Dietrich Darr

Mechanisms of Innovation Diffusion Under Information Abundance and Information Scarcity—On the Contribution of Social Networks in Group Vs. Individual Extension Approaches in Semi-Arid Kenya

Abstract Purpose. The objective of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of innovation diffusion under group-oriented and individual-oriented extension. Current theoretical notions of innovation diffusion in social networks shall be briefly reviewed, and the concepts of ‘search’ and ‘innovation’ vis-à-vis ‘transfer’ and ‘imitation’ mechanisms (Hansen, 1999; Liu et al., 2005) shall be expanded to also explain diffusion in contexts of information abundance and information scarcity. Design/methodology/approach. This paper comparatively investigates two types of networks that ideally represent strong and weak kinds of social relationship, viz. farmer groups and casual communication networks. Aggregated adoption scores of 22 agricultural and agroforestry innovations serve to operationalize household innovativeness. Semi-structured interviews with 433 households and qualitative expert interviews constitute the major data collection tools. Findings. This study shows that innovations primarily disseminate through strong and cohesive networks in situations of information abundance, with the ‘transfer’ mechanism being of major importance. Conversely, innovation diffusion is more effective through weakly knit networks and the ‘search’ mechanism under information scarcity. Practical implications. This papers practical relevance lies in showing that farmer groups are the most effective pathways of innovation diffusion in either of the investigated extension approaches; and that farmer groups are more effectively contributing to innovation spread when actively addressed through a group extension approach. Originality/value. While advancing current theoretical notions, the results also allow a better explanation of the more satisfactory performance of group approaches in practical extension work.

Africa’s wooden elephant: the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) in Sudan and Kenya: a review

Wild edible fruits hold great potential for improving human diets, especially in agricultural societies of the developing world. In Africa, a well-known supplier of such fruits is the baobab (Adansonia digitata L., Malvaceae), one of the most remarkable trees of the world. Several studies in different African countries have highlighted this indigenous fruit tree as a priority species for domestication and expanded use. However, internationally available information on baobab in East Africa, particularly in Sudan and Kenya, remains scarce. This review aims to shed light on the ecology, diversity and current level of utilization of baobab in East Africa in order to facilitate domestication and conservation of the species. A list of priority research areas is provided at the end of the review to encourage further studies and investment in this unique plant taxon.

Forests and rural development

Introduction.- Paradigms.- The Challenges Facing Forest-Based Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics.- Land Management Systems at the Interface Between Forestry and Agriculture.- Organizational Changes in Forest Management.- Creating Rural Employment and Generating Income in Forest-Based Value Chains.- At the Interface of Culture, Development and Forests: Insights from Bolivia and Kenya.- Extension Services for Rural Development.- Payment Schemes for Environmental Services - Challenges and Pitfalls with Respect to Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity.- Financing Forests for Rural Development.- Land Use Planning for Sustainable Forestry.- Forest Governance and Sustainable Rural Development.- Prospects for Forest-Based Rural Development.

Prospects for Forest-Based Rural Development

This synopsis provides an outlook for the complex issue of tropical forestry and rural development. It is based on the previous chapters, and incorporates historical facts, rural development politics and policies, and management systems and instruments. The mix between factual and instrumental aspects rules out a simple conceptual framework. In this synopsis the co-evolution model presented at the outset is taken up, to represent the complex reality of tropical forestry and rural development (Fig. 13.1). The highly dynamic and action-oriented character of this outlook is rooted in the discussion of paradigm changes, leading to design elements for a prospective tropical forestry and rural development theory.

Extension Services for Rural Development

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, rural populations are faced with a number of opportunities that generations of farmers have only dreamed of. Rural extension services play a pivotal role in providing smallholders and other client groups with the information, knowledge, and qualifications required to exploit these emerging opportunities. Starting with a review of the evolution of concepts and paradigms in extension science and practice over the past decades, this chapter elaborates on the major cornerstones of successful rural extension work; viz. extension contents that help farmers understand the functioning of markets and improve market information and transparency; initiating and institutionalizing communication and horizontal exchange among farmers through group-oriented extension approaches; answering the manifold of information requirements and consulting needs of the diverse client groups; and designing organizational arrangements for extension that are equally effective and cost-effective. The chapter concludes by providing an outlook on the opportunities and limitations that extension services face in relation to rural development.

Agroforestry of Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: Practices and Benefits

This study investigates an under-rated and not widely recognized traditional agroforestry practice carried out by smallholders in the highlands of Ethiopia. The purposeful retaining of indigenous trees on farmers’ croplands is recognized as separate from other agroforestry practices. Farmers cultivate indigenous trees for a variety of benefits, including livelihoods, ecosystem services and the existence of scenic and economically valued birds. The adoption of farmland agroforestry has been driven by similar household-level variables that explain the adoption of many other agroforestry practices. However, in contrast to other agroforestry practices farmland agroforestry is not a management priority for farmers, an observation that appears due to a lack of appreciation of naturally occurring trees. Because agroforestry on farmland is declining, interventions are required that improve extension services, availability of indigenous tree seedlings and credit, support reliable legal frameworks and land titles, and foster the processing and value adding of tree products suitable for higher value uses.

Meeting the growth challenge: developing the next level organization for GASA Group Germany

In order to remain successful, business organizations need to continuously adapt and respond to a changing environment. Rapid growth poses significant challenges to managers, not least with regard to maintaining the balance between efficiency and creativity in their organizations. Using the example of a wholesale company operating in the potted plants value chain in the lower Rhine valley, Germany, the case illustrates how the company was able to exploit the opportunities arising from the concentration in the value chain, and the necessity to adjust their organizational model in response to these changes. The case chooses the example of a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) as such firms constitute the prevalent type of enterprises in Germany. Simultaneously, SMEs often find it particularly difficult to adapt their tangible and intangible resources to such changes. The current material is intended to help train future managers mastering this challenge.

The Challenges Facing Forest-Based Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics

In spite of decades of unprecedented exploitation of resources, rural areas in the tropics and subtropics still possess vast human, biological, mineral, land, forest and other natural resources that potentially represent a primary source of human and economic development. However, the benefits produced by past development programs and policies often bypassed rural areas. The apparent failure of societies to develop rural areas to the same extent as their urban and metropolitan centers has largely been attributed to a complex set of factors at the level of the natural and the social sub-system at local, national and global scales. In this chapter the authors attempt to provide a comprehensive review of the manifold dimensions of the rural development challenge in forest areas of tropical and subtropical countries. In so doing, the authors draw heavily on empirical evidence published in the pertinent scientific literature.