Communication Techniques

The study group Communication Techniques aims to improve information transfer within the sugar sector by learning from the communication techniques and tools used in each country.

Next Meeting

The date and place of the next meeting of the study group Communication Techniques are not fixed yet.

IIRB communications-group organised “sugar beet- IT” session

On former Conferences of the European Federation of Information Technology in Agriculture (EFITA) some members of the IIRB communications-group missed the presentation of practical aspects in information transfer. Therefore the IIRB Working Group organised a sugar beet session on the Joint International Agricultural Conference 2009 (JIAC).

JIAC 2009

In 2009 three conferences were brought together in the JIAC 2009. This conference joined not only the 7th EFITA conference, but also the 4th ECPLF (Precision Livestock Farming) conference, the 7th ECPA (Precision Agriculture) conference and the Field Robot Event.
6-8 July more than 500 participants joined the JIAC in Wageningen (The Netherlands).

Session at JIAC

Due to close contacts with the EFITA chairman (Sjaak Wolfert) and the JIAC organising executive committee, the chairman of the IIRB Working Group Communication Techniques could arrange a session concerning information transfer for beet growers. The session had the aim to show and discuss the tools to aid the beet grower and also to enrich the conference with practical aspects and presentations. It could also place the sugar beet more into the interest of information technologists.

‘Information transfer to aid (beet) growers'

The session contained four oral contributions. Three out of four were presented by members of the IIRB Working Group. Mike May, also member of the group, was chairing this session.
Jurgen Maassen (chairman and presenting on behalf of the IIRB Working Group Communication Techniques) gave in his presentation an overview on the European sugar beet sector and the communication techniques used. Also some successful examples of international cooperation in internet services were shown. Weed Identification, for instance, will soon be available in 11 countries and 10 languages. International cooperation is possible, together we know more, we have more pictures, it is cheaper to develop and usually fast to do so.

British Sugar's example of integrated tools

Paul Bee showed a range of internet based services developed by British Sugar. Many specialist services have been developed including growers communications area to select their preferred formats (email, fax, SMS, post), decision support tools and access to sugar beet payment documents online. The use has grown to a position where 85% of the UK national tonneage is represented by growers using the site in 2008.
In 2008 British Sugar has developed and is still testing an online sugar beet contract system that allows growers to complete all of their documentation (contract tonneage, seed order and field details etc.). The system also allows hauliers to register their delivery vehicles and to view their campaign delivery schedule.
Paul pointed out that the key success factors are: to find/have hooks, develop on demand, easy to use tools, joint industry initiatives and work/develop with users.

Audiovisual tools to improve information transfer

Bernd Kämmerling (Pfeifer&Langen/LIZ) showed how a message can be made more attractive. The role of print media is well known and adapted, finally there is something to keep in the ‘hands' to rely on. But to get the message to the grower in a way that affects him and make him act, we must use different and new communication tools. Therefore the messages have to be personalized as much as possible. Even if there are only one-way communication tools available, the use of pictures, illustrations and voice-integrated video-instructions can help to involve the recipient more in practical questions. In a "life-like" video the viewer recognizes his own situation. For motivation, the (economic) benefits of his action should be highlighted in such movies. It was further pointed out that the next step is the organisation of a permanent information environment for messages concerning sugar beet production. This can be provided by a periodical Internet-broadcast at a fixed time (Sugar-Beet-TV). Living pictures and visualised statements to underline and personalize the information can support a vivid and successful sugar beet community.

Learning styles have effect on innovation behaviour

Joost Miedema from the University of Groningen presented the results of a survey study assessed learning styles, attitudes toward innovation, personality traits related to entrepreneurship and the social network growers use to obtain new knowledge. These data were linked to the crop yield data over the previous five years, to be able to compare the influence of learning styles, attitudes, network and individual differences on the occurrence and effectiveness of certain types of innovative behaviour. Results indicate that different learning styles correlate with different ways of using one's knowledge network. The innovation attitude appeared to predict the innovation intention of growers. People with more positive attitudes are more willing to try new ideas and implement not fully tested techniques rather than growers with less positive attitudes towards innovation. Preferences for learning and innovating correlate with the size of the network, and how intensively it is used.

Creative and suggestive discussion

After the four oral presentations an interesting discussion between the contributors and the audience, with different backgrounds (Universities, Advisory Services, others) was held.
Not only technical questions but also the feedback out of the agricultural practice were substantially discussed. It was an interesting and worthwhile approach to get in contact with people of those different backgrounds, because we all face the same challenges: how to improve information transfer.

Further information

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