Thesis (DTech. degree in Business Informatics)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2009. / South Africa’s post-apartheid Black farmers commonly referred to nowadays as “emerging farmers” need knowledge support to be successful in agricultural
productions. Web-based learning enables knowledge users and knowledge providers to
actively engage interactively, and provides a dynamic platform of knowledge support
with unparallel flexibility and convenience. However, this technology is yet to be
adequately harnessed to the benefit of South Africa Black emerging farmers, whourgently requires knowledge support that could enable their transformation into market oriented farming. In this study we present a model to solve this problem.
Qualitative grounded theory approach was utilized as the research methodology. Theresearch revealed that weakly on-demand knowledge support, lack of requisite formal
agricultural education, management skill and knowledge for market oriented farming will remain a major setback to the transformation of Black emerging farmers. The researcher proposed an agricultural knowledge support portal-model. In order to
cover the entire spectrum of agricultural knowledge support process of the emerging farmers, this study has modelled a number of fundamental components such as synchronous and asynchronous knowledge support systems, Interactive services for
personalised knowledge support; Virtual laboratory for researchers and expert
viii networking; knowledge bureau for problems presentation and linkage with expert through expert directory; knowledge repository for resource re-use and knowledge sharing; and e-learning for formal agricultural education of farmers and their family. The
benefit of this research and knowledge support model will enables large groups of dispersed knowledge providers to directly support individuals, thereby creating a link between agricultural knowledge systems, educational institution and other research
organization to pool resources and provide a coherent platform for action. In addition, it will provide a platform of interaction, collaboration and enhance access to knowledge
based on requirement on the web. Emerging farmers will no longer seek solutions, rather personalized solutions comes to the farmers. Knowledge support portal holds a promise to enhance agricultural knowledge acquisition and utilization, for the
transformation of Black emerging farmers into market oriented or commercial farming.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1000200 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Akinsola, Olabode Samuel |
| Contributors | Van der Walt, J. S. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | |
| Rights | © 2009 Tshwane University of Technology |
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