University of Twente Student Theses
Supporting Dutch Dairy Farmers in Transitioning to Ecological Farming with an Online Platform
Hsu, Jing-Siang (2024) Supporting Dutch Dairy Farmers in Transitioning to Ecological Farming with an Online Platform.
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| Abstract: | Despite being a major agricultural exporter, the Netherlands relies heavily on conventional farming methods. These methods are not sustainable, and ecological farming offers a solution. However, its adoption remains limited due to barriers such as knowledge gaps. These barriers could potentially add more stress to farmers and cause mental health problems, thereby hampering the transition to ecological farming. Therefore, this research project investigates how online platforms can support dairy farmers in transitioning to ecological farming, particularly in facilitating knowledge acquisition. This research involved literature reviews, followed by interviews with Dutch dairy farmers and the evaluation of prototypes. Through literature reviews, the study identified four types of support dairy farmers could potentially benefit from through online platforms: 1) a subsidy information board, 2) a training programs and courses information board, 3) technical guides with videos, and 4) online social support. These online supports were prototyped and evaluated during the interviews. The evaluation with dairy farmers revealed that online social support resonates the most with them, while other online supports also show some degree of usefulness in facilitating knowledge acquisition and moving toward more ecological farming. Additionally, a new type of online support was suggested and its potential to synergize with other online supports was considered an interesting topic worth exploring in future research. Overall, the outcomes of this study can guide future researchers in developing comprehensive online platforms that can effectively aid dairy farmers in their journey toward ecological farming. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 48 agricultural science, 54 computer science |
| Programme: | Computer Science BSc (56964) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/101158 |
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