Precision agriculture (PA) is an important part of sustainable intensification, where information... more Precision agriculture (PA) is an important part of sustainable intensification, where information and communications technology (ICT) and other technologies are necessary but not sufficient for sustainable farming systems. Many agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) have been developed to support farmers to manage an increased amount of gathered data. However, the traditional approach to AgriDSS development is based on the knowledge transfer perspective, which has resulted in technology being considered as an isolated phenomenon and thus not adapted to farmers’ actual needs or their decision making in practice. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of farmers’ use of AgriDSS. The theoretical framework of distributed cognition (DCog) was used as a lense when investigating and analysing farmers' use of a software tool developed for calculation of variable rate application (VRA) files for nitrogen (N) fertilisation from satellite images called CropSAT. In a ca...
Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness ... more Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture. Advisory services have been studied at policy level, structural level and within case studies, but there is still restricted knowledge about advisors’ and farmers’ view on advisory services in general. This paper presents the views of Swedish advisors and farmers on advisory services. In a survey-based study, perceptions of farm advisors and full-time farmers in commercial Swedish agriculture on advisory services were identified and statistically analysed, comparing differences between and within the groups. The results are structured around three main themes; motives for a farmer using or not using advisory services, preferred approach by the advisor and future demands on advisory services and their importance today. Possible consequences of differences in perceptions for on-farm service delivery were assessed. Similarities in perceptions on advisory s...
There is a need to develop practical theories for collaborative learning and decision making in n... more There is a need to develop practical theories for collaborative learning and decision making in natural resource management. Theories that could guide extensionists and action researchers when designing, facilitating and evaluating processes of change. This paper aim to present a practical theory, based on the social pragmatic approach of three well known authors; G H Mead, K Burke and V Cronen. Mead's model of perspectivity, Burke's theory of dramatism, and Cronen's co-ordinated management of meaning model enable me to develop a framework which has been applied within ongoing research projects in the Swedish agri-food system. In this paper the framework is presented, and is hoped to add to the emerging discussion on the social psychological dimension of sustainable agri-food systems. 1. Challenging our thinking 1.1. A research problem
The article discusses an action research project conducted in the Upper Amazon region of Peru tha... more The article discusses an action research project conducted in the Upper Amazon region of Peru that focused on the working approach of a NGO partner called PRADERA. In its land management projects PRADERA’s working approach was characterized by a close collaboration with farmers. Its emphasis was on grasping the farmers’ perspective on agriculture, targeting of local institutions in the villages as natural arenas for learning, and including topics in their analysis such as culture and worldview; this is analyzed through the framework of a reflective learning organization. The organization’s capacity for learning is described as consisting of single-, double- and the possibility of triple-loop learning. During our collaboration with PRADERA, though we did not find established internal arrangements that could foster a triple-loop learning process, incipient signs were noted of space and potential which could favor deeper levels of learning. The importance of deeper levels of learning i...
This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to ... more This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to farmers' demands for a whole-farm approach to extension. A case study approach was taken focused on three extension organisations in Sweden and their conscious ambitions to change their way of working. The cases reflect the opportunities and pitfalls when developing collaboration on all organisational levels, from the individual to the inter-organisational. The empirical findings have been reflected on from the theoretical perspective of how to develop a collaborative culture in organisations. In the paper we describe their experiences of collaboration between individuals, in work teams and inter-organisational-an experience that in two of the cases ended up in a fusion and building of a new advisory firm. The paper seeks to analyse what appears to be the constraints facing farm production advisors and their organisations in processes of internal and external collaboration. We argue that one of the main reasons why the farm production advisors do not become as active as they potentially could be in the sphere of business and rural development is that they and their organisations lack a collaborative culture. One conclusion is that in order to be a trustworthy partner for external collaboration and to be able to initiate processes of collective action, one must first build up a wellfunctioning collaboration on individual, team-based and organisational level.
Jenny Höckert, Magnus Ljung and Nadarajah Sriskandarajah Department of Urban and Rural Developmen... more Jenny Höckert, Magnus Ljung and Nadarajah Sriskandarajah Department of Urban and Rural Development, Unit of Environmental Communication, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract: This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to farmers’ demands for a whole‐farm approach to extension. A case study approach was taken focused on three extension organisations in Sweden and their conscious ambitions to change their way of working. The cases reflect the opportunities and pitfalls when developing collaboration on all organisational levels, from the individual to the inter‐organisational. The empirical findings have been reflected on from the theoretical perspective of how to develop a collaborative culture in organisations. In the paper we describe their experiences of collaboration between individuals, in work teams and inter‐o...
The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands ... more The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands influence it on both local and global level. Making decisions under such circumstances is a complex and delicate task in which goal conflicts cannot easily be resolved. This puts farmers in a rather difficult position as it is impossible for a single individual to make informed and appropriate decisions, which strongly emphasizes the need for an increased collaboration between farmers and other actors in the agricultural sector. This paper aims to explore in more detail farmers' lifeworld which refers to their social environment and working life. Particular focus will be on the socially situated organization of collaborative activities in farmers' lifeworld and the ways in which technologies and artifacts can be present in practical action. For instance, agricultural advisory situations can be considered complex social systems where people with different backgrounds, experiences,...
Although there is a growing need to establish new linkages between stakeholders in collaborative ... more Although there is a growing need to establish new linkages between stakeholders in collaborative learning processes in order to manage the challenges facing modern agriculture, the core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker. The decisions of each farmer have impacts on sustainability and are made in a complex world of contradictious interests and values. Agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) will be a major contributor in the realization of a viable farm economy with less negative environmental impact, but it must not only provide current and relevant information. Current DSSs available to farmers, advisors, experts, and policy makers are not used to their full potential. One reason is that they fail to capture the actual needs of the farmers and to understand their decision-making in practice. They are not adapted to the high complexity characterizing sustainable land use decision-making. Among farmers the acceptance of th...
ABSTRACT Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. M... more ABSTRACT Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and available IT systems are not used to their full potential. This paper discusses how to reduce the so-called ‘implementation problem’ in order to improve the ongoing development process of a webbased fertilization project in Sweden. The intention of the project is to apply a participatory design approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this approach in the development and implementation process are identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them.
While transdisciplinary (TD) research is desired in order to solve real world sustainability issu... more While transdisciplinary (TD) research is desired in order to solve real world sustainability issues, this may be challenging for both academic and non-academic participants. Supporting learning through evaluation, we analyzed a project aiming at sustainable transport infrastructures. After developing a TD research framework as a benchmark, two external independent evaluators interviewed all project researchers, representatives for end-users, and donors. The evaluators compared results with the framework, and evaluators and participants critically reflected on the results together. There were three inconsistencies relative to the framework: (1) limited understanding of TD research among project management, end-users, and most of the researchers; (2) no structured learning process among end-users; instead, they expressed very diverse opinions about what they expected from the project; (3) project leaders had limited understanding of the special challenges of TD research, did not fully...
Precision agriculture provides important issues toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farme... more Precision agriculture provides important issues toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and thus available information and communications technology (ICT) systems are not used to their full potential. This paper addresses how to reduce the so-called ''problem of implementation'', based on the knowledge that participatory approaches during the design and development process is one of the most important factors to frame technology adoption. The development of sustainable ICT systems through theories and methodologies from the fields of human computer interaction and user-centered design (UCD) is presented and an ongoing Swedish project for development of an agricultural decision support system (AgriDSS) for nitrogen fertilization is used as an example to frame the issue. The overreaching aim is to develop AgriDSSs that are sustainable in design as well as through design by stressing the importance of participatory approaches for the successful development of AgriDSSs. The Swedish project has the intention to apply a UCD approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this way of working is identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them through co-learning processes. Despite the challenges presented in this paper, ICT can contribute significantly to long-term sustainable development. Thus, several competences and scientific disciplines need to act in concert to help develop a sustainable development of agriculture via a transdisciplinary approach that can make an impact on society at many levels.
Societies all over the world are seeking new paths towards a sustainable and equitable developmen... more Societies all over the world are seeking new paths towards a sustainable and equitable development. Farmers and farming systems may hold the key to addressing many of society´s environmental problems, but modern European agriculture is not sustainable with regard to, for example, use of fossil fuels or inputs of foreign substances in agroecosystems (Lowe at al, 1997; Adger et al, 1997). There is an urgent need for farmers, together with new partners, to explore ways of changing technologies and socioeconomic relationships in order to contribute to the achievement of more sustainable natural resource management systems and societies. Universities may have an important role to play in this process. New ideas and knowledge have to be developed and turned into long term practices which will cope with deeper processes of change in the surrounding world. The traditional role of transfer of information that prevails in many universities of today gives no room for mutual learning processes ...
Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farme... more Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and available IT systems are not used to their full potential. This paper discusses how to reduce the so-called ‘implementation problem’ in order to improve the ongoing development process of a webbased fertilization project in Sweden. The intention of the project is to apply a participatory design approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this approach in the development and implementation process are identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them.
The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands ... more The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands influence it on both local and global level. Making decisions under such circumstances is a complex and delicate task in which goal conflicts cannot easily be resolved. This puts farmers in a rather difficult position as it is impossible for a single individual to make informed and appropriate decisions, which strongly emphasizes the need for an increased collaboration between farmers and other actors in the agricultural sector. This paper aims to explore in more detail farmers' lifeworld which refers to their social environment and working life. Particular focus will be on the socially situated organization of collaborative activities in farmers' lifeworld and the ways in which technologies and artifacts can be present in practical action. For instance, agricultural advisory situations can be considered complex social systems where people with different backgrounds, experiences,...
The core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker.... more The core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker. The decisions of each farmer have impacts on sustainability and are made in a complex world of contradictious interests and values. Agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) will be a major contributor in the realization of a viable farm economy with less negative environmental impact, but it must not only provide current and relevant information. Current DSSs available to farmers, advisors, experts, and policy makers are not used to their full potential. One reason is that they fail to capture the actual needs of the farmers and to understand their decision-making in practice. They are not adapted to the high complexity characterizing sustainable land use decision-making. Among farmers the acceptance of these systems are low, partly because existing DSS are based on what scientists and system developers consider as necessary. As a result, new linkages and better understanding bet...
Organic and conventional pig farmers’ preferences regarding breeding goal traits important in pig... more Organic and conventional pig farmers’ preferences regarding breeding goal traits important in pigs were investigated using an advanced internet-based questionnaire. Farmers were asked what pig traits they spontaneously considered important, to rank 15 given traits and to weigh traits against each other given the estimated genetic change (calculated based on selection index theory). Organic and conventional farmers ranked both functional and production traits highly. For example, more than 70 % of farmers from both production systems ranked piglet survival, fertility, sow longevity, leg health, feed conversion, piglet birth weight, piglet and slaughter pig growth as being of high or moderate importance (1–10/15). Litter size and shoulder ulcers were ranked higher by respondents from conventional farms, while parasite resistance and roughage consumption were ranked higher by respondents from organic farms. Regarding estimated desired genetic change, respondents from organic farms favoured health traits while conventional farmers favoured growth traits. In order to obtain genetic improvement in those traits, farmers gave low priority to carcass quality and litter size. Due to the variations in farmers’ breeding goal trait preferences demonstrated here, it is clearly important to take farmers’ preferences into consideration when developing future pig breeding strategies.
We expand on the FMA model of inquiry elucidated by Checkland and Holwell (Syst Pract Act Res 11:... more We expand on the FMA model of inquiry elucidated by Checkland and Holwell (Syst Pract Act Res 11:9, 1998) and identify three kinds of research: interactive Action Research (AR), extractive participatory research, and traditional science, that were integrated into an interdisciplinary agro-environmental research project involving researchers from eight countries around the Baltic Sea. The research project held the goal of creating scientific understanding of the ecological, economic and social effects of the sustainable development of local food systems, while also having the explicit goal of implementing change in the studied systems. Based on our experience working as action researchers in the project, we highlight the role that normative goals and facilitation process competence play in complex interdisciplinary research projects. Our reflections focus on project design, including the relation between AR and other kinds of research when employed in a single project, and includes reflections on preconditions for stakeholder participation in AR projects.
The article explores the action research process throughout a land management research project, w... more The article explores the action research process throughout a land management research project, with the ambition to reflect upon action research as a working approach. It is shown how this process is experienced from a researcher's point of view and it critically analyses its methodology and process, outcome and the role of the action researcher. The learning environment known to farmers and framed by local institutions and practical experimentation, embedded in the local worldview, constituted a necessary starting point for achieving motivation and practical outcomes. Tight feedback loops between practice and reflection enabled joint learning and innovation and rapid implementation of measures suggested by the farmers. The approach could be particularly useful for local NGOs and local universities.
Precision agriculture (PA) is an important part of sustainable intensification, where information... more Precision agriculture (PA) is an important part of sustainable intensification, where information and communications technology (ICT) and other technologies are necessary but not sufficient for sustainable farming systems. Many agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) have been developed to support farmers to manage an increased amount of gathered data. However, the traditional approach to AgriDSS development is based on the knowledge transfer perspective, which has resulted in technology being considered as an isolated phenomenon and thus not adapted to farmers’ actual needs or their decision making in practice. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of farmers’ use of AgriDSS. The theoretical framework of distributed cognition (DCog) was used as a lense when investigating and analysing farmers' use of a software tool developed for calculation of variable rate application (VRA) files for nitrogen (N) fertilisation from satellite images called CropSAT. In a ca...
Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness ... more Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture. Advisory services have been studied at policy level, structural level and within case studies, but there is still restricted knowledge about advisors’ and farmers’ view on advisory services in general. This paper presents the views of Swedish advisors and farmers on advisory services. In a survey-based study, perceptions of farm advisors and full-time farmers in commercial Swedish agriculture on advisory services were identified and statistically analysed, comparing differences between and within the groups. The results are structured around three main themes; motives for a farmer using or not using advisory services, preferred approach by the advisor and future demands on advisory services and their importance today. Possible consequences of differences in perceptions for on-farm service delivery were assessed. Similarities in perceptions on advisory s...
There is a need to develop practical theories for collaborative learning and decision making in n... more There is a need to develop practical theories for collaborative learning and decision making in natural resource management. Theories that could guide extensionists and action researchers when designing, facilitating and evaluating processes of change. This paper aim to present a practical theory, based on the social pragmatic approach of three well known authors; G H Mead, K Burke and V Cronen. Mead's model of perspectivity, Burke's theory of dramatism, and Cronen's co-ordinated management of meaning model enable me to develop a framework which has been applied within ongoing research projects in the Swedish agri-food system. In this paper the framework is presented, and is hoped to add to the emerging discussion on the social psychological dimension of sustainable agri-food systems. 1. Challenging our thinking 1.1. A research problem
The article discusses an action research project conducted in the Upper Amazon region of Peru tha... more The article discusses an action research project conducted in the Upper Amazon region of Peru that focused on the working approach of a NGO partner called PRADERA. In its land management projects PRADERA’s working approach was characterized by a close collaboration with farmers. Its emphasis was on grasping the farmers’ perspective on agriculture, targeting of local institutions in the villages as natural arenas for learning, and including topics in their analysis such as culture and worldview; this is analyzed through the framework of a reflective learning organization. The organization’s capacity for learning is described as consisting of single-, double- and the possibility of triple-loop learning. During our collaboration with PRADERA, though we did not find established internal arrangements that could foster a triple-loop learning process, incipient signs were noted of space and potential which could favor deeper levels of learning. The importance of deeper levels of learning i...
This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to ... more This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to farmers' demands for a whole-farm approach to extension. A case study approach was taken focused on three extension organisations in Sweden and their conscious ambitions to change their way of working. The cases reflect the opportunities and pitfalls when developing collaboration on all organisational levels, from the individual to the inter-organisational. The empirical findings have been reflected on from the theoretical perspective of how to develop a collaborative culture in organisations. In the paper we describe their experiences of collaboration between individuals, in work teams and inter-organisational-an experience that in two of the cases ended up in a fusion and building of a new advisory firm. The paper seeks to analyse what appears to be the constraints facing farm production advisors and their organisations in processes of internal and external collaboration. We argue that one of the main reasons why the farm production advisors do not become as active as they potentially could be in the sphere of business and rural development is that they and their organisations lack a collaborative culture. One conclusion is that in order to be a trustworthy partner for external collaboration and to be able to initiate processes of collective action, one must first build up a wellfunctioning collaboration on individual, team-based and organisational level.
Jenny Höckert, Magnus Ljung and Nadarajah Sriskandarajah Department of Urban and Rural Developmen... more Jenny Höckert, Magnus Ljung and Nadarajah Sriskandarajah Department of Urban and Rural Development, Unit of Environmental Communication, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract: This paper discusses the emerging responses among Swedish agricultural advisory organisations to farmers’ demands for a whole‐farm approach to extension. A case study approach was taken focused on three extension organisations in Sweden and their conscious ambitions to change their way of working. The cases reflect the opportunities and pitfalls when developing collaboration on all organisational levels, from the individual to the inter‐organisational. The empirical findings have been reflected on from the theoretical perspective of how to develop a collaborative culture in organisations. In the paper we describe their experiences of collaboration between individuals, in work teams and inter‐o...
The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands ... more The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands influence it on both local and global level. Making decisions under such circumstances is a complex and delicate task in which goal conflicts cannot easily be resolved. This puts farmers in a rather difficult position as it is impossible for a single individual to make informed and appropriate decisions, which strongly emphasizes the need for an increased collaboration between farmers and other actors in the agricultural sector. This paper aims to explore in more detail farmers' lifeworld which refers to their social environment and working life. Particular focus will be on the socially situated organization of collaborative activities in farmers' lifeworld and the ways in which technologies and artifacts can be present in practical action. For instance, agricultural advisory situations can be considered complex social systems where people with different backgrounds, experiences,...
Although there is a growing need to establish new linkages between stakeholders in collaborative ... more Although there is a growing need to establish new linkages between stakeholders in collaborative learning processes in order to manage the challenges facing modern agriculture, the core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker. The decisions of each farmer have impacts on sustainability and are made in a complex world of contradictious interests and values. Agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) will be a major contributor in the realization of a viable farm economy with less negative environmental impact, but it must not only provide current and relevant information. Current DSSs available to farmers, advisors, experts, and policy makers are not used to their full potential. One reason is that they fail to capture the actual needs of the farmers and to understand their decision-making in practice. They are not adapted to the high complexity characterizing sustainable land use decision-making. Among farmers the acceptance of th...
ABSTRACT Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. M... more ABSTRACT Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and available IT systems are not used to their full potential. This paper discusses how to reduce the so-called ‘implementation problem’ in order to improve the ongoing development process of a webbased fertilization project in Sweden. The intention of the project is to apply a participatory design approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this approach in the development and implementation process are identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them.
While transdisciplinary (TD) research is desired in order to solve real world sustainability issu... more While transdisciplinary (TD) research is desired in order to solve real world sustainability issues, this may be challenging for both academic and non-academic participants. Supporting learning through evaluation, we analyzed a project aiming at sustainable transport infrastructures. After developing a TD research framework as a benchmark, two external independent evaluators interviewed all project researchers, representatives for end-users, and donors. The evaluators compared results with the framework, and evaluators and participants critically reflected on the results together. There were three inconsistencies relative to the framework: (1) limited understanding of TD research among project management, end-users, and most of the researchers; (2) no structured learning process among end-users; instead, they expressed very diverse opinions about what they expected from the project; (3) project leaders had limited understanding of the special challenges of TD research, did not fully...
Precision agriculture provides important issues toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farme... more Precision agriculture provides important issues toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and thus available information and communications technology (ICT) systems are not used to their full potential. This paper addresses how to reduce the so-called ''problem of implementation'', based on the knowledge that participatory approaches during the design and development process is one of the most important factors to frame technology adoption. The development of sustainable ICT systems through theories and methodologies from the fields of human computer interaction and user-centered design (UCD) is presented and an ongoing Swedish project for development of an agricultural decision support system (AgriDSS) for nitrogen fertilization is used as an example to frame the issue. The overreaching aim is to develop AgriDSSs that are sustainable in design as well as through design by stressing the importance of participatory approaches for the successful development of AgriDSSs. The Swedish project has the intention to apply a UCD approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this way of working is identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them through co-learning processes. Despite the challenges presented in this paper, ICT can contribute significantly to long-term sustainable development. Thus, several competences and scientific disciplines need to act in concert to help develop a sustainable development of agriculture via a transdisciplinary approach that can make an impact on society at many levels.
Societies all over the world are seeking new paths towards a sustainable and equitable developmen... more Societies all over the world are seeking new paths towards a sustainable and equitable development. Farmers and farming systems may hold the key to addressing many of society´s environmental problems, but modern European agriculture is not sustainable with regard to, for example, use of fossil fuels or inputs of foreign substances in agroecosystems (Lowe at al, 1997; Adger et al, 1997). There is an urgent need for farmers, together with new partners, to explore ways of changing technologies and socioeconomic relationships in order to contribute to the achievement of more sustainable natural resource management systems and societies. Universities may have an important role to play in this process. New ideas and knowledge have to be developed and turned into long term practices which will cope with deeper processes of change in the surrounding world. The traditional role of transfer of information that prevails in many universities of today gives no room for mutual learning processes ...
Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farme... more Precision agriculture provides important routes toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and available IT systems are not used to their full potential. This paper discusses how to reduce the so-called ‘implementation problem’ in order to improve the ongoing development process of a webbased fertilization project in Sweden. The intention of the project is to apply a participatory design approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this approach in the development and implementation process are identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them.
The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands ... more The challenges facing the agriculture sector are immense and a wide range of factors and demands influence it on both local and global level. Making decisions under such circumstances is a complex and delicate task in which goal conflicts cannot easily be resolved. This puts farmers in a rather difficult position as it is impossible for a single individual to make informed and appropriate decisions, which strongly emphasizes the need for an increased collaboration between farmers and other actors in the agricultural sector. This paper aims to explore in more detail farmers' lifeworld which refers to their social environment and working life. Particular focus will be on the socially situated organization of collaborative activities in farmers' lifeworld and the ways in which technologies and artifacts can be present in practical action. For instance, agricultural advisory situations can be considered complex social systems where people with different backgrounds, experiences,...
The core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker.... more The core of many changes towards a more sustainable agriculture is the individual decision-maker. The decisions of each farmer have impacts on sustainability and are made in a complex world of contradictious interests and values. Agricultural decision support systems (AgriDSS) will be a major contributor in the realization of a viable farm economy with less negative environmental impact, but it must not only provide current and relevant information. Current DSSs available to farmers, advisors, experts, and policy makers are not used to their full potential. One reason is that they fail to capture the actual needs of the farmers and to understand their decision-making in practice. They are not adapted to the high complexity characterizing sustainable land use decision-making. Among farmers the acceptance of these systems are low, partly because existing DSS are based on what scientists and system developers consider as necessary. As a result, new linkages and better understanding bet...
Organic and conventional pig farmers’ preferences regarding breeding goal traits important in pig... more Organic and conventional pig farmers’ preferences regarding breeding goal traits important in pigs were investigated using an advanced internet-based questionnaire. Farmers were asked what pig traits they spontaneously considered important, to rank 15 given traits and to weigh traits against each other given the estimated genetic change (calculated based on selection index theory). Organic and conventional farmers ranked both functional and production traits highly. For example, more than 70 % of farmers from both production systems ranked piglet survival, fertility, sow longevity, leg health, feed conversion, piglet birth weight, piglet and slaughter pig growth as being of high or moderate importance (1–10/15). Litter size and shoulder ulcers were ranked higher by respondents from conventional farms, while parasite resistance and roughage consumption were ranked higher by respondents from organic farms. Regarding estimated desired genetic change, respondents from organic farms favoured health traits while conventional farmers favoured growth traits. In order to obtain genetic improvement in those traits, farmers gave low priority to carcass quality and litter size. Due to the variations in farmers’ breeding goal trait preferences demonstrated here, it is clearly important to take farmers’ preferences into consideration when developing future pig breeding strategies.
We expand on the FMA model of inquiry elucidated by Checkland and Holwell (Syst Pract Act Res 11:... more We expand on the FMA model of inquiry elucidated by Checkland and Holwell (Syst Pract Act Res 11:9, 1998) and identify three kinds of research: interactive Action Research (AR), extractive participatory research, and traditional science, that were integrated into an interdisciplinary agro-environmental research project involving researchers from eight countries around the Baltic Sea. The research project held the goal of creating scientific understanding of the ecological, economic and social effects of the sustainable development of local food systems, while also having the explicit goal of implementing change in the studied systems. Based on our experience working as action researchers in the project, we highlight the role that normative goals and facilitation process competence play in complex interdisciplinary research projects. Our reflections focus on project design, including the relation between AR and other kinds of research when employed in a single project, and includes reflections on preconditions for stakeholder participation in AR projects.
The article explores the action research process throughout a land management research project, w... more The article explores the action research process throughout a land management research project, with the ambition to reflect upon action research as a working approach. It is shown how this process is experienced from a researcher's point of view and it critically analyses its methodology and process, outcome and the role of the action researcher. The learning environment known to farmers and framed by local institutions and practical experimentation, embedded in the local worldview, constituted a necessary starting point for achieving motivation and practical outcomes. Tight feedback loops between practice and reflection enabled joint learning and innovation and rapid implementation of measures suggested by the farmers. The approach could be particularly useful for local NGOs and local universities.
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Papers by Magnus Ljung