NDLI: Second-Order Cybernetic Analysis to Re-construct Farmers’ Rationale When Regulating Milk Production

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Restrepo, Maria J. Lelea, Margareta A. Kaufmann, Brigitte
Copyright Year	2016
Abstract	This paper presents an activity and knowledge analysis using second-order cybernetics for analysing human activities in social-ecological systems. We do this with the case of smallholder farmers producing milk in Nakuru County, Kenya. The analysis is based on farmers′ actions and the knowledge behind their actions. Using this approach, we analysed how smallholder farmers regulate milk production and how they influence milk quality. Farmers influence milk quality with their routine and problem-solving management actions. The knowledge behind these actions can be represented as rules. We found that Routine Control Rules that influence milk quality aim to (i) minimize contamination (ii) maintain udder health, and (iii) preserve milk. Problem-Solving Control Rules aim to deal with disturbances associated with (i) market imperfection (ii) microbiological contamination (iii) disease, and (iv) unfavourable milk composition. The approach revealed key restrictions and disturbance factors influencing milk quality in smallholder dairy systems. It also allowed for co-identification of best practices and entry points for contextualized innovations, i.e. innovations that fit into the respective production context. The co-analysis led to changes in farmers’ practices, as it fostered the co-development of milk quality standards to be applied at the community level as preparation for collective marketing activities. When emphasis is placed on finding restrictions and developing innovations, the approach can be further applied to other land-use systems.
Starting Page	449
Ending Page	468
Page Count	20
File Format	PDF
ISSN	1094429X
Journal	Systemic Practice and Action Research
Volume Number	29
Issue Number	5
e-ISSN	15739295
Language	English
Publisher	Springer US
Publisher Date	2016-03-02
Publisher Place	New York
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Knowledge analysis Smallholder farmers Milk quality Nakuru County, Kenya Second-order cybernetics Business and Management Methodology of the Social Sciences Organization Sociology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Strategy and Management Management of Technology and Innovation

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1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
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