A conceptual model of farmers' informational activity: a tool to better support livestock farming management
2010
Magne, Marie-Angélina | Cerf, Marianne | Ingrand, Stéphane | Agrosystèmes Cultivés et Herbagers (ARCHE) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-École nationale supérieure agronomique de Toulouse (ENSAT) ; Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT) | AGroécologie, Innovations, teRritoires (AGIR) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT) | Sciences en Société (SenS) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) | Mutations des activités des espaces et des formes d'organisation dans les territoires ruraux (UMR METAFORT) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-AgroParisTech-Centre national du machinisme agricole, du génie rural, des eaux et forêts (CEMAGREF)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS) | Institut de l'Élevage ; Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche | ANR-05-PADD-0004,DISCOTECH,Dispositifs Innovants pour la conception et l'évaluation des systèmes techniques(2005)
Farmers have been slow to adopt decision support system (DSS) models and their outputs, mainly owing to (i) the complexity of the data involved, which most potential users are unable to collect and process; and (ii) inability to integrate these models into real representations of their informational environments. This situation raises questions about the way farm management researchers have modelled information and information management, and especially about the quality of the information assessed by the farmers. We consider that to review advisory procedures we need to understand how farmers select and use farm management-related information, rather than focusing on decisions made in particular situations. The aim of this study was to build a conceptual model of the farmer-targeted farm management-related information system. This model was developed using data collected in commercial beef cattle farms. The design structure and operational procedures are based on (i) data categories representing the diversity of the informational activity; and (ii) selected criteria for supporting decisions. The model is composed of two subsystems, each composed of two units. First, an organizational subsystem organizes, finalizes and monitors informational activity. Second, a processing subsystem builds and exploits the informational resources. This conceptual model makes it possible to describe and understand the diverse range of farmers’ informational activity by taking into account both the flow of information and the way farmers make sense of that information. This model could serve as a component of biodecisional DSS models for assigning information in the decision-making process. The next task will be to take into account the broad range of farmers’ perceptions of the management situations in DSS models
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