Using participatory training approaches such as farmer field schools (FFS) is perceived to be an appropriate technique to improve farmers’ knowledge of complex agro-ecological systems and Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) technologies. However, the FFS approach appears to be more costly than alternative less intensive approaches of knowledge transfer. High per capita expenditures are more justified, if knowledge can be disseminated through informal farmer-to-farmer interactions. Participatory extension approaches therefore rely on interpersonal channels and group mechanisms for diffusing greater awareness and facilitating learning among the group of untrained farmers. Although diffusion is not an explicit goal of the FFS approach, it is nevertheless a desired side-effect, which could invalidate the reproach of fiscal unsustainability.
Several empirical studies found that knowledge generated by participatory extension training does not always sufficiently diffuse to non-participating farmers, because of the complexity of knowledge imparted in the course of a FFS. Farmers nevertheless exchange their experiences with each other, and thus, information about IPPM is being disseminated in the villages. This diffusion of information can have a significant impact on adoption behavior and be an important factor for a successful introduction and establishment of an innovation like IPPM.
This case study, conducted in the Région de Niayes in Senegal in 2004, investigates the effects of training intensity on the diffusion of information. The objective of the study was to identify the factors determining the intensity of information diffusion. A set of predominantly closed questions was used to generate data on demographic, farm-, IPPM-, and information-related issues, which are considered important to capture the diffusion processes. The data has been analysed using a logistic regression model as well as the ordinary least-square (OLS) -estimation model.
The results show that the proportion of trained farmers affects the dissemination of IPPM-related information. A higher share of FFS participants increases the individual exposure of non-participants. In addition, the quantity of information that is shared is higher. A second level of impact is the stage of adoption of FFS farmers and the observability of IPPM practices and benefits, which is a crucial variable for the intrinsic motivation of exposed farmers to adopt such technologies.
Contents
1 Background of the study
1.1 Agricultural extension – from traditional top-down models to the participatory extension approach
1.1.1 History and role of agricultural extension
1.1.2 The Transfer of Technology model
1.1.3 The Participatory Extension Approach
1.2 The Farmer Field School concept of the FAO
1.2.1 The origins
1.2.2 The concept of FFS
1.2.3 Advantages and benefits of IPM-FFS
1.2.4 Problems and criticism
1.2.5 IPPM-FFS in Senegal
1.3 Objective of the study
2 Conceptual framework
2.1 Diffusion theory
2.1.1 Definition – Diffusion and Adoption
2.1.2 Diffusion of innovations
2.1.2.1 Rate of adoption
2.1.2.2 Rate of awareness and innovation-decision period
2.1.2.3 Critical mass
2.1.3 Diffusion research
2.2 Social Cognitive Theory
2.2.1 Basic assumption
2.2.2 Information and knowledge
2.2.3 What can informal interaction achieve?
2.2.4 The value of information
2.3 Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
2.3.1 General description
2.3.2 Social pressure
2.3.3 Heterogeneity of population
2.4 Hypotheses of the study
2.4.1 FFS intensity and information diffusion
2.4.2 Information and stage of adoption
2.4.3 Transformation of FFS intensity into individual exposure
2.4.4 Specification of the survey hypothesis
3 Data collection and methodology
3.1 Sampling procedure
3.2 Questionnaire
3.3 General description of the study site
3.4 Methodology of analysis
3.4.1 Social Network Analysis
3.4.1.1 Respect and Advice Network
3.4.1.2 IPPM Talks Network
3.4.2 The logistic regression model
3.4.2.1 The specification of the logistic model
3.4.2.2 Estimation of the logistic function
3.4.2.3 General evaluation of the model
3.4.2.4 Evaluation of independent variables
4 Results of the survey
4.1 Socio-economic and instituional conditions in the study area
4.1.1 Demographic conditions
4.1.2 Social conditions
4.1.2.1 Respect and Advice Network
4.1.2.2 IPPM Talks Network
4.1.2.3 Summary of results
4.1.3 FFS intensity and individual exposure
4.1.3.1 Rationale of individual exposure
4.1.3.2 The intensity and time of exposure
4.2 Diffusion of information about IPPM
4.2.1 The likelihood of receiving IPPM-related information
4.2.2 Cognitive dissonance and search for information
4.2.3 The intensity of information reception
4.2.3.1 Quality of Information
4.2.3.2 Quantity of Information
4.2.3.3 Regression results
4.2.4 Summary
4.3 Effects of information diffusion on adoption behavior
4.4 Summary of the results
5 Conclusions and recommendations
5.1 Conclusions drawn concerning the diffusion of FFS-acquired knowledge
5.1.1 „What“ vs. „How“
5.1.2 Diffusion of IPPM knowledge in Senegal
5.2 Qualitative data and experiences in the field
5.2.1 Problems to the implementation of IPPM
5.2.1.1 Lack of water
5.2.1.2 Limited or no credit supply
5.2.1.3 Problems of commercialization and conservation
5.2.2 Incentives to participate
5.3 Implications of survey findings for the design and implementation of FFS-IPPM projects
5.4 Outlook
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary research objective of this study is to examine how the proportion of farmers trained in Farmer Field Schools (FFS) influences the diffusion of knowledge and information regarding Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) within rural communities in Senegal. The work explores the dynamics of information flow between trained and untrained farmers and investigates the socio-economic factors that facilitate or hinder this process.
- Analysis of different project implementation strategies and their impact on knowledge dissemination.
- Application of social network analysis to map communication patterns and influence within the villages.
- Investigation of cognitive dissonance theory as a motivator for active information seeking among non-participating farmers.
- Evaluation of the relationship between training intensity, exposure, and the subsequent motivation to adopt IPPM technologies.
- Identification of external constraints—such as water scarcity and credit access—that limit the practical adoption of sustainable farming innovations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 THEORY OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
The process of information dissemination we are concerned with is a single-directed activity, namely the transferring of IPPM-specific information from FFS farmers to Non-FFS farmers. Nonetheless it can be motivated from both sides of the interaction. FFS farmers may have the push to tell others about IPPM. In this case the exposure of Non-FFS farmers to information is involuntary or accidental. In the other case, it may be the Non-FFS farmer who voluntarily and actively looks for information about IPPM, because his curiosity was aroused or for any other reason.
While at the beginning of the diffusion process certainly the first form, the FFS-farmer-initiated interaction, dominates, we assume that in the course of increasing exposure the active information seeking by Non-FFS farmers gain weight.
This assumption can be derived from the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger. He found that a main motivator of human behavior is an internal or cognitive dissonance, which he defines as “the existence of nonfitting relations among cognitions.”71 By the term cognition he means any knowledge, opinion, or belief about the environment, about oneself, or one’s behavior. “Cognitive dissonance can be seen as an antecedent condition, which leads to activity, oriented toward dissonance reduction just as hunger leads to activity, oriented toward hunger reduction.”72 The presence of cognitive dissonance gives rise to pressures to reduce or eliminate the dissonance. The individual begins to consider ways to get into a state of consonance. As an illustration Festinger cites a smoker, who has learned that smoking is bad for his health. This knowledge does not fit with him continuing smoking. This creates a state of psychological discomfort, which drives him either to change his behavior (stopping smoking) or to change his “knowledge” about the effects of smoking.73
Summary of Chapters
1 Background of the study: Provides the historical and conceptual context of agricultural extension, detailing the shift from top-down models to the participatory Farmer Field School approach.
2 Conceptual framework: Establishes the theoretical foundation, utilizing diffusion theory, social cognitive theory, and the theory of cognitive dissonance to explain how information spreads and is adopted.
3 Data collection and methodology: Outlines the research design, including the sampling of villages in Senegal, survey execution, and the application of social network analysis and logistic regression models.
4 Results of the survey: Presents the empirical findings regarding socio-economic conditions, the patterns of IPPM information diffusion, and the variables affecting farmer adoption behavior.
5 Conclusions and recommendations: Synthesizes the study results, discussing the complex nature of knowledge dissemination and offering insights for the future implementation of FFS projects.
Keywords
Farmer Field School, IPPM, Agricultural Extension, Senegal, Diffusion of Innovations, Cognitive Dissonance, Social Network Analysis, Knowledge Dissemination, Adoption Behavior, Participatory Training, Rural Development, Information Flow, Pesticide Reduction, Smallholder Farmers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the process of information diffusion regarding Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) among smallholder vegetable farmers in Senegal, specifically investigating how the presence of Farmer Field School (FFS) participants influences non-participants.
What are the central thematic areas?
The work covers participatory extension strategies, diffusion theory, cognitive social psychology, and the socio-economic barriers to technological adoption in rural African settings.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The primary objective is to analyze how different FFS project implementation strategies—such as village-wide coverage versus intensive localized support—impact the spread of information and the motivation of farmers to adopt new practices.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing quantitative data gathered via surveys, analyzed through logistic regression and OLS models, combined with a Social Network Analysis (SNA) to map interpersonal influence.
What is addressed in the main part of the work?
The main sections evaluate the empirical data from two specific villages (Gollam and Keur Abdou Ndoye), identifying how demographic, social, and information-related variables determine whether a farmer receives or seeks information about IPPM.
What keywords characterize the research?
Key terms include Farmer Field Schools, IPPM, Diffusion of Innovations, Social Network Analysis, and agricultural extension.
How does the "Theory of Cognitive Dissonance" apply to these farmers?
The theory suggests that farmers who learn about the negative impacts of traditional pesticide use experience psychological discomfort (dissonance), which motivates them to either actively seek new, sustainable information or avoid it if their resistance to change is too high.
What is the impact of training intensity on diffusion?
The study finds that a higher density of trained FFS farmers correlates with faster and more effective information dissemination, but notes that knowledge complexity often limits the effectiveness of informal, farmer-to-farmer communication for advanced technical skills.
- Quote paper
- Diplom-Ökonom Rudolf Witt (Author), 2005, Diffusion of Information in Agriculture in Senegal, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/88198
