Understanding the relations between farmers’ seed demand and research methods: the challenge to do better
Although the development of improved seeds has witnessed significant advances over the last decades, the adoption of improved seeds and varieties by smallholder farmers is variable. This suggests that research methods for studying farmers’ seed demand are not yielding information that reflects the real-life decisions and behaviours of farmers in the choice and acquisition of their seeds. We suggest that research methods for analysing farmers’ seed demand shape seed availability. This is supported by the theory of social life of methods. We argue that access to and attractiveness of seed are highly context-specific for a farmer, for example, influenced by his/her social position, the role of the crop or variety in the farming system, the linkage to the market, agro-ecological conditions, and that context is highly variable. We also argue that many of our research methods are weak on capturing real-life context and provide fragmented snapshot-nature understanding and biases of farmers preferences and needs for seeds. We call for more integrated understanding of seed systems as a whole and a more holistic methodological research approach that better captures the variable real-life context of farmers while providing the metrics that are needed by seed actors and policymakers to enable informed decisions.
Main Authors: | Almekinders, C., Beumer, K., Hauser, M., Misiko, M.T., Gatto, M., Nkurumwa, A.O., Erenstein, O. |
---|---|
Format: | Article biblioteca |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2019
|
Subjects: | AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, FARMERS' ATTITUDES, INNOVATION ADOPTION, RESEARCH METHODS, |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10883/20516 |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Similar Items
-
Multidimensional impact assessment of zero tillage technology on wheat productivity in Haryana
by: Kumar, A., et al.
Published: (2016) -
Dominios de recomendación: un marco de referencia para la investigación en fincas
by: Harrington, L.W., et al.
Published: (1984) -
Le concept de domaine de recommandation: guide pratique d'utilisation pour la recherche agronomique en milieu réel
by: Harrington, L.W., et al.
Published: (1984) -
Quantifying and valuing the joint production of grain and fodder from maize fields in Northern Pakistan
by: Byerlee, D., et al.
Published: (1987) -
Acciones para impulsar la labranza de conservación en maíz el la Región de Azuero
by: Pereira de Herrera, A., et al.
Published: (1999)