Factors Underlying Farmers’ Decisions to Participate in Networks

Abstract

The objective of this elicitation study is to provide insights into farmers’ beliefs which influence their participation in knowledge exchange and innovation networks to enable the enhancement of network participation. A set of facilitating and impeding factors was obtained. Participants identified (a) 13 categories of behavioural beliefs (e.g. ‘You learn something’ and ‘Low perceived return on investment’), (b) 4 groups of normative beliefs (influence of colleagues, spouses, network coordinators and chain partners) and (c) 11 control beliefs (facilitators or barriers related to, for example, ‘Network skills’, ‘No time’ and ‘Perceived restraint by farmers in communicating openly and honestly’).