TRAINING & VISIT: THE NATIONAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH CENTER AND PRIVATE INTITUITIONS RELATIONSHIPS TO TECNOLOGY TRANSFER PROCESS

Abstract

Concurrently to technology generation, the validation and transferring strategies have to be well planned and executed to reach the objectives. However, the non-evaluation of technology adoption and the little understanding of the factors influencing it are major constraints to the whole process. In order to improve technology generation, validation and transfer efficiency, a methodology called "Training & Visit"(T&V) was applied by the National Soybean Research Center (Embrapa Soybean) together with Caramuru, a private sunflower crusher corporation. In the first phase of the T&V, a committee of specialists (including Embrapa's Soybean researchers and Caramuru technicians) was formed. The sunflower season was them divided in periods, for which period a set of specific technologies were recommended. Three technicians involved were periodically trained. In the second phase, each one of them trained a group of additional technicians. In the third phase these additional trained field technicians covered an area of sunflower farmland, where recommended technologies were transferred to the farmers. To efficiently evaluated the whole process, the rate of technology adoption due to the T&V program and agronomic and economical performance of the sunflower crop will be performed after harvest.