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Seeing below the surface: making soil processes visible to Ugandan smallholder farmers through a constructivist and experiential extension approach

Author

Listed:
  • Lauren Pincus

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Heidi Ballard

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Emily Harris

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Kate Scow

    (University of California, Davis)

Abstract

Ugandan smallholder farmers need to feed a growing population, but their efforts are hampered by declining soil fertility rates. Agricultural extension can facilitate farmers’ access to new practices and technologies, yet farmers are understandably often hesitant to adopt new behaviors. New knowledge assimilation is an important component of behavior change that is often overlooked or poorly addressed by current extension efforts. We implemented a Fertility Management Education Program (FMEP) in central Uganda to investigate smallholder farmers’ existing soil knowledge and their assimilation of new scientific concepts into their knowledge framework. Qualitative data were collected through participant observation, farmer interviews, and focus groups, and coded for using a priori and emergent themes. Our exploration revealed some notable similarities between farmers’ soil knowledge and scientific concepts, particularly in regards to soil health concepts, a discovery that could facilitate communication between extension agents and farmers. However, certain scientific concepts are either unknown to farmers or discordant with existing soil knowledge; these concepts are unlikely to be assimilated by farmers without convincing and concerted extension efforts. Importantly, we found that the combination of new scientific knowledge and hands-on experimentation with novel practices gave farmers far greater confidence in implementing improved soil management practices. Our study provides evidence that extension programs should engage directly with farmers’ existing soil knowledge to develop their understanding of key biological concepts and confidence in implementing improved practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauren Pincus & Heidi Ballard & Emily Harris & Kate Scow, 2018. "Seeing below the surface: making soil processes visible to Ugandan smallholder farmers through a constructivist and experiential extension approach," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 35(2), pages 425-440, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:35:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s10460-017-9836-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-017-9836-2
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    1. Ellinor Isgren & Yann Clough & Alice Murage & Elina Andersson, 2023. "Are agricultural extension systems ready to scale up ecological intensification in East Africa? A literature review with particular attention to the Push-Pull Technology (PPT)," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(5), pages 1399-1420, October.

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