Extension of Knowledge From Research to Farmer - The Dutch Agricultural Knowledge and Information System

After a brief discussion of some vital qualities of an Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS), the AKIS in the Netherlands is outlined. An AKIS should facilitate the continuous innovation and adaptation in the agricultural sector which is required to keep it competitive. In spite of the involvement of many actors with different objectives and a high level of autonomy, an AKIS should include sufficient synergy for a satisfactory performance. Prerequisites are intensive contacts, formal as well as informal, and an open exchange of knowledge and information, particularly among key-actors. In the Dutch AKIS three levels on which institutions operate may be distinguished. These divide the flow of knowledge and information from the primary sources to the farmer and vice versa. On each of these levels many institutions operate, while there is an elaborated information network among institutions on the same and adjacent levels. Mainstreams are in the realms of public education, extension and research, but private activities in those fields are also involved. The Dutch AKIS is believed to perform well because of the heavy involvement of the Ministery of Agriculture and the cooperating farmers unions in the mainstream-activities and the intensive contacts between these two key-actors.