Understanding the Human Side of Technology Transfer
Overcoming barriers to the technology transfer process
Technology does not stand alone, but encompasses political, social, economic and cultural values that can serve as barriers that impede the diffusion or transfer of technology. One of the major concerns in the transfer process is how to effectively disseminate new technology considering the viewpoint of farmers, particularly in addressing the questions of where, how, and what technologies are appropriate and available to them. While many farmers know the nature of their problems in the field, research and extension workers' absence of knowledge of their socio-economic conditions stop them from adopting technologies and pursuing technological solutions to their problems
The Human Factor in Technology Transfer
The compatibility of the transferred technology with the physical, psychological and cultural attributes of our farmers is essential. However, this aspect has not always been given the necessary attention it deserves.
The international workshop on Effective Methods of Disseminating New Technology Considering the Viewpoint of Farmers held in Hualien DARES, Taiwan ROC was organized to give due emphasis on the "human aspect" of the technology transfer process. The activity served as a venue for the sharing and exchange of knowledge and experiences on effective methods of technology dissemination considering the compatibility of the technology as well as the transfer process with the abilities and limitations of the farmers and their working environment. New ways to promote acceptable and efficient interaction between humans, the technology or equipment they use, and the environment in which they operate in were explored. Innovative methods of disseminating new technology considering the human-technology-environment interaction were also presented and discussed.
The conduct of this workshop was based on the commitment of FFTC to continuously initiate and enhance the exchange of science-based knowledge and information among nations in the region, which has now become the yardstick of progress and development worldwide. During the workshop, which was co-organized by the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (Hualien DARES), 15 speakers representing 8 countries all over Asia shared and exchanged information, knowledge and experiences on different aspects of technology dissemination/transfer considering the viewpoint of farmers.
Technological and Extension Needs and Concerns
What are the factors to consider in addressing farmers' technological and extension needs?
First, emerging challenges ushered in by the structural changes in agriculture are also reshaping the structure of extension system in every nation. Some of these globalization trends include improved production amid increasing market competitiveness; demographic, social and agricultural structure changes such as farm consolidation and increasing existence of highly mechanized large farms; and the advent of information society.
Amid these structural changes in agriculture, agricultural extension worldwide also faces a turning point. Technology transfer channels will now be diversified with the use of information technology (IT). Extension services will have to be classified according to farm type (what with the advent of larg-scale, highly mechanized farms as against other types like middle-size, small and subsistence farms). Client-oriented services will have to be provided, considering that farmers in some Asian countries are ageing and have become dominated with women.
Technological and extension concerns in terms of human factors such as economic improvement, health, speed, efficiency variables, limitations of the farmers, as well as their working environment must be promoted. These include new ways to promote better interaction between humans, the technology or the equipment they use, and the environment in which they operate in (human-technology-environment interaction); ergonomic approach or the development of technologies that are safe to farmers, contribute to reduction of fatigue and stress, increase comfort and work satisfaction, and improve farmers' quality of life; and application/adoption of mechanisms to assess/address human factors such as farm work improvement measurement, and assessment of cultivation techniques considering psycho-social attributes.
Emerging Challenges
Changes in agricultural environments and socio-demographic attributes of farmers, and consequently of farmers' behaviors, necessitate the need to explore alternatives for agricultural extension programs in each country. These include:
- Systematic approach such as changing current distribution channels, farm consolidation, diversified extension services in view of information technology revolution (farm consulting, classifying clienteles and technology needs, distance/remote education, client-oriented extension service which take into account demographic characteristics, e.g. women and aging farmers);
- Application of ergonomics in agriculture to ensure farmers' health and safety, in a manner that would contribute to the progress and development of agricultural industrialization in developing countries;
- Commercialization (intellectual property rights; value-added applications such as packaging, processing and trading; technology exhibition); and
- Industrialization (technology incubation and innovation mechanisms; institutional assistance to agricultural industry, funding support to agro-industry).
Index of Images
Figure 1 Client-Oriented Extension Services Must Be Provided, Considering That Farmers in Some Asian Countries Are Ageing and Have Become Dominated with Women.
Figure 2 Ergonomics - the Work Posture Monitor (WPM) Developed by Narc, Japan Can Continuously Measure and Analyze Farmer's Working Posture in the Field. Shown Here: Posture Monitoring of Manual Transplanting of Sweet Potato Seedling (Extreme Left) and with the Use of Semi-Automatic Sweet Potato Seedling Transplanter (Left).
Figure 3 Participants of the Workshop Visit the Field Demonstration and Extension Sites of Hualien Dares, Taiwan Roc Which Showcase Improved Technologies to Small-Scale Farmers in the Area
