Via Food Safety Network. 2 pages., Conference speaker notes that biotechnology has automatically come to mean transgenic. "He said some of the confusion has been caused by scientists themselves and he criticized those who have oversold and over-promised the technology."
Chain coordination is growing in importance for those in the food industry to maintain access to global markets and competitive advantage. Information communication facilitates coordination and is seen as the glue that holds organisational chain relationships together. This paper describes how Australian food processors have been exchanging information to coordinate customers and suppliers in their chains along with changes over time. The most frequent information exchanged was to resolve problems. Operational issues were only discussed when exceptions arose and this was decreasing over time, as problems were resolved and processes improved. For the organisations studied, they were increasingly formalising processes to review progress and performance. A wide range of organisational departments were involved in communications with customers and suppliers, especially to resolve problems and develop new products. While the traditional telephone and face-to-face communication methods were the most popular, e-mails were replacing faxes. There were also moves to increasing use of reports, electronic data interchange and intranets for more well developed relationships with larger customers and suppliers. These changes in communication systems were the source of some increased satisfaction with information systems by improving timeliness and depth of information shared. However, there was perceived to be some room for further improvement.
Introduction
Iran: Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology (IranDoc)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13056
Journal Title Details:
V.22, Iss.1
Notes:
20 pages, abstract available in English., Varying forms of ICT is used nowadays to disseminate information and innovations among farmers. The present study investigates the level of access and confidence in various information and communication technologies with respect to pest control (e.g. Sunn Pest). A survey was performed over wheat farmers in Hamedan Province. 203 farmers where selected using multi-level, multi-step sampling. The required data was collected using a questionnaire composed of 35 open and two closed questions. Findings demonstrated that Hamedani Farmers have limited access to modern information sources such as computers, e-journals and e-magazines, and agricultural brochures. Organizational institutions and traditional sources of information such as agricultural extension and service centers, TV, neighbors and friends, Agricultural suppliers and such are increasingly available to these farmers. The findings demonstrates that farmers have high confidence in agricultural research center, Hamedan Agricultural Jahad Organization and regional agricultural service and extension. Given the current situation regarding presentation of specialized information on wheat pests and diseases, particularly the Sunn Pest, Agricultual extensions and Service centers that are highly available to the farmers, pose the most viable choice. There seems to be a significant correlation between area planted, level of production and farmers’ access and confidence in ICT. There is a significant, but negative correlation between farmers’ age and their confidence in ICT. Level of access to and confidence in ICT seems to have significant correlation with level of education, social standing and participation in training courses.
