Agricultural Knowledge System Research Articles

“Ambidexterity”: trump card for farm's innovativeness and competitiveness

PurposeThe paper aims to analyze the relevance of networking and social capital in promoting the adoption of sustainable innovation, then reinforcing trajectories of multifunctional agriculture. It puts forwards a systemic perspective by focusing on agricultural knowledge and innovation systems. More precisely, we share the idea of “micro agricultural knowledge and innovation systems”, by addressing ambidexterity as engine for boosting sustainable innovation.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical analysis is focused on sustainable innovation adopted by young farmers in Italy and on the mediation effect of ambidextrous relations in performing innovation adoption. Ambidextrous relations are analyzed within at the micro-AKIS level, through the lens of social capital. Relationships between social capital and innovation adoption are statistically measured.FindingsThe analysis shows how ambidexterity develops a mediation effect, with a strong impact on the farm's innovative capacity. Actually, our results confirm that ambidextrous relations reveal good performance and stimulate innovation and, consequently, farms' competitiveness, alongside the path of multifunctional agriculture. As a consequence, the relevance of networking activity in adoption of sustainable innovation may address possible policy action with the aim to strengthen ambidexterity and farm's innovativeness.Originality/valueThe paper tries to fill a gap in literature, by focusing on micro-AKIS which are explored through the lens of social capital.

Institutional continuity and hidden changes in farm advisory services provision: evidence from farmers’ microAKIS observations in France

ABSTRACT Purpose The paper aims at better understanding the micro-foundations of current institutional changes in agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS). Design A survey of 98 farmers and interviews with 37 advice providers in south-western France were conducted to analyse the ways in which farmers combine different sources of advice (microAKIS). The farmers’ practices were observed for general farm management and for 3 types of innovation (new crop diversification, digital decision support tools, and labour outsourcing). Findings The results highlight poorly-known characteristics of microAKIS regarding the variety of sources of advice used by farmers, and the limited number of reliable resources on which farmers can draw at key stages of the innovation process. They provide evidence of bottom-up mechanisms of institutional changes such as the routinization of the use of certain service providers that are often overlooked in AKIS analyses (e.g. upstream industries). Practical implications These results can contribute to reducing the misalignments of stakeholders’ representations of AKIS and microAKIS, and therefore facilitate public debates and improve the efficiency of interventions in this area. Theoretical implications Studies of institutional changes resulting from the evolution of microAKIS are expected to complement analyses of increased pluralism of advice providers. Originality Linking the observation of microAKIS and the analysis of incremental institutional changes in AKIS allows the identification of transformations of the AKIS rationale that would otherwise remain partially invisible.

Farmers’ networks and the quest for reliable advice: innovating in Greece

ABSTRACT Purpose This paper seeks to better understand the dynamics of farmers’ innovating processes by focusing on their sources of advice at various stages of their innovation process, specifically within the weak and fragmented Greek Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). Design/methodology/approach The study employed a mixed-method approach, drawing data from interviews with 112 farmers engaged in three innovation cases in Greece. Findings Some farmers, despite the lack of advisory services, are engaged in innovating processes. They thus seek advice from various sources through networks which vary between farmers and stages of the innovating process. However, networking is not always successful and the knowledge acquired is not always valid. Practical implications The study points to the need for advisory and innovation support services and facilitated networks in the quest for successful innovating paths. Theoretical implications The paper underlines the complexity of farmers’ sources of knowledge. Thus, the paper highlights the importance of untangling the innovating processes’ stages and farmers’ information and advice networks that underpin decision-making in each of these stages. Originality/value Τhe paper points to the diversity of configurations of advice pertaining to complex farmers’ innovating processes, especially under adverse circumstances in terms of provision of innovation support services.

Knowledge Networking among Women’s Groups, Finance Institutions and Extension Adminstration inRahad Agricultural Scheme- Sudan

The Establishment of the Rahad Agricultural Scheme in Eastern Sudan in the 1970s established an agricultural innovation system where different actors are networking to provide better livelihoods within the irrigated scheme area. The objectives of the paper are presenting the connections of women groups and their networking to the extension and finance institutions in the scheme area and trying to relate it to the theorizing of agriculture knowledge and information system, so new roles and connections are suggested to improve the performance of Rahad Agricultural Scheme. System thinking is the methodology to analyze knowledge networking among extension, and finance institutions from one side and among women’s groups on other side. Accordingly, Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge Systems (RAAKS) and Social Network Analysis were conducted to identify roles and knowledge sharing among Women Groups, Saving and Social Development Bank and Extension Administration in Rahad Agricultural Scheme. Results of this research showed that most Women Associations interviewed had a sense of independence from the Women’s Union activities, while the Women’s Union expressed closer connections and had a sense of ownership over the Women’s Associations activities such as saving funds and Quran learning lessons. Some Women Groups in Rahad Agricultural Scheme are actively engaged in non -farming micro-finance projects through their connections with Saving and Social Development Bank. However, their farming and livestock keeping activities are not recognized by Extension Administration in the scheme and not financed by the schemes finance institutions. Building of multi hubs model (connecting actors with training and capacity building) is the strategy to improve knowledge networking between women’s groups, Extension Administration and Saving and Social Development Bank. In this manner, the extension can be the knowledge broker who can connect actors and communicate information in order to improve the networking among the studied actors which would enhance the performance of agricultural innovations in Rahad Agricultural Scheme as a whole

Long-Term Vision For Rural Areas

The European Commission initiated the preparation of a new long-term vision for rural areas. First step of this process was the launch of a public consultation to which also the Horizon 2020 SHERPA (Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors) project is making a contribution on behalf of 20 different Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). The Hungarian MAP - a group of science-society-policy actors - focuses on the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), more precisely digitalization. The topic of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System - is a horizontal issue and it is embedded even into the Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) strategic planning process. Being part of it, the development of AKIS requires close and intensive cooperation of policy makers, researchers and farmers or in broader context the society with various stakeholders. The aim of the Hungarian research was to identify the current and likely trends for the Hungarian rural areas and to point out key challenges, opportunities, enablers and hinderers in rural development in terms of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) up until 2040. The methodology used was the Delphi technique. In the first phase, a review of key trends, main challenges and opportunities and a summary of existing foresight regarding digital agriculture was written. Then AKIS experts were asked to talk about their experiences and opinions in the framework of interviews, a focus group meeting and a survey. In the end, results of the survey were discussed in a consensus meeting. Among the results, it is worth mentioning that digitization and digitalization will fundamentally change the way rural areas operate including economic, environmental and social dimensions. The main enablers of a promising future vision are capacity building for knowledge transfer, adaptation for job creation and offering better quality of life, stronger community building for collaborations, deeper government involvement, and last but not least, strengthening the local identity in rural areas.

Disentangling critical success factors and principles of on-farm agricultural demonstration events

ABSTRACT Purpose: The paper identifies, outlines, and categorises establishment and operational factors that contribute to successful agricultural on-farm demonstration. Design/Methodology/approach: The paper is based on a literature review on demonstration activities and meta-analysis of 24 original case study reports from 12 European countries. Findings: Based on a combination of deductive and inductive analysis, the success determinants are classified into nine critical success factors deemed important in designing an on-farm demonstration event (the ‘Nine Ps'): Purpose, Problem, Place, Personnel, Positioning, Programme, Process, Practicalities, Post-event engagement. Each factor (‘what') is framed in terms of success principles to provide a guide to its enactment (‘how'). Practical implications: The results of the analysis can serve as a practical decision-support tool for organisers and evaluators of on-farm demonstration events. Theoretical implications: The paper broadens the perspective on the character, interlinkages, and relative importance of the factors underlying demonstration and their successful application within the agricultural knowledge and innovation system. Originality/Value: The paper addresses the deficit of comprehensive empirical studies investigating on-farm demonstrations by offering a rich research-based analysis of the factors and principles underlying their successful implementation.

Medición de las capacidades tecnológicas para la innovación en los sistemas de conocimiento e innovación agrícola

Las funciones de generación, difusión y uso de conocimiento y tecnología en los sistemas de innovación están asociadas a las capacidades tecnológicas para la innovación (TICs, por su sigla en inglés), las cuales juegan un papel fundamental en el desempeño innovador de los sistemas de conocimiento e innovación agrícola (AKIS, por su sigla en inglés). No obstante, las metodologías actuales no exhiben perspectivas que faciliten la comprensión dinámica y organizacional de las TICs, lo que dificulta la comprensión de dichos sistemas. Este artículo presenta una propuesta metodológica para medir el nivel de las TICs al asociarlas a un modelo de comportamiento organizacional para aplicarlo en una muestra de 256 organizaciones del AKIS del café y 74 organizaciones del AKIS del aguacate en el departamento de Antioquia (Colombia). Los resultados confirman que la medición del nivel de las TICs y de sus variaciones dinámicas en el tiempo permite mejorar la comprensión de los procesos de innovación y evaluar e identificar las brechas existentes entre las TICs y las funciones de innovación de estos sistemas.

Preface

Welcome to the Proceedings of the 2021 2nd VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL SCINTIFIC AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE (VISAC 2021), which was held during 21-22 January 2021, Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq.Nowadays, the population all over the world is about 8 billion. Huge quantities of high quality food and agricultural products are needed every day. Therefore, forceful agricultural knowledge and innovation systems assure that the global food system contribute to decent supplies of high quality food and agricultural products, in a sustainable way. The International Conference on VISAC 2021 will be a paramount and valuable event for scientists, researchers.Photos, 2nd VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL SCINTIFIC AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE (VISAC 2021), List of committees for 2nd VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL SCINTIFIC AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE (VISAC 2021), Committees of Conference Topics and this titles are available in this pdf.

Small-scale farming and food security – Policy perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe

The policy measures integrated within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU) offer potential for fostering the contribution of small farms to Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). However, these measures require appropriate ‘programming’ by national/regional authorities during the post 2020 programming period in order to realise their full potential. Using a SWOT methodology commonly used in the programming of the CAP, as well as expert validation from 46 policy experts from five countries, the paper discusses the persistent structural shortcomings of the CAP to provide a favourable policy environment for small farms in CEE. This narrative is developed via four national case studies: (a) Market integration in Poland; (b) Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) in Romania; (c) Rural infrastructure in Latvia, and; (d) Natural resources and climate management in Romania.

ACCEPTANCE AND ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGIES IN AGRICULTURE

There is a need for transition towards sustainability in agriculture and food systems. New technologies and innovations can play a central role in improving agriculture productivity and sustainability. However, there is still a gap in understanding the factors that determine the acceptance and adoption of technologies in agriculture. Therefore, this review provides an overview on the main models and theories on the acceptance, adoption, use and/or diffusion of technologies. The most prominent theories and models include the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Technology Acceptance Model, the Motivational Model, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Innovation Diffusion Theory, the Social Cognitive Theory, the Social Construction of Technology, and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Furthermore, different combinations of these models have been used in technology adoption studies. These conceptual approaches and models span across disciplines (e.g. sociology, psychology, innovation, management) and differ in terms of theoretical assumptions, goals, variables and assessment methods. Factors determining the acceptance and use of technologies in agriculture are related to the technology itself and the ease of its use as well as social (age, gender), emotional, attitudinal and cognitive factors. Technology adoption is also affected by the environment and context in which it takes place. Technology acceptance models make use of predictors that are cognitive or relating to attitude, beliefs or perceptions. Some of the models focus on internal factors, such as antecedents of behaviour (e.g. values, attitudes, intentions), while others also address external issues (e.g. social norms, economic incentives, institutional environment). The framing of technology adoption within the wider Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) offers interesting opportunities for fostering transition towards sustainability in agriculture. Indeed, technologies are just one component of AKIS and innovation in agriculture also encompasses social, organizational, marketing and institutional fields.

How can the EU Farm to Fork strategy deliver on its organic promises? Some critical reflections

SummaryThe European Commission's Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy sets ambitious targets to transform the whole food system towards greater sustainability, but we are critical about its strong focus on technical innovations while neglecting the social and structural aspects in transforming food systems. Also, the target of 25 per cent of EU's agricultural land under organic production by 2030 can only be reached if policy measures go beyond production to include processing and retail, and develop the demand side; otherwise, we could witness collapsing markets with strongly decreasing farm prices. An Organic Action Plan needs to include flexibility for implementation, accounting for the respective national situations; and specific objectives for each farming sector should be formulated. The strategy's call for a ‘shift to healthy, sustainable diets’ needs a comprehensive approach, involving all relevant stakeholders, such as processors, retailers and consumers to identify the most suitable leverage points and support changes in consumption patterns and habits. The Member States need to equip their AKIS accordingly and educate advisors, researchers, knowledge brokers and others for the required change in attitudes and practice. With a view to the necessary comprehensive transformation, the AKIS should be extended to a Food and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System.

‘Sharing the space’ in the agricultural knowledge and innovation system: multi-actor innovation partnerships with farmers and foresters in Europe

ABSTRACT Purpose Networks and partnerships are commonly-used tools to foster knowledge sharing between actors and organisations in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), but in Europe the policy emphasis on including users, such as farmers and foresters, is relatively recent. This paper assesses user involvement in a diverse set of European Union (EU)-funded and non-EU (formal and informal) multi-actor partnerships. Design/methodology/approach A review of 200 projects and other partnerships including farmers and foresters, drawn from an integrated database of several thousand such examples, assessed the types of innovation challenges tackled, solutions proposed, innovation supported, parameters of actor participation and the expectations of success in each example. Findings All the reviewed policy instruments, not just those funded in the frame of the EIP-AGRI, can be used to involve users in co-innovation in agriculture, forestry and related value chains. Practical implications The EIP-AGRI is just one part of a complex matrix of multi-actor co-innovation activities involving farmers and foresters in Europe. Interlinking of innovation programmes and more effective targeting of these programmes at groups of actors, especially users, who are currently not sufficiently engaged are worthy aspirations. Theoretical implications Any analysis of co-innovation involving users must recognise the existence of a multiplicity (projects, non-project activities, formal and informal) of multi-actor approaches. Originality/value This research used a common methodology to review several forms of multi-actor partnerships involving users and other actors. Our data suggest that many of these are effective methods of supporting co-innovation and are, therefore, ‘sharing the space’ within the AKIS.

Co-constructing principles for Digital Farmer Field School Enrekang Design in South Sulawesi - Indonesia

Considering the challenges on sustainable agriculture in the district, different institutions join hands to overcome these issues and respond to the felt need of working more integrative both in the agricultural sector and environmental knowledge system. Adding a sense of urgency due to COVID-19 into problem analysis, these institutions accelerated the ambition to develop a Digital Farmer Field School (DFFS). This paper elaborates on the co-construction of principles for the design of a Digital Farmer Field School (DFFS) by the local stakeholders in Enrekang district. The local design team design of the DFFS Enrekang is composed of a transdisciplinary team from relevant government institutions and research institutions. The design principles of DFFS are built around inclusive design principles, concepts of interface usability based on different type of access to digital technology models, responsible innovation criteria and learning principles of farmer field school (FFS). The DFFS Enrekang design principles serve as guiding principles and shared value among the collaborating institutions to combine ambition, inspiration, and accountability in the DFFS management and development processes. This tablet based digital learning platform aims to provide an alternative for farmers to access information on sustainable agricultural and environmental practices.

Rural women's agricultural knowledge and information systems about agro-food processing including extension education factors

Rural women's agricultural knowledge and information systems about agro-food processing including extension education factors

Rural women's agricultural knowledge and information systems about agro-food processing including extension education factors

This paper presents some extension and education factors which theoretically may use about agro-food processing programs. The theoretical part of the paper focuses on the importance of agricultural...

Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems in European Union policy discourse: Quo vadis?

Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems in European Union policy discourse: Quo vadis?

A Study on Smart Farming Agriculture

There is a lot of literature on various forms of digitization in agriculture (big data, internet of things, augmented reality, robotics, sensors, 3D printing, computer integration, ubiquitous connectivity, artificial intelligence, digital twins and block chain among others), social science researchers have recently begun to explore various aspects of digital agriculture related to production systems, value Chains and food systems. This led to a growing but fragmented physical social science literature. So, no overview of how and about this field of study is growing. Where is it article purpose contribute this special issue seventeen articles then precision agriculture, digital agriculture, smart agriculture or the dynamics, economic and organizational issues of agriculture in society. According to an assessment of the literature, social science literature on the digitization of agriculture can be grouped into five themes: The adoption, use, and adaptation of digital technologies in agriculture; the effects of digitization on farmer identity, skill sets, and labor; the powerful, ethical, and private digitization of agricultural production systems and value chains; the adoption, use, and adaptation of agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS); and the economics and management of digital agriculture production systems and value chains. Network of things a promising technology exists that offers effective and dependable solutions for upgrading numerous domains. Web based solutions are being created primarily to monitor and autonomously maintain agricultural farms with the least amount of human intervention. The article discusses a number of Internet of Things applications in agriculture. This explains it key elements are smart farming. It is only through information management that crops can be profitably converted modern agricultural advances are causing smart agriculture to expand tremendously and become a vital component, which will be important for producers' decision-making. Objective data collected by sensors with the intention of boosting productivity and sustainability yields significant advantages. This kind of data-based management farms can boost reliance on data by preventing resource. Given its enormous potential to help both producers, the push for the widespread use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the digitization of the agricultural industry is currently gathering speed. On the other hand, introducing technological solutions into rural settings presents a number of difficulties

Organisational Innovation Systems for multi-actor co-innovation in European agriculture, forestry and related sectors: Diversity and common attributes

Innovation rests not only on discovery but also on cooperation and interactive learning. In agriculture, forestry and related sectors, multi-actor partnerships for ‘co-innovation’ occur in many forms, from international projects to informal ‘actor configurations’. Common attributes are that they include actors with ‘complementary forms of knowledge’ who collaborate in an innovation process, engage with a ‘larger periphery’ of stakeholders in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) and are shaped by institutions. Using desk research and interviews, we reviewed, according to the Organisational Innovation Systems framework, the performance of 200 co-innovation partnerships from across Europe, selected for their involvement of various actors ‘all along the process’. Many of the reviewed partnerships were composed of actors that had previously worked together and most interviewees believed that no relevant actors had been excluded. In almost all cases, project targets and objectives were co-designed to a great or some extent, and the mechanisms applied to foster knowledge sharing between partners were considered to be very effective. Great importance was attached to communication beyond the partnership, not simply for dissemination but also for dialogue, and most interviewees evaluated the communication/outreach performance of their partnership very highly. Most partnerships received external funding, most did not use innovation brokers during the proposal writing process and two thirds had access to information they needed. We discuss the implications of these findings and question whether the AKIS concept as currently interpreted by many policy makers can adequately account for the regional differences encountered by co-innovation partnerships across Europe.

Soil balancing within organic farming: negotiating meanings and boundaries in an alternative agricultural community of practice

Soil balancing is widely used in organic farming, but little is known about the practice because technical knowledge and goals for the practice are produced and negotiated within an alternative community of practice (CoP). We used a review of the private soil balancing literature and semi-structured interviews with farmers and consultants to document the knowledge, shared meanings, and goals of key actors within the soil balancing CoP. Our findings suggest this CoP is dominated by discourse between private consultants and farmers, with few contributions to or from scientists or the peer reviewed literature. The idea of soil balancing is centered around improving soil quality through adjustments in Base Cation Saturation Ratios (BCSR), and practitioners report a wide range of positive agronomic outcomes. For most soil balancers, however, BCSR is only one part of a broader approach to soil health management that also utilizes traditional soil fertility recommendations and soil health-building cultural management practices. Meanwhile, a survey of land grant university soil fertility specialists and the peer-reviewed literature documented a high degree of skepticism and a lack of scientific evidence that BCSR can boost crop yields. We conclude that this scientific discourse reflects a disconnect from the practices and meanings used in the soil balancing CoP. While tensions between the dominant and niche agricultural knowledge systems are not unique, we believe a better appreciation for the nuanced meanings and goals within the soil balancing CoP present an opening for expanded collaborations with scientists doing research on soil health.

The Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) in Campania Region: the challenges facing the first implementation of experimental model

Purpose: In this context, the current study aims to carry out an implementation analysis of knowledge network in Campania region, Italy. This region has implemented, using Measure 1, Measure 2 and Measure 16 of Rural Development Plan 2014-2020, an experimental model of AKIS.Methodology: The methodology was based on a living-lab approach where involved actors have an active role as co-innovators.Findings: The results give hints to implement, in the last period of the Cap 2014-2020, others experimental AKIS based on the Rural Developments Plans.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The development of new agricultural practices and its spread to obtain more sustainable agriculture has become an important issue for researchers and policy makers. In particular, growing attention is paid to the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) expression used to describe the whole knowledge exchange system, the ways people and organisations interact within a country or a region. AKIS can include farming practice, businesses, authorities, research and can vary a lot, depending on the country or sector. However, the complexity of the AKIS implemented in Campania region requires particularly effective governance instruments and a continuous monitoring and evaluation processes to elicit innovation needs. Therefore, in the next CAP 2014-2020 measure related to advice (Art. 13 - COM (2018) 392 final) and ‘knowledge transfer and information actions’ (Art. 72 – COM (2018) 392 final) should be strategically integrated to implement modern and tailored advisory programmes based on different advisory work approaches to better meet the needs of all parties. This issue needs a testing time useful to better plan policy intervention for the next CAP.