Social networks and influence of actor centrality positions in Conservation Agriculture knowledge systems in Kenya

Conservation Agriculture (CA) knowledge systems are shaped by the power relationships among actors in the social systems and this influences how innovations maybe accepted or not by farmers. Using the Social Network Analysis (SNA), three scales of measurement, distance, centrality, and in and out degrees were used to determine actor centrality positions in the CA agricultural network. The objective was to determine which actor had the most power and if their positioning within the network could influence the CA knowledge diffusion process and therefore acceptance of the CA technology. The open source software, Social Network Visualizer (SocNetV) version 19, was used for the social network analysis. The study sample was purposively selected and a household survey conducted for 150 CA farmers, key informant interviews for eleven policy makers and four Information Communication Technology (ICT) service providers in the three wards of Tigithi, Ngobit and Umande in Laikipia County, Kenya. Key findings suggest that the emergence of power and influence in a network are closely related to the positioning of an actor. In this study, the farmers occupied the position of prominence and influence for both the Information and Power centrality. Also noted was that even in loosely knit networks, there is a pattern of relationships that shapes the dynamics of how knowledge networks function. In this network 84 possible relationships were observed, however for optimal functioning of the network, there were 462 possible relationships. Findings also indicate that farmers rely heavily on fellow farmers for acceptance and validation of innovations. The implication is that although a network may function with a few essential links, for the successful diffusion of an innovation, all possible links have to be utilized. By their position of power and influence in the network, farmers have to be engaged in all knowledge processes for the acceptance of the CA technology. For policy, this implies that multi- stakeholder involvement is critical in the CA policy making process.