If farmers are to manage pests in the best way, there is a certain set of knowledge and information they need to be aware of, including conceptual and technical knowledge, as well as the "know-how" to carry out certain practices. In most cases, there is likely to be a difference between the information that farmers have and that which they should have, to make good decisions. This is the information gap.
In attempting to reduce an information gap (Norton and Mumford, 1982), we not only need to know how large the gap is but also the reason for this gap. There are several possibilities:
Research gap - Some of the required information is just unavailable. Therefore, if the gap is to be closed, appropriate research needs to be carried out.
Synthesis/interpretation gap - Research has been carried out on the topic of concern but this information has not been pulled together, analyzed and interpreted in the context of the farmers’ problem. In this case, effort needs to be devoted to reviewing, “filtering and translating” the existing information in the context of the on-farm need.
Dissemination gap - Part of the reason for an information gap at the farm level may be that relevant information is just not reaching the farmer. This implies that extension services may need to be improved or that the form in which information is relayed to the farmer needs to be changed.
Reception gap - Although information gets through to the farmer, he may not be able to utilize it properly because he lacks the necessary background knowledge. If this is the case, more effort devoted to farmer training is implicated.