Organic vs. conventional agriculture: knowledge, power and innovation in the food chain

Agronomist–farmer knowledge encounters: an analysis of knowledge exchange in the context of best management practices in England

“…In response, farmers are encouraged to undertake a range of "best management practices (BMPs)." According to some, these knowledge-intensive practices require new ways of exchanging knowledge; specifically, learning through mutual interaction and shared understandings rather than dissemination or knowledge transfer (Kloppenburg 1991;Röling and Jiggins, 1994;Morgan and Murdoch 2000).…”

“…Indeed Giles (1983, p. 324) highlights the reciprocal nature of the relationship asserting that on-farm advisors may personally gain enriched experience and knowledge "by listening and talking to those in the industry who accept the risks and take decisions." Such personal interaction in a context of shared experiences is also thought to be the only way to communicate knowledge about more sustainable practices (Hassenein and Kloppenburg 1995;Morgan and Murdoch 2000).…”

Are farmers in England equipped to meet the knowledge challenge of sustainable soil management? An analysis of farmer and advisor views

“…It has also been argued that indigenous soil knowledge, although still of great value in developing countries (Sillitoe 1998), has no relevance to modern agriculture where farmers have come to rely heavily on scientific applications in agriculture (Morgan and Murdoch (2000). For many, science is just as capable, or more capable of finding sustainable solutions (Molnar et al 1992;Murdoch and Clark 1994).…”

“…The centrality of knowledge to agriculture has been highlighted by a number of commentators (Winter 1997;Morgan and Murdoch 2000), with knowledge described as the 'fourth factor of production' because of the widely differing knowledge, skills and aptitudes farmers need for producing food (Winter 1997). This is the case today more than ever before with the emergence of policies encouraging more sustainable farming practices, which are considered to be more complex and more demanding on the skills and knowledge of farmers than conventional farming (Kloppenburg 1991;Röling and Jiggins 1994).…”

Eco-innovations in the German fertilizer supply chain: Impact on the carbon footprint of fertilizers

“…Additionally, it would be necessary to explore the relationship between innovation adoption and innovation networks in agricultural supply chains to get a better understanding of the innovation adoption at farmers' level. Moreover, knowledge is very unevenly distributed in agricultural supply chains (Morgan andMurdoch 2000, Hasler et al 2016), and thus education and willingness to change needs to start at the beginning of the fertilizer supply chain, i.e. at producer or trader level.…”