In this paper the developments in agricultural research and education in the Netherlands will be presented in a historic context and the recent evolutions in agriculture-based research and knowledge systems are evaluated. It is concluded that societal needs, scientific discoveries, and public and private funding are the driving forces behind change. However, most important for the quality and vigour of knowledge centres is the ability to adapt to change
In order for agricultural development to fulfill its potential role as a source of growth and reducer of poverty, it must be constantly renewed through knowledge and innovation. Getting resources into the hands of innovators and providing incentives for producers, agricultural service providers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate in developing and applying new methods and technologies is a priority among institutions concerned with agricultural knowledge.
This paper presents the processes, general guidelines lessons and experiences pertaining to “good practices” for organizing and forming Agricultural Innovation Platforms in the Lake Kivu Pilot Learning Site, covering three countries (Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo) with widely differing social political environments to address agricultural development challenges.
The authors engaged in iterative cycles of mixed methods research around particular questions, actions relevant to stakeholders, new proposal formulation and implementation followed by evaluation of impacts. Capacity building occurred among farmers, technical personnel, and students from multiple disciplines. Involvement of research users occurred throughout: women and men farmers, non-governmental development organizations, Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and, in Ecuador, the National Council on Social Participation
El objetivo general de este estudio fue evaluar la competitividad de la cadena productiva del arroz en el área de influencia del molino de arroz “San José”, en la región sur del estado de Morelos, México, mediante el enfoque CADIAC bajo el análisis de cadena, el diálogo y la concertación entre actores.
En este estudio durante el período 2008-2009, los objetivos fueron caracterizar a los productores, determinar el grado de adopción y evaluar el impacto del uso de la variedad de frijol Pinto Saltillo, generada por el INIFAP. El procedimiento metodológico se basó en una entrevista formal a una muestra de agricultores, los cuales fueron seleccionados al azar de una población de 45,000 productores registrados en el padrón de SAGARPA. El tamaño de muestra fue de 496 elementos.
The innovation system perspective acknowledges the contributions made by all stakeholders involved in knowledge development, dissemination and appropriation. According to the specific agricultural production system, farmers adopt innovations, modify them or innovate on their own. This paper examines the role of farmers' experiments and innovations in Cuba's agricultural innovation system (AIS), identifies knowledge exchange encounters and describes some strategies implemented to institutionalize farmers' experiments and innovations.
Most cocoa farmers in Ghana do not adopt research recommendations because they cannot afford the cost, therefore, yields are low. Integrated pest management (IPM) technologies that rely on low external inputs were tried with a group of farmers. The technologies included using aqueous neem seed extracts to control capsids; removing diseased pods to reduce blackpod incidence; controlling mistletoes, epiphytes, weeds; and managing shade. Although yields increased significantly, adoption was constrained by technical, social and economic factors.
El papel de la migración en la reestructuración de los sistemas de innovación y tecnologías avanzadas en países destino u origen ha dado lugar a diferentes debates, porque siempre hay dos lados de la moneda; en este caso, norte y sur.
Este estudio buscó fortalecer la cadena productiva del Bambú Guadua. En el artículo se presentan los procesos de corte del bambú guadua, la obtención de láminas, la fabricación de laminados y los resultados de ensayos en láminas y probetas laminadas elaboradas con cuatro tipos de pegantes: melamina, resorcinol, acetato de polivinilo y cola natural. Se encontró que la retracción longitudinal de las láminas es relativamente baja y la relación entre las retracciones tangencial y radial fue cercana a 1,0 mostrando la viabilidad del uso del bambú guadua para procesos de laminad