Fostering complementarities between traditional and scientific knowledge: Agricultural researchers´ perceptions

Abstract

Scientific and traditional knowledge have followed their own paths and there is a need to combine both knowledge resources. It implies strong dialogue between researchers and farmers, which requires good insights about perceptions and activities performed by both groups. In this research, the focus is on agricultural researchers’ perceptions about their own and farmers’ activities in order to find strategies to strength communication between both groups. A survey carried out among 156 agricultural researchers has provided insights about their perceptions with respect to farmers’ knowledge and information sources, their motivations toward dissemination activities and perceptions about dissemination activities. Results show great distance between researchers and farmers but also willingness to bridge the gap. Strategies indicate that indirect approaches could be more useful than direct communication. Researchers should be evaluated in accordance with social needs, because their actual activities are far away from farmers’ interests, and farmers need to improve their training to have easier access to knowledge resources, as professional experiences are yet their main knowledge source. Innovation requires joint activities that could be performed in many different ways. This research provides new references about researchers’ perceptions related to the Spanish agricultural sector.