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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Qualitative evaluation of smallholder farmer decisions, support systems, knowledge and disease management tools
Authors:Molefe, Thato
Thamaga-Chitja, JoyceISNI
Yobo, Kwasi S.
Year:2012
Periodical:Indilinga: African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Volume:11
Issue:2
Pages:160-178
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:small farms
agricultural extension
plant diseases
evaluation
External link:https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC132018
Abstract:Rural South African smallholder farmers are deprived of knowledge, relying on eroded indigenous knowledge to support crop production. Modern technology can play a role in supporting production decisions and packaging knowledge so that it is easily accessible to all levels of users. Information Communication Technologies, such as Decision Support Tools (DST) play an important role in systematic dissemination of information in agriculture, thus improving the quality of farmer decisions, especially in rural areas. These tools are constantly developed, improved and evaluated to assess their applicability and efficacy. This article is based on a study that aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a recently developed DST, with a disease management component, to enhance production decisions and crop-disease management, among organic and small-scale farmers. Due to resource limitations of most smallholder farmers in South Africa production practices, including disease control, could be much improved, using indigenous-based, local knowledge about cultural methods of controlling crop diseases. A group of 15 extension officers and 12 researchers were purposively selected for the study because they play a major role in organizing and disseminating information to the farmers. Participatory workshop sessions were conducted with groups, where tools were presented, explored and critiqued. The DST was found to have the potential to benefit both organic and smallholder farmers. The study therefore recommends that government should support the development of agricultural DSTs, building on and improving eroded indigenous knowledge, to help farmers improve production and address problems with extension officers and within their resource means. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract]
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