The Innovation Diffusion of Green Fertiliser Technology: Social-Technical Perspective by Zainal Ariffin Ahmad, Shahrina Md Nordin

This book features socio-technical aspects of the paddy industry as part of a project under a national research programme on a proposed new green fertiliser. This is to provide insights into innovation diffusion of green fertiliser technology among farmers. The book begins by discussing the various policies and initiatives by the Malaysian government to develop the paddy and rice industry and improve the rice yield and Self Sufficiency Level (SSL). The Malaysian government has formulated numerous policies for the agricultural industry from pre-independence to post-independence and presently with food security objectives to boost the rice industry and to achieve the 100% SSL by 2020. Furthermore, the National Green Technology Policy was formulated to address the increasing soil erosion and broad use of chemical fertiliser on paddy. The discussion also deliberates on the prominent role of the Green Technology Roadmap in the Agriculture sector which was established with the aim of forming a baseline reference specific to the agriculture sector. Socio-economic analysis of the paddy farmers and the situational analysis of the paddy industry were also extensively discussed. The farmers are the primary beneficiary of the economic development brought by government policies and incentives for the paddy industry. The profile of the eight granaries was discussed, and issues about productivity, fertiliser and socio-economic challenges were elaborated. One of the main problems of low productivity could be due to a low adoption rate of new technologies that could help to increase the amount of yield such as fertilisation practices. There is a need for close engagements between the local agricultural authorities in Malaysia with the rice farmers, since their knowledge and awareness of the new technology is insucient. Hence, insights are needed for innovation diffusion of green fertiliser technology among farmers. To meet the demand in the country, it was perceived that the integration of communication and technology had become one of the main elements to develop the paddy sector further. The findings of a qualitative study on the stakeholder communication and innovation in this book suggest that individual elements play an important aspect of innovation. The organisations involved requires a substantial personal contribution especially from the experts to initiate any innovation that could create a collaboration with other organisations. The discussion in this book also touches on how agencies related to the innovation of paddy industry in Malaysia resolve any issue which usually is facilitated by the role of communication.