This study investigated collaborative information behaviour of butterfly farmers working in the Integrated Conservation and Development Project (ICDP) located in the neighbourhood of Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania. The study was motivated by the fact that despite extensive studies on collaborative information behavior in such domains as education, medical, and the military there is a knowledge gap in our understanding of farmers’ collaborative information behavior in the context of collaborative farming. The investigation sought to investigate the shared information needs of farmers in the ICDP project; the patterns of collaborative seeking, sharing and exchanging information of farmers in ICDP; and how butterfly farmers, ANR and TFCG officials in ICDP perceive the link between collaborative farming and collaborative information behaviour. The study applied qualitative approach in analysing group information behaviour guide by the social capital theoretical lens. The data were collected through interviews and observation and analysed using thematic categorisation. The findings of the study revealed that collaborative farming practices, formal structure of relationship between farmers and characteristics farmers were the factors which shaped the way farmers sought, shared and exchanged knowledge and information. It was further revealed that the interplay between collaborative information behaviour and collaborative farming practices were strong enough to support effective implementation of ICDP goals. The study has demonstrated the importance of using social capital factors particularly group structure, embedded resources and shared goals to understand human information behaviour. The findings also shed light to policy and decision makers in the sectors of agriculture and natural resources on the importance of understanding the relationships between information, conservation and development. With regard to practice, the findings have implications to stakeholders engaging on different ICDPs in understanding the role of information on promoting integrated and sustainable agricultural practices.

中文翻译：

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坦桑尼亚东部乌桑巴拉山脉蝴蝶养殖者的协同信息行为

本研究调查了在位于坦桑尼亚阿马尼自然保护区附近的综合保护与开发项目 (ICDP) 中工作的蝴蝶农民的协作信息行为。该研究的动机是，尽管对教育、医疗和军事等领域的协作信息行为进行了广泛的研究，但我们对协作农业背景下农民协作信息行为的理解存在知识差距。该调查旨在调查 ICDP 项目中农民的共享信息需求；ICDP中农民协作寻找、共享和交换信息的模式；以及 ICDP 的蝴蝶养殖者、ANR 和 TFCG 官员如何看待合作农业和合作信息行为之间的联系。本研究应用定性方法从社会资本理论视角分析群体信息行为指南。数据是通过访谈和观察收集的，并使用主题分类进行分析。研究结果表明，合作农业实践、农民和特色农民之间关系的正式结构是影响农民寻求、共享和交流知识和信息方式的因素。进一步表明，协作信息行为和协作农业实践之间的相互作用足以支持 ICDP 目标的有效实施。该研究证明了使用社会资本因素，特别是群体结构、嵌入式资源和共同目标来理解人类信息行为的重要性。调查结果还向农业和自然资源部门的政策制定者和决策者阐明了理解信息、保护和发展之间关系的重要性。在实践方面，研究结果对参与不同 ICDP 的利益相关者理解信息在促进综合和可持续农业实践方面的作用具有影响。