Contribution of farmers' experiments and innovations to Cuba's agricultural innovation system

Abstract

Innovations are the driving force for agricultural development under present diverse situations of uncertainty. The innovation system perspective acknowledges the contributions made by all stakeholders involved in knowledge development, dissemination and appropriation. According to the specific agricultural production system, farmers adopt innovations, modify them or innovate on their own. This paper examines the role of farmers' experiments and innovations in Cuba's agricultural innovation system (AIS), identifies knowledge exchange encounters and describes some strategies implemented to institutionalize farmers' experiments and innovations. The research methods comprised 34 semi-structured interviews with agricultural experts from the science, administration and advisory system, and 31 free list questionnaires to assess the institutional influence on farmers' experiments and innovations. In addition, three case studies of outstanding farmers' experiments are presented. The results suggest that the government's commitment to social participation in knowledge development provides the basic prerequisite for an effective integration of farmers' experiments and innovation in Cuba. The historically conditioned vertical structure of knowledge development and dissemination is gradually changing toward more horizontal procedures. The dynamic exchange of ideas at all kinds of interactive meetings, such as workshops or farmers' field schools, have favored farmer to farmer learning as well as knowledge sharing with research, academic and extension officials. This multi-stakeholders' approach contributes to institutionalize farmers' knowledge. Farmers' experiments and innovations play a major role in improving farm management and thereby can contribute to build resilience at the farming system level as well as for the national agricultural system.

Farmers’ Own Research: Organic Farmers’ Experiments in Austria and Implications for Agricultural Innovation Systems

“…Experiments are influenced by various intervening factors such as environmental, social and personal conditions (Leitgeb et al, 2014;Sumberg & Okali, 1997), and are embedded into the wider agricultural communication and innovation system (Leitgeb, Funes-Monzote, Kummer, & Vogl, 2011).…”

“…The situation can be different in other contexts, e.g. in Cuba, where efforts to enhance information exchange between scientists, farmers and extensionists were successful, and farmers' experiments are institutionalized and well integrated into the agricultural innovation system (Leitgeb et al, 2011). Similar approaches also exist in the European context, for example 'farmer-to-farmer'-approach (Schneider et al, 2009) or farmer stable schools (Vaarst et al, 2007).…”

“…Farmers' experiments can be a driving force for agricultural development when integrated into the agricultural innovation system, as it is the case in Cuba (Leitgeb et al, 2011). There is potential to make more active use of farmers' experiments and innovations by raising awareness for the topic within the farming community, the respective political and institutional landscape, and the agricultural research and advisory services.…”

“…National regulations, subsidies and support payments could be used to give farmers room for creativity within the regulatory frameworks for farming. Another possibility would be to engage farmers more actively in the advisory system and in technology development (Maat, 2011;Sumberg et al, 2003), and make active use of the outcomes of farmers' experiments for the development of local agricultural systems (Leitgeb et al, 2011). Studies that investigated the introduction of new farming practices in Europe, USA or Australia conclude that especially advisors are sometimes not open to new developments and even prevent farmers from engaging in those practices, and frequently the farmers themselves are drivers to establish novel farming practices and innovations (Ingram, 2010;McKenzie, 2013).…”

Building Resilience through Farmers’ Experiments in Organic Agriculture: Examples from Eastern Austria

“…Testing new methods and technologies is an integral and common element in the daily life of farmers (Haverkort, 1991;Scheuermeier, 1997;Sumberg & Okali, 1997;Bentley, 2006;Richards & Suazo, 2006 Leitgeb et al, 2011).…”