Knowledge management for agricultural innovation: lessons from networking efforts in the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System

This paper presents results of an analysis of adoption of innovations among farmers affiliated to four agricultural innovation projects in Bolivia that promote different modalities of knowledge management. In two of the cases, regional foundations of the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System (SIBTA) fostered knowledge management and exchange involving multiple-agents and results show that these are relatively more successful than traditional technology transfer projects. Results of the analysis at the individual farmers’ level demonstrate that the adoption of innovations is determined by the knowledge management modalities of the project to which they were affiliated to as well as by the degree of embeddedness of the farmer in local innovation and learning networks. This confirms current wisdom that farmers need intensive relations, not only to one type of extension or development agency but to many different agents, in order to be able to draw from a sufficient critical mass of Hartwich, F., M. Monge Perez, L. Ampuero Ramos and J.L Soto, 2007 Knowledge management for agricultural innovation: Lessons from networking efforts in the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System. Knowledge Management for Development Journal 3(2): 21-37 www.km4dev.org/journal 36 knowledge, gain confidence on the relevance of the knowledge, and learn jointly to apply and improve an innovation. Those who finance and promote agricultural innovation should consider that the creation and diffusion of innovation is a complex process which can be enhanced by fostering interactive learning among farmers and other agents that dispose of and develop farm relevant knowledge. About the authors Frank Hartwich is a research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute where he works on issues of innovation in pro-poor agricultural development. Before he worked with the International Service for National Agricultural Research in The Netherlands and the Natural Resources Institute in England in agricultural research and development issues in sub-Saharan Africa. His current research focuses on rural innovation networks, innovation systems theory and public-private partnerships, particularly in Latin America. He holds master degree titles in Agricultural Science from the University of Bonn, Germany, and in Management in Agro-business from ENSA Toulouse, France, and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Hohenheim, Germany. Frank Hartwich, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI ), c/o IICA, Apdo. 55-2200 San Jose, Costa Rica. E-mail: f.hartwich@cgiar.org. Mario Monge is a research analyst at the International Food Policy Research Institute. He specialized field of analysis is the application of Social Network Analysis to processes of innovation among resource poor farmers. Before he directed operations of an agricultural development project on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica (PRODAPEN) funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Prior to this he worked for the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre (CATIE) as part of the Centre’s technical cooperation in Central America. His current research focuses on rural innovation networks and processes of adoption/diffusion of innovations in Bolivia and Nicaragua. Mario holds a M.Sc. degree in International Agricultural Development from the University of California at Davis. Mario Monge International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI ), c/o IICA, Apdo. 55-2200 San Jose, Costa Rica. E-mail: m.monge@cgiar.org Luis Ampuero works as a consultant on institutional development issues and agricultural innovation in Bolivia. He provides professional assistance to several private research and development organizations in the Andean region and Mexico. He also serves as President of the Fundacion Casa de la Agricultura, a non profit organization promoting rural development initiatives for low income farmers. Previously, he worked for the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), in Costa Rica and Peru. He holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Iowa State University, and a M.Sc degree in Business Administration from the National University of Costa Rica. Luis Ampuero, P.O. Box 826, Cochabamba, Bolivia. E-mail: laampuero@yaho.com Jose Luis Soto is a socio-economist and gender specialist in the field of Andean Grains of the Foundation for the Promotion of Research and Andean Products (PROINPA) in Bolivia. His research focuses on the diffusion of innovation among smallholders and the assessment of the impact of technology adoption. He holds a Hartwich, F., M. Monge Perez, L. Ampuero Ramos and J.L Soto, 2007 Knowledge management for agricultural innovation: Lessons from networking efforts in the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System. Knowledge Management for Development Journal 3(2): 21-37 www.km4dev.org/journal 37 Master (M.Sc.) in Rural Development from the National University of the Altiplano in Puno, Peru. Jose Luis Soto, Fundacion para la Promocion e Investigacion de Productos Andinos (PROINPA), Apdo. 1078, La Paz, Bolivia. E-mail: jl.soto@proinpa.org 1 Innovation can be understood as a social process by which knowledge is created, adapted, diffused within a network of specialists and users and successfully applied in social and economic practices. 2 PROINPA-Jalsuri: Mean = 7.6 km, StDev = 9.15, CETHA PAIS: Mean 74.8 km, StDev = 45.6, ANAPO-Mairana: Mean = 12.9km, StDev = 7.6, PROINPA – Padilla: Mean 16.7 km, StDev = 23,7km