Why Agricultural Tools Work in Theory But Aren’t Adopted in Practice: A Grounded Theory Approach to ICT in Ghana and Kenya

IF 3.5 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Air Soil and Water Research Pub Date : 2022-01-01 DOI:10.1177/11786221221092782

Adrian Mallory, A. Parker, P. Hutchings, R. Sakrabani

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

Organic fertilisers could contribute to addressing the issues of declining soil fertility, food security and waste management by recycling human waste for use in sub-Saharan Africa. The variable nutrient content of such products can make targetted application more difficult than in chemical fertilisers. One solution to this could be the use of in-field soil testing and information, particularly with the expansion of mobile technology. This research investigated the role of information and soil testing in 43 farmers using human waste derived fertilisers in Kenya and Ghana. Interviews were conducted to understand the use and sources of information in farming and the perception of soil testing technologies. It was found that mobile based testing was unlikely to be adopted for reasons of low priority, the type of knowledge being shared and trust after failures of different projects. Farmers did not see soil testing as the major issue that they needed to solve. Mobile technology was mostly used for visual and oral communication whereas soil testing often provided information in an unsuitable way. Farmers also had limited trust in new projects as they had previously had project failures that did not help them. In order to achieve sustainable adoption of technology there needs to be improved methods of disseminating and learning from project failures to prevent repeated attempts at inappropriate technology in the future.

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为什么农业工具在理论上有效但在实践中没有被采用：加纳和肯尼亚信息和通信技术的基础理论方法

有机肥料可以通过回收人类排泄物在撒哈拉以南非洲使用，有助于解决土壤肥力下降、粮食安全和废物管理等问题。与化肥相比，此类产品的营养成分变化会使定向施用变得更加困难。解决这一问题的一个方法是使用现场土壤测试和信息，特别是随着移动技术的扩展。这项研究调查了肯尼亚和加纳43名使用人类排泄物衍生肥料的农民的信息和土壤测试的作用。进行访谈是为了了解农业中信息的使用和来源以及对土壤测试技术的看法。研究发现，基于移动的测试不太可能被采用，原因是优先级低、共享的知识类型以及不同项目失败后的信任。农民们并不认为土壤测试是他们需要解决的主要问题。移动技术主要用于视觉和口头交流，而土壤测试往往以不合适的方式提供信息。农民对新项目的信任也有限，因为他们以前的项目失败对他们没有帮助。为了实现技术的可持续采用，需要改进传播和从项目失败中吸取教训的方法，以防止未来再次尝试不合适的技术。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Air Soil and Water Research ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

5.30%

发文量

审稿时长

8 weeks

期刊介绍： Air, Soil & Water Research is an open access, peer reviewed international journal covering all areas of research into soil, air and water. The journal looks at each aspect individually, as well as how they interact, with each other and different components of the environment. This includes properties (including physical, chemical, biochemical and biological), analysis, microbiology, chemicals and pollution, consequences for plants and crops, soil hydrology, changes and consequences of change, social issues, and more. The journal welcomes readerships from all fields, but hopes to be particularly profitable to analytical and water chemists and geologists as well as chemical, environmental, petrochemical, water treatment, geophysics and geological engineers. The journal has a multi-disciplinary approach and includes research, results, theory, models, analysis, applications and reviews. Work in lab or field is applicable. Of particular interest are manuscripts relating to environmental concerns. Other possible topics include, but are not limited to: Properties and analysis covering all areas of research into soil, air and water individually as well as how they interact with each other and different components of the environment Soil hydrology and microbiology Changes and consequences of environmental change, chemicals and pollution.