Decision support systems: barriers and farmers' need for support

TY - JOUR

T1 - Decision support systems

T2 - barriers and farmers' need for support

AU - Jørgensen, L.N.

AU - Noe, E.

AU - Langvad, A.M.

AU - Jensen, J.E.

AU - Ørum, Jens Erik

AU - Rydahl, P.

N1 - Paper presented at the EPPO Conference on ‘Computer Aids for Plant Protection’ in Wageningen, the Netherlands, 2006-10-17/19

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - The highly complex knowledge of scientific disciplines makes nuanced analysis and modelling possible. However, the information produced often does not reach farmers because it is presented in a way that does not correspond to the way their work is carried out in practice. The decision support system Crop Protection Online is widely used by advisors and as a learning tool for students. Although the system has been validated in many field trials over the years and has shown reliable results, the number of end-users among farmers has been relatively low during the last 10 years (approximately 1000 farmers). A sociological investigation of farmers' decision-making styles in the area of crop protection has shown that arable farmers can be divided into three major groups: (a) system-orientated farmers, (b) experience-based farmers and (c) advisory-orientated farmers. The information required by these three groups to make their decisions varies and therefore different ways of using decision support systems need to be provided. Decision support systems need to be developed in close dialogue and collaboration with user groups.

AB - The highly complex knowledge of scientific disciplines makes nuanced analysis and modelling possible. However, the information produced often does not reach farmers because it is presented in a way that does not correspond to the way their work is carried out in practice. The decision support system Crop Protection Online is widely used by advisors and as a learning tool for students. Although the system has been validated in many field trials over the years and has shown reliable results, the number of end-users among farmers has been relatively low during the last 10 years (approximately 1000 farmers). A sociological investigation of farmers' decision-making styles in the area of crop protection has shown that arable farmers can be divided into three major groups: (a) system-orientated farmers, (b) experience-based farmers and (c) advisory-orientated farmers. The information required by these three groups to make their decisions varies and therefore different ways of using decision support systems need to be provided. Decision support systems need to be developed in close dialogue and collaboration with user groups.

U2 - doi:10.1111/j.1365-2338.2007.01145.x

DO - doi:10.1111/j.1365-2338.2007.01145.x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 37

SP - 374

EP - 377

JO - OEPP/EPPO Bulletin

JF - OEPP/EPPO Bulletin

IS - 2

ER -