Knowledge
Management & Institutional Framework: Kenyan Veterinary Services
William O. Ogara¹, J.W. Jalang’o², O.J.
Othieno²
¹ University of
ABSTRACT:
In this paper we introduce the
concept of Knowledge Management as an important ingredient in the delivery of
Veterinary Services in
Keywords: Knowledge management, Veterinary profession, Institutional
framework
Background
Veterinary services were first
offered in
From this infant stage the
Department of Veterinary Services grew in geographical, animal species and
diseases scopes. Today the Department of Veterinary Services is a well
established department with an elaborate
organizational structure with over three hundred veterinary surgeons and
over a thousand support staff in all parts of the country managing the delivery
of veterinary services working in collaboration with other ministries, local
and international Non-governmental organizations, other governments and
development partners in the achievement of its objectives.
Introduction
Knowledge is data or information with a further layer of intellectual analysis added, where it is interpreted, meaning attached structured and linked with existing systems of beliefs and bodies of knowledge (Hislop, 2005). Knowledge is a product of human effort (Obtained through education or experience) to digest and gain control of information. Knowledge is therefore a body of information shared by a group of individuals. Simply put, it’s the information given meaning and integrated with other contexts of understanding.
Knowledge can be in tacit or explicit forms, tacit knowledge represents knowledge that people posses, but which can’t be codified, is largely subjective and difficult to share, while explicit knowledge can be codified, is objective and easy to share. Knowledge both tacit and explicit is embedded in human activities; tasks generate knowledge, must be managed for it to serve its purpose and to grow. Knowledge is at the heart of much of today’s global economy, and managing knowledge has become vital to companies (Institutions) success. (Kluge et al, 2001).
Knowledge Management is a concept in which an organization gathers, organizes, shares, and analyzes the knowledge of individuals and groups across the organization in ways that directly improve performance. It is therefore a process through which organizations generate value from their intellectual and knowledge-based assets. It uses an integrated approach in identifying, capturing, retrieving, sharing/protecting, and evaluating an organization’s information assets. Some authors refer to this as the Knowledge life Cycle; this is elaborated in the diagram below.
The objective of knowledge management is to make this cycle more effective as well as more efficient. This implies that knowledge must be made available in forms which are readily accessible (explicit forms). The major challenge is how institutions can systematically exploit all dimensions of knowledge and fully utilize them to improve performance which maybe measured in the forms of revenues, profits and hence realize growth through organizational learning. However many organizations are today drowning in information which is not well managed subsequently starving of knowledge and this underpins the importance of knowledge management. Knowledge is a poorly understood and thus undervalued resource (Burton-Jones, 1999)
In this paper we examine how the
department of veterinary services has grown over a century in terms of
manpower, institutional capacity and demand for veterinary services; generating
substantial information and knowledge on animal health and public health. It
puts emphasis on how this knowledge both tacit and explicit has been managed
over time. The method of study employed
in the development of the paper is basically content analysis of documented
reports available at the Central Veterinary Laboratories library in Kabete, and
key informant interviews. Additional objective is to identify gaps in knowledge
management in the delivery of veterinary services in
Context
The need for veterinary services in
the 1900s was necessitated by information that there were endemic diseases
among the indigenous stock which would easily be spread to the exotic
stock. This information was obtained
from observation and through interaction with the Kenyan communities at the
time (Mac Owen, 1960). Later on
these tentative diagnoses were used to make authentic information and generate
a feed back to the colonial administration and the African farmers. For
example; the first veterinary pathologist in 1912 observed and reported that:
“Disease investigation, initially concentrated upon major epizootics, has led
to the gradual building up of a colony wide picture of the diseases of stock.”
The above paragraph introduces some
principles in knowledge management; namely indigenous knowledge (tacit
knowledge), learning through observation, the creation of information,
packaging of information, the dissemination of information and feedback.
The local livestock keeping communities
knew how to quantify their herds through local methods of counting,
identification using color and size and already a well established data of
various animal diseases provided is an evidence of Indigenous knowledge. This knowledge resided in the memories of the
indigenous peoples and was therefore highly tacit and was shared through oral
communication and field demonstrations during herding of animals. The colonial
authorities through observations and interactions with the indigenous people
exchanged information on the animal health issues. During this time information that was made
explicit was in the form of annual field reports compiled and submitted to the
representative of the British Inspectorate based at Nairobi Kabete.
Initial disease targets were
Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Rinderpest Endemic Tick-borne
diseases. Rinderpest was declared eradicated in May 2009 in
The other problems identified in the
1900s were the prevalence of tick infestation and the tick borne diseases among
the indigenous stock. Measures were immediately put in place by the colonial
authorities to carry out regular dipping of cattle. This initial initiative was very successful
in controlling ticks and the tick borne diseases and drastically reduced cattle
raids that were common following livestock losses, but this brought the
challenge of overstocking and subsequent mineral deficiencies (Mac Owen,
1960).
The documentation of these successes
and challenges constituted information and knowledge base that formed the
foundation of the departmental growth through the accumulation of novel
knowledge relevant to the animal health and production sector.
By 1920s substantial information had
been generated and shared within the veterinary services realms heightening the
demand for veterinary services. By 1937 a fully pledged department of
veterinary services was formed, from the department of agriculture to cater for
this increased demand for the veterinary services, it was headed by the
Director of Veterinary Services. At this time
Initially the mandate of DVS
included: - Disease control (an activity that further generated knowledge),
improve animal production (a direct result of the use of knowledge created and
disseminated to farmers through extension services).
The following divisions and sections
were created.
Figure 2: Specialized Divisions And Sections Created
The creation of these specialized divisions and sections led to the production, usage and storage of specialized information and knowledge. The building of a library at Kabete central laboratories and the establishment of the Kenya Veterinary Association Journal in 1966 marked very important steps towards knowledge management by enabling the conversion of tacit knowledge generated into an explicit form that would be accessed by many people.
Success of animal health programmes led to the establishment of exotic stock and increased production and productivity. The improvement in meat inspection led to entry of Kenyan meat in the international market.
Laboratory services led to full scale research in animal health issues, creating another source of scientific knowledge. Animal husbandry which mainly centered on the promotion of artificial insemination in a bid to improve the local breeds that was initiated and latter on picked up by the Kenyan government after independence. This venture was successful in the central region and parts of Rift Valley, but did not pick up well in the other regions of the country due to disease patterns and unavailability of adequate extension services and neglect of indigenous knowledge input by the local communities.
To expand its knowledge base in the animal health industry, Kenya Sought international affiliations with international bodies like FAO, OIE, WHO, WTO. This greatly expanded the knowledge base on issues relevant to veterinary services and as far as access to international markets was concerned and including knowledge on diseases that affect national and international trade.
The diagram below elaborates the relationship between a number of outcomes from identified activities and interventions in the evolving livestock industry including livestock production and international collaboration in manpower development/training and trade that emerged.
Figure 3: Emergent
Institutional Structures: Strengthening Trade In Livestock & Products
Post
Increased exodus of highly qualified
personnel during this time was a major threat to the veterinary services
institutional knowledge/Institutional memory. Between 1963 -75 there was an increase
in personnel training to meet the demand including a fully functional Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine (FVM). However the domination of the department by
agriculture personnel and the resulting personnel clash became a major
stumbling block. As a result of these existing conflicts, in 1982 first
Ministry of Livestock Development (MoLD) was created with two departmental
heads namely the Director of Veterinary Services and the Director of Livestock
Production.
Bad Assumptions
During this period in the early
1980s the Department experienced a slowed growth due to the following reasons.
Selection for further training was
biased, it was assumed that Veterinarians in the field needed no further
training in extension unlike those in research, meat hygiene, Artificial
insemination, laboratory and meat hygiene, despite the unique field challenges
encountered when interacting with the farmers. The purpose of the specialized
training programs and courses was to change their perceptions and embrace
modern scientific advances in animal production. Pursuit of PhD was almost
impossible, and silently not allowed, due to a departmental policy which failed
to see the benefit of further training of field personnel. This was a
major hindrance in the organizational growth through learning (tacit and
explicit knowledge development). Initial training of a towering personality to
PhD level may have been a stumbling block for higher (PhD) degree opportunity
for the other staff in leadership positions. No commitment by the department to
recognition of specialization in deployment of officers demoralized workers.
The general practice was not to recognize higher training at degree level (MSc.
and PhD) in the deployment of officers to respective sections.
Current Status
Currently the department has the following divisions:- Artificial insemination division, Disease control division, Laboratory services, Project Monitoring Support unit, Administration Division, Training division, Inspectorate Division, Veterinary Public Health Division, Pest and Vector control Division, Extension division.
All animal health research activities of the department were transferred to Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), which is an autonomous parastatal. The laboratory services were retained in the department under the laboratory division and carries out investigations and diagnostics and limited publications research. The division has six regional satellite laboratory facilities throughout the country and are under the direct control of the DVS
The Veterinary Public Health division previously concentrated on meat inspection but has currently been expanded to cover quality assurance and food safety of all animal derived products and address the theme –one world one health
The division of administration and support unit is composed of non-technical personnel but is very vital for the operations of the department. The division of extension is a newly created division as a result of the realization of the importance of knowledge management. The division handles all the communication activities of the department and also handles animal welfare issues. However the concept of knowledge management needs further emphasis and focus.
Recommendations
The paper recommends the following
measures in regard to knowledge management to the department of veterinary
services. There is need for strengthening of a two-way flow of information
within veterinary services department and between related institutions and
organizations. Effective organizational relations/Public Relations in
administration, this may be done through the institutionalization of such a
division in the organizations framework.
There is need to espouse and
implement innovative strategies/address acquisition, adoption of science and
technology, by facilitating the creation of an enabling environment that will
allow the staff to share knowledge and to experiment. Staff training on
Knowledge Management and communication and the dynamics of the veterinary
service provision including indigenous knowledge in local communities must be
exploited in the implementation of various animal husbandry practices to ensure
sustainability of the projects.
The department should strive to
convert human capital (Tacit Knowledge) into structural capital (Explicit) to ensure
that relevant information is made available to the users of such information in
intergenerational arrangement.
References
Burton-Jones (1999), Knowledge Capitalism,
Hislop, D. (2005), Knowledge Management In Organizations, A Critical
Introduction,
Mac Owen, K.D. (1960), Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture Publication, The Kenya Veterinary Department Report (1910- 1960)
Kluge, J., Stein, W & Litch, T. (2001), Knowledge Unplugged: The
McKinsey Survey On Knowledge Management, Palgrave,
About the Authors:
William O. Ogara, Department of
Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi, College of
Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
J.W. Jalang’o, O.J. Othieno,
Department of Veterinary Services,