Information and knowledge management for African agriculture

Information and knowledge management was one of the topics discussed at the recent Fifth All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture in Addis Ababa.

Six papers were presented:

1. A content evaluation of the Proceedings of the 4th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture: An unsupervised Leximancer™ Analysis - presentation
2. Innovation platforms: A new approach to market development and technology uptake in Southern Africa - presentation / video interview / blog post
   
3. Support to capacity building to promote formal marketing and trade of livestock and livestock products from the Horn of Africa - presentation / video interview
   
4. Farmers as artificial inseminators: Experiences from Arsi Zone, Ethiopia - presentation
   
5. Ethiopian livestock market information system: Experience from a pilot phase - presentation
   
6. Planning for and monitoring outcomes in action-research projects: The Napier Grass diseases project - presentation / video interview
   

Key conclusions shared in plenary were:

• Text mining tools can give useful insights from dense content
• Innovation platforms “make people talk [and listen] to one another”; they increase returns on investment, promote information flows, help with farmer-market alignment, link real technologies with the needs of markets, and put money in the hands of producers
• Market information systems, specialized exchange networks, development of entrepreneurial skills, and training on standards and quality control are ways to help livestock producers and exporters better understand and exploit markets
• Farmers can be trained to deliver and manage [artificial insemination] and other advisory services for other farmers
• Outcome mapping helps us target information-communication activities to persuade and support behavior change of ‘boundary’ partners – farmers, researchers, media, extension, policy …

More on the congress

Heifer International at USAIN 2010: ‘Not a hand out – a hand up’

James De Vries, Executive VP of Programs for Heifer International, used the Parijat Women’s Group (PWG) of Imadol, Nepal as a shining example of Heifer’s approach to sustainable development. De Vries stressed that the program isn’t about the animals, it’s about empowering people to improve their lives, and to help others to do the same.

In the instance of PWG, the 13 women received either two sheep or two goats and either one ram or one buck after training in the Heifer cornerstones for just and sustainable development and good animal management. Heifer’s assistance had a life transforming impact on the women of Imadol. One women, now PWG’s leader, said that until she joined this group, she had no voice; she only existed through her husband.
Because of Heifer, the women of PWG found their voice.

Empowered by that initial ‘gift’ of livestock, the women of PWG used their income to send their daughters to school and to organize a local savings program and a peer lending group, thus improving the quality of life of their entire village. They have also mentored similar groups in 20 neighboring villages, spreading the ‘wealth’ of the Heifer spirit.

Since it was founded in 1944, it is estimated that Heifer has helped 12 million families around the world. For more information on Heifer International, go to: http://www.heifer.org

Story by Debbie Currie

More on the 2010 USAIN Congress

Tacit knowledge and innovation capacity: Evidence from the Indian livestock sector

To cope and compete in this rapidly-changing world, organisations need to access and apply new knowledge. While explicit knowledge is important, what is often critical is an organisation’s ability to create, access, share and apply the tacit or un-codified knowledge that exists among its members, its network and the wider innovation system of which it is a part.

This UNU-MERIT discussion paper explores the role of tacit knowledge in livestock sector innovation capacity though the case of Visakha Dairy, one of the most progressive producer-owned milk marketing companies in India. Analysis of two episodes in Visakha’s evolution clearly illustrates how it used tacit knowledge to innovate around challenges.

The paper concludes that while tacit knowledge is clearly a major resource that organisations rely on to cope with change, it does not follow that knowledge management approaches that rely on codifying this knowledge are the way forward.
Instead, what it does suggest is that better management of the learning processes, through which tacit knowledge is generated, would be a more useful contribution to innovation and innovation capacity — in other words, a shift from knowledge management to learning management.

Download the report

More on innovation in rural development

Livestock information network & knowledge system for livelihoods in East Africa

One project of the USAID-funded Global Livestock CRSP was called LINKS - Livestock Information Network and Knowledge System.

This project is placing ICTs inside a broader livestock information and analysis system that is designed to improve livestock markets and trade, thereby enhancing the
well-being of pastoralists in East Africa. LINKS technology was recently incorporated into the National Livestock Marketing Information System (NLMIS) active in Kenya.

See LINKS project publications on ICTs, phones, and markets in East Africa.

Addressing animal health knowledge gaps in Southern countries

Livestock are a key asset for the global poor. However, access to relevant information is a critical issue for both livestock development practitioners and the poor themselves. This paper (in the Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries) details the creation of an on-line Animal Health Resource Room.

The Animal Health Resource Room was created to deliver learning media i.e. videos and pamphlets to practitioners working with poor communities in Bolivia and India. Prior to developing the resource room, a study was undertaken to explore the priority animal health constraints identified by poor farmers in India and Bolivia.

TICs aplicadas a la trazabilidad

Un artículo publicado por el Ministerio de Agricultura de Argentina señala que la trazabilidad consiste en la capacidad para reconstruir la historia, recorrido o aplicación de un determinado producto, identificando el origen de sus componentes, la historia de los procesos aplicados al producto, la distribución y localización después de su entrega. El objetivo es poder disponer de la información del producto a lo largo de toda la cadena alimentaría.

La trazabilidad otorga a los productores la posibilidad de colocar sus productos en mercados específicos más rentables, que exigen la certeza del origen y de las distintas etapas del proceso productivo.

El uso de las TICs permite vislumbrar nuevos temas como la trazabilidad integral y la transmisión y seguimiento en tiempo real de datos enviados a un celular o página de Internet. A su vez, la trazabilidad integral, surge una vez que conocidas las características de los suelos, los insumos aplicados, el rinde logrado y la calidad del producto.

En este tema un ejemplo, entre muchos otros, es el Proyecto TRAZ.AR, desarrollado e implementado en Argentina como un sistema integrado para la gestión de la trazabilidad de las carnes bovinas capaz de gestionar la información de toda la cadena de valor. El sistema a nivel de campo plantea la identificación mediante caravanas oficiales visuales y como complemento de la Identificación Electrónica animal a través de dispositivos de radiofrecuencia.

Cada establecimiento ganadero cuenta con un equipo portátil de captura de datos en el cual se registran todos los eventos relativos a animales individuales tales como nacimientos, movimientos, peso y sanidad, entre los principales. La información registrada, se envía a una la base de datos central donde se controlan y almacenarán los datos. Los consumidores, a través de Internet, pueden acceder a la información referente al producto que consumen.

En otro ámbito, aplicado al mundo vitivinícola la trazabilidad permite conocer los pasos de todo el proceso de elaboración del vino, apuntando a mejorar la credibilidad sobre productos de exportación, y vinculándose a la calidad, donde juegan las prácticas enológicas. En este tema en Chile se diseñó un sistema especial para la trazabilidad del vino, que fue implantado en 45 viñas.

Lea el artículo completo

Knowledge sharing and innovation among African pastoralists

A recent report by the Future Agricultures Consortium provides some very interesting insights into knowledge creation and sharing in the innovation systems of pastoralists in Ethiopia and Kenya.

The authors report on discussions that were held at the ‘University of the Bush’ - under some trees next to a tented camp.

Some 'striking features' and challenges that emerged form the discussions include:

• There is a huge amount of innovation going on, but it is not recorded and often not shared.
  
• Sharing can be limited by the restrictive practices of certain holders
  of specialised knowledge – especially traditional healers of livestock.
  
• There are gaps between ‘the community’ – and organised groups within local communities –and the formal veterinary service ... There is a need for an intermediary, someone who can help bridge the formal and informal knowledge systems and make links between them, facilitating access to services and expertise.
  
• Formal research is very distant from the local setting. While NGOs, extension workers and other project staff are present, they are not connected to research. As a result, they often do not know up-to-date information.
  
• Formal innovation through the government and aid system and informal innovation through elders and the local community are often very separate, and sometimes are in conflict.
  
• Informal innovation can often be hidden from view, and is rarely recognised by outsiders.
  

Using "electronic markers" to control Amazon deforestation

The Brazilian government will use electronic markers to detect illegal felling of trees in the Amazon forests via satellite as illegal encroachment has threatened the sensitive ecosystem The satellite will help monitor cattle herds and ranchers who illegally cut trees.

Ranchers will be required to place “electronic markers” along the boundaries of their properties that will be monitored via satellite, allowing officials to track the movement of herds in “real time”. If the ranchers were found to have cleared the rainforest, their markers will be removed, preventing them from selling their cattle.

The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) has developed the system in collaboration with other stakeholders.

Read the full article

Colombia: ganaderos apuestan a la tecnología para mejorar sus servicios

Con un foro que se iniciará el próximo 23 de septiembre, el gremio y entes gubernamentales se alistarán para que la tecnología no los 'atropelle' y ser competitivos.

La reunión sobre e-ganadería se hace con el ánimo de explorar y conocer el papel que tienen las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones), en la manera que están siendo utilizadas en la ganadería colombiana, y sus opciones a futuro. El el objetivo del foro es analizar la funcionalidad de las TIC en el incremento de la rentabilidad del negocio ganadero, y cómo el uso de estas herramientas puede impactar de forma positiva el desarrollo económico del país.

Eduardo Arias, gerente del Comité de Ganaderos del Meta, dijo que la aplicación de las TIC en la ganadería es algo que se tiene que implementar de forma rápida para lograr ser competitivos en los mercados. Explicó que de esta forma se le puede hacer al animal todo un seguimiento desde que nace hasta que va a al consumidor. "De esta forma se le puede presentar al consumidor y a los demandantes de mercados internacionales una información que ellos requieren para poder acceder a esos mercados", dijo Arias.

Y aunque precisó que la ganadería llanera es incipiente frente al tema, explicó que para el desarrollo de estas tecnologías hay unos convenios que se podrían aplicar por intermedio de Fedegán, los comités y las asociaciones de ganaderos.

"Debemos tener una receptividad al programa, empezar a entenderlo para aplicarlo en las fincas. Será un proceso no muy rápido pero ya hay algunos fundamentos de manejo, identificación y monitoreo de hatos que nos ayudarán", sostuvo Arias.

Lea el artículo completo

FarmGAS: Software gratuito para optimizar explotaciones ganaderas y agrícolas en Australia

Una novedosa aplicación informática (FarmGAS) abrirá nuevas posibilidades en la agricultura y la ganadería. La aplicación desarrollada por el Instituto Agrícola de Australia con fondos destinados a la lucha contra el cambio climático.

La función de FarmGAS – que será gratuito - es lograr que las granjas y explotaciones tanto ganaderas como agrícolas sean más eficientes y, al tiempo, más respetuosas con el medio ambiente. La aplicación mide las emisiones de carbono generadas por cada explotación y propone la manera de reducirlas a través de su gestión una vez se han introducido los datos correspondientes a sus campos o ganado. Así pues logra maximizar la eficiencia de los piensos, la calidad de la carne, mide la conductividad eléctrica del suelo para predecir el riesgo de salinidad en los pastos y, atención a este dato, logra reducir las emisiones de gases de invernadero a la mitad en un año.

GLiPHA: Global Livestock Production and Health Atlas

GLiPHA is an interactive electronic atlas that provides a scaleable overview of spatial and temporal variation in quantitative information related to animal production and health. Against a back-drop of selected maps of livestock densities, land-use or elevation, sub-national statistics relating to the livestock sector can be mapped, or displayed as tables and charts.

The objective of the GLiPHA is to facilitate access to livestock sector information for analysis and informed decision making and to increase awareness of socio-economic, human and animal demographic and health related issues.

GLiPHA draws on sub-national data managed within the Global Livestock Impact Mapping (GLIMS). The interface uses KIDS-3g technology, the third generation of the Key Indicator Data System.

Pretoria Vet Sciences library reaches out with accessible tools

Earlier this year, this blog reported several discussions on future library services in agriculture.

One of the approaches advocated was to transform libraries into more proactive spaces where information and knowledge are exchanged, often using new tools and approaches.

The Veterinary Sciences Library at the University of Pretoria offers us some good examples of what can be done, in a pragmatic way:

• The home page gives lots of search and navigation options (catalogue and google)
  
• They use Dspace for the South African National Veterinary Repository
  
• The Veterinary Science Dean supports open access and his Faculty staff also contribute to the university repository
  
• The library pages can be bookmarked on services like Delicious using an 'addthis' widget
• The library's newsletter Infomania has a range of views and stories, as well as practical tips beyond 'pure' libraries
• They engage in several special projects and international networks linked to their mandate
  
• Their blog reports on major developments in the library services. The postings on service plans (for 2009) and achievements (in 2008) are especially useful - and offer transparency.

As we look at ways to enhance the accessibility of agricultural information, such cases can help us identify the large and small pathways we can all adopt.

La FAO lanzó un nuevo portal de Internet sobre bienestar animal

La FAO lanzó hoy un nuevo portal de Internet donde particulares y organizaciones podrán encontrar toda la información actualizada sobre el bienestar animal.

El portal para el Bienestar de los Animales de Granja está diseñado para proporcionar información fiable sobre legislación y resultados de investigaciones del sector, así como sobre estándares, prácticas y políticas de bienestar animal. Se espera que este portal sea utilizado por agricultores, funcionarios, legisladores, investigadores, la industria alimentaria y ganadera y las organizaciones no gubernamentales

Lea artículo completo.

Enlaces relacionados:
El portal de la FAO sobre bienestar animal (en inglés)

FAO launches animal welfare web portal

A new internet portal has been launched by FAO that will serve as a one-stop-shop for individuals and organizations searching for the latest information about the welfare of livestock.

The Gateway to Farm Animal Welfare is designed to provide a reliable information conduit on legislation and research findings in the sector, as well as on animal welfare standards, practices and policies. Expected users are farmers and government officials, lawmakers, researchers, the livestock and food industry and non-governmental organizations.

Read full article.

Las TICs aplicadas a la ganadería

Las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TICs) también pueden ser aprovechadas en la ganadería. Paraguay será sede de un encuentro que reunirá a expertos de ambas áreas.

Se celebrará un Encuentro TICs y Ganadería, durante los días 18, 19 y 20 de mayo de 2009 en Paraguay, en el que expertos de América Latina y de otros países, así como de organismos multilaterales, como la FAO, la OIT y la Unión Europea, se reunirán para intercambiar conocimientos y políticas que sirvan de base a la transferencia de tecnología relacionadas con las aplicación al sector ganadero de las TICs.

Leer artículo completo.

ILRI InfoCentre, delivering livestock information worldwide

We recently caught up with agricultural information specialists at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa and Ethiopia.

Richard Fulss, ILRI's Information Manager reflects on the activities of the Infocentre. He cites the main opportunity/challenge as being to ensure that ILRI’s information and knowledge travel as much as they could while also linking up with other global knowledge bases on livestock science.

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Grace Kamau of the ILRI Infocentre in Nairobi explains some of the changes in her role in recent years. She emphasizes the ‘one ILRI InfoCentre’ approach from two locations – in Nairobi and Addis Ababa as well as enhanced cooperation among CGIAR libraries across the world. She sees the main challenge of the future as being the demands on different CGIAR libraries to ‘operate as one.’

Click To Play

More on information management at ILRI.

Communicating livestock research at ILRI

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is one of a relatively small number of organizations making its communications strategy available online.

Particularly interesting is the 'strategic approach'that combines internal and external communications, library services, web services, public awareness, and knowledge management. The strategy also sets out 4 higher level outcomes and the various products and services used to achieve them.

The four outcomes are:

• Greater utility - Staff and partners are provided with state-of-the-art communication products, vehicles and services; classical library services are transformed ...; information is packaged in multiple formats ...
  
• Greater influence - ILRI’s sphere of influence is enlarged beyond the CGIAR; journalists and their editors are persuaded of the value of publishing livestock-oriented stories; public understanding is advanced ...; new constituencies, networks and momentum are built ...
  
• Greater engagement - Public awareness of, and participation in, livestock research for development is raised; more of our partners speak on our behalf ...; opinion makers, leaders and research end users are increasingly engaged in livestock discussions and feedback ...
  
• Greater impacts - Governments, donor organizations, think tanks, universities, international institutions, non-governmental- and civil society organizations, private industries and others are helped to make informed pro-poor decisions in livestock research and development.

The strategy gives a wealth of insight and food for thought, including a short piece on how ILRI disseminates its research findings giving concrete examples of a strategy to get information out through a wide range of channels.

Knowledge management at ILRI

In a 2006 article, Ezra Ondari-Okemwa examines knowledge management initiatives at the International Livestock Research Institute.

The study looks at how knowledge is generated in ILRI, how it is shared, how it is transferred and how it is integrated into the day-to-day operations of the Institute. Some of the challenges that the ILRI faces in managing knowledge are identified, and solutions which cannot always rely on information technology are discussed.

She concludes: "The International Livestock Research Institute knowledge management programme stands outas a good example of the best practices that may be emulated in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions where it has operations."

"The environment that ILRI has created encourages creation and sharing and transfer of knowledge. Group training encourages socialization, which is a prerequisite for exchanging tacit knowledge."

PIGTrop fait peau neuve

La nouvelle version du site web du Cirad consacré aux filières porcines dans les pays du Sud. Le site web PIGTrop facilite, depuis son lancement en 2003, l'accès à l'information sur les enjeux des productions porcines des pays du Sud.

Aujourd’hui, PIGTrop fait peau neuve avec une nouvelle charte graphique, des outils collaboratifs supplémentaires, des contenus renouvelés adaptés aux évolutions de la demande des internautes. Autre nouveauté : un portail hispanophone, désormais disponible aux côtés des portails francophone et anglophone.

Tags: agricultural information livestock cirad