The Challenges of Information Management in Farm Businesses

Tomohiro UCHIYAMA, PhDResearch Associate

Mie University, Japan

The Main Purpose of the Presentation

• The effective information utilisation in farm businesses– For the farmers, who have to make a series of

decisions.

Information Literacy in Business Management

• Drucker, P.F. (2002): Managing in the Next Society– From “Computer Literacy” to “Information

Literacy”– The Current system is mainly for “Inside

Information”, not for “Outside Information”.• “Outside Information”

– Market– Technology– Consumers (Non-Customers)

Information Literacy in Farm Business Management

• Winter, M. et al (2000): Practical Delivery of Farm Conservation Management in England (English Nature Research Report)

– Farmers require• Technology, Market and Policy Information (TMP)

– Farmers have to deal with concerns over Environmental Issues, Animal Welfare and Food Safety…

Consumers or Policy?

Technology Consumers

Market

Management

Technology Policy

Market

FarmBusiness

Drucker Model (Business in General) Winter Model (Farm Business)

6

Consumers and Policy!

Technology Policy

Market

FarmBusiness

Consumers(Non-Customers)•In farming industries, each business can’t

afford to pay the cost to get the consumers’ information, which is mediated by the policies.

The Current Situation is

• Farmers still don’t have enough access, material or time to collect appropriate policy information.

• The policymakers don’t know– Whether or not farmers have enough policy

information.– How can their policy be monitored and

evaluated in each farm level.

The Challenges are;

• Development of Policy Knowledge System in farming industries– To deliver the correct policy information to

farmers directly.– To monitor and evaluate the policy

performance in each farm– To aid the farmers’ decision making