Development of an assessment framework for researcher-farmer knowledge exchange: the case of DAIRYMAN

Knowledge is being recognized as a crucial resource in the search for more sustainable farming practices. We present a literature review, discussing i) the types of knowledge at stake, ii) by who and how it can be created or acquired optimally, and the different associated learning processes and iii) on the role of networks and communities in supporting processes of knowledge exchange and co-creation. Taking indications from literature, we propose an assessment framework to evaluate the potential of an extensive network to provide farmers with support to tackle sustainability challenges. The international network consisted of 10 interconnected, smaller regional networks, and was created during the European Interreg IV project ‘DAIRYMAN’ (2009-2013). Our framework is aimed at assessing individual learning in a social context, combining elements from an individual-centric framework developed by Lankester (2013) with the concept of value-creation, designed for networks and communities (Wenger et al., 2011). Follow-up research will use the developed framework to answer two main research questions; i.e. i) Does the DAIRYMAN network support knowledge exchange and what, how and why have participants learned? And ii) What are the differences in regional networks, and has this influenced participants’ learning outcomes?