Using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to Improve Agricultural Knowledge Management System (KMS)

Agriculture is an important sector of the Indian economy. In the present paper an attempt has been made to theoretically explore the development of an agricultural knowledge management system (KMS) in respect of various micro irrigation techniques for agriculture, as well as relevant crop-/region-specific agricultural practices in different regions of the country, as the same has been observed to be very much necessary for the overall benefits of wider cross section of farmers, agricultural scientists, economists, and other stakeholders in the domain. It is further observed that artificial neural networks (ANNs), which are a part of soft computing techniques, can be used as a KMS tool for effective management of various sub sectors of agriculture. In this context, it has been shown that use of ANNs as a KMS tool can improve the effectiveness of applications of the above mentioned agricultural KMS by accurately forecasting the year-wise estimated yield of food grains of India with the help of past data of various relevant parameters.

Using Social Network Analysis to Identify Opinion Leaders in Agricultural Knowledge Exchange and Decision-Making Network of Farm Women

The use of social network theories dates back to 1930s with the pioneering works of psycho-sociologist Moreno. With the advent of advanced technologies, there has been an explosion of its applications to various disciplines. The study applies social network theory to analyze agricultural knowledge exchange and decision-making network of farm women. The analysis identifies farm women who occupy central and strategic positions and acts as opinion leaders in the network. The study was carried out in the Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand, India. Descriptive research design and multi-stage sampling were adopted. A total of 298 respondents were selected purposively from the two villages of Uttarakhand. Data were collected through survey sociometric method. UCINET and SPSS were used for data analysis and interpretations. The findings showed that high in degree and Out degree centrality was recorded by 24 (12, 12) and 48 (26, 22) farm women in the two study villages. Total 24 opinion leaders were identified within the agricultural knowledge exchange and decision-making network. Their extent of opinion leadership was influenced by age, marital status, farming experience, socio-economic status, innovativeness, achievement motivation, decision making ability, risk preference, economic motivation, information seeking behaviour, cosmopoliteness and social participation.

Transições para a sustentabilidade na agricultura corporativa: inovação agroecológica na viticultura do Douro, Portugal

Resumo: O objetivo deste artigo é aplicar a Multi Level Perspective (MLP) a um caso de transição para a sustentabilidade da agricultura que ocorre a partir do desenvolvimento de uma inovação agroecológica. À perspectiva temporal e multinível dada pela MLP, conjugamos o conceito de Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), com a intenção de conciliar uma dimensão territorial para a análise. O cenário empírico é a região vitivinícola do Douro, em Portugal, na qual se disseminou uma inovação denominada Infraestrutura Ecológica (IE). Metodologicamente, fizemos entrevistas pessoais estruturadas, realizadas com agricultores ou gestores agrícolas, representantes de explorações comerciais de uva e vinho. Constatamos que há um princípio de transição liderado por agricultores corporativos que comercializam no mercado global. Este princípio de transição está alicerçado na mobilização de um AKIS territorial que permitiu o desenvolvimento do arcabouço cognitivo e técnico que estruturou o setor para sua articulação às demandas de mercado. Entretanto, este AKIS não é igualmente mobilizado pelos diferentes agricultores, o que se manifesta em distintas respostas de adoção da inovação. O caso explicita como as pressões de paisagem sociotécnica, representada pelo mercado, podem criar diferentes respostas no regime local.

Factors influencing input dealers’ performance of extension roles to farmers in Yobe State of Nigeria

The study examined factors influencing input dealers’ performance of extension role to farmers in Yobe State of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting 86 input dealers. Primary data were collected from them on socioeconomic characteristics, performance of extension roles, sources of agricultural knowledge and training using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results showed that input dealers were mostly males (98.8%); young and agile with mean age of 41.8 years, 44.2% had tertiary education but 86.0% had no agricultural qualifications. Although input dealers’ performance of extension roles was high (55.8%), they had low training (68.6%) to boost performance. Significant relationships existed between performance of extension roles and type of trade (χ2 = 25.135, p < 0.05) and membership of input dealers association (χ2 = 12.550, p < 0.05). Also, a significant positive correlation existed between performance of extension roles and training received (r = 0.33, p < 0.05) and sources of agricultural knowledge (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). It was recommended that input dealers should be strengthened to perform extension roles by enhancing their training and access to sources of agricultural knowledge via institutionalized research, extension, input companies and input dealers’ linkage.

Scientific Method in Late-Antique Paganism: The (Rational) Empiricism of al-Filāḥa l-nabaṭiyya (The Nabatean Agriculture)

The reputation of the late-antique or early Islamic al-Filāḥa l-nabaṭiyya (The Nabatean Agriculture) as an esoteric forgery has recently begun to shift and its value as a source for the study of early-Islamic or late-antique Near Eastern paganism has been restored. This article contributes to a further reinterpretation of the work by elucidating its value for the history of late-antique and early Islamic science. It argues that the work distinguishes between the epistemological categories of the rational and the marvelous and critically approaches both based on a rational empiricism which it shares with contemporary disciplines such as medicine and astrology. The concepts of experience (taǧriba) and reason (qiyās) are central to al-Filāḥa l-nabaṭiyya’s epistemology, and the work relies on observation and experiments, combined with methods of deductive and analogical reasoning to obtain applied botanical and agricultural knowledge. Al-Filāḥa l-nabaṭiyya also contains competing views regarding prophecy and astrological knowledge which are illustrative of epistemological debates within Pagan late-antique scholarship.

“Ambidexterity”: trump card for farm's innovativeness and competitiveness

PurposeThe paper aims to analyze the relevance of networking and social capital in promoting the adoption of sustainable innovation, then reinforcing trajectories of multifunctional agriculture. It puts forwards a systemic perspective by focusing on agricultural knowledge and innovation systems. More precisely, we share the idea of “micro agricultural knowledge and innovation systems”, by addressing ambidexterity as engine for boosting sustainable innovation.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical analysis is focused on sustainable innovation adopted by young farmers in Italy and on the mediation effect of ambidextrous relations in performing innovation adoption. Ambidextrous relations are analyzed within at the micro-AKIS level, through the lens of social capital. Relationships between social capital and innovation adoption are statistically measured.FindingsThe analysis shows how ambidexterity develops a mediation effect, with a strong impact on the farm's innovative capacity. Actually, our results confirm that ambidextrous relations reveal good performance and stimulate innovation and, consequently, farms' competitiveness, alongside the path of multifunctional agriculture. As a consequence, the relevance of networking activity in adoption of sustainable innovation may address possible policy action with the aim to strengthen ambidexterity and farm's innovativeness.Originality/valueThe paper tries to fill a gap in literature, by focusing on micro-AKIS which are explored through the lens of social capital.

Social Media Literacy among Oil Palm Smallholders in East Malaysia and Association with Oil Palm Integration Practices

With advancements in technology, social media has revolutionised the way farmers communicate, resulting in an increased level of shared agricultural knowledge. Therefore, this study investigates social media literacy among oil palm smallholders in East Malaysia and the association with oil palm integration practices. A survey of 194 respondents was conducted using a random sampling method. The survey questionnaire was adapted from several previous studies on social media literacy. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, involving t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression were conducted. Social media literacy was significantly higher among oil palm smallholders who were younger, with higher educational levels (p < 0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that as the level of social media literacy increased, the probability for agricultural integration practices also increased (odds ratio (OR) = 1.052; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.022, 1.083). However, smallholders needed to optimise their use of social media to provide greater benefits to their agriculture. The findings of this study are useful in illustrating that interventions in social media literacy may efficiently facilitate oil palm integration. The results of this study can provide information and recommendations towards policies for the modernising of oil palm farming in Malaysia. Such studies, however, need to be further expanded by involving a larger sample of smallholders nationwide, to represent the geography of smallholders with varying levels of internet accessibility in Malaysia.

SPREAD OF AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AS A TREND OF CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC INTERACTIONS OF OSSETIA AND RUSSIA (SECOND HALF OF THE XIX – EARLY XX CENTURY)

Проблема становления многонационального социума всегда была и остается в фокусе научного познания. Особую актуальность она имеет для России, история которой является ярким примером сосуществования множества разных народов. Период второй половины XIX – начала XX вв. стал важной вехой в деле утверждения российской государственности на Северном Кавказе. Осетия активнее других северокавказских территорий участвовала в модернизационных процессах пореформенного периода. Трансформация, затрагивавшая в ходе этих процессов все сферы жизнедеятельности осетинского общества, рождала новые, более современные формы социально-экономических отношений и способствовала возникновению новых потребностей. Земледелие в частности и сельскохозяйственная отрасль в целом превращаются в главнейший источник народного благосостояния. В статье рассматривается проблема культурно-хозяйственного взаимодействия Осетии и России в условиях реформаторства второй половины XIX – начала XX в., исследуются основные векторы развития осетинского социума в рамках этого взаимодействия. Одним из наиболее прогрессивных направлений обозначается стремление к новейшим достижениям в области сельскохозяйственной деятельности, а потребность в приобщении к эффективным способам ведения личного хозяйства определяется как важнейшая. Научная новизна работы обусловлена постановкой проблемы, привлечением новых источников и междисциплинарным походом. Методологическую основу составили системно-структурный, сравнительно-исторический, междисциплинарный и цивилизационный подходы, принципы историзма, объективности и целостности. Результаты, полученные в ходе исследования, дают основание утверждать, что одним из важнейших трендов культурно-хозяйственного взаимодействия Осетии и России в рассматриваемый период стало распространение сельскохозяйственных знаний среди населения Осетии посредством развития системы сельскохозяйственных учебных заведений. The problem of the formation of a multinational society has always been and remains in the focus of scientific knowledge. It is of particular relevance for Russia, whose history is a vivid example of the coexistence of many different peoples. The period of the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries became an important milestone in the establishment of Russian statehood in the North Caucasus. Ossetia participated in the modernization processes of the post-reform period more actively than other North Caucasian territories. The transformation, which in the course of these processes affected all spheres of life of the Ossetian society, gave birth to new, more modern forms of socio-economic relations and contributed to the emergence of new needs. Agriculture in particular and the agricultural sector as a whole are turning into the main source of national wealth. The article examines the problem of cultural and economic interaction between Ossetia and Russia in the conditions of reformism in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, examines the main vectors of development of the Ossetian society within the framework of this interaction. One of the most progressive directions is the striving for the latest achievements in the field of agricultural activity, and the need to familiarize with effective methods of running a personal economy is defined as the most important. The scientific novelty of the work is due to the formulation of the problem, the involvement of new sources and an interdisciplinary approach. The methodological basis was formed by the systemic-structural, comparative-historical, interdisciplinary and civilizational approaches, the principles of historicism, objectivity and integrity. The results obtained in the course of the study give grounds to assert that one of the most important trends in cultural and economic interaction between Ossetia and Russia in the period under review was the spread of agricultural knowledge among the population of Ossetia through the development of a system of agricultural educational institutions.

Joseph’s Food Politics as Life-Keeper of Many People: A Close Rereading of Genesis 47:13–26

The Septuagint reading predominantly influences the interpretation of Genesis 47:13-26 (primarily v. 21). Despite a positive portrayal of Joseph, he is also seen as Pharaoh’s accomplice to enslave the Egyptian people. This connection with slavery activities contradicts the traditional image of Joseph as the life-keeper of many people. Solution for the negative portrait of Joseph usually refers to the Masoretic Text, although it is not a reference to many modern Bible translations and commentaries. The Septuagint as a reference, in this case, is indeed difficult to reject. However, that does not mean that Joseph promotes the slavery of the Egyptian people throughout the land, but rather an ancient form of state capitalism. This article draws on textual criticism, word studies, form criticism, and agricultural knowledge background in the ancient Middle East. The contribution of this research is to show that, instead of enslaving, Joseph formulated an Egyptian food politics in the larger context of Joseph’s narrative reality as the life-keeper of many people.

AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS, EXTENSION, FINANCE AND RURAL LOANS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA: THE CASE OF LOGISTIC REGRESSION

The aim of this article is to examine the impact of the use of agricultural extension, advisory services and agricultural loans on the introduction of agricultural innovations in the Republic of Serbia. Agricultural innovations are incremental changes through which individuals and organizations introduce new or use significantly improved products, services or ways of organizing in order to increase the performance of agriculture. While agricultural extension involves agricultural knowledge, information and skills that are passed on to farmers, their associations and other value chains market actors, agricultural loans are one of the most important financial instruments available to them. In order to investigate the predictive power and influence of these variables, the paper applied the method of binary logistic regression due to the categorical nature of predictors and the dependent variable. Based on the conducted research, the article found that the use of agricultural loans does not have a statistically significant impact on the introduction of agricultural innovations in Serbia, while agricultural extension has. The article concludes that for the further flourishing of agricultural innovations, the development of advisory services, as well as for the development of various fiscal incentives and rural financial instruments, it is necessary to continuously develop the devastated Serbian village and invest more intensively in rural development. This is the only possible way to prevent further waves of rural population emigration to cities, as well as to improve their knowledge, propensity for innovations and livelihoods.