achieved with a large sample. Costs were lower than current participatory approaches. Scaling the tricot approach into a large on-farm testing network successfully registered specific climatic effects of crop variety performance in representative growing environments. Tricot’s recent application in plant breeding networks in relation to decision-making has (i) advanced plant breeding lines recognizing socio-economic heterogeneity, and (ii) identified consumers’ preferences and market demands, generating alternative breeding design priorities. We review lessons learned from tricot applications that have enabled a large scaling effort, which should lead to stronger decision-making in crop improvement and increased use of improved varieties in smallholder agriculture.