IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i2p859-d1322228.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technological Integration and Obstacles in China’s Agricultural Extension Systems: A Study on Disembeddedness and Adaptation

Author

Listed:
  • Xinran Hu

    (School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Bin Xiao

    (School of Humanities and Law, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Zhihui Tong

    (School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    Rural Governance Research Center of Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

Abstract

In light of China’s evolving agricultural technology extension system, this study investigates a critical issue known as “technological disembeddedness”. This phenomenon, observed in the context of the country’s push towards administrative and market-oriented extension, reflects a significant disconnect between the formalized methods of technology extension, such as classroom instruction, and the practical needs of farmers. As a consequence, the envisioned improvements in agricultural production efficiency have not materialized as expected. The analysis, based on fieldwork conducted in Shandong Province from 2019 to 2020, identifies that different stakeholder interests have further exacerbated the situation. Agricultural technology extension, driven by diverse agendas, has been utilized as a tool for profit, resulting in a stark disparity in farmers’ access to technology and the emergence of multiple, formalized extension models. This marginalized small-scale farmers and undermined the initial objectives of the extension system. The study proposes a fundamental shift in approach. It advocates for a social-centric perspective on technology extension, suggesting that the solution lies in harnessing local community dynamics to gradually build a technology extension system that aligns with the practical realities of farmers’ production and daily lives. In summary, the study identifies “technological disembeddedness” as a primary challenge within China’s agricultural technology extension system. It underscores the need to reorient the approach towards a more socially connected model, with a focus on the local community’s role in creating a technology extension system that genuinely serves the needs of farmers.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinran Hu & Bin Xiao & Zhihui Tong, 2024. "Technological Integration and Obstacles in China’s Agricultural Extension Systems: A Study on Disembeddedness and Adaptation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:859-:d:1322228
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/859/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/859/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiabin Xu & Zhaoda Cui & Tianyi Wang & Jingjing Wang & Zhigang Yu & Cuixia Li, 2023. "Influence of Agricultural Technology Extension and Social Networks on Chinese Farmers’ Adoption of Conservation Tillage Technology," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, June.
    2. George W. Norton & Jeffrey Alwang, 2020. "Changes in Agricultural Extension and Implications for Farmer Adoption of New Practices," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 8-20, March.
    3. Hu, Ruifa & Cai, Yaqing & Chen, Kevin Z. & Huang, Jikun, 2012. "Effects of inclusive public agricultural extension service: Results from a policy reform experiment in western China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 962-974.
    4. Spielman, David J. & Ekboir, Javier & Davis, Kristin, 2009. "The art and science of innovation systems inquiry: Applications to Sub-Saharan African agriculture," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 399-405.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Qian Liu & Yongmu Jiang & Carl‐Johan Lagerkvist & Wei Huang, 2023. "Extension services and the technical efficiency of crop‐specific farms in China," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 436-459, March.
    2. Yihan Chen & Wen Xiang & Minjuan Zhao, 2024. "Impacts of Capital Endowment on Farmers’ Choices in Fertilizer-Reduction and Efficiency-Increasing Technologies (Preferences, Influences, and Mechanisms): A Case Study of Apple Farmers in the Province," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Sylvain, Dernat & Bertrand, Dumont & Dominique, Vollet, 2023. "La Grange®: A generic game to reveal trade-offs and synergies among stakeholders in livestock farming areas," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    4. Cuffey, Joel & Li, Wenying & Sawadgo, Wendiam & Rabinowitz, Adam, 2022. "Cross-Hedging in the Classroom: Engaging Students in Developing Scholarly Extension Output," Applied Economics Teaching Resources (AETR), Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 4(2), July.
    5. Chiara Perelli & Luca Cacchiarelli & Mutimura Mupenzi & Giacomo Branca & Alessandro Sorrentino, 2024. "‘Unlock the Complexity’: Understanding the Economic and Political Pathways Underlying the Transition to Climate-Smart Smallholder Forage-Livestock Systems: A Case Study in Rwanda," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, July.
    6. Amadu, Festus O. & McNamara, Paul E. & Davis, Kristin E., 2021. "Soil health and grain yield impacts of climate resilient agriculture projects: Evidence from southern Malawi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    7. Verburg, René W. & Verberne, Emma & Negro, Simona O., 2022. "Accelerating the transition towards sustainable agriculture: The case of organic dairy farming in the Netherlands," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Yemane Asmelash Gebremariam & Joost Dessein & Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnhu & Mark Breusers & Lutgart Lenaerts & Enyew Adgo & Zemen Ayalew & Amare Sewenet Minale & Jan Nyssen, 2021. "Determinants of Farmers’ Level of Interaction with Agricultural Extension Agencies in Northwest Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-24, March.
    9. Elena Feo & Sylvia Burssens & Hannes Mareen & Pieter Spanoghe, 2022. "Shedding Light into the Need of Knowledge Sharing in H2020 Thematic Networks for the Agriculture and Forestry Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, March.
    10. Crudeli, Luca & Mancinelli, Susanna & Mazzanti, Massimiliano & Pitoro, Raul, 2022. "Beyond individualistic behaviour: Social norms and innovation adoption in rural Mozambique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Dario Schulz & Jan Börner, 2023. "Innovation context and technology traits explain heterogeneity across studies of agricultural technology adoption: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 570-590, June.
    12. Tadjiev, Abdusame & Kurbanov, Zafar & Djanibekov, Nodir & Govind, Ajit & Akramkhanov, Akmal, 2023. "Determinants and impact of farmers' participation in social media groups: Evidence from irrigated areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," IAMO Discussion Papers 201, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).
    13. Madhu Khanna & Shady S. Atallah & Saurajyoti Kar & Bijay Sharma & Linghui Wu & Chengzheng Yu & Girish Chowdhary & Chinmay Soman & Kaiyu Guan, 2022. "Digital transformation for a sustainable agriculture in the United States: Opportunities and challenges," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(6), pages 924-937, November.
    14. Ivan S. Adolwa & Stefan Schwarze & Imogen Bellwood-Howard & Nikolaus Schareika & Andreas Buerkert, 2017. "A comparative analysis of agricultural knowledge and innovation systems in Kenya and Ghana: sustainable agricultural intensification in the rural–urban interface," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(2), pages 453-472, June.
    15. Junuthula, Shirisha & Kumari, Veenita & Srinivasan, Chittur, 2023. "Identification of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) Knowledge Gaps in the Integration of Nutrition into Training by Agricultural Extension Advisory Services (EAS) Providers in India," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334565, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    16. Doris Läpple, 2023. "Information about Climate Change Mitigation: What Do Farmers Think?," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 22(1), pages 74-80, April.
    17. Xiaohui Li & Hang Xiong & Jinghui Hao & Gucheng Li, 2024. "Impacts of internet access and use on grain productivity: evidence from Central China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    18. Anett Kuntosch & Bettina König, 2018. "Linking system perspectives with user perspectives to identify adoption barriers to food security innovations for smallholder farmers – evidence from rural Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 881-896, August.
    19. David Pannell & David Zilberman, 2020. "Understanding Adoption of Innovations and Behavior Change to Improve Agricultural Policy," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 3-7, March.
    20. Cai, Jinyang & Jia, Yao & Hu, Ruifa & Zhang, Chao, 2020. "Four decades of China’s agricultural extension reform and its impact on agents’ time allocation," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(1), January.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:859-:d:1322228. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.