9 pages, In agricultural research for development adoption of new technology tends to be cast in categories: adoption, partial adoption, dis-adoption or non-adoption. While these may serve for pragmatic classification and measures for project success or impact they fail to properly acknowledge the ongoing and independent efforts of farmers (and others) in experimentation and integration of knowledge across a range of sources. This paper explores responses to practices for cattle management introduced during a research project, at project close, and five years after the project has finished. We consider the perceptions and application of new knowledge by farmers, extension staff, and policy makers. By taking a longer-term view, we demonstrate how farming households adapt and integrate knowledge from different sources into their daily practice, influenced by local institutions and changing cultural expectations, as well as external researchers. We also consider the influence of changing government priorities and incentives in steering farm-management decisions. Results suggest that a focus on measures to build capacity and empower farmers with information to adapt and respond to change, regardless of project activities, is a much more important goal and indicator of impact than measuring adoption.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 103 Document Number: C08909
Notes:
In V. Kumble (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Development and Transfer of Technology for Rainfed Agriculture and the SAT farmer. august 28 - September 1 1979. Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 83-88
Amudavi, David M. (author), Lawver, David E. (author), Udoto, M. (author), and Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Format:
Abstract
Publication Date:
2010-05
Published:
Kenya
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 185 Document Number: D00420
Notes:
Abstract of article in the proceedings of the 26th annual meeting of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, May 16-19, 2010.
24 pages., via online journal., Biofortification of staple crops to combat micronutrient deficiencies is gaining global recognition. Projects promoting biofortified food crops use intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension activities to increase adoption of such crops. This study examines the effect of such programs on the adoption and diffusion of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). It finds that intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension programs adopted by some of the biofortification projects increases the adoption and diffusion of OFSP. Specifically, participation in mother-to-mother nutrition support clubs and nutrition-focused health talks affect its adoption and diffusion, but with varying degrees of importance. The paper discusses the implications of these findings.
