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e-Agricultural innovation using a human-centred systems lens, proposed conceptual framework

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Abstract

Historically, farmers have been amongst the most innovative people in the world. However, agriculture now lags behind other sectors in its uptake of new information technologies for the control and automation of farming systems. In spite of decades of research into innovation, we still do not have a good understanding as to why this is the case. With the globalisation of food markets, IT adoption in agricultural communities is perceived to be increasingly important by policy makers. As the most marginalised of rural communities, it is self-evident that agricultural communities in less developed countries are most in need of these systems. This paper proposes a new integral systems framework of e-agricultural adoption and innovation in less developed countries. It opens up a new avenue of research for control and automation systems theory and practice, which informs policy in respect of e-readiness of rural communities.

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Notes

  1. Irish Scientific Research Institute www.teagasc.ie

  2. Irish Farmers Association www.IFA.ie

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  1. INSYTE Centre, Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), Cork Road, Waterford, Ireland

    Sinead Somers & Larry Stapleton

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  1. Sinead Somers
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  2. Larry Stapleton
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Correspondence to Sinead Somers.

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Somers, S., Stapleton, L. e-Agricultural innovation using a human-centred systems lens, proposed conceptual framework. AI & Soc 29, 193–202 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-013-0475-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-013-0475-x

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