Establishing effective communication between the Agricultural researcher and the farmer with special Reference to the large-scale sugarcane, soybeans and maize industry - a comparative case study in South Africa

Abstract

Sustainable global food production is non-negotiable and can only be achieved by applying sustainable agricultural practices to ensure the longevity of our natural resources, such as soil and water. Research and subsequent dissemination of the results form the basis of agricultural development in the small-scale and large-scale commercial farming sectors. Nature, climate, industry, and agriculture are all integrated systems of our world. It is a complex and dynamic system that has required innovative thinking for the survival and progress of humankind since its inception. The delivery of scientific and technological information has always been crucial for developing sustainable systems, and delivery methods must continuously be evaluated to ensure effective communication and knowledge transfer. Communication breakdown between the researcher and the producer or target audience could have disastrous consequences.

This study aimed to investigate the environment in which the agricultural transfer of knowledge takes place, focusing on South Africa's crop production sector. It also intended to research current methods and models used for disseminating information, identify the key role-players, determine levels of communication between stakeholders and recognise the shortcomings and qualities of such models. It is therefore important to investigate and evaluate current, modern approaches and older models of knowledge transfer in an attempt to provide guidelines along which the delivery of scientific information can be developed.

The entire world faces a situation of information overload in most sectors of industry and social environments. Filtering through this enormous amount of information is an almost impossible task and requires the guidance and expertise of scientists and specialists within a specific field of knowledge. The alternative scenario is where borders between credible, factually based knowledge and “fake science” become blurred, creating confusion and distrust. The participants' perceptions of research, communication, effectivity of knowledge transfer, and relevancy of current methods must be explored to redirect or redesign models, and means of scientific information delivery. This comparative study used a mixed methods approach where the perceptions regarding information dissemination from researchers, advisors and research coordinators in the crop production sector, and researchers, advisors and knowledge management in the sugarcane production sector were obtained using questionnaires complimented by semi-structured in-depth interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse and discuss the generated data.

The crop researchers, advisors and research coordinators confirmed unsatisfactory levels of communication throughout the research process and subsequent dissemination of the results. Pseudo-science was a serious concern for all the role-players in this sector. The same participants felt that research funding and the source of funding was a potential problem that could even influence the results generated. The SASRI model, however, was found to be very effective throughout the process of identifying research topics, prioritising projects, funding, and disseminating results. Communication between researchers, extension specialists and sugarcane growers was effective and well-coordinated by knowledge management. The existince of well-established communication channels and feedback ensured the sugarcane production sector’s awareness of fake science but confidence that most of the scientific data generated reached the intended target and therefor regarded pseudo-science as a minor problem. It was further found that although the crop commodity organisations performed well in research, they needed closer collaboration with advisors in the crop production sector to ensure effective dissemination of the generated research results.

It was concluded that the South African Sugarcane Research Institute employed a highly respected and effective model of knowledge transfer and dissemination of results to the target audience. Acceptable levels and channels of communication enabled all the stakeholders in the dissemination chain to network, even on an interdisciplinary level. Well-structured measures of effectivity, such as feedback and adoption rates on the farm-level, create confidence and trust within the SASRI system and contribute most to sustainable production and utilisation of natural resources.

Volhoubare wêreldwye voedselproduksie is nie-onderhandelbaar en kan slegs bereik word deur die toepassing van volhoubare landboupraktyke om die voortbestaan van ons natuurlike hulpbronne, soos grond en water, te verseker. Navorsing en die daaropvolgende verspreiding van die resultate vorm die grondslag van landbou-ontwikkeling in kleinskaalse en grootskaalse kommersiële boerderysektore. Die natuur, klimaat, die bedryf en landbou is alles geïntegreerde stelsels van ons wêreld. Dit is ’n komplekse en dinamiese stelsel wat sedert die aanvang van die mensdom innoverende denke vereis het vir oorlewing en vooruitgang. Die oordrag van wetenskaplike en tegnologiese inligting was nog altyd noodsaaklik vir die ontwikkeling van volhoubare stelsels, en die wyse van oordrag moet deurlopend geëvalueer word om doeltreffende kommunikasie en kennisverspreiding te verseker. Kommunikasiebreuke tussen die navorser en die produsent of teikengehoor kan rampspoedige gevolge hê. Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om die omgewing waarin landboukundige kennisverspreiding plaasvind te ondersoek, met spesifieke fokus op Suid-Afrika se gewasproduksiesektor. Dit het verder gepoog om die huidige metodes en modelle van inligtingsverspreiding te ondersoek, die kernrolspelers te identifiseer, die vlakke van kommunikasie tussen belanghebbendes te bepaal en die tekortkominge sowel as die sterkpunte van sodanige modelle te belig. Dit is ook belangrik om huidige, moderne benaderings, sowel as ouer modelle van kennisverspreiding, te ondersoek en te evalueer in ’n poging om riglyne vas te stel waarvolgens die oordrag van wetenskaplike inligting verbeter kan word. Die hele wêreld staar tans ’n situasie van inligtingsoorlading in bykans alle sektore van die bedryf en sosiale omgewings in die gesig. Om deur hierdie enorme hoeveelheid inligting te sif, is ’n bykans onmoontlike taak en verg die leiding en kundigheid van wetenskaplikes en spesialiste binne ’n bepaalde kennisveld. Die alternatief is ’n scenario waarin die grense tussen geloofwaardige, feite-gebaseerde kennis en sogenaamde “valse wetenskap” vervaag, wat verwarring en wantroue skep. Die deelnemers se persepsies oor navorsing, kommunikasie, die effektiwiteit van kennisoordrag en die relevansie van huidige metodes moes ondersoek word om modelle en meganismes van wetenskaplike inligtingsverspreiding te herevalueer of te herontwerp. Hierdie vergelykende studie het ’n gemengde navorsingsmetode gevolg waarin die persepsies van navorsers, raadgewers en navorsingskoördineerders in die gewasproduksiesektor, sowel as navorsers, raadgewers en kennisbestuurders in die suikerrietbedryf, verkry is deur middel van vraelyste wat aangevul is met semigestruktureerde, diepgaande onderhoude. Beskrywende- en inferensiestatistiek is toegepas om die data te ontleed en te bespreek. Die gewasnavorsers, raadgewers en navorsingskoördineerders het onbevredigende vlakke van kommunikasie tydens die navorsingsproses en die daaropvolgende verspreiding van resultate bevestig. Fop- of pseudo-wetenskap is deur al die rolspelers in hierdie sektor as ’n ernstige bron van kommer beskou. Dieselfde deelnemers het gevoel dat navorsingsbefondsing en die bron van befondsing ’n potensiële probleem inhou wat selfs die resultate kon beïnvloed. Daar is egter bevind dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Suikerrietnavorsingsinstituut-model (SASRI-model) hoogs doeltreffend was in die hele proses om navorsingstemas te identifiseer, projekte te prioritiseer asook met die befondsing en die verspreiding van resultate. Kommunikasie tussen navorsers, voorligtingspesialiste en suikerrietprodusente was effektief en goed gekoördineer deur kennisbestuur. Die bestaan van goedgevestigde kommunikasiekanale en terugvoermeganismes het verseker dat die suikerrietbedryf bewus was van valse wetenskap, maar terselfdertyd vertroue het dat die meeste wetenskaplike data die beoogde teiken bereik en gevolglik is pseudo-wetenskap as ’n minder ernstige probleem beskou. Daar is verder bevind dat hoewel die gewaskommoditeitsorganisasies goed in navorsing presteer het, nouer samewerking met raadgewers in die gewasproduksiesektor nodig is om te verseker dat die gegenereerde navorsingsresultate doeltreffend versprei word. Die gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Suikerrietnavorsingsinstituut ’n hoogs gerespekteerde en effektiewe model van kennis- en resultate-verspreiding aan die teikengehoor gebruik. Aanvaarbare vlakke en kanale van kommunikasie het dit moontlik gemaak dat alle belanghebbendes in die verspreidingsketting kon netwerk, selfs op interdissiplinêre vlak. Goedgestruktureerde maatstawwe van effektiwiteit, soos terugvoer en aanvaardingsyfers op plaasvlak, skep vertroue binne die SASRI-stelsel en dra die meeste by tot volhoubare produksie en die benutting van natuurlike hulpbronne.

Tlhahiso e tswellang ya dijo lefatshe ka bophara ha e hloke ho sekasekwa; mme e ka fihlellwa ha feela ho ka sebediswa tsela tse tswetseng pele tsa temothuo ho nnetefatsa polokeho ya mehlodi ya rona ya tlhaho. Diphuputso le phano ya diphetho tsa tsona ke motheo wa ntshetsopele ya temothuo lekaleng la temothekiso e nyenyane le e kgolo. Tlhaho, tlelaemete, indaseteri, le temothuo ke dikarolo tse nyalellanang lefatsheng la rona. Ke mosebetsi o pharaletseng mme o kenyeleditseng dintho tse ngata haesale o hloka mekgwa e metjha ya ho nahana bakeng sa ho phonyoha le tswelopele ya moloko wa batho. Ho tliswa ha lesedi ka tsela ya mahlale le thekenoloji haesale ho le bohlokwa bakeng sa ho theha tsela tse tswellang tsa tshebetso, mme mekgwa e sebediswang e lokela ho hlahlojwa ka mehla ho nnetefatsa dipuisano tse ntle le neheletsano ya tsebo. Mathata a dipuisano bakeng sa mofuputsi le mohlahisi kapa babohi e ka ba le ditlamorao tse tshabehang. Diphuputso tsena di ne di ikemiseditse ho batlisisa ka tikoloho eo ho yona neheletsano ya temothuo ya tsebo e etsahalang, e tsepamisitse maikutlo lekaleng la tlhahiso ya dijalo Afrika Borwa. E ne e batla le ho fuputsa ditsela le mekgwa e sebediswang bakeng sa ho nehelana ka lesedi, ho hlwaya bankakarolo ba ka sehloohong, ho fumana maemo a dipuisano pakeng tsa baamehi le ho lemoha mefokolo le makgetha a mekgwa ena. Ka hona, ho bohlokwa ho batlisisa le ho lekola mekgwa ya katamelo ya jwale le mekgwa ya kgale ya nehelano ya tsebo, ho leka ho fana ka tataiso eo ka yona phano ya lesedi la mahlale e ka thehwang ka yona. Lefatshe lohle le shebane le boemo moo lesedi le leng lengata Makaleng a mangata a indaseteri le tokolohong tsa phedisano. Ho kgetha hara lesedi lena le lengatangata ke mosebetsi o sa kgoneheng mme o batla tataiso le botsebi ba boramahlale le ditsebi tsa tsebo eo ho buuwang ka yona. Ketsahalo e nngwe e fapaneng, ke moo meedi pakeng tsa tsebo e kgodisehang ya nnete e le “mahlale a fosahetseng” e thothofalang, e bake pherekano le qeaqeo. Mehopolo ya bankakarolo mabapi le nehelano ya diphuputso, dipuisano, tsebo e ntle, le molemo wa ditsela tsa jwale, e lokela ho shejwa ka botlalo ho fetola taelo le ho fetola sebopeho sa mekgwa, le ditsela tsa ho nehelana ka lesedi la mahlale. Diphuputso tsena tse bapisang di sebedisitse ditsela tse fapaneng tsa mokgwa wa katamelo moo mehopolo mabapi le phano ya lesedi ho tswa ho bafuputsi, baeletsi le baetapele ba diphuputso lekaleng la tlhahiso ya lehlaka, bafuputsi, baeletsi le tsamaiso ya tsebo lekaleng la tlhahiso ya lehlaka e fumanweng ka tshebediso ya lethathamo la dipotso, hammoho le dipuisano tse tebileng tsa ho fumana dikarabo tsa sebopeho se fetofetohang. Dipalopalo tse hlalosang le tse tobang di sebedisitswe ho manolla le ho sekaseka deitha kapa dintlha tse bokelletsweng. Bafuputsi ba dijalo, baeletsi, batsamaisi kapa baetapele ba diphuputso ba tsebisa hore maemo a dipuisano ha a thabise nakong ya diphuputso le phano ya diphetho. Mahlale a fosahetseng e ne e le ngongoreho e kgolo bakeng sa bankakarolo bohle lekaleng lena. Bona bankakarolo bao ba itse tshehetso ya ditjhelete bakeng sa diphuputso le mehlodi ya ditjhelete ke qaka e ka nnang ya thunthetsa diphetho tseo ho fanweng ka tsona. Mokgwa wa SASRI, ka lehlakoreng le leng, o fumanwe o le motle haholo nakong ya ho hlwaya dihlooho tsa diphuputso, potlakiso ya diprojeke, tshehetso ya ditjhelete, le nehelano ya diphetho. Dipuisano pakeng tsa bafuputsi, ditsebi tsa kotlollo ya thepa le balemi ba lehlaka e bile ntle mme e tsamaisitswe hantle ka taolo ya tsebo. Boteng ba metjha e thehilweng hantle ya dipuisano le dikarabo tse fumanweng di nnetefaditse hore ho be le temoso lekaleng la tlhahiso ya lehlaka mabapi le mahlale a fosahetseng empa tshepo ya hore deitha ya mahlale e bokelletsweng e finyelletse ho batho bao e neng e ba reretswe le hore e ne e nkwa jwalo ka mahlale a fosahetseng, ke bothata bo bonyenyane. Ho fumanwe le hore, le hoja mekgatlo ya thekiso ya dijalo e sebeditse hantle diphuputsong, e ne e hloka ho theha maqhama le baeletsi lekaleng la tlhahiso ya dijalo hore ho be le nehelo e ntle ya diphetho tsa diphuputso tse entsweng. Ho phethetswe ka hore South African Sugarcane Research Institute e sebedisitse mokgwa o tshepehang haholo o motle wa nehelano ya tsebo le nehelo ya diphetho ho ba amehang. Maemo le metjha e amohelehileng ya dipuisano e dumelletse baamehi bohle sedikadikweng sa neheletsano, le boemong ba dithuto tse fapaneng. Ditekanyo tse thehilweng hantle tsa tshebeto e ntle, jwalo ka ho fumana dikarabo le ho sekgahla sa ho monyeha sa maemo a temo, di fana ka tshepo le tshepahalo ya mosebetsing wa SASRI mme di ba le seabo haholo tlhahisong e tswellang le tshebedisong ya mehlodi ya tlhaho.

Ukukhiqizwa kokudla okusimeme umhlaba wonke jikelele kungafinyeleleka kukho ngokusebenzisa izindlela zezolimo ezisimeme ukuqinisekisa ukuphila isikhathi eside kwezinsiza zethu zemvelo, ezifana nenhlabathi kanye namanzi. Ucwaningo kanye nokusatshalaliswa okulandelayo kwemiphumela kwakha isisekelo sentuthuko yezolimo emikhakheni emincane kanye nakwemikhulu yezolimo lokuhwebelana. Imvelo, isimo sezulu, imboni, kanye nezolimo kuyizinqubo ezihlobene kahle emhlabeni wethu. Enqubeni eyinkimbinkimbi newubukhephukhephu neseyidinga ukucabanga ngezinto ezintsha ukuze iphile kanye nenqubekela phambili yesintu kusukela ekuqaleni kwayo. Ukunikezelwa kolwazi lwesayensi kanye nolobuchwepheshe kusahlale kubalulekile ukuthuthukisa izindlela ezisimeme, kanye nezindlela zokuhambisa kumele ziqhube nokuhlolwa njalo ukuqinisekisa ukuxhumana okunempumelelo kanye nokwedluliselwa kolwazi. Ukunqamuka kokuxhumana phakathi komcwaningi kanye nomkhiqizi noma kwabantu abahlosiwe kungaba nemiphumela emibi kakhulu. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphenya isimo lapho ukwedluliselwa kolwazi lwezolimo kwenzeka khona, ngokugxila emkhakheni wokukhiqiza izitshalo eNingizimu Afrikha. Luhlose futhi ukucwaninga ngezindlela zamanje kanye namamodeli asetshenziswa ukusabalalisa ulwazi, ukuveza ababambiqhaza abasemqoka, ukuhlonza amazinga okuxhumana phakathi kwababambiqhaza futhi ukuveza ukunqindeka kanye namazinga awo la mamodeli. Yingakho-ke kubalulekike ukuphenya kanye nokuhlola izindlela zamanje, ezesimanje kanye namamodeli amadala okwedluliselwa kolwazi ukuzama ukunikezela imihlahlandlela ehambisana nokuthi yiziphi izindlela zokuhanjiswa kolwazi lwesayensi ezingasetshenziswa. Umhlaba wonke ubhekene nesimo solwazi oluningi ngokwedlulele emikhakheni eminingi yemboni kanye nezindawo zomphakathi. Ukuhlunga kulolu lwazi oluningi kangaka kungumsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu futhi kudinga isiqondiso kanye nobuchwepheshe bososayensi nezazi abanolwazi oluthile lomkhakha. Enye indlela yilapho imingcele phakathi kolwazi lwangempela, olunobuqiniso kanye “nesayensi mbumbulu” iba ngefiphele, okudala ukudideka kanye nokungathembakali. Ukuqonda kwababambiqhaza ngocwaningo, ukuxhumana, ukusebenza kahle kokwedluliselwa kolwazi, kanye nokulungeleka kwezindlela zamanje kumele kuphenywe ukukhomba kabusha noma ukuhlela kabusha amamodeli, kanye nezindlela nokuhanjiswa kolwazi lwesayensi. Lolu cwaningo oluqhathanisayo lusebenzise indlela yocwaningo olungxube lapho ukuqonda mayelana nokusatshalaliswa kolwazi lusuka kubacwaningi, abeluleki kanye nabadidiyeli bocwaningo emkhakheni wokukhiqiza izitshalo kwatholakala ngokusebenzisa uhlamibuzo oluhambisana nezingxoxo ezisakuhleleka ezinzulu. Izinombolo zokuchaza kanye nezokuqagela zasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya kanye nokuxoxa ngemininingo eqoqiwe. Abacwaningi bezitshalo, abeluleki kanye nabadidiyeli bocwaningo bavumelana ngamazinga angenelisi okuxhumana kuyona yonke inqubo yocwaningo kanye nokusatshalaliswa okulandelayo kwemiphumela. Isayensi mbumbulu yayingukukhathazela okukhulu kubona bonke ababambiqhaza kulo mkhakha. Bona ababambiqhaza abafanayo bazizwa sengathi ukuxhaswa kocwaningo ngezimali kanye nomthombo wezimali kwakuyikho okuyinkinga nokwakungaba nomthelela emiphumeleni eqhamukile. Imodeli i-SASRI, nokho-ke, yatholakala isebenza kakhulu kuyo yonke inqubo yokuhlonza izihloko zocwaningo, ukubeka phambili amaphrojekthi, ezezimali, kanye nokusatshalaliswa kwemiphumela. Ukuxhumana phakathi kwabacwaningi, ochwepheshe abanezeleliwe kanye nabatshali bomoba kwakusebenza kahle futhi kudidiyelwe kahle ngokwenganyelwa kolwazi. Ubukhona bemigudu yokuxhumana okusimeme kanye nezimpendulo kwaqinisekisa ukuqwashiseka komkhakha wokukhiqizwa komoba kwesayensi mbumbulu kodwa ukwethembeka ukuthi cishe yonke imininingo yesayensi etholakele iyafinyelela kwabahlosiwe futhi ethathwa njengesayensi mbumbulu iyinkinga encane. Kwatholakala futhi ukuthi yize izinhlangano zesitshalo zokuhweba zenza kahle ocwaningweni, zidinga ukuhlanganyela okusondelene nabeluleki emkhakheni womkhiqizo wezitshalo ukuqinisekisa ukusatshalaliswa okunempumelelo kwemiphumela yocwaningo eqhamukile. Kwaphethwa ngokuthi Isikhungo Socwaningo Lomoba saseNingizimu Afrikha sisebenzise imodeli ehlonishwa kakhulu futhi esebenza kahle kakhulu yokwedlulisela ulwazi kanye nokusabalalisa imiphumela kubantu abahloswe ukuthi bayithole. Amazinga emukelekile kanye nemigudu yokuxhumana kwavumela bonke ababambiqhaza eketangeni lokusabalalisa kuya ohlelweni lokusebenza, kuze kube sezingeni lokusebenzisana kweminyango. Izikali ezihlelwe kahle zokusebenza kahle, ezifana nezimpendulo kanye nokusetshenziswa kwezikali ezingeni lepulazi, kuqala ukuzethemba kanye nokwethembeka phakathi enqubeni ye-SASRI futhi kunomthelela emkhiqizweni osimeme kanye nasekusetshenzisweni kwezinsiza.