Putting social networks to practical use: improving last-mile dissemination systems for climate and market information services in developing countries

Understanding how to improve the accessibility and timely dissemination of weather and market information can help farmers adapt their management to climate change impacts. Our objective is to use Social Network Analysis (SNA) as a tool to identify potential opportunities for improving weather and market advisory dissemination to rural communities and to explore the relationship between farmers' access to information and yield and selling price. As a case study, we applied SNA to 313 farmers in Bangladesh to analyze weather and market information networks and farmers' friendship networks as a potential proxy for information exchange. Farmer access to information, dominant sources of information and potential speed of information transfer were key criteria for our analysis. Our results indicate that weather and market information networks in coastal Bangladesh depended on certain key sources of information, while the friendship network was decentralized and interconnected, with few isolated farmers. We showed that farmers networks are significantly correlated with several socio-agro-economic variables; however, there was little indication of a relationship between information access and yield and selling price. We conclude that a mixed approach of targeting central actors and broadcasting information to farmers may be a suitable strategy to reach a maximum number of farmers as well as the most isolated farmers. Our study highlights that SNA can be a promising tool to reveal hidden structures of information flows in farmer communities and provide valuable insights for developing information dissemination strategies that reach even the most remote and underserved farmers

Mapeando la comunicación del conocimiento agrícola, una aplicación del análisis de redes sociales

La comunicación del conocimiento científico es parte fundamental del progreso de la ciencia y vital para la sociedad moderna. Así, las conferencias y congresos científicos son espacios cruciales para estos procesos de comunicación. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la comunicación de trabajos científicos en un congreso agrícola; de tal forma que se añade conocimiento a la literatura en tres vertientes: uso de datos, aplicación metodológica y evidencia empírica. Para hacer esto, analizamos 316 títulos de ponencias presentadas a lo largo de cinco años. Usamos dos enfoques metodológicos: data-mining y análisis de redes sociales (ARS). Los resultados muestran que en los 316 títulos se han utilizado 1,093 términos diferentes, siguiendo una distribución power-law. A través de una red de bi-gramas, se encontró que estos términos están unidos por 1,847 relaciones dirigidas. Además, con el ARS se identificaron las palabras más importantes según distintos indicadores. Se concluye que la información existente en los archivos de congresos científicos es rica en contenido y puede ser útil para encontrar brechas de conocimiento. Además, los enfoques utilizados se complementan entre sí. Este artículo proporciona evidencia técnica y empírica sobre el campo del network mining

Network analysis of knowledge building on rural extension in Colombia

Based on the analysis of scientific papers published on rural extension in Colombia since 2010, an interpretive descriptive study was conducted to identify the level of collaboration between authors and institutions in the creation, systematization and dissemination of knowledge in rural extension. Information was gathered from a search in bibliographic databases to identify papers published in rural extension. 50 papers were found. They were organized in a database, and using social network analysis, a review of relational structures and indicators derived from the scientific collaboration between the authors and institutions involved in the publication conducted. Authors from 28 different institutions have participated in the 50 papers identified, 70% of them have been published by researchers working in the same institution. The findings of this study support the conclusion that actors building knowledge on rural extension in Colombia have a limited intra and interinstitutional articulation, making it urgent to strength public policies and incentives to foster relationships between research groups and institutions

Influencia del perfil de los productores en la adopción de innovaciones en tres cultivos tropicales

The low adoption of innovations in the agricultural production units is one of the causes in the inefficient levels of production and therefore it is important to analyze the factors that influence in the adoption. This paper presents a model to explain the innovation adoption of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) producers in Mexico, in terms of quantitative and qualitative variables of 1,474 farmers and their farms. The age holds a negative effect on the adoption of innovations; school level, experience, and economic importance of the activity influence positively; the production area explains higher levels of innovation, and gender does not show any effect. Thus, the profile producers and their farms variables should be considered for intervention strategies aimed at increasing levels of innovation.La baja adopción de innovaciones en las unidades de producción agrícola es una de las causas de los ineficientes niveles de producción y por tanto es importante analizar los factores que influyen en la adopción. Este trabajo especifica un modelo para explicar el nivel de innovación de productores de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), hule (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) y palma de aceite (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) en México, en función de variables cuantitativas y cualitativas de 1474 productores y sus fincas. Los resultados muestran que la edad tiene un efecto negativo sobre la adopción de innovaciones; la escolaridad, la experiencia y la importancia económica de la actividad influyen positivamente; la superficie en producción explica mayores niveles de innovación y el género no tiene efecto. De esta manera, variables del perfil del productor y de sus fincas deberían ser consideradas para plantear estrategias de intervención encaminadas a incrementar los niveles de innovación

Gobernanza de la cadena global de valor del aguacate en México

Globalization is linked to the future level of integration of countries in Global Value Chains (GVC). Using the GVC approach, the effect of governance on learning mechanisms on responsible upgrading was analyzed. 17 interviews with key players in the Mexican avocado sector were applied during May-August 2021, to obtain information on the main agreements between buyers, customers, and requirements to participate in global markets. The information collected was supplemented with databases from government agencies. Graphic analysis, word cloud analysis and descriptive statistics were performed. It was found that global governance is modular, but within the chain it was market, modular and hierarchical, based on the characteristics of the transactions. Learning by imitation is present in market and hierarchical governance, but in the first it is low technology and high in the second. It is concluded that participating in GVC knowledge of norms and standards allows increasing sales volume and accumulating capital but does not guarantee learning to achieve productive or functional improvements. Responsibility as a governance practice is variable between links, it depends on individual and collective capacities and wills, the absence of validated instruments to hold companies accountable makes their application difficult, these instruments must solve real problems, not only provide scientific knowledge.La globalización está ligada al nivel de integración futuro de los países en Cadenas Globales de Valor (cgv). Utilizando el enfoque de cgv se analizó el efecto de la gobernanza en los mecanismos de aprendizaje sobre la actualización (upgrading) responsable. Se aplicaron 17 entrevistas con actores clave del sector aguacatero mexicano durante mayo y agosto del 2021, para obtener información de los principales acuerdos entre compradores, clientes y requisitos para participar en los mercados globales. La información recabada se complementó con bases de datos de organismos gubernamentales y se realizó un análisis gráfico, de nubes de palabras y estadística descriptiva. Se encontró que la gobernanza global es modular, pero al interior de la cadena fue de mercado, modular y jerárquica, basado en las características de las transacciones. Los aprendizajes por imitación están presentes en gobernanzas de mercado y jerárquica, pero en la primera es de baja tecnología y de alta en la segunda. Se concluye que al participar en cgv los conocimientos de normas y estándares permiten aumentar el volumen de ventas y acumular capital, pero no garantizan aprendizajes para lograr mejoras productivas o funcionales. La responsabilidad como práctica de la gobernanza es variable entre eslabones, depende de capacidades y voluntades individuales y colectivas, la ausencia de instrumentos validados para responsabilizar empresas dificulta su aplicación, ya que estos instrumentos deben resolver problemas reales y no solo aportar conocimiento científico

Public food procurement from family farming : a food system and social network perspective

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MAjuts: This research forms part of HortEco project (Horticultural food systems based on ecologically intensive production and socio-economically sustainable value chains in the transition economies Chile and Uruguay), funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research-Science for Global Development (NWO-WOTRO) contract no. W08.250.304. Special thanks go to all the interviewees of the study.There is promising evidence that public food procurement from family farming (PFPF) can serve as a powerful policy instrument in transitions towards more sustainable food systems. Despite the evidence around PFPF, there is lack of systemic and actor-oriented approaches analysing the relational and interactional dynamics among the multiple and diverse sets of actors in PFPF programs. In this paper, we address this gap by presenting an integrative framework that brings together food systems research, innovation studies and social network analysis, to assess the role of actor networks in PFPF. To illustrate the usefulness of the framework, we present the case of public procurement from family farming in Uruguay. We show how the framework has potential to: highlight the composition and diversity of networks of actors in PFPF; unravel individual and network barriers faced by actors in food systems; and, identify how interactions and (intermediary and brokerage) roles of network actors stimulate innovation or blockthe changes that are needed for PFPF to catalyse the transition towards sustainable food systems. © 2022 The AuthorsThere is promising evidence that public food procurement from family farming (PFPF) can serve as a powerful policy instrument in transitions towards more sustainable food systems. Despite the evidence around PFPF, there is lack of systemic and actor-oriented approaches analysing the relational and interactional dynamics among the multiple and diverse sets of actors in PFPF programs. In this paper, we address this gap by presenting an integrative framework that brings together food systems research, innovation studies and social network analysis, to assess the role of actor networks in PFPF. To illustrate the usefulness of the framework, we present the case of public procurement from family farming in Uruguay. We show how the framework has potential to: highlight the composition and diversity of networks of actors in PFPF; unravel individual and network barriers faced by actors in food systems; and, identify how interactions and (intermediary and brokerage) roles of network actors stimulate innovation or blockthe changes that are needed for PFPF to catalyse the transition towards sustainable food systems

Desarrollo de proveedores de hule natural en la cuenca del río Papaloapan, México: avances y limitaciones

Mexico has optimal conditions for the cultivation of natural rubber but imports more than 80 % of its consumption. The model of development suppliers through Innovation Management Agencies (agi, for their acronym in Spanish) was implemented to improve this situation. This work analyzed the achievements of technical assistance services provided by two agi to two rubber agro-industries (AI) and their suppliers located in the Papaloapan River Basin, Mexico. From 2011 to the beginning of 2014, the Agencies generated reports and databases about technical, productive, organizational and commercial parameters of both rubber producers and agro-industries. With this information, global databases were constructed to analyze changes in production, supply, and innovation adoption. The results show that the intervention of the Agencies was relevant and effective in improving production and post-harvest parameters. The production of coagulated rubber also increased as well as the availability of raw material to the agro-industries. Moreover, production costs were able to be reduced, and the quality of the rubber was improved. However, the fall in rubber prices at the end of 2013 caused setbacks in the adoption of innovations and the agriculture–industry integration, showing the fragility of supplier development, as well as of the AI involved serving as lead and trailblazer companies in their suppliers’ networks.México posee condiciones óptimas para el cultivo del hule natural; sin embargo, importa más del 80 % para su consumo. Para mejorar esta situación se implementó un modelo de desarrollo de proveedores a través de Agencias de Gestión de la Innovación (agi). Este trabajo analizó los logros de los servicios de asistencia técnica proporcionados por dos agi a dos agroindustrias (ai) de hule y a sus proveedores ubicados en la Cuenca del río Papaloapan, en México. De 2011 a inicios de 2014, las agi generaron informes y datos sobre parámetros técnicos, productivos, organizativos y comerciales, tanto de productores como de ai. Con la información se construyeron bases de datos globales para analizar los cambios en producción, abasto y adopción de innovaciones. Los resultados muestran que la intervención de las agi fue pertinente y eficaz en la mejora de parámetros productivos y de poscosecha. Además, se incrementó la producción de hule coagulado y la disponibilidad de materia prima para las ai. También se lograron reducir los costos de producción y mejorar la calidad del hule. No obstante, la caída del precio del hule a fines de 2013 provocó retrocesos en la adopción de innovaciones y en la integración agricultura-industria, lo que evidenció la fragilidad del desarrollo de proveedores, así como de las ai involucradas para fungir como empresas tractoras

Functional rural territories: an application for the analysis of rural poverty in Mexico

El estudio de la pobreza rural nos remite en un primer nivel de análisis a la definición de los territorios rurales. Distintas propuestas han sido utilizadas para este propósito, desde los enfoques dicotómicos hasta los multidimensionales, de los cuales se desprenden los criterios funcionales. En este documento se desarrolla una propuesta para la clasificación de los municipios rurales de México, utilizando como criterio funcional el grado de accesibilidad a carretera pavimentada, el cual permite la desagregación de los territorios rurales en las categorías de accesibilidad alta, media y baja y ofrece un marco para el análisis y comprensión de la pobreza rural. Los resultados sugieren que lo rural no es sinónimo de pobreza y aportan elementos que deberían considerarse en el diseño de políticas públicas.The study of rural poverty takes us, at the first level of analysis, to the definition of rural territories. Different proposals have been used for this purpose, from dichotomous to multidimensional approaches, from which the functional criteria are derived. This document develops a proposal for the classification of rural municipalities in Mexico, using as a functional criterion the degree of accessibility to paved roads, which allows the disaggregation of rural territories in the categories of high, medium, and low accessibility. It also offers a framework for the analysis and understanding of rural poverty. The results suggest that the rural is not synonymous with poverty and provides elements that should be considered in the design of public policies