Agricultural knowledge and information system in the context of sustainable agriculture: sustainable agricultural knowledge and information system framework and effective factors

Abstract

Promotion of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) is indispensable, either the need of increasing productivity, or more sustainable agriculture. A precondition for ensuring and buttressing the sustainable agriculture and rural development is the design and implementation of appropriate and welltargeted policies that take into account the interactions between macro-economic, agricultural and other sectoral policy concerns at national and regional level. An Agricultural Knowledge and Information system for Rural Development (AKIS for RD), links people and institutions to promote mutual learning and generate, share, and utilize agriculture-related technology, knowledge, and information. Most AKIS projects support agricultural research, extension, or education activities, which are increasingly viewed as components of an inter-related system. An AKIS should incorporates current and potential elements and resources economically, socially and environmentally in the context of Sustainable Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (SAKIS). Therefore, the goal of this study, was the investigation of different agricultural knowledge and information systems based on comparative concepts, structures, and functions for extracting and delineating appropriate framework for SAKIS. AKIS in Kenya, Hagaz (Eritrea), Israel and Netherlands has been addressed. AKIS in Kenya, because of links between external institutions and organizations, for both government organizations and NGOs, were generally weak and poorly coordinated (Low Networking), as a developing country has been selected. The AKIS in Hagaz (Eritrea), because of one study supported by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and DANIDA, to addressing AKIS, has been selected. And at last, AKIS in Israel and Netherlands, because of structural and functional comparisons, has been selected. Results indicated that, much of the success of the AKIS in the Netherlands and Israel stems from the well-functioning interfaces between the knowledge subsystems, i.e. (Synergistically sound relationships and networks among different subsystems and suitable networking processes). In this paper, main emphasis is on the networking and synergy processes as factors affecting SAKIS effectiveness. Finally, fourteen recommendations for buttressing current AKIS toward sustainability, has been rendered.