Abstract
There is anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of Extension and Advisory Service (EAS) agencies for strengthening innovation networks to adapt to extreme events that impact agricultural production and productivity. In Bangladesh, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) is responsible for ensuring sustainable rice farming, which is damaged by flash flooding every year. This study investigates how EAS can strengthen farmers’ innovation networks by examining DAE’s efforts to adapt rice cultivation to flash flooding. Using surveys and interviews from farmers affiliated with DAE (DAE-farmers) and farmers independent of DAE (non-DAE farmers), the effectiveness of innovation networks was examined. One of the key findings of this paper is that DAE’s efforts to strengthen the innovation networks of farmers to adapt rice cultivation to flash flooding focused on the facilitation of the agronomic network development. The organization missed the opportunity to enable the harvesting networks’ efficacy. As the harvesting activities are highly exposed to flash flooding, the absence of adequate support from the DAE and timely updates of local weather and flash flooding information indicates that farmers are still at significant risk. This study also shows the value of including both formal (e.g., EAS agencies, research organizations) and informal actors (e.g., relatives, local input dealers) in the innovation network as a way of ensuring diversity of information access.
Highlights
Enhancing agricultural innovation is considered a key process for adapting the agricultural sector to climate change [1,2]
The results highlight the effectiveness of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in strengthening innovation networks using a range of measures
There was no significant difference in sociodemographic characteristics between DAEand non-DAE farmers
Summary
Enhancing agricultural innovation is considered a key process for adapting the agricultural sector to climate change [1,2]. To support agricultural innovation, strengthening innovation networks is critical [4]. Extension and Advisory Service (EAS) agencies are considered the key player for helping to strengthen innovation networks [5] and are recognized as an engine for supporting agricultural innovation [6]. EAS agencies are conceptualized as “all the institutions from different sectors that facilitate farmers’ access to knowledge, information, and technologies; their interaction with markets, research, and education; and the development of technical, organizational, and management skills and practices” [7] EAS agencies are conceptualized as “all the institutions from different sectors that facilitate farmers’ access to knowledge, information, and technologies; their interaction with markets, research, and education; and the development of technical, organizational, and management skills and practices” [7] (p. 1)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.