A qualitative study of knowledge transfer on pepper farmers' agriculture practices

Malaysia is the fifth-largest pepper exporter in the world, after Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, and India. Distribution of the right knowledge to pepper farmers will produce high output for the country. To ensure that agriculture produces sufficient food, farmers need the right incentives, knowledge, and technology to enable the distribution of the right knowledge to pepper farmers that can produce high pepper output for the country. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the impacts of knowledge transfer on farmers' knowledge of pepper cultivation. A phenomenological approach to gathering qualitative data was conducted to allow an in-depth understanding of the farmer’s experience. A series of semi-structured interviews was conducted with six pepper growers in Sarawak. The data from the interview was analysed using the thematic analysis method. The findings indicated that knowledge transfer programs have benefited pepper farmers in many ways. The participants experienced knowledge enhancement to increase productivity. They shared how the recommended varieties help to increase pepper productivity. They were also exposed to new inventions that could help them produce quality berries, such as an application called NutriLada. This application helps in managing the pepper production. The programs also taught them how to identify pests and diseases that are affecting their pepper, such as white root disease or aphids. Apart from that, participants also showed proper planting management to improve or maintain plant performance. This study provided beneficial insights for the relevant agencies, not necessarily pepper plantation agencies only but other agricultural agencies to enhance their programs and implementation plans in transferring the knowledge to farmers in the country.