From Extension to Communication for Innovation 225lack of adequate technology’, ‘conflict over collective resources’, ‘lack of organiza-
tional capacity’ or as ‘an individual farm-management problem’. Clearly, the prac-
tice of communication for innovation (and the theories on which this is based) will
have to differ accordingly. In Table 11.1 we have summarized several types of com-
municative intervention, which we will call different communication services (as a
shorthand for ‘communication for innovation’ services), since they essentially
define different kinds of ‘products’ that can be ‘delivered’ by communication work-
ers. At the same time, however, they can be seen as different communication strate-
gies because they refer also to the way in which communicative intervention is
supposed to contribute to societal problem solving. Depending on one’s analysis of
a problem, one may decide that providing a specific type of service is an appropri-
ate strategy towards improving the situation.
The first two services in Table 11.1 we group together under the term ‘farm
management communication’. This involves modes of communicative interven-
tion that are particularly geared towards supporting ‘individual’ farm households
in identifying, interpreting and solving problems on their specific farms. Even if
supporting horizontal knowledge exchange clearly involves working with farmer
groups, the focus in both types of communicative intervention is on dealing with
‘individual’ farmers’ problem situations (‘individual’ in quotes because different
household members are often involved) which do not require collective action.
That is, although farm households can assist each other in managing such issues by
means of horizontal knowledge exchange, farm management communication
focuses on problems for which the locus of control and responsibility lies with
individual farm households, which can take action independently. In contrast,
there are several other communication services which inherently require forms of
coordination which transcend the household level (see Table 11.1).
Apart from these different communication services/strategies, there are also
some general communication functions which may be relevant within each of the
strategies described in Table 11.1. A function like ‘information provision’ (see
Table 11.2), for example, can at some point be relevant to all strategies mentioned
in Table 11.1. This implies that even if there are differences with regard to eventual
intervention goals, and even if operational methods are likely to be different, there
can also be considerable overlap regarding sub-goals and methods.
Together, these services/strategies and functions give an overview of the types
of things that communication workers do, and for what purpose. All these services
and functions can be performed in different ways, depending among other factors
on whether one starts from an ‘instrumental’ or ‘interactive’ mindset.
Basic rationale of different communication services and
strategies
Communication strategies differ not only in terms of their intervention purpose,
but also with regard to the preferred role division between communication work-
ers and clients. Similarly, each distinct strategy requires a different emphasis to the