IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agisys/v125y2014icp63-73.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hatching new ideas about herb pastures: Learning together in a community of New Zealand farmers and agricultural scientists

Author

Listed:
  • Sewell, A.M.
  • Gray, D.I.
  • Blair, H.T.
  • Kemp, P.D.
  • Kenyon, P.R.
  • Morris, S.T.
  • Wood, B.A.

Abstract

Historically, farmers are slow to adopt new and evidence-based pastoral farming practices. While there is a long history of research on extension and technology transfer to farmers, a fresh and innovative approach is needed to ensure that farmers learn about, adopt and adapt highly effective technologies. Little is known about how pastoral farmers learn about new evidence-based ideas – insights that need to inform the design of new models of extension. An 18-month pilot study brought together agricultural scientists and social scientists to investigate how farmers learn and effective ways to support their learning. An innovative participatory programme was designed for 18 farmers to promote improved management practices of herb-mix pastures containing chicory, plantain and red and white clover. Results showed that farmers’ learning was promoted when they: (1) participated in a learning community with agricultural scientists, (2) made connections between evidence-based ideas and their own farming systems, (3) were interested in the learning focus and became part of a shared inquiry, and (4) revisited important concepts and engaged in a range of multi-sensorial activities that were aligned to important pastoral outcomes. These findings are examined against contemporary educational theories to suggest a set of principles to develop educationally-informed and innovative approaches to farmer learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Sewell, A.M. & Gray, D.I. & Blair, H.T. & Kemp, P.D. & Kenyon, P.R. & Morris, S.T. & Wood, B.A., 2014. "Hatching new ideas about herb pastures: Learning together in a community of New Zealand farmers and agricultural scientists," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 63-73.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:125:y:2014:i:c:p:63-73
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2013.12.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X13001522
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.12.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eastwood, C.R. & Chapman, D.F. & Paine, M.S., 2012. "Networks of practice for co-construction of agricultural decision support systems: Case studies of precision dairy farms in Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 10-18.
    2. Sherson, D. & Gray, David I. & Reid, J.I. & Gardner, John W.M., 2002. "The Facilitation of Learning Groups: A Study of a Dairy Discussion Group Facilitator," 13th Congress, Wageningen, The Netherlands, July 7-12, 2002 6997, International Farm Management Association.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ingram, Julie & Dwyer, Janet & Gaskell, Peter & Mills, Jane & Wolf, Pieter de, 2018. "Reconceptualising translation in agricultural innovation: A co-translation approach to bring research knowledge and practice closer together," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 38-51.
    2. Vänninen, Irene & Pereira-Querol, Marco & Engeström, Yrjö, 2015. "Generating transformative agency among horticultural producers: An activity-theoretical approach to transforming Integrated Pest Management," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 38-49.
    3. Ashfield, Austen & Mullan, Conall & Jack, Claire, 2020. "Encouraging farmer participation in agricultural education and training: A Northern Ireland perspective," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 9, November.
    4. Sandra Cortes Acosta & David Fleming & Loic Henry & Edmund Lou & Sally Owen & Bruce Small, 2019. "Identifying barriers to adoption of “no-cost” greenhouse gas mitigation practices in pastoral systems," Working Papers 19_10, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.
    5. Dolinska, Aleksandra & d'Aquino, Patrick, 2016. "Farmers as agents in innovation systems. Empowering farmers for innovation through communities of practice," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 122-130.
    6. Prost, Lorène & Reau, Raymond & Paravano, Laurette & Cerf, Marianne & Jeuffroy, Marie-Hélène, 2018. "Designing agricultural systems from invention to implementation: the contribution of agronomy. Lessons from a case study," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 122-132.
    7. Wenndt, Anthony J. & Sudini, Hari Kishan & Pingali, Prabhu & Nelson, Rebecca, 2021. "Farmer research networks enable community-based mycotoxin management in rural Indian villages," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    8. McCaig, Melanie & Rezania, Davar & Dara, Rozita, 2023. "Framing the response to IoT in agriculture: A discourse analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    9. Lalani, Baqir & Dorward, Peter & Holloway, Garth & Wauters, Erwin, 2016. "Smallholder farmers' motivations for using Conservation Agriculture and the roles of yield, labour and soil fertility in decision making," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 80-90.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eastwood, C.R. & Turner, F.J. & Romera, A.J., 2022. "Farmer-centred design: An affordances-based framework for identifying processes that facilitate farmers as co-designers in addressing complex agricultural challenges," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    2. Balaine, Lorraine & Dillon, Emma J. & Läpple, Doris & Lynch, John, 2020. "Can technology help achieve sustainable intensification? Evidence from milk recording on Irish dairy farms," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    3. Yang, Huan & Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2014. "Functions and limitations of farmer cooperatives as innovation intermediaries: Findings from China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-125.
    4. Mamiya Binte Ahsan & Guo Leifeng & Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam & Beibei Xu & Shah Johir Rayhan & Abdul Kaium & Wang Wensheng, 2022. "Barriers, Challenges, and Requirements for ICT Usage among Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers in Bangladesh: Toward Sustainability in Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-27, December.
    5. Skaalsveen, Kamilla & Ingram, Julie & Urquhart, Julie, 2020. "The role of farmers' social networks in the implementation of no-till farming practices," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    6. Klerkx, Laurens & Nettle, Ruth, 2013. "Achievements and challenges of innovation co-production support initiatives in the Australian and Dutch dairy sectors: A comparative study," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 74-89.
    7. Ensor, Jonathan & de Bruin, Annemarieke, 2022. "The role of learning in farmer-led innovation," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    8. Langer, Greta & Schukat, Sirkka, 2022. "Die Einstellung deutscher Milchviehhalter gegenüber dem Internet der Dinge," 62nd Annual Conference, Stuttgart, Germany, September 7-9, 2022 329592, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    9. Klerkx, Laurens & van Bommel, Severine & Bos, Bram & Holster, Henri & Zwartkruis, Joyce V. & Aarts, Noelle, 2012. "Design process outputs as boundary objects in agricultural innovation projects: Functions and limitations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 39-49.
    10. Chenyang Liu & Xinyao Wang & Ziming Bai & Hongye Wang & Cuixia Li, 2023. "Does Digital Technology Application Promote Carbon Emission Efficiency in Dairy Farms? Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, April.
    11. Claire Jack & Adewale H. Adenuga & Austen Ashfield & Michael Wallace, 2020. "Investigating the Drivers of Farmers’ Engagement in a Participatory Extension Programme: The Case of Northern Ireland Business Development Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Jotham Akaka & Aurora García-Gallego & Nikolaos Georgantzís & Jean-Christian Tisserand, 2021. "Decision support systems adoption in pesticide management," Working Papers 2021/08, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    13. Dolinska, Aleksandra & d'Aquino, Patrick, 2016. "Farmers as agents in innovation systems. Empowering farmers for innovation through communities of practice," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 122-130.
    14. Kilelu, Catherine W. & Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2016. "Unraveling the role of innovation platforms in supporting coevolution of innovation: Contributions and tensions in a smallholder dairy-development program," IFPRI book chapters, in: Devaux, André & Torero, Maximo & Donovan, Jason & Horton, Douglas E. (ed.), Innovation for inclusive value-chain development: Successes and challenges, chapter 9, pages 269-302, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    15. Ha, Tuan M. & Bosch, Ockie J.H. & Nguyen, Nam C. & Trinh, Chung T., 2017. "System dynamics modelling for defining livelihood strategies for women smallholder farmers in lowland and upland regions of northern Vietnam: A comparative analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 12-20.
    16. Sirkka Schukat & Heinke Heise, 2021. "Towards an Understanding of the Behavioral Intentions and Actual Use of Smart Products among German Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-24, June.
    17. Castillo-Valero, Juan S. & Sanchez-Garcia, Mercedes & Garcia-Cortijo, Mari Carmen, 2016. "Predicting grower choices in a regulated environment," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 20(1), November.
    18. Anastasiia BURDIUZHA, 2021. "Qualitative Assessment Of Precision Dairy Farming Impact On Farm Sustainability In Ukraine: The Farmers' Perspective," SEA - Practical Application of Science, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 27, pages 163-173, December.
    19. Bonamigo, Andrei & Ferenhof, Helio Aisenberg & Forcellini, Fernando Antonio, 2017. "Dairy Ecosystem Barriers Exposed - A Case Study In A Family Production Unit At Western Santa Catarina, Brazil," Organizações Rurais e Agroindustriais/Rural and Agro-Industrial Organizations, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Departamento de Administracao e Economia, vol. 19(1), January.
    20. Alejandra Engler & Roberto Jara-Rojas & Carlos Bopp, 2016. "Efficient use of Water Resources in Vineyards: A Recursive joint Estimation for the Adoption of Irrigation Technology and Scheduling," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 5369-5383, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:125:y:2014:i:c:p:63-73. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agsy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.