Impact of Privatization of Advisory Services on Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems: Evidence from 'LEC' Knowledge Management in Banikoara, Benin.
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| Title: | Impact of Privatization of Advisory Services on Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems: Evidence from 'LEC' Knowledge Management in Banikoara, Benin. |
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| Alternate Title: | Impacto de la Privatización de Servicios de Asesoría sobre los Sistemas de Conocimientos e Información Agrícolas: Indicios de la Gestión de Conocimientos 'LEC' en Banikoara, Benin. L'impact de la privatisation des services de conseil sur la connaissance et les systèmes d'informatiques agricoles : la preuve de la gestion des connaissances de « LEC » à Banikoara au Bénin. |
| Authors: | Moussa, Ismail Moumouni1 ismailmm@gmail.com |
| Source: | Quarterly Bulletin of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists. 2006, Vol. 51 Issue 3/4, p208-214. 7p. 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart. |
| Subject Terms: | *Computers in agriculture, *Agricultural technology, *Sustainable agriculture, *Pest control, Privatization, Information resources management, Helicoverpa armigera, Communication & technology |
| Geographic Terms: | Benin |
| Abstract (English): | The Cotton and Fibers Research Centre has elaborated and introduced the Lutte Etagée Ciblée (LEC) technology to control Helicoverpa armigera effectively in the cotton cultivating areas of Benin. Promotion of the technology was funded by the Farming System Diversification and Improvement Project (PADSE). A system that included farmers' local organizations was established to ensure that the LEC technology was effectively diffused and the experience sustainable. Service providers, known as village observers and paid directly by farmers, are in charge of visiting cotton farms, assessing the pest infestation level, and advising farmers on the appropriate pest management strategy to use. This approach transformed pest management knowledge, which is a public good, into a private service that farmers may need to request every year. I analysed the effectiveness of such a private delivery and funding system on the management of information and knowledge related to the technology at Tintinmou village in Banikoara District, Benin. The study provided some evidence that farmers abandoned the LEC technology at the end of the PADSE project that was sponsoring the technology. The delivery and funding system led to 1) the opposition of the perceptions of the value of knowledge in the village because farmers got accustomed to receiving free of charge agricultural extension services and thought therefore that the project would continue to finance the services of village observers; 2) a decrease in the demand for services and knowledge because farmers abandoned the LEC technology and returned to their former pest management strategy; 3) the inequitable access to information and knowledge because its diffusion was limited to village observers and their close friends; and 4) a change in relations between farmers and service providers by altering the mutual trust environment. The delivery and funding system, which involves other stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations and leads to the emancipation of individual farmers, is more likely to ensure better information and knowledge management relative to the LEC technology. Collective financial participation could be more appropriate than individual contributions, when local extension workers are service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Spanish): | El Centro de Investigación sobre Algodón y Fibras introdujo la tecnologfa de manejo de aplicación dirigida, conocida en francés como Lutte Etagée Ciblée (LEC), para el control eficaz de Helicoverpa armigera en las zonas algodoneras de Benin. La promoción de la tecnología fue financiada por el Proyecto de Diversificación y Mejoramiento de Sistemas Agrícolas (PADSE, sus siglas en francés). Se estableció un sistema que incluía las organizaciones locales de agricultores para difundir la tecnología LEC y asegurar su sostenibilidad. Los proveedores de servicios, conocidos como observadores comunales y pagados directamente por los agricultores, visitaron las algodoneras para evaluar los niveles de infestación de plagas y asesorar a los agricultores en la estrategia apropiada de tratamiento de plagas. Este enfoque transformó los conocimientos sobre manejo de plagas, que es un bien pLiblico, en un servicio privado que los agricultores solicitarían cada año. El estudio analizó la eficacia de dicho sistema privado de prestación y financiamiento del manejo de la información y conocimientos relacionados con la tecnología en la aldea de Tintinmou, Distrito de Banikoara. El estudio aportó algunos indicios de que este sistema de prestación y financiamiento condujo a: (1) percepciones negativas del valor de los conocimientos en la aldea porque los agricultores estaban acostumbrados a recibir servicios de extensión agrícola en forma gratuita y, por tanto, pensaban que el proyecto debería seguir financiando los servicios de los observadores comunales; (2) una demanda reducida de los servicios y de conocimientos porque los agricultores abandonaron la tecnología LEC y regresaron a su antigua estrategia de manejo de plagas; (3) el acceso desigual a la información y los conocimientos porque su difusión se limitó a los observadores comunales y a sus amigos cercanos; y (4) un cambio en las relaciones entre los agricultores y los proveedores de servicios al alterar el ambiente de confianza mutua. Este sistema de prestación y financiamiento, que incluye a otros grupos interesados, emancipa a los agricultores individuales y tiene mayor probabilidad de garantizar un mejor manejo de la información y los conocimientos en la tecnología LEC. La participación financiera colectiva podría ser más apropiada que los aportes individuales, cuando los extensionistas locales son los proveedores del servicio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (French): | Le Centre de recherche sur le coton et les fibres a introduit la technologie de la Lutte étagée ciblée (LEC) pour contrôler l'Helicoverpa armigera efficacement dans les zones de culture de coton du Bénin. La promotion de cette technologie a été subventionnée par le Projet de l'amélioration et de la diversification du système d'exploitation (PADSE). Un système qui a inclus les organisations locales des paysans établies pour disséminer la technologie de LEC et assurer sa durabilité. Les fournisseurs de service, connus comme observateurs de village et payés directement par les paysans, ont visité les fermes de coton pour évaluer les niveaux d'infestation des ravageurs, et conseiller les paysans sur la stratégie appropriée à suivre pour lutter contre ces ravageurs. Cette approche a transformé la connaissance de la lutte anti-ravageur, qui est un bien public, en un service privé que les paysans demanderont tousles ans. J'ai analysé, au village de Tintinmou dans le district de Banikoara, l'efficacité d'une telle diffusion et d'un tel système de subvention privée sur la gestion de l'information et de la connaissance liée à la technologie. L'étude fournit quelques preuves montrant que ce système de diffusion et de subvention a mené à : 1) des perceptions négatives de la valeur de la connaissance dans le village, parce que les paysans ont été habitués à recevoir des services gratuits de vulgarisation agricole, et ont donc pensé que le projet dolt continuer à financer les services d'observateurs de village ; 2) une diminution de la demande pour ces services et cette connaissance car les paysans ont abandonné la technologie LEC et sont retournés à leur ancienne stratégie de lutte anti-ravageur ; 3 ) l'accès injuste à l'information et à la connaissance parce que sa diffusion a été limitée aux observateurs de village et leurs amis proches ; et 4) une altération dans les relations entre paysans et fournisseurs de service en changeant l'environnement de confiance mutuelle. Ce système de diffusion et de subvention, qui implique d'autres partenaires, émancipe les paysans individuels et garantit probablement une meilleure gestion de l'information et de la connaissance sur la technologie de LEC. La participation financière collective seraient plus appropriée que les contributions individuelles, lorsque les vulgarisateurs locaux sont les fournisseurs de service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | GreenFILE |
| Abstract: | The Cotton and Fibers Research Centre has elaborated and introduced the Lutte Etagée Ciblée (LEC) technology to control Helicoverpa armigera effectively in the cotton cultivating areas of Benin. Promotion of the technology was funded by the Farming System Diversification and Improvement Project (PADSE). A system that included farmers' local organizations was established to ensure that the LEC technology was effectively diffused and the experience sustainable. Service providers, known as village observers and paid directly by farmers, are in charge of visiting cotton farms, assessing the pest infestation level, and advising farmers on the appropriate pest management strategy to use. This approach transformed pest management knowledge, which is a public good, into a private service that farmers may need to request every year. I analysed the effectiveness of such a private delivery and funding system on the management of information and knowledge related to the technology at Tintinmou village in Banikoara District, Benin. The study provided some evidence that farmers abandoned the LEC technology at the end of the PADSE project that was sponsoring the technology. The delivery and funding system led to 1) the opposition of the perceptions of the value of knowledge in the village because farmers got accustomed to receiving free of charge agricultural extension services and thought therefore that the project would continue to finance the services of village observers; 2) a decrease in the demand for services and knowledge because farmers abandoned the LEC technology and returned to their former pest management strategy; 3) the inequitable access to information and knowledge because its diffusion was limited to village observers and their close friends; and 4) a change in relations between farmers and service providers by altering the mutual trust environment. The delivery and funding system, which involves other stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations and leads to the emancipation of individual farmers, is more likely to ensure better information and knowledge management relative to the LEC technology. Collective financial participation could be more appropriate than individual contributions, when local extension workers are service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10199926 |
