Agricultural innovations and their applications are increasingly recognized as crucial mechanisms for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Actors in agricultural research for ...development (AR4D) frequently use Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) frameworks to comprehend the ecosystems within which innovations are developed and scaled. Given the SDGs' emphasis on social outcomes, a reflection on social diversity, power, and the integration of social theory into AIS and AR4D tools is crucial for addressing the nuances of social objectives.
This research critically evaluates AIS frameworks and AR4D tools through applying social theory to enhance social outcomes. We offer practical application through the development of “Equity Principles for Social Transformation (EPs).” These EPs are designed to guide AR4D organizations in innovation and scaling efforts that effectively achieve meaningful social outcomes. Through this approach, we aim to enrich the conceptual understanding of equity within AIS and provide practical strategies for implementing these insights, thus empowering AR4D actors to be more effective.
We start by selecting key social theories to analyze global power imbalances and local social exclusion within AIS frameworks and AR4D tools. Using these theories, we examine three case studies to uncover gaps in their approach to social dimensions. We categorize these gaps through thematic analysis and formulate EPs informed by social theories and a practical understanding of AR4D tools.
Equity analysis of each case study reveals gaps in understanding social implications within upstream and downstream research efforts. These gaps include insufficient addressing of power dynamics and agency recognition, lack of comprehensive guidance on critical social components, oversight of cultural and institutional norms, exacerbation of social inequities, and the case studies' limitations in flexibility for addressing social inclusion effectively. Additionally, there is a notable lack of clear operational guidelines for applying the frameworks in diverse contexts, including the challenge of translating conceptual levels into local action. Seven EPs were developed: recognize AR4D power dynamics; define goals, anti-goals, and for whom; build global “horizontal” partnerships; acknowledge social differences among innovation users and non-users; innovate and curate innovation appropriately; assess impact and reflect; and develop systems capacity.
The EPs connect innovation systems with positive social change. They help AR4D professionals consider and evaluate the impact of innovation. The EPs provide an additional framework that enables AR4D practitioners to prioritize user needs from the beginning, challenge biases, and more effectively achieve the social objectives outlined in the SDGs.
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•Agricultural Innovation Systems contribute significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.•Conceptualization of innovation systems and practical implementation have not historically incorporated social differences.•Considering social variances, power dynamics, and agency reduces unintended consequences and leads to desired social goals.•Equity Principles are created through applying social theory to address gaps in innovation systems and scaling tools.•The Equity Principles can assist a wide range of actors incorporate diverse perspectives into agricultural innovation innovation.
Purpose: Presently hearing-impaired adolescents are not alien to the world and facing social segregation due to limited social skills. The use of ICT is one of the major assistance applicable for the ...social inclusion of students with hearing impairment (SWHI) by compensating the limited hearing. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study was sketched to highlight the role of various digital technological aids in the social inclusion of hearing-impaired students using a cross-section survey design. A sample of 85 students from the public and private schools of Lahore was selected. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data from SWHI. Content and construct validity estimated by experts. Cronbach alpha reliability of the instruments was .88. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data Findings: The use of digital devices has added great value in integrating SWHI in general society. No significant difference has been found in the use of technology based on gender, a statistically significant difference was explored in the use of technology by SWHI based on their zone. Implications/Originality/Value: The provision of the latest technology and teachers' training to use digital devices for teaching hearing-impaired students to facilitate their social inclusion was major recommendation.
The Internet has become an essential platform for communication and a vital approach to accessing information in people's daily life. Exploring the antecedents and outcomes of Internet acceptance ...from the psychological and emotional perspectives remains an area that warrants further investigation. This article constructs and empirically tests a comprehensive research framework, namely the emotional-TAM (E-TAM). This model is tested with data collected from 615 Internet users in the United States. The findings indicate that Internet acceptance is related to social inclusion and the fulfilment of three types of psychological needs derived from Self-Determination Theory. The continuance intention of using the Internet significantly relates to the users' degree of well-being, perceived value, and four categories of emotions. A number of significant moderating effects were also found.
•Explored the psychological and emotional antecedents and outcomes of Internet acceptance.•Internet acceptance related to social inclusion.•Internet acceptance was also found to relate psychological needs derived from SDT.•Continued Internet usage related to well-being, perceived value.•Continued Internet usage was also found to relate to four categories of emotions.
This study introduces a mixed-method model for the realistic evaluation of programmes promoting the experience of social inclusion of people in disadvantaged positions. It combines qualitative and ...quantitative methods for exploring the context-mechanism-outcome- configurations of four cases consisting of development projects. Qualitative analyses depict the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations using participants’ interviews and small success stories as data. Quantitative analyses of a longitudinal survey including the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale examine the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations in a larger group of participants and re-test the qualitative findings. Thus, they help to overcome the positive selection bias of the small success stories. The mixed-method approach is fruitful especially because the qualitative and the quantitative analyses amend each other’s shortcomings. In the promotion of social inclusion, it is important to help people to see themselves as active agents and allow them to connect to larger social domains.
A disability service organization piloted a parent capacity-building intervention for parents of children with developmental disabilities in rural South India.
To examine the impact of this parent ...capacity-building group intervention on parent empowerment, peer support, social inclusion, advocacy skills, and the factors influencing these outcomes.
A qualitative study recruited 37 participants from 17 parent groups through convenience sampling. Six focus groups occurred six months post the start of this intervention and explored these parents’ experiences with the groups and their perceived impacts.
Qualitative analysis yielded four main themes and corresponding sub-themes: peer support (feeling peaceful and supported, building self-efficacy), social inclusion (space to share, acceptance and identity), knowledge sharing (increasing awareness, accepting advice), and advocacy (building confidence, making requests). Participation in parent groups provided participants with opportunities to find peer support, utilize knowledge sharing, feel socially included, and build advocacy skills.
This study provides a greater understanding of the impact and benefits of parent capacity-building interventions in low-resource settings. Results will improve this intervention and guide other organizations in creating similar programs.
This paper adds perspectives of parents who are caregivers of children with developmental disabilities in rural South India. More specifically, this paper highlights the impact of a parent-focused intervention in group settings in both rural and urban areas. Parent support group interventions are not common in India and low- and middle-income countries and there is a paucity of literature describing these interventions and their impact. In this study, parents described a need for multifaceted interventions to support their child in the community. These parent groups provided space for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities to make connections, feel validated, and grow confidence to utilize new knowledge or advice shared by other parents to further enhance their lives. Further, parent-group settings provide opportunities to build advocacy skills through timely discussions. Parents reported an increase in feelings of acceptance within the group itself but not within the wider community. This highlights the need for involving the wider community in interventions to promote integration for families with children with disabilities.
•Parent-group interventions in LMICs and their impact are not well documented.•Social inclusion increased within parent groups but not within the wider community.•Caregivers share and gain knowledge to support their children in parent groups.•Social inclusion within parent groups helps reduce stigma and feelings of exclusion.
This research explains the development of a model for empowering coastal communities based on their professions using a socially inclusive library approach. The case study was conducted in Banten ...Lama, Kota Serang, Banten Province. The objective of this research is to find an appropriate model for empowering the community, tailored to the existing professions in coastal communities. The socially inclusive library approach is employed as a means to empower the community and improve their well-being. The research method used in this study is descriptive qualitative research, focusing on the functions and roles of libraries in increasing community engagement in terms of well-being. The findings of this research present a model for empowering coastal communities based on their respective professions. In the smallest context, the library is represented by a community reading park, which serves as an agent of change in the coastal community. The conclusion in this study is that the social inclusion-based library model is adapted to community professions adapted to the support of collaboration between regional libraries, village libraries and community reading library. In addition, this community empowerment model is described in three models according to the profession, namely the community empowerment model for the fisherman profession, the trade profession and the tour guide profession
Libraries can play a more role and can contribute in terms of community empowerment, closer, invite and empower the community. One way to get closer to the community is that the library can use the ...concept of inclusion to achieve its goals as a principle of lifelong learning. Inclusion-based libraries are libraries that facilitate the community in developing their potential by seeing cultural diversity, willingness to accept change, and offering opportunities to try, protect and fight for culture and human rights. This has been done by the Library of Science Resources in Marga Sakti Village, Musi Rawas Regency, with the concept of a Village Library Based on Social Inclusion, which has made the library an institution that can empower the community through productive activities such as making bitter melon chips, cultivating crickets, providing internet access for the community, Karang Taruna activities by establishing Youth Bands, PKK activities centered in libraries, storytelling activities, mobile libraries, establishing reading villages and others. Of the many activities above, this indicates that the library has become the central activity of the village community and as a concrete manifestation that the Marga Sakti Village Resource Library has implemented the concept of Social Inclusion.
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