Knowledge management for agricultural innovation: lessons from networking efforts in the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System

How can farmers' attitudes to innovation be improved?

This paper presents results of an analysis of farmers’ behaviour, based on two case studies in Bolivia. It discusses how knowledge management modalities affect innovation behaviour among small farmers. It also examines how schemes, which involve multiple agents, can influence farmers’ attitudes towards innovation.

The authors explore two hypotheses. Firstly that multiple-agent knowledge management enhances the adoption of innovations among farmers; and secondly, the extent to which farmers adopt innovations is determined by the degree to which they are embedded in social networks.

Key conclusions include:

farmers evaluate potential benefits and costs of innovations, on the basis of opinions of other farmers, and agents offering knowledge about them
innovation amongst smallholders in developing countries, requires developing their capabilities and communicating the learning process to a variety of actors
if farmers are interested in adopting knowledge, they may - together with the network of surrounding agents - practice, process, improve and adapt it.

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Knowledge management for agricultural innovation: lessons from networking efforts in the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System