Agricultural research online system: an approach to promote collaboration and sharing of agricultural research knowledge in Tanzania
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Date
2006
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Publisher
University of Dar es salaam
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a prototype of an agricultural research online
system in order to promote collaboration and sharing of knowledge among researchers in
Tanzania. Major focus was on the application of the open access (OA) and community of
practices (CoP) concepts in order to improve the process of capturing and sharing of the
agricultural technologies and knowledge to researchers, subsistence and commercial
fanners and other stakeholders for the sustainable development of agriculture in
Tanzania. An exploratory survey, system analysis and ICT-based design were the used
methodologies to convey the current state and challenges of knowledge sharing activities
among agricultural researchers, as well as to assess the user requirements and develop the
Agrinet-Tz prototype.
Survey results revealed that the current state of knowledge sharing activities in
agricultural research institutes is still not satisfactory within the country. This is mainly
due to poor knowledge sharing culture, poor ICT infrastructure, inadequate funds, lack of
awareness about rhe OA issues and inadequate knowledge management support by the
research institute management. Major features to be included in the proposed system
were also identified in the survey with a greater emphasis on both intrinsic and
interpersonal motivational factors in order to stimulate researchers to share their
knowledge online.
Prototype (i.e. Agrinet-Tz) of the agricultural research online system in Tanzania was
therefore developed with the application features geared at both intrinsic and interpersonal motivational factors. This was done in order to resolve some of the revealed
challenges such as poor knowledge sharing culture among agricultural researchers. The
selected open source software (i.e. Dspace, SMF forum and Joomla portal software) were
re-designed to develop the Agrinet-Tz prototype. Additionally, the system was also tested
in order to assess the system usability, where the positive feedback was received from the
respondents. User roles for the developed prototype were also defined in various
categories in order to ensure the system sustainability
Description
Master in Engineering Management (Industrial and Information Technology Management)
Keywords
Agricultural research online system, Knowledge sharing activities-agricultural researchers, Agricultural researchers, Agricultural research knowledge-Tanzania, Tanzania