Agricultural knowledge centers: opportunities and challenges for ICT-enabled knowledge management in Ethiopia

Abstract

Based on empirical data collected through semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions, the
paper presents the experience of the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES)
project in working with agricultural development offices (ADOs)to establish and manage agricultural knowledge
centers (AKCs) at zonal and district levels in four regions. The AKCs are basic knowledge infrastructure
established to enable ADOs to effectively manage their organizational knowledge and improve access to and
use of new knowledge and information. The paper finds that ownership and leadership by ADOs is critical to
create demand for and to ensure proper management and utilization of the knowledge centers. The findings
showed that knowledge management is constrained by organizational and social barriers. While there was a
high demand from extension staff to use the knowledge centers, limited awareness and ownership by ADOs
created narrow space for the staff to use the knowledge centers. Finally, the paper concludes that enhancing
the use of knowledge centers requires a behavioral change in the broader institutional context of the extension
service, which needs to recognize its role as a knowledge broker and provider.