TUESDAY 16 JULY 2002
OFFICIAL OPENING
08.00 - 09.00 | REGISTRATION | |
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09.00 - 11.00 | INAUGURAL SESSION | |
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| CHAIRPERSON | APICHART PONGSRIHADULCHAI, |
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09.00 - 09.05 | WELCOME REMARKS | MALCOLM HAZELMAN, |
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09.05 - 09.20 | CHAIRPERSON'S ADDRESS | APICHART PONGSRIHADULCHAI, |
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09.20 - 09.30 | ELECTION OF CONSULTATION CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON, PLUS RAPPORTEURS | |
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09.30 - 09.35 | REMARKS BY ELECTED CHAIRPERSON | |
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09.35 - 09.50 | OBJECTIVES AND MODE OF THE CONSULTATION | MALCOLM HAZELMAN, |
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09.50 - 10.00 | GROUP PHOTOGRAPH | |
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10.00 - 10.30 | TEA | |
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10.30 - 11.00 | RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER- | R.B. SINGH, |
SESSION I
THEMATIC PRESENTATION I: GLOBALIZATION, LIBERALIZATION AND THE CHANGING DEMANDS AND ROLE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
11.00 - 11.30 | PRESENTATION BY KALIM QAMAR, FAO, ITALY |
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11.30 - 12.30 | PRESENTATIONS BY CHINA, INDONESIA AND NEPAL |
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12.30 - 13.00 | DISCUSSION |
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13.00 - 14.00 | LUNCH |
SESSION II
THEMATIC PRESENTATION II: RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER-MARKET-CIVIL SOCIETY LINKAGES: NEW HORIZONS AND EXTENSION MODALITIES
14.00 - 14.30 | PRESENTATION BY KEN MENZ, ACIAR, AUSTRALIA |
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14.30 - 15.30 | PRESENTATIONS BY CAMBODIA, MALAYSIA AND THAILAND |
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15.30 - 16.00 | DISCUSSION |
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16.00 - 16.30 | TEA |
SESSION III
THEMATIC PRESENTATION III: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND LINKAGES
16.30 - 17.00 | PRESENTATION BY ALEXANDER FLOR, COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT, PHILIPPINES |
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17.00 - 18.00 | PRESENTATIONS BY INDIA, PAKISTAN AND SRI LANKA |
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18.00 - 18.30 | DISCUSSION |
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19.30 | RECEPTION DINNER HOSTED BY ADG/RR FAO |
WEDNESDAY 17 JULY 2002
SESSION IV
THEMATIC PRESENTATION IV: GENDER DIMENSIONS IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER
09.00 - 10.20 | PANEL PRESENTATIONS: |
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| REVATHI BALAKRISHNAN, FAO, THAILAND (MODERATOR) |
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| BELITIA A. VEGA, LEYTE STATE UNIVERSITY, VISCA, PHILIPPINES (PANELIST) |
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| PADMAJA KAMTAM, ICRISAT, INDIA (PANELIST) |
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| P. S. GEETHAKUTTY, KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, INDIA (PANELIST) |
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10.30 - 11.00 | TEA |
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11.00 - 12.00 | GENERAL DISCUSSION |
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12.00 - 13.00 | GROUP WORK ON THEME IV |
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13.00 - 14.00 | LUNCH |
SESSION V
THEMATIC PRESENTATION V: POLICY, INSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
14.00 - 14.30 | PRESENTATION BY MOHAN KANDA, MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, INDIA |
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14.30 - 14.45 | PRESENTATION BY S. KANNAIYAN, TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, INDIA |
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14.45 - 15.45 | PRESENTATIONS BY BANGLADESH, KOREA AND PHILIPPINES |
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15.45 - 16.30 | DISCUSSION |
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16.30 - 17.00 | TEA |
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17.00 - 17.45 | MEETING OF THEMATIC GROUP FACILITATORS AND RESOURCE PERSONS |
THURSDAY 18 JULY 2002
SESSION VI
ADDRESSING THE NEEDS: THEMATIC GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND THE STRATEGY/STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS
09.00 - 12.00 | SEPARATE GROUP DISCUSSIONS (RESOURCE PERSONS FOR THEMATIC GROUP PRESENTATIONS UNDER THEME IV WILL SPREAD THEMSELVES AMONG THE GROUPS FOR THE OTHER FOUR THEMES) |
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10.30 - 10.50 | TEA |
SESSION VII
PRESENTATION OF THEMATIC GROUP REPORTS*
* THE FOURTH THEME OF GENDER DIMENSIONS IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER WAS HANDLED SEPARATELY EARLIER IN THE MEETING.
12.00 - 12.10 | THEMATIC GROUP I: | GLOBALIZATION, LIBERALIZATION AND THE CHANGING DEMANDS AND ROLE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION |
12.10 - 12.20 | THEMATIC GROUP II: | RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER-MARKET-CIVIL SOCIETY LINKAGES: NEW HORIZONS AND EXTENSION MODALITIES |
12:20 - 12:30 | THEMATIC GROUP III: | INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND LINKAGES |
12.30 - 12.40 | THEMATIC GROUP V: | POLICY, INSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK |
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12.40 - 13.00 | GENERAL DISCUSSION | |
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13.00 - 14.00 | LUNCH | |
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14.00 - 15.00 | FORMULATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND PREPARATION OF PROGRAMME IDEAS | |
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15.30 - 16.00 | TEA | |
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16.00 - 17.00 | CONTINUATION |
FRIDAY 19 JULY 2002
PLENARY SESSION
09.00 - 10.00 | PRESENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROGRAMME IDEAS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACTION PLANS |
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10.00 - 10.30 | TEA |
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10.30 - 11.30 | DISCUSSION/ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT CONSULTATION REPORT |
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11.30 - 12.00 | CLOSING SESSION |
PRESENTED BY R.B. SINGH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
FAO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER-MARKET LINKAGES TO COMBAT HUNGER
AND POVERTY IN THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
FAO ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS OF OTHER INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL SYSTEMS, ARE BEING GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE GROWING CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY INCREASING POPULATIONS, URBANIZATION, ECONOMIC DISPARITIES, URBANIZATION, HUNGER AND POVERTY. THE CHANGES AND THE CHALLENGES HAVE FORCED, AND WILL CONTINUE TO FORCE, MANY PARADIGM SHIFTS IN AND AROUND THE WORK OF FAO. AMONG THE MANY TRENDS AND FORCES ARE THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON THE STATE'S PRINCIPAL ROLE AS PROVIDING A POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK CONDUCIVE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS LIBERALIZATION OF TRADE (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE), GLOBALIZATION, PRIVATIZATION, DECENTRALIZATION AND URBANIZATION. OTHERS ARE THE INCREASED RELIANCE ON REGIONAL AND SUBREGIONAL GROUPINGS, THE PERSISTENCE OF POVERTY AND WIDENING INCOME DISPARITIES, THE CONTINUED RISK OF DISASTER-RELATED EMERGENCIES, THE INEQUALITY IN ACCESS TO BENEFITS OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND THE CHANGING DEMANDS ON AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY.
THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION ACCOUNTS FOR 57 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION (NEARLY 3.2 BILLION); ABOUT HALF OF THAT POPULATION WILL BE YOUNGER THAN 25 IN 2010. MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S SMALLHOLDER FARMERS AND 73 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS LIVE IN THE REGION. PERHAPS THAT IS WHY TWO-THIRDS OF THE WORLD'S HUNGRY AND POOR ARE FOUND HERE: 800 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR AND 500 MILLION OF THEM WHO ARE MALNOURISHED. THE PER CAPITA ACCESS TO LAND AND WATER IS ABOUT ONE-FIFTH OF THAT IN THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE REGION PRODUCES MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S RICE AND 70 TO 90 PERCENT OF ITS MAJOR INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND AQUACULTURE.
THERE HAVE BEEN GOOD TRENDS ALONG WITH THE CHALLENGES: OVER A THREE-DECADE PERIOD, FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE REGION MORE THAN DOUBLED AND DIETARY INTAKE INCREASED BY 30 PERCENT, DESPITE AN ADDITION OF 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE. AND THE PERCENTAGES OF HUNGRY AND POOR WERE MORE THAN HALVED.
BUT THE DEMAND FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IS GOING TO INCREASE BY 60 PERCENT IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS. WHICH IS OF MAJOR CONCERN AS THE PER HECTARE YIELD OF CEREALS NEEDS TO INCREASE BY 1 TONNE. AS WELL, PRODUCTION RESOURCES, SUCH AS LAND, WATER AND BIODIVERSITY, ARE SHRINKING AND DEGRADING. TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH HAS DECELERATED AND YIELDS OF CEREALS ARE STAGNATING. AND INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE ARE DECLINING. THE CONTINUING HIGH RATE OF ILLITERACY AND THE MARGINALIZATION OF RURAL WOMEN CONTRIBUTE, ALONG WITH OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTORS, TO THE LIMITED IMPACT OF THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION. THE REGION IS FILLED WITH TECHNOLOGICAL, DIGITAL, GENETIC AND ETHICAL DIVIDES.
IN REACTION TO THE FORCES AFOOT, THERE HAS BEEN POOR POLICY RESPONSE, FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATORY MEASURES AND STANDARDS, INCLUDING THE CODES OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES, SUSTAINABLE USE OF FORESTRY RESOURCES, FOOD SAFETY AND BIOSECURITY.
IN MAY 2002 AT THE 26TH FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE, DELEGATES STRONGLY ENDORSED THE "GLOBAL ALLIANCE AGAINST HUNGER" AND TO BUILD THE REGION'S CAPACITY IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. SPECIFICALLY, THE DELEGATES CALLED FOR SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT, LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT FOR HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE RURAL POOR. FAO'S CORPORATE STRATEGIES SUPPORT THOSE OBJECTIVES IN HELPING GOVERNMENTS TO: TARGET THE REDUCTION OF FOOD INSECURITY AND RURAL POVERTY; ENSURE ENABLING POLICIES AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS; CREATE SUSTAINABLE INCREASES IN THE SUPPLY AND AVAILABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL, FISHERY AND FOREST PRODUCTS; CONSERVE AND ENHANCE SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCE BASES; AND GENERATE KNOWLEDGE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY.
AMONG THE MANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN CONCLUSION OF THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE WAS EMPHASIS ON IMPROVING MARKETING SYSTEMS, PARTNERSHIPS, THE REGION'S AND FARMERS' COMPETITIVENESS AND AWARENESS AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGY GAPS, AS WELL AS EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR AND GENDER MAINSTREAMING.
THOSE GOALS CANNOT BE REACHED WITHOUT EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND THUS, EXTENSION. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS THE FUNCTION, THE MEANS TO EXPAND PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE. IT IS PART OF THE "TRINITY", ALONG WITH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, OF SERVING FARMERS. THE MULTIPLE DIVIDES OF THE REGION MAY IN PART BE PRODUCTS OF THE DISARRAY AMONG THE LINKS BETWEEN RESEARCH, EXTENSION, FARMERS, MARKETS AND CIVIL SOCIETY. THESE LINKS REQUIRE ATTENTION, MENDING AND EXTENSIVE STRENGTHENING.
A NEW VISION IS NEEDED THAT CAPTURES THE INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS TOWARDS BOTH MARKET-ORIENTED PRIVATIZING INNOVATIONS AND NON-MARKET DECENTRALIZING REFORMS. BUT A NEW VISION MUST ACCOMMODATE THE MANY PARADIGMS SHIFTS TAKING PLACE IN THE WORLD: THE GREEN REVOLUTION, FOR INSTANCE, HAS SHIFTED TO THE EVERGREEN REVOLUTION; THE COMMODITY APPROACH HAS MOVED TO AN INTEGRATED SYSTEMS APPROACH; MONODISCIPLINARY TO MULTI AND INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH. THRUSTS IN TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH HAVE SHIFTED TO ECO-TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS THE CONGRUENCE OF PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY, EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE SUPPLY-DRIVEN APPROACH HAS BECOME DEMAND-DRIVEN. FARM EMPLOYMENT HAS SHIFTED TO OFF-FARM AND NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT. THE DEFINITION OF FOOD SECURITY IS EVOLVING, THERE IS INCREASING IMPORTANCE ON ECONOMIC ACCESS, ON SELF-RELIANCE RATHER THAN SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND ON NON-FORMAL EDUCATION, SKILLS, NUTRITION AND HEALTH AWARENESS.
THE ROLE OF FAO-RAP IS THAT OF WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THE NEW AND CHANGING DEMANDS FROM FAO MEMBER COUNTRIES.
GLOBAL TRENDS IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION:
CHALLENGES FACING THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
PRESENTED BY DR M. KALIM QAMAR, PH.D., SENIOR OFFICER,
RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND TRAINING DIVISION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, FAO, ROME
THE CHANGES IN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH AN ORGANIZATION FUNCTIONS, FORCE THE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS IF IT WANTS TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING EFFICIENTLY. WITHOUT SUCH ADJUSTMENTS, THE ORGANIZATION WILL EITHER COLLAPSE OR WILL KEEP WORKING INEFFICIENTLY, MOVING GRADUALLY TOWARD EVENTUAL OBSOLETENESS. THE CHANGES IN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH CAN BE CALLED "FORCES OF CHANGE", VARY IN NATURE AND SCOPE. THEY COULD BE POLITICAL, TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL. THEY COULD BE LOCATION SPECIFIC, REGIONAL, NATION OR GLOBAL. THE EFFECTS OF THESE FORCES OF CHANGE MAYBE IMMEDIATE, MEDIUM-TERM OR LONG-TERM, AND THEY MAY BE DIRECT OR INDIRECT. IN RESPONSE, THE ORGANIZATION MAY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS INTERNALLY, EXTERNALLY, OR BOTH. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS ARE NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE. THEY ARE ALSO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES AND, IN RESPONSE, MUST MAKE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS IN ORDER TO KEEP FUNCTIONING AT THE SAME OR AT HIGHER LEVELS OF EFFICIENCY.
GLOBAL FORCES OF CHANGE
IN CURRENT TIMES, THE MAIN GLOBAL FORCES OF CHANGE THAT ARE AFFECTING OR ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, MANDATE AND PRACTICES OF NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE GLOBALIZATION AND MARKET LIBERALIZATION; PRIVATIZATION; COMMERCIALIZATION AND AGRIBUSINESS; DEMOCRATIZATION AND PARTICIPATION; ENVIRONMENT CONCERNS; DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES; INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGHS; RURAL POVERTY, HUNGER AND VULNERABILITY; THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT; BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENETIC ENGINEERING; CRITICISM OF PUBLIC EXTENSION SERVICES; AND INTEGRATED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL FORCES
SEVERAL COUNTRIES AS WELL AS BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL DONORS HAVE SEEN A NEED TO REFORM NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL FORCES OF CHANGE. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE THREE INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES AIMED AT REFORMS:
I) NEUCHATEL INITIATIVE (NI). THE NI STARTED IN 1995 AND IS AN INFORMAL GROUP OF MAJOR EUROPEAN BILATERAL DONORS, THE WORLD BANK, THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FAO THAT MEETS EVERY YEAR TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE REFORMS IN NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS.
II) REVISED AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT. A JOINT INITIATIVE BETWEEN FAO AND THE WORLD BANK.
III) NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS REFORM INITIATIVE. FROM FAO TO ENCOURAGE INSTITUTIONS TO PRODUCE PUBLICATIONS CONTAINING PRINCIPLES THAT CAN BE USED AS GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL REFORMS.
WITHIN COUNTRIES, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS BEING REDEFINED, RESHAPED AND RECHARGED IN RESPONSE TO THE VARIOUS FORCES OF CHANGES. THE FOLLOWING BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHTS CHANGES TAKING PLACE:
BROADER ROLE OF EXTENSION. THE VERY DEFINITION, SCOPE AND TECHNICAL FOCUS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS UNDER SCRUTINY. A QUESTION BEING RAISED IS WHY SHOULD EXTENSION SERVICES FOCUS JUST ON THE TRANSFER OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS PASSIVE AND UTILIZES A TOP-DOWN APPROACH? MORE EMPHASIS IS BEING LAID ON HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS ON DEVELOPING THE CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES OF FARMERS IN TERMS OF PROBLEM SOLVING, MANAGEMENT AND DECISION-MAKING. ANOTHER QUESTION IS WHETHER EXTENSION SHOULD ADDRESS OTHER ASPECTS OF RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
DECENTRALIZED EXTENSION SERVICES. THE NEW EMPHASIS IS ON HAVING A SMALL UNIT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO HANDLE FUNCTIONS OF POLICY, COORDINATION AND TRAINING AND DELEGATING THE TASKS OF PROGRAMME PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVEN FISCAL AUTHORITY TO THE PROVINCIAL OR DISTRICT OR MUNICIPALITY GOVERNMENT.
FULLY OR PARTIALLY PRIVATIZED EXTENSION. NEW TERMS, SUCH AS OUTSOURCING EXTENSION, COST-RECOVERY FOR EXTENSION SERVICES AND CONTRACTING OUT EXTENSION ARE RELATED TO THE DRIVE FOR PRIVATIZATION. ADVOCATES BELIEVE THAT FARMERS SHOULD PAY FOR EXTENSION ADVICE. THERE IS GENUINE FEAR THAT COST-RECOVERY WOULD DEPRIVE SMALL FARMERS OF SERVICES.
PLURALISTIC EXTENSION SYSTEMS. COMBINING PUBLIC AND NON-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOR DELIVERING EXTENSION POOLS RESOURCES IN ORDER TO REDUCE UNHEALTHY COMPETITION, DELETE REDUNDANCY OF SERVICES AND COMPENSATE FOR LOW BUDGETS OF MINISTRIES OF AGRICULTURE. COORDINATION BECOMES A CHALLENGE IN THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM.
CLIENT-ORIENTATION. THE EXTENSION CLIENTELE INCLUDE SUBSISTENCE FARMERS, COMMERCIAL FARMERS, RURAL YOUTH, WOMEN, RURAL POOR, PHYSICALLY DISABLED AND AIDS-AFFECTED FARMERS' FAMILIES - AND THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT EXTENSION NEEDS. CLIENT-FOCUSED APPROACHES, SUCH AS GENDER-SENSITIVE EXTENSION, ARE TAKING OVER THE DELIVERY OF THE SAME TECHNICAL MESSAGES USING THE SAME METHODOLOGY. URBAN AGRICULTURE IS ANOTHER BUDDING CONCERN.
APPLICATION OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. TELECENTRES, VIRTUAL LINKAGES SUCH AS THE VIRTUAL EXTENSION, RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION NETWORK (VERCON) AND EXPERT SYSTEMS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO HARNESS THE ADVANCES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH EXTENSION AGENTS AND FARMERS.
PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION. THIS EMPOWERING TREND INVOLVES FARMERS IN DECISION-MAKING AND HAS LED TO MODALITIES SUCH AS PARTICIPATORY FARMER GROUP EXTENSION, CLIENT-ORIENTED EXTENSION, GENDER-SENSITIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMERS LINKAGES AND TOOLS SUCH AS THE PARTICIPATORY RURAL APPRAISAL AND THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE SURVEY (KAP).
UNIFIED EXTENSION SERVICE. IN THE INTEREST OF OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES AND AN EFFICIENT BUREAUCRACY, SERVICES ARE BEING UNIFIED TO AVOID INDIVIDUAL VISITS BY EXTENSION AGENTS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES TO FARMERS.
CHALLENGES FACING ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
WHILE THE GLOBAL FORCES ARE SHAPING FUTURE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORLDWIDE, NATIONAL SYSTEMS IN PARTS OF THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION ARE EXPERIENCING INSTITUTIONAL REFORM. THE REGION FACES THE FOLLOWING ENORMOUS CHALLENGES IN MAKING THE EXTENSION SERVICES EFFECTIVE AND MEANINGFUL:
GIVING THE EXTENSION PROFESSION A PROPER STATUS
IMPROVING PRE-SERVICE EDUCATION IN EXTENSION
CREATING MEANINGFUL EXTENSION POLICY
FINDING A PROPER PLACE FOR EXTENSION AFTER DECENTRALIZATION
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF EXTENSION
EDUCATING FARMERS IN GLOBALIZATION, LIBERALIZATION AND BIOTECHNOLOGY ISSUES
DEVELOPING SITUATION-SPECIFIC EXTENSION METHODOLOGIES
ESTABLISHING INTER-INSTITUTION LINKAGES FOR INTEGRATED APPROACH
UNIFYING AND INTEGRATING EXTENSION SERVICE
CREATING EXTENSION ADVISORY SERVICES FOR CENTRAL ASIA
EDUCATING FARMERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
LOOKING BEYOND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOCUS
PUTTING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SERVICE OF EXTENSION
PROMOTING PLURALISTIC AND PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION
TACKLING EXTENSION PRIVATIZATION ISSUES
FINDING EXTENSION'S ROLE IN DISASTERS
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC HAVE MADE RECORDED PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES. THE GREEN REVOLUTION BROUGHT WIDE PROSPERITY TO THE REGION. MORE RECENTLY, RESEARCH INSTITUTES LIKE INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND ICRISAT, WHICH ARE ENGAGED IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES. HOWEVER, THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES DO NOT MEAN MUCH IF THEY REMAIN CONFINED TO RESEARCH STATIONS AND LABORATORIES AND DO NOT REACH THEIR REAL USERS - THE FARMERS. OF A TOTAL TWO BILLION RURAL ASIANS, 670 MILLION PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN POVERTY. STRONG NATIONAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS, WITH A BROADER MANDATE BEYOND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, ARE NEEDED TO DEVELOP THE HUMAN CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES OF MEN AND WOMEN FARMERS.
THE ORGANIZATION, MANDATE AND PRACTICES OF AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS ARE CHANGING WORLDWIDE, AND IT IS VITAL THAT THIS REGION KEEP PACE WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. THE CHALLENGE OF INTRODUCING APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC GOVERNMENTS IN ORDER TO REFORM THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL CHANGES. OTHERWISE THE EXTENSION SERVICES WILL BECOME OBSOLETE. IT IS NECESSARY TO REITERATE, HOWEVER, THAT EFFICIENT EXTENSION SYSTEMS ALONE WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR BRINGING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE "GREEN PLUS REVOLUTION". THE GOVERNMENTS WILL HAVE TO GUARANTEE THE AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS, SUCH AS ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES, FARM INPUTS, MARKETING AND STORAGE FACILITIES AND APPROPRIATE PRICING POLICIES UNTIL THAT GLOBALIZATION STAGE IS REACHED WHEN OPEN MARKETS WILL DETERMINE THE DEMAND AND PRICE OF VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES.
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION -
THE VIEWPOINT OF AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATOR
PRESENTED BY DR KENNETH MENZ, AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (ACIAR) IS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY CREATED IN 1982 TO FORMULATE PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES FOR IDENTIFYING AND/OR FINDING SOLUTIONS TO AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. INTEGRAL TO ALL ACIAR PROJECTS IS COLLABORATION WITH RESEARCHERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. ACIAR HAS COORDINATED AND MANAGED MANY HUNDREDS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS IN SOME 30 COUNTRIES IN ASIA, THE SOUTH PACIFIC, AFRICA AND THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT. THIS INVOLVED MORE THAN 150 OVERSEAS ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH MORE THAN 50 AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH BODIES.
AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF ACIAR'S OPERATIONS IN 1998 SUGGESTED THAT A STRONGER EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED UPON ENSURING THAT ITS RESEARCH WAS MATCHED WITH CORRESPONDING COMMUNITY IMPACTS. THERE SEEMED TO BE TWO PRIMARY FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS CONCLUSION: I) A PERCEIVED WEAKNESS IN EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION (THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS OF ACIAR'S OPERATIONS) AND II) A LACK OF SUFFICIENT PRE-PROJECT DIAGNOSTICS OR SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TO BETTER CHARACTERIZE RESEARCH PROBLEMS.
AS A RESULT OF THE REVIEW, ACIAR HAS SOUGHT TO CHANGE ITS OWN CULTURE TO BECOME MORE "OUTCOME-ORIENTED". ITS CURRENT STRATEGIES CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN WHICH THE DELIVERY OF BENEFITS TO END-USERS OF RESEARCH OUTPUT IS HIGHLY VALUED.
BUILD DISSEMINATION AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS INTO PROJECT DESIGN AND EXECUTION; LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPLEMENT RESEARCH OUTCOMES AND FOR SPILL-OVER TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
WORK WITH AGENCIES THAT ARE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING BENEFITS.
MAINTAIN AN EXPERT EVALUATION PROGRAMME TO MEASURE IMPACTS; MONITOR IMPACTS OF CURRENT AND COMPLETED PROJECTS; MAINTAIN A PROJECT IMPACT DATABASE AND UTILIZE IT TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE IMPACTS OF ACIAR'S PROJECTS AND TO AID PLANNING.
A FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITHIN ACIAR TO PRIORITIZE RESEARCH RESOURCES. A MULTIREGIONAL INTERNATIONAL TRADE MODEL USING CONCEPTS OF ECONOMIC SURPLUS IS EMPLOYED TO DERIVE EX ANTE MEASURES OF THE RELATIVE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE COMMODITY AND REGIONAL RESEARCH PORTFOLIOS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE BENEFITS AMONG CONSUMERS, PRODUCERS, IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS (DAVID ET AL. 1987). THE MEASURES INCLUDE OBJECTIVE DATA AND SCIENTIFIC JUDGEMENT. RESEARCH DOMAINS ARE REQUIRED TO ASSESS THE LIKELY SPILL-OVER EFFECTS OF COMMODITY RESEARCH TO ENVIRONMENTS; THESE SPILL-OVER EFFECTS ARE CONSIDERED IN ESTIMATING ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
ACIAR FORMED AN ALLIANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE INITIALLY FOR USE OF ITS DATABASE ON PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WOULD GAIN FROM INSTITUTING COMMON WORKING PROTOCOLS ON AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST, SUCH AS ANALYTICAL METHODS AND DATABASES. A KEY FEATURE OF THAT ALLIANCE HAS BEEN THE UPDATING AND ENHANCEMENT OF AN IMPACT ASSESSMENT MODEL (DREAM), WHICH ALSO IS EFFECTIVE AS A CAPACITY-BUILDING EXERCISE FOR RESEARCH ANALYSTS OUTSIDE BOTH AGENCIES.
PROJECT LEVEL STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING RESEARCH IMPACT (BETTER EXTENSION)
AS ACIAR IS RESTRICTED TO RESEARCH, IT HAS TO EITHER WORK AROUND PERCEIVED EXTENSION INEFFICIENCIES OR TRY TO INCLUDE EXTENSION ELEMENTS INTO ITS RESEARCH PROJECTS. THESE APPROACHES CAN BE CATEGORIZED AS FOLLOWS: I) SEEK PROJECTS THAT ARE BROADLY APPLICABLE THROUGHOUT LARGE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS; II) CHOOSE RESEARCH PROJECTS WHERE EXTENSION IS NOT AN ISSUE; III) USE PRIVATE SECTOR EXTENSION SERVICES; IV) APPLY FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH (AND EXTENSION) PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES; V) USE PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION; VI) APPLY THE LANDCARE, OR GROUP DEVELOPMENT, APPROACH. THESE APPROACHES ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE - THERE IS CERTAINLY AN INHERENT DEGREE OF OVERLAP BETWEEN SOME OF THEM. HOWEVER, THEY ARE ALL POTENTIALLY USEFUL IN ASSISTING OR SUBSTITUTING FOR EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL EXTENSIONS SERVICES.
ACIAR USES THESE APPROACHES WITHIN ITS PROJECTS, AND THERE IS SOME MATCHING OF THE APPROACHES TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES PREVAILING WITHIN PARTICULAR COUNTRIES. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE OVERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT ACIAR SPECIFICALLY TAILORS EACH APPROACH IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIRECTLY MATCH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY CIRCUMSTANCES. OTHER ISSUES ARE ALSO GIVEN A STRONG WEIGHTING IN THE CHOICE OF PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS OF PARTNER COUNTRY SCIENTISTS TO PARTICIPATE, RESEARCH IMPERATIVES AS SEEN BY PARTNER COUNTRY GOVERNMENTS, ETC. EACH STRATEGY HAS A ROLE IN BRINGING PROVIDERS AND USERS OF INFORMATION INTO A CLOSER CONGRUENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL PROGRAMME IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA FOCUSED ON THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF ERIONOTA THRAX ON BANANAS, THE COUNTRY'S STAPLE FOOD CROP. THROUGH ACIAR'S RESEARCH, THE PEST WAS CONTROLLED AT NO ADDED PRODUCTION COSTS AND ITS OWN PROJECTS COSTS WERE EXTREMELY LOW, WITH THE PROJECT ABLE TO SPIN OFF SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE IN BANANA SKIPPER CONTROL IN OTHER COUNTRIES. THIS IS A RARE CASE OF A RESEARCH PROJECT REQUIRING NO EXTENSION TO HAVE AN IMPACT BUT SIMILAR SITUATIONS COULD BE SOUGHT.
THREE APPROACHES CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF BUILDING CHANGE PROCESSES (EXTENSION) INTO RESEARCH PROJECTS: I) FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH, II) PARTICIPATORY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION AND III) THE GROUP DEVELOPMENT MODEL.
FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH (FSR). THE TERM SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN OUT OF FAVOUR THESE DAYS. YET, ITS ORIGINAL RATIONALE WAS TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PERCEIVED LACK OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO EXTENSION SYSTEMS FOR LINKING FARMERS AND RESEARCHERS. ALTHOUGH FSR CAN BE CHARACTERIZED BY WORDS SUCH AS APPLIED, ADAPTIVE, PARTICIPATORY, PROMOTIVE, ETC., ITS UNDERLYING AND MOST PERVASIVE FEATURE IS TO LINK RESEARCHERS WITH FARMERS AND THUS BE COMPATIBLE WITH OR SUBSTITUTE FOR EXTENSION. ACIAR HAS IMPLEMENTED MANY PROJECTS IN INDONESIA UNDER A "FARMING SYSTEMS" UMBRELLA TO ENHANCE THE PROBABILITY OF SUCCESSFUL IMPACT.
PARTICIPATORY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION. A PARADIGM SHIFT TOOK PLACE IN THE 1990S FROM FSR TO FARMER-LED "PARTICIPATORY METHODS" FOR FARMERS' OWN USE (CHAMBERS 1993). THESE METHODS INCLUDE PARTICIPATORY TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AS WELL, WITH EMPHASIS ON EXPOSING FARMERS TO A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL POSSIBILITIES AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO EXPERIMENT. SOME PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE IN THIS APPROACH MAINTAIN THAT FARMER PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH HAS NOT LIVED UP TO ITS PROMISE, BASED ON LITTLE EVIDENCE IN THE LITERATURE OF TECHNOLOGY INVENTED BY FORMAL SCIENTIST-FARMER INTERACTION (BENTLEY 1994, PG. 142). ACCORDING TO BENTLEY (1994, PG. 143) THE ONLY STANDARD TO JUDGE FARMER PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IS ITS ABILITY TO GENERATE USEFUL NEW TECHNIQUES FOR RURAL PEOPLE. THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR CAREFUL MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES TO ENSURE QUALITY CONTROL AND TO DOCUMENT AND EVALUATE IMPACTS.
PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION HAVE CONCEPTUALLY THE SAME OBJECTIVES AS EXTENSION - TO BRING ABOUT INNOVATION AND CHANGE. THUS PARTICIPATORY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AS THE EXTENSION "MEDIUM" CAN IMPROVE EXTENSION SERVICES. MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E) ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH THOUGH IN PRACTICE IS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN SUFFICIENT ATTENTION. IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT, THE PRIMARY CONCERN IS NOT WITH ROUTINE MONITORING OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT OF STAFF OR ACQUISITION AND DISBURSEMENT OF INPUTS, BUT WITH THE CONTINUOUS OR PERIODIC ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT IMPACTS AS WELL AS EVALUATION BEYOND THE PROJECT'S LIFE AND FOCUS AREA. THE SCOPE FOR M&E ACTIVITIES IN PROJECTS SUCH AS THE FORAGES FOR SMALLHOLDER PROJECT THAT STARTED IN 1995 IS POTENTIALLY ENORMOUS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP FORAGE TECHNOLOGIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN UPLAND AREAS TO IMPROVE LIVESTOCK FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THE PROJECT INVOLVES A NETWORK OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS, DEVELOPMENT WORKERS AND RESEARCHERS IN INDONESIA, LAO PDR, MALAYSIA, PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, VIET NAM AND SOUTHERN CHINA.
M&E CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH CONVENTIONAL OR PARTICIPATORY MEANS. IF THE OBJECTIVE IS TO ESTABLISH WHETHER A CHANGE IS DUE TO THE PROJECT'S ACTIVITIES, IT MAY BE BETTER TO USE PARTICIPATORY TECHNIQUES THAT DRAW ON THE DETAILED LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF FARMERS AND FIELD WORKERS WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA. USING FARMER FOCUS GROUPS AND FARMER CASE STUDIES INVOLVING SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS CAN PROVIDE IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF THE REASONS FOR OBSERVED IMPACTS THAT CONVENTIONAL METHODS DON'T PROVIDE. PARTICIPATORY TECHNIQUES ALSO EMPOWER LOCAL PEOPLE TO INITIATE, CONTROL AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
GROUP DEVELOPMENT MODEL. GROUPS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORM AROUND AN ISSUE OR ENTRY POINT, WHICH ALL GROUP MEMBERS HAVE IN COMMON. EXTENSION FIRST ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE SIMPLE SKILLS OF THE ENTRY POINT, LATER EXPLORING RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS HEALTH, GROUP SOLIDARITY OR FARM MANAGEMENT. THIS MODEL FORMS THE BASIS OF THE LANDCARE MOVEMENT WORLDWIDE. ACIAR IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A LANDCARE PROJECT, NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR, IN THE PHILIPPINES WITH IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR. DEVOLUTION OF THE FUNCTION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS IN THE PHILIPPINES IS SEEN AS A MAJOR WEAKNESS ON ONE HAND, BUT IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CLOSE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT. THE LANDCARE MODEL SEEKS TO ADD TECHNOLOGY TO THAT LINKAGE.
THE BENEFITS OF THE GROUP MODEL ARE CONSIDERABLE AND THE DRAWBACKS ARE MOSTLY IN THE AREAS OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUPS (POOR LEADERS CAN DISCOURAGE THE REST OF THE GROUP). EXTENSION WORKERS ALSO NEED CONSIDERABLE RETOOLING TO WORK AS FACILITATORS.
THE EXAMPLES SHOW THAT DIFFERENT MODELS WILL BE SUITED TO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS (OFTEN DUE TO THE PARTICULAR HISTORICAL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE). IT MAY OFTEN BE MORE PRACTICAL TO WORK WITHIN THOSE CONSTRAINTS (PRACTICAL REALITIES) RATHER THAN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM. IN ALL CASES, THE BUREAUCRATIC SEPARATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION WOULD SEEM TO BE A HINDRANCE, SINCE IT IS CLEAR FROM MANY OF THE MODELS PRESENTED THAT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ARE PART OF A CONTINUUM AND NOT ENTIRELY DISTINGUISHABLE ONE FROM THE OTHER. MANY OF THE STRATEGIES UNDERTAKEN ARE REALLY MODELS FOR "BREAKING DOWN" THE "ARTIFICIAL" SEPARATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION.
ACIAR PROPOSES TO CONTINUE OR EXPAND ACTIVITIES IN THIS SPHERE OF WORK. HOWEVER, ACIAR'S FUNDING BASE IS RESTRICTED TO CATALYTIC RESEARCH RATHER THAN SPONSORING MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL REFORM. ACIAR THUS EMPHASIZES ENSURING THAT PATHWAYS TO ADOPTION (OR EXTENSION) LINKAGES ARE EITHER AVAILABLE TO ITS PROJECTS OR CAN BE INTEGRATED WITHIN THEM.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES
FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND LINKAGES
PRESENTED BY DR ALEXANDER G. FLOR, PROGRAMME OFFICER, SEAMEO-SEARCA
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME AND MANAGER,
SEAMEO-SEARCA CONSULTING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PHILIPPINES
MOVING BEYOND THE AGRICULTURAL AGE AND THE INDUSTRIAL AGE, THE WORLD IS NOW INTO THE INFORMATION AGE. THE MAIN ENGINE OF THIS AGE IS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.
ICT USUALLY REFERS TO NEW-GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES SPAWNED BY THE MARRIAGE OF COMPUTERS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. BUT IT IS ALSO THE PRODUCT OF THE CONVERGENCE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ENCOMPASSING COMPUTERS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AUDIO-VIDEO AND PUBLISHING. IT COVERS MOBILE PHONES, PERSONAL COMPUTERS, THE INTERNET, E-MAIL, IMAGING TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL VIDEO, EVEN CABLE TELEVISION. ICT TYPES RANGE FROM WEB-ENABLED, NETWORK AND STAND-ALONE TECHNOLOGIES.
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS LAGGED BEHIND IN EXPLORING AND TAPPING THE POTENTIALS THAT ICT HAS TO OFFER. THESE POTENTIALS RANGE FROM THE SHARING AND RE-USE OF DATA, RESEARCH FINDS, LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES AMONG RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOPING QUICK RESPONSE MECHANISMS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES CRISES SITUATIONS; FROM PERMITTING INFORMED DECISION-MAKING AMONG AGRICULTURAL OFFICIALS TO SOUNDER POLICY-MAKING AMONG LEGISLATORS; FROM IMPROVING THE EXTENSION DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN THE RURAL AREAS TO BRINGING E-COMMERCE TO FARMERS.
BY DEFINITION, ICT RELATES TO THE CONVERGENCE OR THE PROCESS OF INCREASING THE INTERFACE BETWEEN TWO SYSTEMS. CONVERGENCE IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS FINDING A COMMON PLATFORM FOR THE RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS FOR SHARING AND RE-USE OF KNOWLEDGE. THAT PLATFORM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. IN MORE CONCRETE TERMS, ICT ALLOWS INFORMATION GENERATED BY THE RESEARCHER TO BE MORE EFFICIENTLY ACCESSED BY THE EXTENSION WORKER SO THAT IT CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVELY TRANSFERRED TO AND APPLIED BY THE FARMER. A CASE IN POINT IS THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME-FUNDED MANGO INFORMATION NETWORK (MIN) THAT SEMAEO-SEARCA ESTABLISHED AT THE PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN 1997. RESEARCH RESULTS ON MANGO PRODUCTION, MANGO PESTS AND DISEASE AND POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGY WERE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET, SPECIFICALLY FOR EXTENSION WORKERS BASED IN STRATEGIC MANGO PRODUCING AREAS. THE EXTENSION WORKERS, IN TURN, TRANSMITTED THE RESULTS TO THE FARMERS. AT TIMES, THE INTERFACE WAS SO SUBSTANTIVE THAT THE ROLES BETWEEN THE RESEARCHER AND THE EXTENSION WORKER, AND THE FARMER, BEGAN TO BLUER. TRADITIONALLY, THE RESEARCHER IS CONSIDERED THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION, THE EXTENSION WORKER IS THE CHANNEL AND THE FARMER THE RECEIVER. HOWEVER, IN THE MIN, BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THOSE TRADITIONAL ROLES AT TIMES DISSOLVED. MORE PROGRESSIVE FARMERS ACCESSED RESEARCH INFORMATION THEMSELVES THROUGH THE WEB WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE EXTENSION WORKERS. OCCASIONALLY, THE FARMERS BECOME SOURCES OF LOCAL INFORMATION FOR THE RESEARCHERS.
BASICALLY, ICT FACILITATE TWO ELEMENTS CRITICAL IN THE RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER INTERFACE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROCESS: INFORMATION ACCESS AND NETWORKING. THE STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL OF RESEARCH RESULTS FACILITATES INFORMATION ACCESS WHILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITATES NETWORKING. IN BOTH ELEMENTS, SEVERAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED
STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES
CAPACITY BUILDING OF SUPPORT AGENCIES. INCREASING THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITY INVOLVES SYSTEM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT; HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PROCUREMENT AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT. THE APPROACH DOES NOT DIRECTLY TARGET THE ULTIMATE BENEFICIARY BUT THE SERVICE THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE FARMER.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT. THIS IS A NEWLY EMERGING DISCIPLINE THAT COMBINES ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS, KNOWLEDGE ENGINEERING AND ICT TO MANAGE THE INTELLECTUAL ASSETS OF AN ORGANIZATION OR, AS IN THE CASE OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, A SYSTEM. THE GOAL IS THE SHARING AND RE-USE OF KNOWLEDGE AND MAKES AVAILABLE TO THE FARMER BOTH DOCUMENTED AND TACIT KNOWLEDGE OF SUBJECT MATTER SPECIALISTS IN AGRICULTURE. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT OFFERS VAST POTENTIAL TO THE RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER INTERFACE. AND THOUGH IT MAY BE WEB-BASED OR STAND ALONE, EXTENSION WORKERS AND FARMERS IN AREAS THAT HAVE MINIMUM INTERNET PENETRATION CAN TAP INTO IT THROUGH A SYSTEM OF EXCHANGE OF MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTS STORED ON CD-ROMS, REMOVABLE HARD DRIVES, ZIP DRIVES OR EVEN DISKETTES.
PROGRAMMATIC ICT STRATEGY. THE IDEAL APPROACH IS USING ICT DIRECTLY TO IMPROVE FARMERS' ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND SECURE THEIR LINKAGE WITH RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND MARKET SUBSYSTEMS. CRITICS OF THIS APPROACH FIND IT DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BECAUSE I) FARMERS ARE NOT COMPUTER LITERATE AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN FUNCTIONALLY LITERATE; II) ICT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND FARMERS WOULD RATHER SPEND ON BASIC NECESSITIES; AND III) THE UNAVAILABILITY OF CELLULAR PHONE AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS IN RURAL AREAS.
BUT PROPONENTS ARGUE IN RESPONSE THAT EMPLOYING LOW-END, LOW-COST ICT, ACHIEVING ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND USING A PROGRAMMATIC INSTEAD OF A TECHNOLOGIC APPROACH CAN ADDRESS THE PROBLEMATIC ISSUES. A PROGRAMMATIC INTERVENTION WITH A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF ATTENDANT SERVICES WOULD INCLUDE PRE-FINANCING, MARKET LINKAGES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MODALITIES
USING LOW-END ICT IN RURAL AREAS. SMALL INDEPENDENT INITIATIVES ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN THE WORLD OVER TO EMPLOY ICT IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT. THE MOST COMMON ARE THE INTRODUCTION OF MOBILE PHONE, PCS, THE WEB AND INTERNET KIOSKS TO IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, GRAMEEN BANK FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, PROFESSOR MUHAMMAD YUNUS, HAS EMBARKED ON INNOVATIVE PROJECTS TO SPREAD ICT ACCESS. THE FIRST IS A GRAMEEN BANK-INITIATED CELLULAR PHONE PROJECT, DUBBED THE GRAMEEN PHONE COMPANY, THAT IS PUTTING A MOBILE PHONE IN SOME 45,000 VILLAGES TO GIVE RESIDENTS ACCESS TO ICT. EACH PHONE IS ACQUIRED BY AN INDIVIDUAL THROUGH A SMALL LOAN FROM THE BANK. THE PHONE THEN BECOMES A COMMUNITY TELEPHONE SERVICE PROVIDER AND EARNS INCOME FOR THE OWNER.
PROFESSOR YUNUS IS FOLLOWING UP WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL VILLAGE COMPUTER INTERNET PROGRAMME THAT CAN PROVIDE AN E-MAIL AND INTERNET SERVICE TO VILLAGERS. INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR PHONE CALLS TO CONTACT RELATIVES IN CITIES OR ABROAD, VILLAGERS NOW CAN E-MAIL FOR A FRACTION OF THE PHONE CALL COST. FARMERS WILL BE ABLE TO CHECK MARKET PRICES AND WHOLESALERS IN DHAKA BY EXPLORING THE WEB.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM. ANOTHER POTENTIAL MODALITY FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IS THE GIS OUTPUT MAP. ACCORDING TO FISHER AND NIJKAMP (1992), GIS IS A COMPUTER-BASED INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE, STORE, MANIPULATE, ANALYSE AND DISPLAY SPATIALLY REFERENCED AND ASSOCIATED TABULAR ATTRIBUTE DATA FOR SOLVING COMPLEX RESEARCH, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS. ESRI, THE SOFTWARE PRODUCER, (2000) DESCRIBED IT AS A COMPUTER-BASED TOOL FOR MAPPING AND ANALYSING THINGS THAT EXIST AND EVENTS THAT HAPPEN ON EARTH. GIS TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATES COMMON DATABASE OPERATIONS, SUCH AS QUERY AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, WITH THE UNIQUE VISUALIZATION AND GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS BENEFITS OFFERED BY MAPS. IN OTHER WORDS, GIS IS A SYSTEM THAT ADDS A SPATIAL DIMENSION TO TRADITIONAL DATABASES BY INCORPORATING GEO-REFERENCED DATA.
APPLIED TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, GIS BECOMES A POWERFUL TOOL FOR THE ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, PRESENTATION AND APPLICATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS IN ON-FARM TRIALS OR EVEN FARMERS' FIELDS. IT PRODUCES ACCURATE AND CONTEXTUALIZED, VISUAL AND LOCATION REPRESENTATIONS OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CLIMATE AND COMMODITIES, SOIL TYPE AND RECOMMENDED CROPS, PRODUCTIVITY AND CROPPING PATTERNS, NUTRITION AND LAND-USE, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY AND POVERTY. GIS PROVIDES A VALUE-ADDED SERVICE TO RESEARCH DATA BY BRINGING IN VISUAL AND CONTEXTUAL ELEMENTS THAT BRING TO LIFE CONCRETE ABSTRACT CONCEPTS. AN EXTENSION WORKER CAN BETTER APPRECIATE RESEARCH RESULTS WHEN SEEN IN GIS OUTPUT MAPS, CAN EASILY ARRIVE AT ITS IMPLICATIONS AND IS BETTER ABLE TO RELAY IT TO FARMER-CLIENTS.
KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS. A KNOWLEDGE NETWORK IS A COMPLETE INTRANET SYSTEM. ITS MAIN FUNCTION IS TO FACILITATE THE SHARING AND RE-USE OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN AND AMONG THE NODES OF THE NETWORK. CURRENTLY, SEAMEO-SEARCA HOSTS TWO KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS: THE ASEAN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE NETWORK, ESTABLISHED IN 1998, AND THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION CENTRE, ESTABLISHED IN 2000. A THIRD KNOWLEDGE NETWORK KNOWS AS THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE NETWORK IS BEING PROPOSED.
OPPORTUNITIES AND PROSPECTS
THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ENVIRONMENT IS MOST FAVOURABLE FOR TAPPING ICT FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. THE OKINAWA SUMMIT OF G7/G8 NATIONS ESTABLISHED THE PRIMACY OF BRIDGING THE "DIGITAL DIVIDE" IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AGENDA. JAPAN IS FINE-TUNING ITS US$15 BILLION ICT FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME, TO BE PARTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK WITH CAMBODIA, LAO PDR AND VIET NAM IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY RECIPIENTS. THE WORLD BANK HAS MAINTAINED ITS INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT GRANTS PROGRAMME THAT MAKES UP TO US$250,000 PER GRANT AVAILABLE TO DESERVING PROJECTS. AND THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY HAS ESTABLISHED ITS OWN IT FUND FOR "A USER-FRIENDLY INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY" WITH AN ASIA ICT COMPONENT PROGRAMME. SEVERAL BILATERAL AID AGENCIES HAVE ALSO PRIORITIZED ICT ISSUES.
THE CONDITIONS ARE RIPE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO REPOSITION THEMSELVES VIS-À-VIS THE NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT.
POLICY, INSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
PRESENTED BY DR MOHAN KANDA, ADDITIONAL SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT,
DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES, INDIA
THE PRECEDING 50 YEARS HAVE BEEN A PERIOD OF UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS ON MANY FRONTS. A HALF CENTURY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN A LONG PERIOD BUT ALSO AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENTFUL ONE. INDEED, NO OTHER SUCH 50-YEAR PERIOD IN HISTORY HAS PERHAPS SEEN SUCH WIDE-RANGING AND RAPID CHANGES IN WORLD AGRICULTURE. YET THESE VERY YEARS HAVE LEFT IN THEIR WAKE A HOST OF UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS, NEW CHALLENGES, RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES. IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION, DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES ARE AS STRIKING AS THEY ARE UNJUSTIFIED. THE POOREST 20 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION ACCOUNTS FOR SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 1 PERCENT OF GLOBAL INCOME WHILE THE RICHEST 20 PERCENT ENJOYS 86 PERCENT.
DESPITE CONSIDERABLE ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURE, MOST OF THE WORLD'S FARMERS HAVE BEEN USING INEFFICIENT MANUAL TOOLS AND THEIR PLANTS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS HAVE BENEFITED VERY LITTLE FROM THE ADVANCEMENT IN THE TECHNIQUES OF BREEDING AND SELECTION. MOREOVER, THESE UNDER-EQUIPPED FARMERS, WITH INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND INEFFICIENT PRODUCTION METHODS ARE EXPOSED INCREASINGLY TO FIERCE COMPETITION FROM BETTER-EQUIPPED AND MORE PRODUCTIVE FARMERS AS WELL AS TO THE STRONG TREND OF DECLINE IN AGRICULTURAL PRICES. THE ONGOING PROCESS OF GLOBALIZATION AND MARKET LIBERALIZATION MAY UNLEASH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL, BUT ACCESS TO THEM WILL BE BY THOSE WHO HAVE THE REQUISITE RESOURCES, INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE.
ISSUES
POLICY. MOST COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE IN PLACE TRANSPARENT AND CLEARLY ENUNCIATED AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION POLICIES. CONSEQUENTLY, RESEARCH IS NOT DRIVEN BY DEMAND - OF THE FARMER THROUGH THE EXTENSION SYSTEM. AS WELL, EXTENSIONS SYSTEMS ARE MONOLITHIC INSTITUTIONS AND NOT SUFFICIENTLY PLURALISTIC. AND OWNERSHIP OF INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS STILL REMAINS AN UNRESOLVED PROBLEM.
MANY WEAKNESSES AND GAPS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO WEAKNESSES OR DEFICIENCIES IN THE STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGY-TRANSFER SYSTEMS. SOME OF THE MOST BASIC OR COMMON CAUSES ARE STRUCTURAL GAPS, LINKAGE WORK ASSIGNED TO INAPPROPRIATE UNITS, INSUFFICIENT AUTHORITY TO ENSURE COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES, HIGHLY CENTRALIZED SYSTEMS AND DIFFERENCES IN LEGAL STATUS.
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. WHILE THE EXTENSION SYSTEM HAS BEEN ADEQUATE TO THE TASKS DEMANDED FROM IT OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, THE FAST-CHANGING EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND VARIATIONS IN DEMAND HAS CAUSED IT TO LOSE ITS RELEVANCE, CREDIBILITY AND SELF-ESTEEM. IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE TOP-DOWN, UNIFORM AND RIGID CHARACTERISTICS TO TRANSIT TO A PARTICIPATORY, BOTTOM-UP AND DEMAND-DRIVEN SYNDROME.
FARMING SYSTEMS APPROACHES. POLICY REFORMS IN AGRICULTURE EXTENSION ENVISAGE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE OLD SINGLE DISCIPLINE-BASED, COMMODITY-ORIENTED APPROACH OF THE TRAINING AND VISIT SYSTEM BY THE FARMING SYSTEMS APPROACH. THIS APPROACH CONSIDERS THE FARM, THE FARM-HOUSEHOLD AND OFF-FARM ACTIVITIES IN A HOLISTIC WAY TO TAKE CARE NOT ONLY OF FARMING BUT ALSO ASPECTS OF NUTRITION, FOOD SECURITY, SUSTAINABILITY, RISK MINIMIZATION, INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION THAT MAKE UP THE MULTIPLE NEEDS OF FARM-HOUSEHOLDS.
KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT FUTURE AGRICULTURAL GROWTH WILL LARGELY ACCRUE FROM IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCTIVITY OF DIVERSIFIED FARMING SYSTEMS WITH REGIONAL SPECIALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY LAND AND WATER. INCREASES IN PRODUCTIVITY ARE LIKELY TO COME FROM THE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF INPUTS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, MORE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION INPUTS ARE REQUIRED FROM EXTENSION SERVICES. EXTENSION WILL HAVE TO RESPOND TO SPECIFIC FARMERS' REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION IN A DEMAND-DRIVEN MODE RATHER THAN PUSHING PRE-DETERMINED TECHNOLOGY PACKAGES. IT MUST PROVIDE SITUATION-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS RATHER THAN TECHNOLOGY MESSAGES MARKETED ACROSS LARGE RECOMMENDATION DOMAINS.
EXPANDING RESEARCH AGENDA. RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ARE BEING FORCED TO EMBRACE A BROADENED MANDATE. LOCAL ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT, MOBILIZATION OF FARMERS INTO GROUPS, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, MICRO-ENTERPRISE, MARKETING LINKAGES, POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES AND VALUE ADDITION, ACCESS TO CREDIT, RISK MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT OF AGRIBUSINESSES, TOGETHER WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ISSUES, RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER NON-AGRICULTURAL ISSUES ARE ALL AREAS THAT NEED TO BE FACTORED INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP IN A PRODUCTIVE AND PRO-ACTIVE MODE.
THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC IS A VAST REGION WITH A VARIED RANGE OF AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THAT PROVIDE A CONGENIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS OF AN EQUALLY DIVERSE RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES, BE IT CROPS, LIVESTOCK OR FISHERIES. ABOUT 6 PERCENT OF THE LABOUR FORCE IN ASIA IS IN AGRICULTURE. THERE IS NEED TO SYNERGIZE THE STRENGTH OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN CAPITAL. EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP AMONG THOSE COUNTRIES WOULD HELP IN THE PRIORITIZATION OF THEIR EXTENSION NEEDS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND INITIATION OF APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES FOR THE BENEFIT REQUIRED BY ALL OF THEM. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR INSTITUTION SUPPORT TO REGIONAL PUBLICATIONS, SUCH AS NEWSLETTERS, TECHNICAL REPORTS, SUCCESS STORIES, CASE STUDIES, ETC. AND SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL INFORMATION NETWORK. DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSORTIUM APPROACH FOR THE BASIC AND STRATEGIC EXTENSION WORK ON A PILOT SCALE IN SOME HIGHLY RELEVANT AND PRIORITY AREAS ALSO NEEDS TO BE TAKEN UP.
POOLING AND SHARING OF INFORMATION IS AN OVERRIDING PRIORITY. LESSONS NEED TO BE LEARNED FROM INDIVIDUAL CASES AND MAINSTREAMED INTO COUNTRY PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES. SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN ACROSS COUNTRIES IN THE REGION. THESE SUCCESS STORIES NEED TO BE ADOPTED AND REPLICATED WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
THE ROAD AHEAD
HOLISTIC, CONTEMPORARY, FORWARD-LOOKING AND EQUITY-DRIVEN POLICY STATEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE BY ALL NATIONS LOUDLY AND CLEARLY IN REGARD TO THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. THE GENERATION OF ASSESSMENT, REFINING AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY WILL THEN HAVE TO FOLLOW IN THE SHAPE OF ACTION PLANS WHOSE IMPLEMENTATION WOULD NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED.
FARMERS NEED UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON SOURCES, QUALITY AND COST OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS AND ALSO ON THE POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES USED FOR PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL GROWTH. THEY ALSO REQUIRE INFORMATION RELEVANT TO STRATEGIES THAT CAN ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVELIHOOD. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN AN APPROPRIATE FORMAT AND LANGUAGE AND THAT FARMERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ACCESS AND ANALYSE IT AND THE ABILITY TO ACT ON IT.
WITH THE WINDS OF LIBERALIZATION BLOWING AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF TRADE BARRIERS UNDER THE NEW WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION RULES, THERE IS A MAJOR SHIFT FROM PRODUCTION-DRIVEN AGRICULTURE TO MARKET-DRIVEN FARMING. TO ENABLE THE FARMING COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE RESOURCE-POOR FARMERS, TO REAP THE FRUITS OF LIBERALIZATION AND GLOBALIZATION, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION MUST PLAY A PRO-ACTIVE ROLE IN EMPOWERING THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ARISING OPPORTUNITIES. EXTENSION SERVICES WILL NEED TO BE RADICALLY RESTRUCTURED TO MAKE TECHNOLOGY DISSEMINATION RESPONSIVE TO NEEDS OF FARMERS. INNOVATIVE INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS NEED TO EVOLVE TO MAKE THE EXTENSION SYSTEM FARMER-DRIVEN AND FARMER-ACCOUNTABLE.
EXPERIENCES SHOW THAT STRENGTH OF SMALL FARMERS LIES IN GROUP MOBILIZATION. STRONG FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS CAN EFFECTIVELY STIMULATE A CLIENT-DRIVEN RESPONSE FROM AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SYSTEMS AND CAN BE AN IMPORTANT MECHANISM IN ARTICULATING SPECIFIC RESEARCH AND EXTENSION NEEDS, ACCELERATING TECHNOLOGY DISSEMINATION AND IN DEVELOPING THE TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS OF MEMBER FARMERS. THERE IS THUS NEED TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO ORGANIZE FARMERS INTO FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
IN THE EMERGING PLURALISTIC SCENARIO, THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC EXTENSION AGENCIES WOULD NEED TO BE REDEFINED. FROM BEING SOLELY PROVIDERS OF SERVICE, THEY NEED TO GRADUATE TO AN APPROXIMATE MIX OF THE ROLES OF PROVIDER, COORDINATOR, FACILITATOR, ENABLER AND REGULATOR.
A SUGGESTIVE FUTURISTIC FRAMEWORK. A FRAMEWORK OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT COULD FORM THE STRUCTURE OF FUTURE STRATEGY COULD PERHAPS TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS, AMONG OTHERS:
THE EXTENSION SYSTEM SHOULD BE PARTICIPATORY, BOTTOM-UP AND DEMAND DRIVEN.
RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR RE-ORIENTATION OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXTENSION-FARM TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MODE TO TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION.
RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP IN AGRICULTURE EXTENSION MANAGEMENT.
EXTENSION TO BE BROAD-BASED IN ITS PROGRAMMES BY UTILIZING A FARMING SYSTEMS APPROACH.
ADOPT PLURALISTIC RESEARCH EXTENSION APPROACHES THAT EXPLICITLY UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR AN INTEGRATING MECHANISM.
AGGRESSIVE PRIVATIZATION OF EXTENSION SYSTEMS TRANSITING TO A DEMAND-DRIVEN AND USER CHARGE REGIME.
PROMOTING AGRI-ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH AGRI-CLINICS AND AGRIBUSINESS CENTRES.
RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR STRONG RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER AND MARKETING LINKAGES.
AN INCREASINGLY GENDER-SENSITIZED EXTENSION STRATEGY.
ONE-TIME CATCH-UP EXERCISE FOR TRAINING INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEVELOP EXTENSION PROFESSIONALISM IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER.
FOCUSSED MONITORING AND EVALUATION TO IMPROVE RESEARCH EXTENSION LINKAGE
SINGLE WINDOW SERVICES AT DECENTRALIZED LEVELS USING THE AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (ATMA), INDIA MODEL.
EXTENSION SERVICES TO BE STRENGTHENED TO ADOPT THE "POCKET-PACKAGE MODE" AND TARGET "IMPACT SHADOW MATRICES" CREATED BY THREE-DIMENSIONAL MATRICES.
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE EXTENSION SYSTEM TO ACHIEVE "SYNC" WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. ESPECIALLY AS WE ENTER THE "KNOWLEDGE MILLENNIUM", THE ABILITY TO STAY TUNED TO ONE'S SURROUNDINGS ASSUMES INCREASED IMPORTANCE.
BANGLADESH
THE FIRST AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK STARTED IN PRE-INDEPENDENCE TIMES IN 1914 AND SPREAD INTO WIDER COVERAGE THROUGH THE DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE THAT WAS CREATED IN 1950. ALONGSIDE INDEPENDENCE, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES IN BANGLADESH GAINED MOMENTUM BUT LACKED COORDINATION IN THE 1970S. BETTER UNITY AND ORGANIZATION CAME ABOUT IN THE 1980S WHEN SIX AGENCIES MERGED INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION (DAE) AND ALL DISTRICTS OPERATED UNDER THE TRAINING AND VISIT SYSTEM (T&V). REFORMS WERE INITIATED IN THE DAE IN 1992 TO ADDRESS WEAKNESSES IN THE T&V SYSTEM AND TO INTRODUCE THE PARTICIPATORY APPROACH IN EXTENSION DELIVERY. THE AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AND INNOVATION REFORM PROJECT NOW CONDUCTS EXTENSION ACTIVITIES OF THE DAE.
THE DAE IS COMMITTED, AS ITS MISSION STATEMENT DECLARES, TO PROVIDING EFFECTIVE, DEMAND-LED, DECENTRALIZED AND EFFICIENT SERVICES "TO ALL CATEGORIES OF FARMERS, TO ENABLE THEM TO OPTIMIZE THEIR USE OF RESOURCES, IN ORDER TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT".
IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S AGRICULTURAL POLICY, A NEW AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION POLICY (NAEP) WAS FORMULATED AND ADOPTED IN 1996. THE GOAL OF THE NAEP IS TO "ENCOURAGE THE VARIOUS PARTNERS AND AGENCIES WITH THE NATIONAL EXTENSION SYSTEM TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SERVICES THAT COMPLEMENT AND REINFORCE EACH OTHER, IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURE IN BANGLADESH".
THE CURRENT EXTENSION APPROACH HAS SIX BASIC FEATURES: DECENTRALIZATION, RESPONSIVENESS TO FARMERS' NEEDS, WORKING WITH FARMER GROUPS, TARGETING, USE OF A RANGE OF EXTENSION METHODS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER EXTENSION PROVIDERS.
POOR LINKS BETWEEN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ARE MAJOR CONSTRAINTS IN THE TECHNOLOGY FLOW IN BANGLADESH. THE MAJOR RESEARCH-EXTENSION LINKAGES TAKE PLACE THROUGH VARIOUS AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE, THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE COORDINATION COMMITTEE AND THE AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES' REPORTS.
THE RESEARCH-FARMER LINKAGES ARE MAINTAINED THROUGH ON-FARM DEMONSTRATIONS OF REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATIONS, TRAINING PROGRAMMES, FIELD DAYS AND DISTRIBUTION OF PRINTED MATERIALS. THE FARMERS OF BANGLADESH HAVE YET TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF THE SUBSTANTIAL GENERATION OF TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURE; THE KEY PROBLEM IS THE DIFFUSION OF THAT TECHNOLOGY. THERE IS NEED TO IMPROVE INFORMATION DISSEMINATION UTILIZING ALL RELEVANT TECHNOLOGIES AND CHANNELS.
THE INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN IS QUITE IMPORTANT IN THE COUNTRY'S AGRICULTURE BUT IS NOT RECOGNIZED. UNDER THE SCOPE OF THE 1999 NATIONAL AGRICULTURE POLICY, SEVERAL PROGRAMMES AIM TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE, SUCH AS SEPARATE EXTENSION PROGRAMMES, TRAININGS AND CAPITAL SUPPORT AND RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY CONSTRAINTS TO WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. THE DAE, HOWEVER, DOES NOT HAVE AN EXPLICIT STATEMENT OF INTENT THAT FOCUSES ON GENDER, EXCEPT ITS MISSION STATEMENT COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ALL CATEGORIES OF FARMERS, WHICH COULD IMPLY MAINSTREAMING OF GENDER. MOST OF THE DAE'S PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO INCLUDE WOMEN FARMERS AS BENEFICIARIES. AND TO ADDRESS WOMEN'S NEEDS, THE DAE HAS EMPLOYED ABOUT 500 FEMALE BLOCK SUPERVISORS. BUT MOST OF THEM END UP ENGAGED IN OFFICIAL WORK AND PERFORM LITTLE EXTENSION ACTIVITY.
CAMBODIA
AGRICULTURE IS AN IMPORTANT SECTOR IN CAMBODIA AS 85 PERCENT OF ITS POPULATION ARE FARMERS. THE GOVERNMENT'S BASIC GOALS FOR THE SECTOR ARE TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY THROUGH EXPANSION OF RICE AND OTHER FOOD CROP PRODUCTION, IMPROVE INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARM HOUSEHOLDS, PARTICULARLY THOSE HEADED BY WOMEN, BY DIVERSIFYING CROP PRODUCTION AND TO ADD VALUE TO CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION BY DEVELOPING AGRO-PROCESSING INDUSTRIES.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES BEGAN IN 1957 WHEN THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY SET UP AN EXTENSION UNIT THAT USED TV, RADIO AND PUBLICATIONS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO FARMERS. ALL EXTENSION INFRASTRUCTURE WAS DESTROYED IN THE 1970S. IT RETURNED IN 1986 WITH AN EXTENSION OFFICE WITHIN THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY AND THEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXTENSION (DAE) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1995.
THE GOALS OF THE DAE ARE TO ENHANCE STABLE FARM OCCUPATIONS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF RURAL LIFE IN BOTH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS FOR FARM AND RURAL POPULATIONS. WITH AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE, THE DAE DEVELOPED NATIONAL EXTENSION GUIDELINES USING A FARMING SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT APPROACH RATHER THAN AN EMPHASIS ON EXTENSION SERVICE. THIS REQUIRES HAVING SMALL AGRICULTURE TEAMS WITH A RANGE OF SKILLS IN DISTRICT OFFICES; THE MAIN ACTIVITIES INVOLVE SETTING PROVINCIAL, DISTRICT AND COMMUNE FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITIES, INCLUDING CLOSE LINKS BETWEEN RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND FARMERS; DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EXTENSION PROGRAMME PACKAGES, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FORMING STAGES; CONDUCTING TRAINING FOR STAFF OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND KEY FARMERS (VIA FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS AND FIELD DAYS) AS WELL AS FARM DEMONSTRATIONS AND THE PRODUCTION OF EXTENSION MATERIALS.
AT PRESENT, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SERVICES AND SYSTEMS IN CAMBODIA HAVE VERY WEAK LINKAGES AMONG THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND THERE ARE FEW EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO FOSTER THESE LINKS, AS MOST OCCUR ON AN AD HOC BASIS. THE DAE HAS TRIED TO DEVELOP STRONG FORMAL LINKAGES AT NATIONAL LEVEL WITH KEY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRONOMY AND LAND IMPROVEMENT, ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION, FISHERIES AND OF FORESTRY, THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN'S AFFAIRS AND OTHER LEAD AGENCIES.
CHINA
FEUDAL OWNERSHIP OF LAND WAS ABOLISHED 52 YEARS AGO WITH THE CREATION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. A NEW LAND-REFORM MOVEMENT AIMED TO DEVELOP SELF-RELIANCE AND THE SPREAD OF NEW SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES. ENSUING POLITICAL MISTAKES NEARLY DESTROYED THE NATION'S ECONOMY AND THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR SUFFERED SEVERELY. MORE REFORMS AND OPEN-DOOR POLICIES FOLLOWED IN THE LATE 1970S, INCLUDING THE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM THAT GAVE FARMERS THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LAND. CHINA NOW FEEDS ITS 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE USING ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S CULTIVATED LAND. CHINA ALSO RANKS FIRST IN TOTAL GRAIN OUTPUT IN THE WORLD.
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DATES BACK TO ANCIENT TIMES, BUT LINKS WITH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION BEGAN AT THE TURN OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE COMMUNE SYSTEM IN THE LATE 1950S, A STATE EXTENSION SERVICE WAS SET UP AT FOUR LEVELS (CENTRAL, PROVINCIAL, COUNTRY AND COMMUNE). THE CURRENT CHINESE EXTENSION SYSTEM OPERATES AT FIVE LEVELS (CENTRAL, PROVINCIAL, MUNICIPAL, COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP) AND INVOLVES 49,000 EXTENSION UNITS, ABOUT 400,000 VILLAGE SERVICE GROUPS, 1.03 MILLION FARMER TECHNICIANS AND 6.6 MILLION DEMONSTRATING HOUSEHOLDS.
GENERALLY, THE LINKS AMONG EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ARE STRONG. THIS PAPER HIGHLIGHTED FINDINGS FROM TWO CASE STUDIES OF BEST PRACTICES RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN CHINA UNDER FAO SPONSORSHIP THROUGH THE NINGXIANG COUNTY AGRO-TECH EXTENSION CENTRE (CATEC) IN HUNAN PROVINCE AND THE WUQING CATEC, IN TIANJIN MUNICIPALITY. EACH CATEC INCLUDES TOWNSHIP AGRO-TECHNOLOGICAL EXTENSION STATIONS (TATESS). THE STUDIES EXAMINED THE PHILOSOPHY, PROCESS AND RATIONALE THAT LED TO THE CREATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESENT INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS AND HOW THESE SYSTEMS FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES OF CLIENT PARTICIPATION, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND DECENTRALIZATION.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CHINESE AGRICULTURE, AGRO-RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND EXTENSION, AS WELL AS SOME BEST EXTENSION PRACTICES, SUCH AS SETTING UP THE CATEC TO PROMOTE THE WHOLE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, GENERATING INCOME TO MAKE UP BUDGET GAPS, ADOPTING MULTIPLE METHODS TO FULFIL EXTENSION'S MISSION AND FOR DECENTRALIZING EXTENSION TO MEET THE MARKET-ORIENTED ECONOMY ARE SUMMARIZED AND ILLUSTRATED IN THE PAPER.
THE PAPER ALSO NOTED THAT BOTH THE CATECS AND TATESS ARE FACING NEW CHALLENGES SINCE CHINA'S ENTRY TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION AND IN CHANGING FROM TRADITIONAL FARMING TO MODERN FARMING AND FROM SELF-SUFFICIENT PRODUCTION TO COMMODITY PRODUCTION.
INDIA
INDIA'S AGRICULTURE SECTOR EMPLOYS 61 PERCENT OF ITS ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION, WHICH IS 15 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE WORLD AVERAGE (46 PERCENT). INDIA CONTAINS 2.4 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S TOTAL AREA AND 2.3 PERCENT OF ALL IRRIGATED AREAS THAT SUPPORT 16.4 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION. ALTHOUGH THE INDIAN AGRICULTURE SECTOR HAS MADE RAPID STRIDES IN FOOD PRODUCTION THAT CREATED SELF SUFFICIENCY AND AVOIDED FOOD SHORTAGES IN THE COUNTRY, THE PATTERN OF GROWTH ACROSS REGIONS AND CROPS AND ALSO ACROSS DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE FARMING COMMUNITY HAS BEEN UNEVEN.
THE PAPER HIGHLIGHTED THE EVOLUTION OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IN BOTH PRE-INDEPENDENCE AS WELL AS POST-INDEPENDENCE INDIA, INCLUDING THE STRATEGIES INITIATED THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE. AT PRESENT THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN INDIA: THOSE OF THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND STATE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OF NGOS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THE CHALLENGES FACING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ARE FOURFOLD - ENHANCED PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY, EQUALITY AND UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND ENHANCED PROFITABILITY, WHICH CALLS FOR DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE VIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE EXTENSION MODALITIES. THE EXTENSION SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS WORK WITHOUT CLEAR POLICY DIRECTION AND ARE CHARACTERIZED BY UNIFORMITY RATHER THAN SPECIFICITY. THE KEY QUESTIONS NEEDING TO BE CONSIDERED ARE WHAT CHANGES IN THE ROLE OF PUBLIC EXTENSION ARE REQUIRED AND WHAT POLICY DIRECTION IS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP OTHER VIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE SOURCES OF EXTENSION TO FARMERS?
TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES, A BROAD FRAMEWORK OF EXTENSION MODALITIES HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT ARE BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE FRONTLINE EXTENSION SYSTEM OF STATE AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES, AS WELL AS EXPERIENCES IN WORKING WITH SELF-HELP GROUPS, THE FEDERATION OF FARMERS' GROUPS, THE QUALITY-UPGRADING PROGRAMME OF SMALL TEA GROWERS AND IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
THE PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE FRAMEWORK ARE FARMER-CENTRED AND FARMER-LED, REDUCING THE FUNCTION OF THE MAIN EXTENSION SYSTEM TO A FACILITATING ROLE THAT PROVIDES TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND REFINEMENT THROUGH INNOVATIVE FARMERS' CLUBS. AS WELL, THERE IS EMPHASIS ON MICRO-LEVEL DISSEMINATION OF TECHNOLOGY THROUGH HOMOGENOUS SELF-HELP GROUPS AND USE OF IT FOR PROVIDING MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND WEATHER FORECASTING. THE FRAMEWORK INCLUDES EMPHASIS ON QUALITY UPGRADING, TRAINING THROUGH FARMER SCHOOLS, GENDER PERSPECTIVES IN THE FORMATION OF FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS, FLEXIBILITY IN PLANNING, PROGRAMMING AND FUNDING THROUGH RESOURCE INTERDEPENDENCE, COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PLURALITY OF INFORMATION PROVIDERS.
INDONESIA
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION IS DEFINED AS NON-FORMAL EDUCATION FOR FARMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES (MEN AND WOMEN) AND AIMS AT, AMONG SEVERAL ISSUES, THEIR SELF-RELIANCE IN MANAGING FARMING, BUSINESS AND LIVING. DIFFERENT EXTENSION METHODOLOGY AND APPROACHES ARE IMPLEMENTED IN EACH REGION. OVERALL, THE PROMOTION OF CLIENT PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, PARTNERSHIPS AND DECENTRALIZATION CONCEPTS AND METHODOLOGIES HAVE BEEN AT THE CORE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION REFORMS.
THE RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND FARMER LINKS IN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER IS BASED LARGELY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTICIPATORY AND PARTNERSHIP CONCEPTS. IN DEVELOPED REGIONS, HOWEVER, WHERE FARMERS ARE BETTER EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED, PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES ARE MORE APPROPRIATE THAN IN LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS. PARTNERSHIP MODELS COMMONLY IMPLEMENTED IN THE EXTENSION PROGRAMMES ARE STANDARD: CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT; GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR; LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND FARMERS; PRIVATE SECTOR AND FARMERS. THEY ALSO INCLUDE COST AND TECHNICAL SHARING.
THE SKILLS OF EXTENSION PERSONNEL ARE IMPROVED CONTINUOUSLY, IN THEORY, THROUGH VARIOUS TECHNICAL TRAINING AND FORMAL EDUCATION, SUCH AS DISTANCE LEARNING, IN ORDER TO MEET THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF FARMERS. HOWEVER, THESE PROGRAMMES HAVE NOT BEEN ADEQUATE TO MEET THE INCREASED NEEDS OF FARMERS. DECENTRALIZED AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION HAS PROVIDED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR IMPROVED OPERATIONS IN THE LINKAGES BETWEEN RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND FARMERS. INSTEAD OF BEING END USERS OF RESEARCH, FARMERS NOW ARE REGARDED AS PARTNERS IN THE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROCESS. IT IS ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT NEEDS AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY FARMING FAMILIES ARE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGICAL AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY RESEARCHERS AND EXTENSION WORKERS IN HELPING THEM. THIS INTERACTIVE MODEL IN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT HAS RESULTED IN HIGHER RATES OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY FARMERS. A CASE STUDY IN ONE DISTRICT IN YOGYAKARTA INDICATES THAT COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES LED TO 92 PERCENT OF PARTICIPATING FARMERS APPLYING THE RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY.
AMONG THE CONTINUING CHALLENGES IS THE ATTITUDE, OR TRUST, OF EXTENSION WORKERS AND RESEARCHERS TOWARDS FARMERS' CAPABILITY IN MANAGING FARMING AS WELL AS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES, WHICH ULTIMATELY DISCOURAGES FARMERS' PARTICIPATION. THE TRUST OF FARMERS TOWARDS EXTENSION WORKERS AND RESEARCHERS IS ANOTHER ISSUE.
AS INDONESIA LOOKS TO DEVELOP A TECHNOLOGY-BASED AGRIBUSINESS INDUSTRY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THERE BE GREATER FOCUS ON NATIONAL RESEARCH, THE FLOW OF INFORMATION IN SOCIETY TO MEET DIVERSE AS WELL AS SPECIFIC DEMANDS, BUILDING STRATEGIES FOR PARTICIPATORY AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, FARMER EMPOWERMENT AND STRENGTHENING FARMERS' PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS, AMONG OTHER ISSUES. REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS UNDER GLOBALIZATION, EXTENSION WORKERS WILL DISSEMINATE ONLY STANDARDIZED INFORMATION AND THE FARMERS WILL PRODUCE AND PROCESS THESE PRODUCTS ACCORDING TO SET STANDARDS. INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS WILL ASSESS THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS TO ENSURE COST-EFFECTIVE LINKAGES.
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER INTERFACING AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, COMMONLY CALLED EXTENSION SERVICES, HAVE HELPED KOREAN FARMERS IN ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN RICE AND THE YEAR-ROUND SUPPLY OF GREEN VEGETABLES. IT ALSO HAS HELPED IN THE UPBRINGING OF RURAL YOUTH THROUGH THE GUIDANCE OF 4-H CLUB ACTIVITIES AND IN PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR SAEMAUL UNDONG (NEW VILLAGE MOVEMENT).
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SERVICES ARE ORGANIZED THROUGH THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA CHANGED THE STATUS OF EXTENSION EDUCATORS FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT STAFF TO COUNTY/CITY GOVERNMENT STAFF IN 1997, FOLLOWING ITS DEMOCRATIZATION AND LOCALIZATION EFFORTS. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, ATTACHED TO THE NATIONAL RURAL LIVING SCIENCE INSTITUTE, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2002.
THE DECENTRALIZING EXTENSION SERVICES BROUGHT ABOUT VARIOUS PROBLEMS, SUCH AS: 1) DECREASED MORALE AND NUMBER OF EXTENSION EDUCATORS, THUS WEAKENING THE EXTENSION EDUCATION FUNCTION; 2) WEAKENED LINKAGES BETWEEN NATIONAL AND LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICES, 3) LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR IN-SERVICE EDUCATION OF EXTENSION EDUCATORS, AND 4) WEAKENED LINKAGES BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION, ETC. ALSO, EXTENSION SERVICES NEED MORE FUNDING AND MANPOWER TO MEET THE EMERGING NEEDS OF ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AGRICULTURISTS AND CONSUMERS, BUT THE NATIONAL EXTENSION BUDGET HAS NOT REFLECTED THESE NEEDS.
AMONG THE MANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE AND ASSURING FOOD SECURITY ARE THE NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE EXTENSION EDUCATORS AS HIGH-CALIBRE PROFESSIONALS AND TO RESTORE THE MORALE OF EXTENSION EDUCATORS. ALSO, THE LACK OF ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES, INCLUDING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION, POSES A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTRAINT TO FARMERS. SUCCESSFUL MODELS FOR RESEARCH-EXTENSION LINKS IN A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM ARE STILL NEEDED. IT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED, HOWEVER, THAT SOME FUNCTIONS ARE BEST PROVIDED CENTRALLY DUE TO ECONOMIES OF SCOPE OR SCALE, SUCH AS EXTENSION SERVICE TRAINING AND PRODUCTION OF MATERIALS. SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR WEB DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION AND LONG-TERM EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEMS FOR TECHNOLOGY ARE NEEDED. RECOGNIZING GENDER DIMENSIONS IN ALL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AS WELL AS IN EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER IS ALSO RECOMMENDED.
THE PAPER EMPHASIZED THAT BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF DIFFUSING INNOVATIONS TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IN ORDER TO ENSURE QUALITY AND STEADY FOOD SUPPLY, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THESE ISSUES BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THE EXTENSION SERVICE FURTHER DETERIORATES. FURTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ON AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SHOULD ALSO BE CONDUCTED TO MAKE THE EXTENSION SYSTEM IN KOREA FAR MORE EFFECTIVE.
MALAYSIA
MALAYSIA'S AGRICULTURE IS IN A PROCESS OF RAPID TRANSFORMATION, IN LINE WITH THE COUNTRY'S SHIFT IN PARADIGM FROM A PRODUCTION ECONOMY TO A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY. AROUND 19 PERCENT OF ITS TOTAL LAND AREA IS DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND IS DOMINATED BY TWO MAJOR INDUSTRIAL CROPS: OIL PALM AND RUBBER. THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR CONTAINS HIGHLY COMMERCIALIZED AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGED ESTATES, WHICH ARE MOSTLY OWNED BY PRIVATE COMPANIES, CORPORATE ENTITIES OR PUBLIC LAND DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND COMPARATIVELY LESS EFFICIENTLY MANAGED SMALL FARM HOLDINGS. THE AVERAGE SIZE OF A SMALL FARM HOLDING IS ABOUT 1.45 HA. IN THE PAST FEW DECADES, A GROUP OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCERS INVOLVED IN HIGH-VALUE CROP PRODUCTION, ESPECIALLY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, HAVE EMERGED TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MARKET-ORIENTED AGRICULTURE.
EXTENSION SERVICES WERE INTRODUCED INTO MALAYSIA WITH THE FORMATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (DOA) IN 1905, AND FOR THE SMALL FARM HOLDERS INVOLVED THE TRAINING AND VISIT SYSTEM. BUT THE FORMER TARGET GROUPS ARE BEING REPLACED WITH YOUNGER, WELL TRAINED AND MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL GROUPS, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL FARMS AND INVESTORS AND WOMEN'S GROUPS. MODALITIES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED SO THAT THE SMALL FARERS WILL BENEFIT THROUGH THEIR SHARE OF LAND WITH THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS MANAGING FARMS. THE CURRENT MODEL IS AN ADAPTED VERSION OF THE T&V SYSTEM AND HAS ACHIEVED MS ISO 9002 CERTIFICATION IN ITS GROUP FARMING EXTENSION SERVICE.
GROUP FARMING WAS INTRODUCED AS WAY TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN THE COMMERCIALIZATION PROCESS. IN PROVIDING THE EXTENSION SERVICE, THE TECHNICAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE GROUP FARM PROJECT REPLACE THE IMPACT POINTS UNDER THE PREVIOUS T&V SYSTEM. FARM VISITS ARE SCHEDULED AND FOCUS ON SOLVING PROBLEMS AT THE PROJECT LEVEL AS WELL FOR OBTAINING FARMERS' FEEDBACK. ABOUT 4,500 GROUP FARM PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. CURRENTLY, THE FOCUS OF EXTENSION WORK IS TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS APPROACH IN MANAGING THE GROUP FARMS TO BE COMPETITIVE AND INVOLVES DEVELOPING BUSINESS PLANS, CROP CHECK, FARM RECORDS AND FARM PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.
PRECISION IN GROUP FARMING IN THE CONTEXT OF MS ISO 9002 IS TO ENSURE THAT THE AGRONOMIC PRACTICES RELATED TO ACHIEVING THE POTENTIAL YIELD IS PRACTISED BY THE FARMERS. THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROGRAMME THUS FOCUSES ON THE EXTENSION OFFICERS TO ENABLE THEM TO TRANSFER THE REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FARMERS TO PRACTISE AND ON THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS TO ENSURE TIMELY EXECUTION OF THE CROP SCHEDULE. THE DOA PROVIDES VARIOUS ADVISORY AND CONSULTATION SERVICES THAT COVER THE AREAS OF FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY, SOIL MANAGEMENT, CROP PACKAGE TECHNOLOGIES AND CONTROL OF COP PEST AND DISEASES.
LAND USE PRIORITIES AND AGEING HUMAN RESOURCES WHO CONSIDER AGRICULTURE A WAY OF LIFE RATHER THAN AS A BUSINESS ARE ISSUES CONFRONTING EXTENSION SERVICE. FLAGSHIP, OR MODEL, PROGRAMMES INCLUDE A 10 TON RICE PROJECT, NUCLEUS FARMS, PERMANENT FOOD-PRODUCTION PARK, SATELLITE FARM, IDLE LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND COCONUT REPLANTING PROJECT. MAKING AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINED SKILLED MANPOWER - THE YOUNG FARMERS - TO BE UTILIZED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION/DEVELOPMENT IS SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE MODERN AGRICULTURE IN THE COUNTRY.
NEPAL
NEPAL CONTAINS A DIVERSE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL SETTING AND A MYRIAD OF CULTURES. WITH ITS 40 PERCENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP, AGRICULTURE IS THE MAIN OCCUPATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF NEPALESE. BUT THE MAJORITY OF FARMERS HAVE A VERY SMALL LAND HOLDING - LESS THAN 1 HA PER FAMILY. LAND DISTRIBUTION IS SKEWED AND ONLY ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL CULTIVATED AREA IS UNDER IRRIGATION.
IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE 1950S THAT PLANNED DEVELOPMENT BEGAN IN NEPAL AND AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WERE STARTED WITH AMERICAN ASSISTANCE. THERE HAVE BEEN FREQUENT CHANGES IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE; A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1966, WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL 1972 WHEN IT WAS MERGED INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES (MOAC). THE CONSOLIDATION DETRACTED FROM THE STATUS OF EXTENSION WORK AND HAS RESULTED IN A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM, ABSENCE OF APPROPRIATE PERSPECTIVE AND HENCE A GRADUAL DECLINE IN ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICES IN ALL 75 DISTRICTS; EACH IS HEADED BY AN AGRICULTURAL GRADUATE OF ANY DISCIPLINE OF AGRICULTURE AND SUPPORTED BY A FEW SUBJECT-MATTER SPECIALISTS. THERE ARE 932 AGRICULTURAL SERVICE CENTRES AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICE SUBCENTRES WITHIN THE DISTRICTS. HOWEVER, EXTENSION IS DETACHED FROM RESEARCH AND EDUCATION: THE NEPAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL IS AN AUTONOMOUS RESEARCH ORGANIZATION. SIMILARLY, AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IS WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. THIS SEPARATION HAS CREATED WEAK LINKAGES AND RESEARCH HAS LIMITED CONTACT WITH FARMERS. NO RESEARCH IN EXTENSION IS UNDERTAKEN AT ALL. AND THOUGH NEPAL IS SOCIALLY, CULTURALLY AND ECOLOGICALLY A DIVERSE COUNTRY, EXTENSION TEACHING METHODS AND APPROACHES ARE STEREOTYPED. AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE TARGET-ORIENTED AND BASED NARROWLY ON INCREASING PRODUCTION, WITHOUT DUE ATTENTION TO MARKET POTENTIAL. AND GRASSROOTS LEVEL EXTENSION AGENTS ARE TECHNICALLY ILL PREPARED TO HELP FARMERS.
SOME CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES SUCH AS GLOBALIZATION (PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO GENETIC MATERIAL AND THE RIGHTS OF FARMERS) AND GENDER HAVE INFLUENCED EXTENSION ADMINISTRATION. CONCEPTS LIKE PROJECTIZATION AND PRIVATIZATION OF EXTENSION ARE OF RECENT ORIGIN AND STILL ARE BEING CLOSELY MONITORED. SIMILARLY, THE WOMEN FARMERS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF THE MOAC HAS MOSTLY BEEN WORKING ON WOMEN ISSUES TO A LIMITED EXTENT BUT THERE IS A REALIZATION THAT A MORE VISIBLE GENDER PERSPECTIVE IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IS NEEDED. AMONG THE CONSTRAINTS CONFRONTING THE PROGRESS ARE THE WEAK LINKS AMONG INSTITUTIONS AND THE REGARD FOR WOMEN FARMERS AS A HOMOGENEOUS GROUP THOUGH THEY DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY IN SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOUR ACROSS ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF THE COUNTRY.
THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA AND TRAINING METHODS NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE DIVERSE ETHNIC MIX OF THE NATION AND SERIOUS THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO CREATING A UNIFIED EXTENSION SERVICE ORGANIZATION TO REVITALIZE AND STRENGTHEN EXTENSION PERFORMANCE.
PAKISTAN
PAKISTAN IS A FEDERATION OF FOUR PROVINCES WHERE, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RESEARCH FUNCTIONS. EACH PROVINCE IS DIVIDED INTO VARIOUS COMMODITY-SPECIFIC ZONES. AN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTION, THE PAKISTAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (PARC), WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE LATE 1970S. EACH PROVINCE HAS A DIRECTORATE-GENERAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION THAT ADMINISTERS THE EXTENSION NETWORK DOWN TO THE UNION COUNCIL LEVEL, THE LOWEST TIER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMPOSED OF THREE TO FIVE VILLAGES.
THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT RECENTLY DEVOLVED AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION FROM THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL TO THE NEWLY ELECTED DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS, WHICH PUTS IT MORE SIMILAR TO THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF COUNTY EXTENSION. ALL AGRICULTURAL AND SISTER ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS FISHERIES AND LIVESTOCK, ARE UNDER ONE MANAGER KNOWN AS THE EXECUTIVE DISTRICT OFFICER OF AGRICULTURE. DESPITE MANY RESOURCES AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS, ITS AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS PERCEIVED AS HAVING PERFORMED ADEQUATELY WELL. PAKISTAN RECENTLY SWITCHED FROM BEING A NET FOOD-IMPORTING COUNTRY TO A FOOD-EXPORTER. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN THAT ACHIEVEMENT.
PAKISTAN HAS EMBARKED UPON SOME NATIONAL AND SOME DONOR-DRIVEN INITIATIVES IN RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT. A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT IS THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS OF MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION AMONG THE VARIOUS ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AND COHERENCE AMONG THE PROGRAMMES. THE ROLE OF MARKETING PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES HAS RECENTLY SHIFTED TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. PAKISTAN IS CURRENTLY FACED WITH THE DILEMMA THAT TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED BY THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SYSTEM ARE LYING UNTAPPED. THE PARC LAUNCHED A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMME IN ALL PROVINCES IN 2002 USING THE TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATION SUPPORT SYSTEM AND BACKED WITH IT-BASED MEANS OF DISSEMINATION.
WHILE THE WOMEN'S ROLE IN AGRICULTURE IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED, LITTLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO CORROBORATE THE FINDINGS AND TO ORCHESTRATE GENDER-SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLEVIATE THE DRUDGERY THEY UNDERGO IN FARM OPERATION. MOST OF THE FARM TECHNOLOGIES DESIGNED ARE MALE-FOCUSED.
THE COUNTRY REPORT ANALYSED PAKISTAN'S AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM RELEVANT TO RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER INTERFACE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. THE ANALYSIS INCLUDED THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT, EXTENSION SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMMES, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND REASONS FOR SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF VARIOUS APPROACHES AND PROGRAMMES. EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON DEVELOPING AND UPGRADING EXTENSION PERSONNEL'S SKILLS, PARTICULARLY IN IT TO MANAGE THE DEMANDS PRESENTED BY GLOBALIZATION AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION. IN-SERVICE TRAINING INSTITUTES AND AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES ARE BEING REVAMPED. VARIOUS POLICY MEASURES TO BE INSTITUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN WERE OUTLINED.
PHILIPPINES
THE PHILIPPINES NOT ONLY HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION, IT ALSO HAS A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE WITH DECENTRALIZATION IN WHICH LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUS) TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXTENSION SERVICES, SHIFTING DELIVERY FROM TOP-DOWN TO PARTICIPATORY STRATEGIES.
GENERALLY, PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE STRUGGLES WITH THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE GLOBAL TREND TOWARD FREE TRADE. HOWEVER, THE SHIFT TOWARDS DECENTRALIZATION, THAT TOOK PLACE WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1991, RESULTED IN VARIOUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS POOR LINKAGE BETWEEN RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION, LACK OF CLEAR-CUT AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION OBJECTIVES AND MISSION, AND INADEQUATE FINANCIAL AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORT (ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT RATIO OF FARMERS TO EXTENSION AGENTS IS VERY LOW AT 732 TO 231).
TO ADDRESS THOSE AND OTHER CHALLENGES, THE PHILIPPINE EXTENSION SYSTEM USES A VARIETY OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY MODALITIES. AMONG OTHERS, THERE IS THE TECHNO GABAY PROGRAMME OF THE PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND ITS REGIONAL R&D CONSORTIA AND FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS AND A FARMER-SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAMME, BOTH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE FARMERS' INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICE, OR TECHNO PINOY, A KIND OF ONE-STOP INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICE, A FARMER SCIENTIST BUREAU, THE FARMERS BAYANIHAN CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (FBCRD) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM (DAR), THE TECHNOLOGY PROMOTION CENTRE OF THE LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES AND INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN INCORPORATED INTO THE DELIVERY MODALITIES.
SUPPORT PROGRAMMES TO SUSTAIN AND EVOLVE THE SYSTEMS NEEDED ARE ICT MODALITIES AND GENDER-RESPONSIVE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES. THERE IS A NEED FOR GREATER HARMONY OF ALL MODALITIES AND STRONGER LINKAGES AMONG THE PRODUCERS AND USERS OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE AND FOR MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT EXTENSION SERVICE THAT IS ABLE TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT LOCAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT.
SRI LANKA
WHILE PLAYING AN IMPORT ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SRI LANKA, AGRICULTURE HAS ALSO BEEN FACING CHALLENGES THAT HAVE PROMPTED DECREASES SINCE 1990 IN ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE GDP AND EMPLOYMENT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, AGRICULTURE INVOLVES ALMOST 70 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS DEPEND UPON THE EXPORT OF NAMELY TEA, RUBBER AND COCONUT. SRI LANKA'S MAIN FOOD CROP IS PADDY RICE.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING THE SECTOR ARE DECREASING PRODUCTIVITY, STAGNATING YIELDS, INCREASES IN THE COSTS OF PRODUCTION AND DECREASES IN FARM INCOME. THIS HAS RESULTED IN MIGRATION OF FARMERS TO URBAN AREAS, RELUCTANCE OF THE SECOND GENERATION TO TAKE TO FARMING AND ABOVE ALL THE DECREASE IN LABOUR FORCE IN THE RURAL SECTOR.
THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IN SRI LANKA OVER TIME HAS USED MAINLY GENERALIZED METHODOLOGIES WITH MARGINAL SUCCESS. THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INTRODUCED THE TRAINING AND VISITS SYSTEM IN THE LATE 1970S THROUGH A WORLD BANK-FUNDED EXTENSION AND ADAPTIVE RESEARCH PROJECT. THE EXTENSION SYSTEM HAS BEEN ENTIRELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR WITH VERY LITTLE INPUT FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NGO COMMUNITY. WITH A NEW CONSTITUTION IN 1987, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION CAME UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS. AFTER 1998, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO FORMAL EXTENSION METHODOLOGY PRACTISED IN THE FIELD.
CURRENTLY, THE AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT IN SRI LANKA IS IN TRANSITION; THE COUNTRY IS ON THE VERGE OF SELF-RELIANCE IN RICE, BUT THERE IS AN INCREASED RATE OF ABANDONING RICE CULTIVATION THAT BEGAN IN THE 1980S. DEMAND FOR HIGH-QUALITY FOOD COMMODITIES IN THE DOMESTIC MARKET IS INCREASING. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING INVESTMENT IN HIGH-VALUE CROPS WITH IMPROVED AND SOPHISTICATED REQUIREMENTS AND INCREASING DEMAND IN NEW CROP VARIETIES. THE USE OF MICRO IRRIGATION TECHNIQUES IN PROTECTED AND OPEN ENVIRONMENTS IS ALSO INCREASING.
IN VIEW OF THE NEED FOR DIVERSIFICATION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, SRI LANKA HAS EMBARKED ON A NEW APPROACH OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR TO PROVIDE EXTENSION SERVICES TO THE FARMING COMMUNITY. THIS PROCESS IS NOW IN ITS PILOT STAGE AND DOES ALSO KEEP IN MIND THE NEED TO SERVICE THE PRO-POOR FARMING COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THAILAND
AGRICULTURE IS THE FOUNDATION OF THAILAND'S ECONOMY. IT ENGAGES 56 PERCENT OF POPULATION AND USES 41 PERCENT OF LAND. THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL AND ECONOMIC SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS HAVE ENCOURAGED THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF AGRICULTURE, MOVING AWAY FROM SUBSISTENCE FARMING TOWARDS INTENSIVE MONOCROP PRODUCTION FOR EXPORT. THE CONTINUED HIGH GROWTH RATE OF THE NON-AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS HAD ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY REMAINS RELATIVELY LOW BECAUSE ONLY 24 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CULTIVATED LAND IS UNDER IRRIGATION. SMALL FARMERS HAVE FARM HOLDINGS OF LESS THAN 2.4 HA, WHICH IS USUALLY IN NON-IRRIGATED AREAS.
SINCE 1967, THAILAND HAS INITIATED FORMAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION APPROACH BY ESTABLISHING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION. DUE TO SIGNIFICANT THE CHANGES IN RURAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION APPROACH HAS BEEN ADJUSTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PROPER SERVICES AND EFFECTIVE WAYS OF WORKING WITH FARMERS.
BEGINNING IN 1993, EXTENSION OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE PERSONNEL OF OTHER AGENCIES UNDER THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES (MOAC) HAVE WORKED WITH FARMERS IN A MORE PARTICIPATORY WAY. EXTENSION OFFICIALS INCREASINGLY HAVE LEARNED TO RESPECT FARMERS' INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CAPABILITY. IN 1999, THE MOAC ESTABLISHED SUBDISTRICT AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND SERVICE CENTRES (ATTCS) NATIONWIDE WITH THE AIM TO TRANSFER AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND PROVIDE ONE-STOP SERVICE OF MOAC AGENCIES' SERVICES TO LOCAL FARMERS. THE CONCEPT ALSO RELIES ON FARMERS' PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF THINKING, MAKING DECISIONS AND FORMULATING AND MANAGING FARM PLANS. ACTIVITIES CONSIDERED SUCCESS ARE PROMOTED THROUGHOUT THE SUBDISTRICTS. THE CENTRES ARE RUN AND MANAGED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
CURRENTLY THE ATTCS' STRATEGIES AND AIMS TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITIES OF COMMUNITIES ARE BEING INTEGRATED IN A CAPACITY BUILDING IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT. EACH COMMUNITY HAS TO IDENTIFY ITS OWN CAPACITY AND ASSETS AND MUTUALLY DEVELOP ITS OWN PROJECT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE EXTENSION AGENTS WHOSE ROLE IS CHANGING TO THAT OF "FACILITATORS".
VIET NAM
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION BEGAN IN THE MEKONG DELTA BETWEEN 1988 AND 1993 WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION CENTRES AND DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION STATIONS.
THE MEKONG DELTA IS VIET NAM'S MAJOR RICE PRODUCTION REGION; IT OCCUPIES ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL RICE-SOWN AREA AND PRODUCES MORE THAN HALF THE TOTAL RICE OF THE COUNTRY. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE EXTENSION SERVICE IS TO IMPROVE RURAL LIFE AND DEVELOP THE RURAL COMMUNITIES BY INCREASING TOTAL FARM PRODUCTIVITIES AND PRODUCE QUALITY SEEDS, PARTICULARLY RICE, FOR EXPORT.
IN RECENT YEARS, VIET NAM'S AGRICULTURE EXTENSION HAS EXPANDED WITH THE EXTENSION OF WORKER NETWORKS AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL AND WITH THE CREATION OF THOUSANDS OF FARMERS' CLUBS/GROUPS CONTAINING TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF MORE THAN 46,000 MEMBERS. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES ARE TRANSFERRED THROUGH THE NETWORK.
BUT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS ON THE EXTENSION PERSONNEL: MOST EXTENSION AGENTS ARE AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL WORKERS AND ONLY A FEW HAVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING IN EXTENSION. AS WELL, EQUIPMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES ARE INADEQUATE, PARTICULARLY AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND ALMOST NOT AVAILABLE YET AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL. INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IS ALSO INADEQUATE, PARTICULARLY FOR SALARIES FOR THE VILLAGE EXTENSION WORKERS. THE FARMER-EXTENSION WORKER RATIO IN THE DELTA AREA IS QUITE HIGH, AT ABOUT 1,000. THE SELECTION OF SUITABLE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER METHODS IS LIMITED. EXTENSION PROGRAMME PLANNING IS QUITE TOP-DOWN IN FOCUS. AND MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IS RARELY DONE, RESULTING IN LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS.
THUS, TRAINING IN EXTENSION, STRENGTHENING EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS FOR ACTIVITIES, DEVELOPING THE NETWORK CONTINUOUSLY AT THE VILLAGE AND DISTRICT LEVELS, IMPROVING SALARIES AND PLANNING AND STRENGTHENING MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF ACTIVITIES ARE NEEDED TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.
THEMATIC GROUP I: GLOBALIZATION, LIBERALIZATION AND THE CHANGING DEMANDS AND ROLE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
MEMBERS: AMRIN ZAKARIA, NIE CHUANG, KAILASH N. PYAKURAL, KALIM QAMAR, ALEXANDER C. CASTILLO AND BELITIA A. VEGA
PROJECT A TITLE: THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL BODY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL EXTENSION
OBJECTIVES:
TO IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF THE EXTENSION DISCIPLINE TO GENERATE INTERNATIONAL FUNDING SUPPORT.
TO PROMOTE EXTENSION OBJECTIVES.
TO PROFESSIONALIZE EXTENSION.
TO PROVIDE A FORUM AND PROMOTE NETWORKING AMONG EXTENSION PRACTITIONERS BY SHARING EXPERIENCES, INFORMATION, ETC.
TO CONDUCT COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON EXTENSION AND ITS LINKAGES WITH RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS.
OUTPUT:
A STRONG LOBBY GROUP OR FORUM CREATED FOR FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FOR PROMOTION OF EXTENSION SERVICES.
MORE PROFESSIONALIZED EXTENSION MANAGERS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
WIDER OPPORTUNITIES AND VENUES FOR REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS AND SHARING OF INFORMATION.
ACTIVITY 1: CONSULTATION WITH BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL AGENCIES AND EXTENSION-RELATED NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON THE CONCEPT OF AN INTERNATIONAL BODY FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL EXTENSION.
WHO: FAO HQ AND REGIONAL OFFICE
TIMELINE: SIX MONTHS
ACTIVITY 2: OUTLINING OF THE STRATEGY TO CREATE THE FORUM, INCLUDING ITS STRUCTURE AND TERMS OF REFERENCE.
WHO: FAO
TIMELINE: THREE MONTHS
ACTIVITY 3: FURTHER ACTION BY THE FORUM.
WHO: TO BE DETERMINED
TIMELINE: TO BE DETERMINED
PROJECT B TITLE: CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMME IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL EXTENSION FOR LGUS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
OBJECTIVES:
TO PREPARE LGUS IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION PROGRAMMES.
TO BUILD UP THE CAPACITY OF LGUS TO ESTABLISH LINKAGES TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL (INCLUDING MARKETS) PARTNERSHIPS.
TO FAMILIARIZE LGUS ON THE IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION AND PREPARE THEM FOR CHANGES.
OUTPUTS:
INCREASED AWARENESS AMONG LGUS AND VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ON THE CHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF GLOBALIZATION AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION.
IMPROVED PARTICIPATORY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION CAPABILITIES OF THE LGUS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
EXTENSION TRAINING MATERIALS TO PROMOTE PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES.
ACTIVITY 1: SELECTION OF PILOT COUNTRIES (THREE TO FOUR COUNTRIES).
WHO: FAO
TIMELINE: THREE MONTHS
ACTIVITY 2: CONDUCT NEEDS-ASSESSMENT STUDIES FOR EACH SELECTED COUNTRY.
WHO: FAO CONSULTANT
TIMELINE: SIX MONTHS
ACTIVITY 3: DRAFTING OF THE DETAILED PROPOSAL.
WHO: FAO CONSULTANT
TIMELINE: THREE MONTHS
THEMATIC GROUP II: RESEARCH-EXTENSION-FARMER-MARKET-CIVIL SOCIETY LINKAGES: NEW HORIZONS AND EXTENSION MODALITIES
MEMBERS: DATO ISMAIL BIN INBRAHIM, SING VAR, SUGUNYA ATHIPANAM, KENNETH MENZ, R, PADMAJA AND R. B. SINGH
PROJECT A TITLE: IMPROVING FARMER-EXTENSION-RESEARCH LINKAGE
OBJECTIVE | OUTPUT | ACTIVITIES | RESPONSIBILITY | TIME FRAME |
DOCUMENT AND USE PARTICIPATORY METHODS TO BETTER LINK FARMERS, EXTENSION PERSONNEL AND RESEARCHERS | COMPENDIUM OF AVAILABLE METHODS DEVELOPED | LANDSCAPE AVAILABLE METHODS | FAO | 5 YEARS |
| NEW METHODS DEVELOPED | CHOOSE THE BEST FITTING METHOD(S) FOR THE COUNTRY | COUNTRIES | |
| HUMAN CAPITAL ENHANCED | DEVELOP NEW METHODS | FAO/COUNTRIES | |
| ADOPTION OF PARTICIPATORY METHODS ENHANCED | BUILD HUMAN CAPITAL OF ALL PARTICIPANTS, ESPECIALLY EXTENSION PERSONNEL | FAO/COUNTRIES | |
| PUBLICATION (PRINT, WEB) | IMPLEMENT NEW METHODS | FAO/COUNTRIES | |
| | MONITOR AND EVALUATE THE PROCESS | FAO/COUNTRIES | |
| | SHARE FINDINGS WITH A WIDER AUDIENCE | FAO/COUNTRIES | |
PROJECT B TITLE: SHARING SUCCESS STORIES
OBJECTIVE | OUTPUT | ACTIVITIES | RESPONSIBILITY | TIME FRAME |
DOCUMENT SUCCESSFUL CASES OF BRINGING ABOUT INNOVATION AND CHANGE BY FARMERS | INDICATORS OF SUCCESS DEVELOPED | DEFINE CRITERIA OF SUCCESS | FAO | 1 YEAR |
| | SEARCH FOR SUCCESSFUL CASES | FAO/ INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES | |
| | ANALYSE REASONS FOR SUCCESS AND POSSIBILITIES FOR EXTRAPOLATION | FAO/ INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES | |
| PUBLICATION (PRINT, WEB) | DOCUMENTATION FOR WIDER DISSEMINATION | FAO/ INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES | |
THEMATIC GROUP III: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND LINKAGES
MEMBERS: N. F. C. RANAWEERA, WAQAR HUSSAIN MALIK, P. DAS, ALEXANDER G. FLOR, KAMOLRAT INTARATAT AND R. BALAKRISHNAN
RATIONALE
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT MODE OF AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION. THE MAGNITUDE OF ICT PENETRATION VARIES AMONG COUNTRIES, AND REGIONAL COUNTRIES DIFFER AMONG THEMSELVES IN THEIR LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SECTORS. BUT THE REALITY OF ADVANCES IN THE ICT ENVIRONMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION AND LIBERALIZATION SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE THE EXTENSION EFFORTS IN THE REGION. ICT COULD BE A TOOL TO EMPOWER EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS AND ALSO FARMERS.
THE NEED OF THE DAY IS TO USE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION, NOT TO REPLACE IT. RECOGNIZING THIS NEED, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE APPROXIMATE MIX OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY. FURTHERMORE, ICT IS NOT ONLY CONCERNED WITH LOGISTICS BUT IS A TOOL TO REACH A WIDER AUDIENCE. NETWORKING AT THE MICRO LEVEL IS A MAJOR CONCERN; AT THE MACRO LEVEL, IT DISSEMINATION IS NOT A PROBLEM. THE POOR RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE POSES BARRIERS TO IT PENETRATION THOUGH COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE FARES BETTER IN RELATIVE TERMS.
THE CHALLENGE AND FOCUS IN THIS NEW INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE ONE OF REPOSITIONING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RETOOLING EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS. HOW SHOULD AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION REPOSITION ITSELF GIVEN THE NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT? HOW SHOULD AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORKERS RETOOL THEMSELVES GIVEN THE NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY?
FOUR INTERVENTIONS
1. POLICY
A. ICT POLICIES SHOULD BE STRUCTURED TO FIT THE SCALE OF COUNTRY AND LEVEL OF ADVANCEMENT OF ICT. SUCH STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO IMPROVE ACCESS ICT AMONG EXTENSION PERSONNEL.
B. FROM THE INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, COLLABORATION AMONG NGOS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCIES SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED AND STRENGTHENED TO ADDRESS ICT-BASED EXTENSION APPROACHES AND RETOOLING EXTENSION AGENTS.
2. INFRASTRUCTURE
THE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EXTENSION SHOULD BE UPGRADED.
3. CONTENT
A. THE EMERGING CONCERNS IN THE ICT SECTOR FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SHOULD FOCUS ON CONTENT IN THE PROGRAMMES.
B. GIVEN THE CURRENT SITUATION OF INADEQUATE SUCCESS STORIES AND APPROPRIATE CONTENT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON:
I) DOCUMENTING AND DISTRIBUTING EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICES OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
II) PRODUCING CASES STUDIES REGARDING APPLICATION OF ICT FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT.
III) GROUPING THE DATABASE AND CONTENT AREAS UNDER THE BROAD FRAMEWORK OF "ENVIRONMENTAL SPANNING", WHICH IS DEFINED AS "BROAD-BASED INFORMATION CONTENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF FARMERS" AND INCLUDES A GENDER DIMENSION.
C. IN PREPARATION OF CONTENT FOR THE ICT PROGRAMMES FOR EXTENSION, THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE INCLUDED:
I) INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN IDENTIFYING THE CONTENT.
II) AN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BANK TO PRESERVE AND PASS ON INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE (INCLUDING THAT OF WOMEN).
III) A GENDER-SPECIFIC DATABASE FOR PLANNING BOTH POLICY AND PROGRAMMES.
IV) LINKS WITH WAICENT AND CGIAR AGRICULTURE INFORMATION.
V) RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: GIS, NRM, ETC.
VI) TECHNOLOGY FOR BOTH FARM AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION.
VII) MARKETING INFORMATION.
4. PROGRAMME PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
A. EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF IDENTIFYING DONOR SUPPORT TO REPOSITION AND RETOOL EXTENSION SERVICE IN THE ICT ENVIRONMENT TO EMPOWER EXTENSION AGENTS TO SERVE FARMERS EFFECTIVELY IN COPING WITH GLOBAL CHANGES.
B. OPEN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND DISTANCE-LEARNING PROGRAMME MODALITIES (BOTH ICT-BASED AND COMMUNICATION-BASED) COULD ALSO BE USED IN RETOOLING EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS.
5. CAPACITY BUILDING
A. EVEN IN THE CONTEXT OF ICT-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT, IT IS THE HUMAN COMPONENT ASPECTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND NON-REPLACEABLE, ESPECIALLY AS MANY RURAL AREAS ARE STILL POOR AND FARMERS ARE STILL TRADITIONAL IN THEIR BEHAVIOUR AND WAY OF THINKING.
B. THE TRAINING APPROACH SHOULD ALSO REVIEW THE POTENTIAL FOR TRAINING YOUTH (GIRLS AND BOYS) AND USING THEM AS PEER GROUP TRAINERS. THE TRAINING OF TRAINERS MODELS CAN BE APPLIED IN TRAINING EXTENSION AGENTS IN SCALING UP OR RETOOLING SKILLS.
C. THE DIFFERENT CLIENT NEEDS AND CLIENT SKILLS SHOULD DIRECT ICT DECISION-MAKING. A TYPOLOGY OF TOOLS SHOULD BE ASSEMBLED, SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH FOLLOWS.
TYPOLOGY OF INFORMATION AND COMUNICATIONS TOOLS FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS | CONTENT | |||
RESEARCH-EXTENSION | EXTENSION-FARMER | EXTENSION-MARKET | FARMER-MARKET | |
KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS | EXPERTS NETWORK | | | |
KNOWLEDGE BASES | ON-LINE PUBLICATIONS RESEARCH RESULTS | RESEARCH RESULTS TECHNOLOGY PACKAGES | PRICING POLICY | |
GIS OUTPUT MAPS | AGRO-ECOSYSTEM DEMOGRAPHICS | PRECISION FARMING | | |
COMMUNITY TELECENTRES | | | TECHNOLOGY MARKET INFORMATION | MARKET PRICES POTENTIAL MARKETS |
DIGITAL BROADCASTS | | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | PRICES AND MARKETS | PRICES AND MARKETS |
DIGITAL AUDIO-VIDEO DESKTOP PUBLISHING | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES |
DATABASES | RESEARCH DATA | | | |
VHF/UHF TV | | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MARKET INFORMATION | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MARKET INFORMATION | MARKET PRICES POTENTIAL MARKETS |
AM/FM RADIO | | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MARKET INFORMATION | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MARKET INFORMATION | MARKET PRICES POTENTIAL MARKETS |
AUDIO-VIDEO | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES | DOCUMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND SUCCESS STORIES |
PRINT MEDIA | | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | MARKET PRICES POTENTIAL MARKETS |
FOLK MEDIA | | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | MARKET PRICES POTENTIAL MARKETS |
THEMATIC GROUP III: LOGICAL FRAMEWORK
OBJECTIVES | OUTPUT/ INDICATORS FOR SUCCESS | ACTIVITIES | RESPONSIBILITY CENTRES | TIME FRAME |
1. TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE POLICY ENVIRONMENT FOR ICT IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION THROUGH ADVOCACY | AN APPROVED NATIONAL POLICY IN THE FORM OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER THAT PROVIDES FOR THE FORMATION OF A NATIONAL EXTENSION WORKERS NETWORK AN APPROVED NATIONAL POLICY IN THE FORM OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER THAT PROVIDES FOR THE USE OF APPROPRIATE ICT IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROVISION OF ICT HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND NETWORKS TO THE NATIONAL EXTENSION AGENCIES OF THE THREE PILOT COUNTRIES | POLICY WORKSHOPS POLICY WORKSHOPS NEEDS ASSESSMENT | FAO-RAP FAO-RAP | |
2. TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE TO AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEMS IN INDIA, PAKISTAN, SRI LANKA, THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES 3. TO DESIGN AND DEVELOP APPROPRIATE CONTENT PROTOTYPES USING CONVENTIONAL DIGITAL MEDIA 4. TO DEVELOP NATIONAL EXTENSION PROGRAMME PLANS USING ICT 5. TO BUILD THE CAPABILITY OF EXTENSION WORKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN ICT | PRETESTED PROTOTYPES FOR EACH CONVENTIONAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA NATIONAL MASTER PLANS IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION EMPLOYING ICT NATIONAL AND LOCAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES ON ICT UTILIZATION FOR EXTENSION WORKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS NATIONAL AND LOCAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES ON COMMUNICATION MATERIALS PRODUCTION FOR EXTENSION WORKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS | NEEDS ASSESSMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT | | |
*THEMATIC GROUP V: POLICY, INSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
* THE FOURTH THEME OF GENDER DIMENSIONS IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER WAS DISCUSSED IN SEPARATE GROUPS IN MID-MEETING AND WAS PRESENTED IN THE MAIN BODY OF THIS REPORT.
MEMBERS: PATRICIO S. FAYLON, MUHAMMAD MONIRUL ISLAM, SUNG SOO KIM, MOHAN KANDA, S. KANNAIYAN AND P. S. GEETHAKUTTY
PROGRAMME/ PROJECT TITLE | OBJECTIVES | OUTPUT | ACTIVITIES | RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION | TIME FRAME |
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION SUPPORT PROGRAMME: MEETING THE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY (K&T) DEMAND OF THE LIBERALIZED MARKETS | 1. TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY BUILDING OF EXTENSION SYSTEMS/ FOCUSING ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT | COMPETENT AND PROFESSIONAL EXTENSION HUMAN POWER | | | |
RATIONALE/PROBLEMS | 2. TO STRENGTHEN THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN EXTENSION SYSTEMS | NETWORK OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN EXTENSION SYSTEMS | | | |
CAUSES | 3. TO CREATE AN ENABLING POLICY ENVIRONMENT AND FRAMEWORK FOR ES | EXTENSION POLICY | | | |
DELEGATES | | | |
BANGLADESH | | | |
1. | DR MUHAMMAD MONIRUL ISLAM | TEL: | (880)91-55695-7 EXT. 2691 |
| FAX: | (880)91-55810 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
CAMBODIA | | | |
2. | MR SING VAR | TEL: | (855)2183-4042 |
| FAX: | (855)2321-3011 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
CHINA | | | |
3. | MR NIE CHUANG | TEL: | 86-10-64194538 |
| FAX: | 86-10-64194538 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
INDIA | | | |
4. | DR P. DAS | TEL: | 91-11 5731277 |
| FAX: | 91-11 5731277 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
INDONESIA | | | |
5. | DR AMRIN ZAKARIA | TEL: | (62-21) 7883-9621 |
| FAX: | (62-21) 7883-9621 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
REPUBLIC OF KOREA | | | |
6. | DR SUNG SOO KIM | TEL: | 82-31-290-2541 |
| FAX: | 82-31-293-4162 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
MALAYSIA | | | |
7. | DR DATÓ ISMAIL BIN IBRAHIM | TEL: | (60-3) 2692-8854 |
| FAX: | (60-3) 2698-5746 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
NEPAL | | | |
8. | DR KAILASH N. PYAKURYAL | TEL: | 977 1 470-305 |
| FAX: | 977 1 487-793 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
PAKISTAN | | | |
9. | DR WAQAR HUSSAIN MALIK | TEL: | 92-51-920-7500 |
| FAX: | 92-51-920-2968 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
PHILIPPINES | | | |
10. | DR PATRICIO S. FAYLON | TEL: | 63-49-536-7925 |
| FAX: | 63-49-536-0132 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
SRI LANKA | | | |
11. | DR N.F.C. RANAWEERA | TEL: | 0094-1-872-096 |
| FAX: | 0094-1-887-437 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
THAILAND | | | |
12. | DR APICHART PONGSRIHADULCHAI | TEL: | 02 579-3005, 02 940-6037 |
| FAX: | 02 579-3018 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
13. | MRS SUGUNYA ATHIPANAN | TEL: | 02 579-3940 |
| FAX: | 02 579-3011 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
RESOURCE PERSONS | | | |
14. | DR KEN MENZ | TEL: | 61 2 6217-0530 |
| FAX: | 61 2 6217-0501 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
15. | DR P.S. GEETHAKUTTY | TEL: | 048-371-652, 370-822 |
| FAX: | 91-487-370-019 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
16. | DR S. KANNAIYAN | TEL: | 91-422-431-788 |
| FAX: | 91-422-431-672 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
17. | DR R. PADMAJA | TEL: | 91-40-329-6161 EXT. 2521 |
| FAX: | 91-40-241-239, 329-6182 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
18. | DR MOHAN KANDA | TEL: | 91-11 467-1918 |
| FAX: | 91-11 301-2541 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
19. | DR ALEXANDER G. FLOR | TEL: | (63-49) 536-2290 |
| FAX: | (63-2) 813-5697 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
20. | DR BELITA A. VEGA | TEL: | 62-53 335-2621 |
| FAX: | 62-53 335-2621 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
KASETSART UNIVERSITY | | | |
22. | DR KAMOLRAT INTARATAT | TEL: | (66)02 942-8458 TO 60 EXT.123 |
| FAX: | (66)02 9428-458 TO 60 EXT.111 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
SEAMEO-SEARCA | | | |
23. | DR RUBEN L. VILLAREAL | TEL: | (63-49) 536-2365 TO 67 |
| FAX: | (63-49) 536-7079 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
ITCPH | | | |
24. | MR ALEXANDER C. CASTILLO | TEL: | 63-043 756-1987, 756-1996 |
| FAX: | 63-043 756-1995 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
FAO SECRETARIAT | | | |
25. | DR R. B. SINGH | TEL: | 66-2 697-4222 |
| FAX: | 66-2 697-4445 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
26. | DR M. KALIM QAMAR | TEL: | 39-06 5705-4203 |
| FAX: | 39-06 5705-3152 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
27. | DR S. MALCOLM HAZELMAN | TEL: | 66-2 697-4000 |
| FAX: | 66-2 697-4445 | |
| E-MAIL: | ||
28. | DR REVATHI BALAKRISHNAN | TEL: | 66-2-697-4148 |
| FAX: | 66-2-697-4445 | |
| E-MAIL: |