Brief summary of the discussion.
Joost Lieshout
Dear Participants.
I have been very pleased with your valuable input and on behalf of CTA I would like to thank you all. It has been a rich experience and I know that many of you have found it very useful. We close the discussion here, but I’m sure you will continue sharing your thoughts and experiences with your colleagues. Please find below a brief summary of the discussion on cross-cutting issues.
Best regards,
Joost Lieshout
Brief Summary of the discussion on Cross-Cutting Issues
It was reported from India that in some cases private seed companies provide the knowledge farmers need. Especially for farmers who can afford, there is little role for government extension services. New arrangements like contract farming come into play. How to decide on the roles for private and government extension? Which works best under what circumstances? Farmers themselves can give more insight in this.
More support to the agricultural sector is needed in developing countries. This includes support from government as well as private company involvement. Focus on extension, innovation platforms, using technologies (ICT), policy harmonization and research on different models for extension service delivery.
From Ivory Coast we hear that government has created a special fund to ensure adequate funding for extension and research programmes (FIRCA). The fund is supported with levies from the sector and subsidized by government. It is suggested that it may work well in other countries too.
It was shared from Ethiopia that to enhance the extension and advisory services: 1. We need a minimum level of financial investment to achieve both human resource development and technology transfer. 2. Professional platforms may help to increase the role of privatization. 3. Regular and periodic monitoring, evaluation, review and impact assessment systems have to be put in place. 4. ICTs should be developed that can handle local languages. 5. Research to work out feasible models for effective collaboration between all stakeholders. 6. There is a need to redirect efforts to improve research-extension-education linkages to enhance extension deliveries. 7. Universities need to develop specific training programs for extensionnists with focus on innovation competences development in addition to the usual technical competences.
From Kenya we heard thought on the need to identify funding sources at different levels and the need to invest in evaluation and impact assessment on the different approaches and successes. It is suggested to have a secretariat of agricultural advisory services serving as a resource centre for extension approaches and methods. It was also identified that network and phone companies need to invest more and develop specialized software for service delivery, like MPESA.
From a Philippine farmer organization we learn that when we design programs and then assess their impact, it is important to be very clear on what are the concrete benefits that we want to bring to farmers. We need effective and efficient links and feedback mechanisms between R&D and extension people to ensure a good product and selling strategy. Extension is not a stand-alone activity but is part of a wider and more comprehensive approach to solving farmers' problems. Extension is not a stand-alone activity but is part of a wider and more comprehensive approach to solving farmers' problems. Extension workers should be able to develop partnerships and adopt a market-oriented approach. We need to develop programs that will develop farmer scientists who will link up with researchers and professional extension workers to deliver messages and technologies to farmers and define what researchers and extension workers need to do. Coordination (to address multiplicity issues) can for example be facilitated through support of a local leader. In many instances, there are players already in the area who are willing to help, but nobody approaches them and brings them together. Farmers have to be organized to be able to link with scientists and extension workers, not only for technology dissemination, but also in ensuring that activities continue even when the extension workers are away.
Another view on farmers organizations from discussions revealed that farmers' organizations (union, cooperatives, etc.) formed at the goodwill of government will not bring changes in rural development. Farmers believe that forming free farmers' organizations (free in sense from strong interference of government) is obligatory to change extension approach. Some innovations are simply not accepted or implemented because of distrust in researchers and the extension workers that carry out government missions…
An experience from Zimbabwe also shows that Farmer Unions server the interest of government and much less that of smallholder farmers. Smallholder farmers have no influence whatsoever on the development of the national strategies for research and extension.
Benin lets us know that some cooperatives managers are not transparent enough. Capacity building and attitude change is necessary. Also producers’ illiteracy has a negative effect on the situation.
From Nigeria, thoughts are shared on various arrangements for additional funding of extension and advisory services, rather than government funding alone; through private and corporate organizations that extract their incomes from farmers’ patronage of their goods and services.
A view from DRC agrees that because of the distinct problems due to cultural differences, local participation is crucial in any problem solving activity.
A participant from Ghana states that 1. Additional funding for extension could be obtained through lobbying, advocacy and legislation. Budgets should be linked to activities and monitoring is essential. 2. It is recommended that nations put up conducive investment climates to attract the private sector. Public extension and advisory service institutions need to partner the private sector working on high value export commodities. 3. Constant refining of tools and training of evaluators would auger well for evaluations and impact assessment. 4. In the wake of staff attrition in public sector extension services, we have to resort to increased use of ICTs. Radio, telephone, video all have their role, but content in local languages is needed. 5. Professionals heading organizations, departments and units tend to become more of administrators. It is important to maintain a layer of professionalism for effective project coordination. 6. Let us intensify in-service training in extension methodology, facilitation skills and other soft skill techniques and go for further studies at the universities.
From Haiti we learn to set objectives if we talk about financing. This has be achieved by using an accelerated participatory research method to ensure contribution of each actor and to analyze the real needs of the farming community.
It was confirmed that there is actually a need to review the agricultural investments plans of countries to see how much of agricultural advisory service issues are covered. Reference was made to CAADP.
From Haiti we learn of the HIMO approach (high intensity labor), promoting entrepreneur investments in rural areas with optimal use of local resources. It can be applied in situations where labor is abundant and cheap.
From Kenya we hear the suggestions/views about 1. Studying the Gates foundation funding model for its usability within CAADP. 2. Agribusiness is the undoubtedly the solution to the woes faced by African agriculture, while agricultural researchers lead agricultural development organizations. It is a major challenge to bridge. 3. The use of ICTs in offering extension and knowledge to smallholders and governments need to be exploited. 4. When there is so much technology around, the provision of standardized tools that can be used to benefit project standards cannot be overemphasized. 5. There has not been enough effort made to study how ICT can help the sector. When efforts have been made to create learning programmes on how to train ICT people to appreciate agriculture so that agricultural communication is possible, there is no framework of absorbing them into the agricultural mainstream. 6. There is need to create a body that lays down standard rules of practice including contextualized level of qualification of the people leading networks. 7. Where our challenge lies is not in building capacity of individuals, it is in building the organization for which capacity to build.
Abate Bekele
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Abate Bekele (PhD)
Senior Socio-Economic Researcher
Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center
P.O.Box 32,
Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
Prabhakant Pathak
Dr PK Pathak
head FMPHT Division, IGFRI, Jhansi UP
On Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:49:49 +0530 wrote
>Dear Participants.I have been very pleased with your valuable input and on behalf of CTA I would like to thank you all. It has been a rich experience and I know that many of you have found it very useful. We close the discussion here, but I’m sure you will continue sharing your thoughts and experiences with your colleagues. Please find below a brief summary of the discussion on cross-cutting issues.Best regards,Joost LieshoutBrief Summary of the discussion on Cross-Cutting IssuesIt was reported from India that in some cases private seed companies provide the knowledge farmers need. Especially for farmers who can afford, there is little role for government extension services. New arrangements like contract farming come into play. How to decide on the roles for private and government extension? Which works best under what circumstances? Farmers themselves can give more insight in this.More support to the agricultural sector is needed in developing countries. This includes support from government as well as private company involvement. Focus on extension, innovation platforms, using technologies (ICT), policy harmonization and research on different models for extension service delivery.From Ivory Coast we hear that government has created a special fund to ensure adequate funding for extension and research programmes (FIRCA). The fund is supported with levies from the sector and subsidized by government. It is suggested that it may work well in other countries too.It was shared from Ethiopia that to enhance the extension and advisory services: 1. We need a minimum level of financial investment to achieve both human resource development and technology transfer. 2. Professional platforms may help to increase the role of privatization. 3. Regular and periodic monitoring, evaluation, review and impact assessment systems have to be put in place. 4. ICTs should be developed that can handle local languages. 5. Research to work out feasible models for effective collaboration between all stakeholders. 6. There is a need to redirect efforts to improve research-extension-education linkages to enhance extension deliveries. 7. Universities need to develop specific training programs for extensionnists with focus on innovation competences development in addition to the usual technical competences.From Kenya we heard thought on the need to identify funding sources at different levels and the need to invest in evaluation and impact assessment on the different approaches and successes. It is suggested to have a secretariat of agricultural advisory services serving as a resource centre for extension approaches and methods. It was also identified that network and phone companies need to invest more and develop specialized software for service delivery, like MPESA.From a Philippine farmer organization we learn that when we design programs and then assess their impact, it is important to be very clear on what are the concrete benefits that we want to bring to farmers.We need effective and efficient links and feedback mechanisms between R&D and extension people to ensure a good product and selling strategy. Extension is not a stand-alone activity but is part of a wider and more comprehensive approach to solving farmers' problems. Extension is not a stand-alone activity but is part of a wider and more comprehensive approach to solving farmers' problems. Extension workers should be able to develop partnerships and adopt a market-oriented approach. We need to develop programs that will develop farmer scientists who will link up with researchers and professional extension workers to deliver messages and technologies to farmers and define what researchers and extension workers need to do. Coordination (to address multiplicity issues) can for example be facilitated through support of a local leader. In many instances, there are players already in the area who are willing to help, but nobody approaches them and brings them together.Farmers have to be organized to be able to link with scientists and extension workers, not only for technology dissemination, but also in ensuring that activities continue even when the extension workers are away. Another view on farmers organizations from discussions revealed that farmers' organizations (union, cooperatives, etc.) formed at the goodwill of government will not bring changes in rural development. Farmers believe that forming free farmers' organizations (free in sense from strong interference of government) is obligatory to change extension approach. Some innovations are simply not accepted or implemented because of distrust in researchers and the extension workers that carry out government missions…An experience from Zimbabwe also shows that Farmer Unions server the interest of government and much less that of smallholder farmers. Smallholder farmers have no influence whatsoever on the development of the national strategies for research and extension.Benin lets us know that some cooperatives managers are not transparent enough. Capacity building and attitude change is necessary. Also producers’ illiteracy has a negative effect on the situation.From Nigeria, thoughts are shared on various arrangements for additional funding of extension and advisory services, rather than government funding alone; through private and corporate organizations that extract their incomes from farmers’ patronage of their goods and services.A view from DRC agrees that because of the distinct problems due to cultural differences, local participation is crucial in any problem solving activity.A participant from Ghana states that 1. Additional funding for extension could be obtained through lobbying, advocacy and legislation. Budgets should be linked to activities and monitoring is essential. 2. It is recommended that nations put up conducive investment climates to attract the private sector. Public extension and advisory service institutions need to partner the private sector working on high value export commodities. 3. Constant refining of tools and training of evaluators would auger well for evaluations and impact assessment. 4. In the wake of staff attrition in public sector extension services, we have to resort to increased use of ICTs. Radio, telephone, video all have their role, but content in local languages is needed. 5. Professionals heading organizations, departments and units tend to become more of administrators. It is important to maintain a layer of professionalism for effective project coordination. 6. Let us intensify in-service training in extension methodology, facilitation skills and other soft skill techniques and go for further studies at the universities.From Haiti we learn to set objectives if we talk about financing. This has be achieved by using an accelerated participatory research method to ensure contribution of each actor and to analyze the real needs of the farming community.It was confirmed that there is actually a need to review the agricultural investments plans of countries to see how much of agricultural advisory serviceissues are covered. Reference was made to CAADP.From Haiti we learn of the HIMO approach (high intensity labor), promoting entrepreneur investments in rural areas with optimal use of local resources. It can be applied in situations where labor is abundant and cheap.From Kenya we hear the suggestions/views about 1. Studying the Gates foundation funding model for its usability within CAADP. 2. Agribusiness is the undoubtedly the solution to the woes faced by African agriculture, while agricultural researchers lead agricultural development organizations. It is a major challenge to bridge. 3. The use of ICTs in offering extension and knowledge to smallholders and governments need to be exploited. 4. When there is so much technology around, the provision of standardized tools that can be used to benefit project standards cannot be overemphasized. 5. There has not been enough effort made to study how ICT can help the sector. When efforts have been made to create learning programmes on how to train ICT people to appreciate agriculture so that agricultural communication is possible, there is no framework of absorbing them into the agricultural mainstream. 6. There is need to create a body that lays down standard rules of practice including contextualized level of qualification of the people leading networks. 7. Where our challenge lies is not in building capacity of individuals, it is in building the organization for which capacity to build.
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Head Division of FM & PHT
Indian Grassland & Fodder Research Institute, Gwalior Road
Jhansi U.P. 284003
India
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