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2. Assessing learning regimes leading to sustainable intensification at the farm level: a new perspective for management assistance for family farms
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Aurelie, Toillier (author), Baudoin, Alice (author), and Chia, Eduardo (author)
- Format:
- Paper
- Publication Date:
- 2014
- Published:
- Burkina Faso
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 132 Document Number: D11346
- Notes:
- Paper presented during the 11th European International Farming System Association (IFSA) Symposium, "Farming systems facing global challenges: capacities and strategies," April 1-4, 2014, in Berlin, Germany. 11 pages in proceedings, The study involved "learning regime" as the set of mechanisms that are triggers for and lead to the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, allowing the head of the farm to improve production and management methods. Authors identified four types of regimes, calling into question the assumption of homogeneity of farmers' capabilities to change their routines to acquire new skills. Findings prompted suggestion that creating spaces for exchanges between producers who are at common stages of development or have similar problems, leveraging specific know-how of different ethnic groups and inter-cultural exchanges, and facilitating access to existing information in a given territory seem to be some of the many possible ways of strengthening existing dynamics of learning.
3. Delivering too much, too little or off target—possible consequences of differences in perceptions on agricultural advisory services
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kraft, Jannica (author), Hockert, Jenny (author), Ljung, Magnus (author), Lundberg, Sara (author), and Lunner Kolstrup, Christina (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-04-01
- Published:
- United States: Springer Link
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12495
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Human Values
- Journal Title Details:
- 39
- Notes:
- 15 pages, Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture. Advisory services have been studied at policy level, structural level and within case studies, but there is still restricted knowledge about advisors’ and farmers’ view on advisory services in general. This paper presents the views of Swedish advisors and farmers on advisory services. In a survey-based study, perceptions of farm advisors and full-time farmers in commercial Swedish agriculture on advisory services were identified and statistically analysed, comparing differences between and within the groups. The results are structured around three main themes; motives for a farmer using or not using advisory services, preferred approach by the advisor and future demands on advisory services and their importance today. Possible consequences of differences in perceptions for on-farm service delivery were assessed. Similarities in perceptions on advisory services among advisors and farmers, were found in areas characterised by well-defined questions or production-related issues. Significant differences in perceptions of advisors and farmers emerged in less concrete areas and on topics connected to change, management and strategy. Consequences of discrepancies in perceptions are that advisors may deliver too much, too little or off target, especially when expectations on advisory services are not clearly expressed. A strong and proactive back-office supporting the advisors is needed to prevent these possible consequences.
4. Enabling learning in demonstration farms: a literature review
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ingram, Julie (author), Chiswell, Hannah (author), Mills, Jane (author), Debruyne, Lies (author), Cooreman, Hanne (author), Koutsourts, Alexandros (author), Pappa, Eleni (author), and Marchand, Fleur (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 132 Document Number: D11341
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 2018 : 29-42
- Notes:
- 13th European Farming Systems Association (IFSA) Symposium, Greece., Provides a narrative review which identifies key functional characteristics that enable learning in demonstration farms.
5. Facilitating conditions for farmer learning behaviour in the student-to-farmer university outreach
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kalule, Stephen W. (author), Sseguya, Haroon (author), Ongeng, Duncan (author), Karubanga, Gabriel (author), and Makerere University Gulu University
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-04-12
- Published:
- Uganda: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10981
- Journal Title:
- The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 25(3)
- Notes:
- 16 pages, via online journal, Purpose: This study elucidates on how faculty supervision support to students during farm placements and other facilitating conditions influence farmer learning in the student-centred university outreach. Methodology/Design/Approach: Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 283 farmers who had previously hosted students of Gulu University in the student-to-farmer university outreach. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse how faculty supervision support to students in combination with other facilitating conditions affect the formation of intentions for learning and actual farmer learning behaviour. Findings: Faculty supervision support in the student-to-farmer outreach was found to significantly influence formation of intentions for learning (β = 0.380; t = 5.263; P < .01) and actual farmer learning behaviour (β = 0.182; t = 2.081; P < .05). Practical implications: Faculty supervision support to students is critical to fostering lasting learning relationships in university outreach. Thus, it needs to be a part of the transformation agenda of the higher education sector for improved community linkages and innovation. Theoretical implications: Empirical data obtained from the context of student-centred university outreach is used to extend the model of facilitating conditions. Originality/Value: The study addresses how faculty supervision support together with farmers’ perception of student attitudes and the value of the learning content influence farmers’ learning behaviour during university outreach.
6. Social integration mechanisms to strengthen absorptive capacity in agricultural advisory service organisations
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Stræte, Egil Petter (author), Hansen, Bjørn Gunnar (author), Ystad, Eystein (author), and Kvam, Gunn-Turid (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-09-03
- Published:
- UK: Taylor and Francis Ltd.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12640
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Online
- Notes:
- 22pgs, To explore the structures and processes within agricultural advisory organisations that may enhance absorptive capacity (AC) and determine how organisations develop their AC.
7. The impact of education on agricultural productivity: evidence from East Asian economies
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Luh, Yir-Hueih (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10919
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics
- Journal Title Details:
- 5(4) : 11-24
- Notes:
- This study presents an efficient version of test for the hypothesis that education plays a key role in influencing agricultural productivity based on a switching regression model. In the present setting, farmers’ ability to deal with disequilibria is allowed to change with education, which thereby provides a concrete evidence of the effect of education on selected East Asian production agriculture. The results suggest that there exists a threshold for education to be influential to agricultural productivity change when the selected East-Asian economies are categoried by their degree of economic development. Moreover, for the group of economies where education constitutes a major determinant of productivity growth in both the technological progression and/or stagnation/recession regimes, the effect of education is found to vary from economy to economy and from regime to regime. Generally speaking, however, those East-Asian economies tend to reach their turning point in short time despite of the mentioned differences. This result therefore leads to important policy implications concerning giving an impetus to human capital investment in the agriculture sector.
8. Using educational theory and research to refine agricultural extension: affordances and barriers for farmers’ learning and practice change
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Sewell, A.M. (author), Hartnett, M.K. (author), Gray, D.I. (author), Blair, H.T. (author), Kemp, P.D. (author), Kenyon, P.R. (author), Morris, S.T. (author), Wood, B.A. (author), and Massey University
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-04-24
- Published:
- New Zealand: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10968
- Journal Title:
- The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 23(4) : 313-333
- Notes:
- 20 pages, via online journal, Purpose: To examine the factors that support and hinder farmers’ learning and to investigate the impact of an innovative learning program on farmers’ practice change. Design/methodology/approach: Individual interviews and focus group discussions were held with 24 farmers over 20 months. Observations were made of these farmers as they participated with eight agricultural and social scientists in a range of innovative experiences to learn about chicory and plantain establishment and management. These learning experiences were designed around evidence-informed educational pedagogies. Data sets were analyzed using NVivo to determine common themes of affordances and barriers to learning and actual practice changes. Findings: The affordances for learning and practice change include belonging to a learning community, enhancing self-efficacy, engaging with scientists, seeing relative advantage, reinforcing and validating learning, supporting system’s integration and developing an identity as learners. Barriers to learning and practice change include issues of: trialability, complexity, compatibility and risk. Practical implications: The importance of basing new models of extension around evidence-informed pedagogies known through educational research to promote learning and practice change. Theoretical implications: Sociocultural theory and self-efficacy theories of learning are critical to the success of effective agricultural extension programs. Originality: To date, little empirical research about the affordances and barriers for pastoral farmers’ learning has been based on contemporary educational research.
9. Where to put the focus on rural development: changing the focus from funding to learning
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Katona Kovacs, Judit (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2014
- Published:
- International
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10918
- Journal Title:
- Studies in Agricultural Economics
- Journal Title Details:
- 116 : 41-48
- Notes:
- Why is a change in the focus of rural development needed? Sinek (2009) pointed out that the first question addressed by successful entrepreneurs when establishing their companies is, why should the enterprise be created, what is the purpose of it? With the outcome of a conversation with an academic colleague in mind, that even scientific papers have a story to tell, the author has structured this paper in line with the 'golden circle' approach of Sinek (2009), namely asking why, then how and then what? At the beginning of her research career in rural development, the author examined the role of the European Union's (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Hungary, with special regard to agri-environmental management. As this research was linked to policy regulations it was in rather a 'top down' direction, examining the effects of selected tools such as agri-environmental measures, direct payments and the LEADER approach. The experience gained during this period (2001-2006) redirected the interest of the author to human and social capital. Examination of sustainability, resilience and system thinking has become a basic element in her work. Acceptance by agriculture that corporate social responsibility is a pre-condition for the licence to produce is now an established societal demand. Production methods that have regard for the planet and people as well as profi t have become a 'must' for the food industry (Slingerland and Rab-binge, 2009). The author keeps in mind the three dimensions of sustainability (nature, society and economy), in which nature creates the frame, the limits of growth, and society is understood to be part of it. Each human being, as an indi-vidual part of society, has his/her responsibility and has to understand the system he/she lives in. This is very important because, as Senge (2011) points out, people do not believe that they infl uence the future, while Johnson (2013), in line with Meier (2005), states that our future is based on how we as individuals live and talk today. In Hungary, human and social resources, which play an important role in the rural economy, show a great defi cit (Katona Kovács, 2006a). Appreciating the importance of human and social capital and their deficit in the North Great Plain NUTS 2 region where she lives, the author is look-ing for ways to increase these resources. This is the first and most important answer to the why question. Since 2006 the author's research work has sought answers to how human and social capital could be increased in local economies, as key factors for future development, even in the improvement of agri-environment management. Although there are good examples of changes generated through policy instruments, such as the LEADER pro-gramme (ÖIR, 2004), instead of trying to form or to increase human and social capital via 'top down' policy mechanisms, while keeping the importance of these instruments in mind, the author is looking for 'bottom-up' tools and participatory actions. This preference is based on an increasing body of evidence. For example, Dam et al. (2009) explore the transi-tion of societal organisation from heavy reliance on the state towards self-organisation by citizens in communities. They note that private citizens are increasingly expected to take responsibility for the direction of their own lives. The suc-cess of the LEADER programme also comes from the space it gives for bottom-up approaches, for partnership and co-creation. Based on the model elaborated by Lukesch (2007), Katona Kovács et al. (2011) examined, from the three modes of operation offered by the model (animating actions, struc-turing actions and consolidating actions), the types of activities of the Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the North Great Plain region. Their results demonstrate the importance of animating actions amongst the LAGs in the region. In this region the level of governance is such that "the ability of people to articulate their common needs is the starting point for many innovations ... It is the only point where we can speak about development programmes in the strict sense" (Lukesch, 2007, p.16). Today animating actions are the most needed operations in the North Great Plain region, so as to encourage different actors to work together and experience the results of common thinking. Dialogue about the common needs is an important first step to help the development of local communities.