4.4. A conceptual framework: integration local and scientific soil knowledge
Having established that farmers have an intimate and deep understanding of their soils and that there is a strong correspondence between farmers’ assessment of soil fertility and scientific perspectives, it is here argued amongst others that there is a need to take advantage of the complementary nature of local and scientific knowledge to facilitate their integration. Rather than aiming at transferring messages, approaches to integration should aim at creating opportunities for the intensive sharing of knowledge and experiences, joint learning and reflection and mutual respect (Engel, 1997), involving farmers and scientists/extensionist using truly participatory, gender sensitive and collaborative approaches. In other words, the success of integration is contingent upon the quality of interaction or interrelationship between farmers on the one hand and scientists or other organizations operating in the agricultural landscape on the other. Agricultural networks and the exchange of information of both scientifically based or derived from farmer experimentation and observation are integral to successful management (Isaac and Dawoe, 2011 ).