OBSTACLES TO THE DISSEMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES IN CAMEROON : RECOMMENDATIONS OF AN OPEN ACCESS SYSTEM

Résumé

                                                        Abstract

          The objective of this case study was to identify obstacles to the dissemination of agricultural knowledge resources at the Faculty of Agriculture and Agronomic Sciences at the University of Dschang (Cameroon) and to formulate recommendations for the appropriation of internet technology to encourage Open Access. Through a qualitative research approach, major findings reveal that though an extensive collection of agricultural knowledge resources was available, they were not accessible because of poor dissemination. The findings reveal multidimensional obstacles to the dissemination of these knowledge resources, including weak involvement of the academia, inertia in the valorization of agricultural research, poor ICT infrastructure, and absence of a scientific communication policy framework. Based on these findings and guided by the recommendation of the BOAI, this study formulated recommendations for Open Access dissemination.

Keywords:Dissemination, Open Access, Scholarly Communication, Agricultural Research, Knowledge Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Agronomic Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon