Integrating Indigenous with Scientific Knowledge for the Development of Sustainable Agriculture: Studies in Shaanxi Province

Smallholder farmers are the main stakeholders in agricultural development in China. Their agricultural knowledge (indigenous knowledge) influences their decisions and behaviors both directly and indirectly. However, the importance of smallholder-farmers’ indigenous knowledge is often ignored and not considered by influential actors, such as the government and scientists. This paper examines smallholder-farmers’ perspectives of agricultural knowledge use and acquisition, including their indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge disseminated by government’s extension system. Both questionnaire and interview methods are applied. This study sheds light on smallholder-farmers’ perspectives on agricultural knowledge. We strongly argue that farmers should not be treated as passive followers in the development of agricultural knowledge.