Do translocal networks matter for agricultural innovation? A case study on advice sharing in small-scale farming communities in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Recent research on agricultural innovation has outlined social networks' role in diffusing agricultural knowledge; however, so far, it has broadly neglected the socio-spatial dimensions of innovation processes. Against this backdrop, we apply a spatially explicit translocal network perspective in order to investigate the role of migration-related translocal networks for adaptive change in a small-scale farming community in Northeast Thailand. By means of formal social network analysis we map the socio-spatial patterns of advice sharing regarding changes in sugarcane and rice farming over a period of five years. We find that, in translocally connected and mobile rural communities, a substantial share of advice originates from translocal levels. Translocal advice is dominantly provided through weak and formal ties with extension agencies and shared by few highly central larger-scale farmers within sparse local networks. This draws the picture of top-down translocal innovation flows driven by extension agencies and brokered through elite farmers. A closer look on institutional context and key actors of particular changes, however, suggests the potential of migration-related translocal networks and migration experience in fostering bottom-up innovations. Migration-related innovations transfers can promote adaptive capacity also among less favorably connected actors, especially if changes are geared towards limited household resources and are compatible with social practices of small-scale farming. We conclude that a translocal network perspective is instructive for research and extension interested in leveraging more inclusive agricultural innovation. Keywords Agricultural innovation • Farmer advice sharing • Migration • Northeast Thailand • Social network analysis (SNA) • Translocal knowledge transfers Abbreviations BAAC Bank of agriculture and agricultural cooperatives DOAE Department of agricultural extension SNA Social network analysis The original version of this article was revised due to a retrospective Open Access order.

The contribution of a catchment-scale advice network to successful agricultural drought adaptation in Northern Thailand

“…Farmers are likely to need further support, commensurate with their level of education so that the changes they are making can be more effective, and more effectively translate strategic advice to the farm-level [64], particularly for responding to droughts of varying severity, duration and occurring at critical times in the crop cycle. Alongside increasing the perceived quality of advice, the success of adaptations could be aided through extension support (particularly in providing technical assistance, [26,65]), through engaging farmers in the development of local adaptation strategies [1,23,24] and through facilitating opportunities to exchange knowledge and learn [29,30].…”

“…Information can enter the social network via prominent individuals (e.g. a local community leader) [23] or via farmer organizations [25], and advice on adaptation from neighbours, peer groups and the farming community, rather than from the government, can be more efficacious [1,26]. Alongside social networks, other factors such as age [27], access to financial resources [28], socioeconomic status [1] and level of education [20] also influence farmers' capacity to adapt.…”

“…Moreover, little is known about the association between the characteristics of information shared in an agricultural advice network and farmers' evaluations of the success of the adaptations they have undertaken in response to that advice. Thus, further research is needed to help understand the effectiveness of adaptations in different geographical and institutional contexts [7,8,36], how to evaluate the characteristics of successful adaptation [11] and then how to best share the knowledge gained with other farmers and institutional actors at local or translocal network scales [16,22,26,36].…”

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“…Spielman et al 2008) as it includes considerable publications on innovation intermediaries (e.g. Klerkx and Leeuwis 2008); the role of public sector extension services (Spielman et al 2011;Klerkx et al 2006); communication between system actors (Morriss et al 2006); links with farmers (Rockenbauch et al 2019;Isaac 2012) and so on. These approaches understand agricultural innovation to involve multiple actors: "It is now recognised that agricultural innovations come from multiple sources: research staff; development agencies; farmers; NGOs; private companies; entrepreneurs; and artisans" (Hall et al 2003, p. 220).…”

When the origin becomes the destination: Lost remittances and social resilience of return labour migrants in Thailand

“…Opportunities to improve social resilience often arise in the course of migration as migrants encounter new practices, new ideas, innovations, or different livelihoods (cf., Rockenbauch et al, 2019). Simultaneously, the digital era brings a new quality of connectedness between migrants across places (Levitt et al, 2003), which is an important precondition for the transfer of social remittances.…”