Barriers
In ideal situation, cohesive agrifoods systems policy requires articulated knowledge evidence for a secured practice; at the same time knowledge-based agrifoods systems require strong policy backup for smoother operation hence the need of an official platform to abridge the knowledge-policy information synergy. A structured synergy comprising knowledge holders, agrifood systems actors and policy instruments sufficed to operationalize interests and responsibilities in the abridged synergy model. In developing nations however, there are barriers for this ideal situation to materialize:
Disorganized market system. Market provides basis for quick introduction and absorbtion of new knowledge and for adoption of new technology in order to meet business obligations. This implies that best practice knowledge-driven agrifood mechanisms hold significant promise from the bottom-up to vividly inform policy.
Lack of technical and management skills. Upstream system operators (smallholder farm producers) in their position as focal point community targeted by policy are unable to initiate demand of policy that will take good care of their interest particularly when they are aware of useful knowledge that which requires coast clearing policy. Typical issue here is the menacing activities of middlemen monopoly in Nigeria where the farmers (primary losers) cannot organize advocacy moves for collaboration with the knowledge holders in the bid to inform the policy.
Very slow digitalization process (in developing countries). This barrier is responsible for the existing huge gap between knowledge holders and the policy due to absence of many infrastructures (products and services) for real time consultation, harmonization and synergy.
Eroded public extension service. Virtual research and extension communication has a means of collecting feedback from the extension service beneficiary farming communities as evidence-based knowledge to leverage agrifood systems policy. In the absence of this vital information flow the policy is unable to sufficiently adjudge the needs of the communities. Aggravating this situation is the absence of alternative decentralized commercial extension service that would have developed commercially organized information delivery on demand by policy.
I think.
Mr. Rabiu Auwalu Yakasai