Information exchange networking for agricultural development: a review of concepts and practices

Nelson and Farrington identify two types of networks: information exchange networks (IEN), and organisations with a networking function (ONF). IENs usually have a flatter structure than ONFs, as IENs tend to share information through mutual communication, increasingly via the Internet. ONFs have a more centralised structure and therefore more often provide one-way information services such as CD ROMs and databases. There are also large variations within each of these two types of networks, and Nelson and Farrington give several illustrations of this. For example, networks can function in a hub-and-spoke formation, where various members have multiple objectives, thus requiring an element of centralisation in order to coordinate these different interests. Alternatively, the rim-effect network relies much less on a central institution, and instead the members profit from the opportunity of linking up with each other. The book concludes that there are some tensions inherent in networking which are important to address. The three tensions identified are leadership versus responsiveness, degree of formalisation, and defining boundaries.

(From Chapman, Slaymaker, Young (2003) Livelihoods approaches to information and communication in support of rural poverty elimination and food security, London: ODI: 52)