Socio-technical innovation and the role of conversation in a digital ecosystem for agricultural extension services in india

Large and complex socio-technical systems like the agricultural extension services of (the multi-lingual, multicultural and heterogeneous societies) India, pose many challenges for creating an innovation system. The challenges stem from the multiplicity of social learning systems needed as well as due to the deep rooted heritage of age old ldquosuccessfulrdquo technical systems that now need to embrace new practices arising from new research and due to emergence of new seeds, new pests and diseases, new scarcities and new competition. Social science and particularly the sociological understanding of social change can and must integrate with information system theories to address the complex challenge of innovation in Indian agricultural system. This paper analyses the challenges and presents a compilation of action reports from the implementation of the Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture and Rural Livelihood (DEAL) project that was initiated in northern India. In this process this paper explores how the emerging digital technologies can support collaborative knowledge creation and sharing and discuss the social landscape of socio-technical innovation and community networks.