INTRODUCTION
The Extension, Education and Communication Service (SDRE) and the Research and Technology Development Service (SDRR) of the Research, Extension and Training Division, Sustainable Development Department at FAO headquarters are interested in having the country case studies on Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems for Rural Development (AKIS/RD) analysed and synthesized. These studies were recently conducted in a number of countries in different geographical regions of the world.
AKIS/RD
An AKIS/RD links people and institutions to promote mutual learning and generate, share and utilize agriculture-related technology, knowledge and information. The system integrates farmers, agricultural educators, researchers and extension workers to harness knowledge and information from various sources for better farming and improved livelihoods. A detailed description of the AKIS/RD system is contained in a FAO/World Bank publication Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems for Rural Development (AKIS/RD): Strategic vision and guiding principles (2000).
In summary, AKIS/RD place strategic emphasis on the following:
AKIS/RD systems that are financially, socially and technically sustainable;
relevant and effective processes of knowledge and technology generation, sharing and uptake;
AKIS/RD systems that are demand-driven through empowerment of farmers such that programmes and activities are responsive to their needs;
the interface between and integration among the various education, research, extension and farming activities; and
accountability to assure that stakeholders assume their respective responsibilities.
Country case studies
With the aim of preparing operational guidelines for translating into action the strategic vision and guiding principles highlighted in the joint FAO/World Bank publication mentioned above, SDRE/SDRR initiated/conducted case studies in the following countries:
1. Malaysia
2. Pakistan
3. Uganda
4. Lithuania
5. Cameroon
6. Morocco
7. Chile
8. Cuba
9. Trinidad and Tobago
10. Egypt
The objectives of the case studies were to examine the status of the AKIS/RD system in terms of its membership pattern, resource allocation, operations, strengths and weaknesses, and to learn lessons from the case studies in order to strengthen the AKIS/RD effectively in the countries of the studies and elsewhere.
The case study methodology involved a combination of approaches including document and secondary data review, rapid appraisals, questionnaires, group and individual interviews with key informants and workshops/seminars. To the extent possible, both quantitative and qualitative data were utilized in the studies. The national consultants who conducted the studies to obtain technical information required for preparing the study reports performed the following specific tasks:
identification of the major AKIS/RD operators, both public and private, in the country in the areas of agricultural research, agricultural extension, agricultural education and the farming profession;
recording the perceptions of the identified operators about their roles in the AKIS/RD system;
identification of the current formal and informal mechanisms that link various operators for the purpose of joint planning and integrated operations within the context of AKIS/RD, and assessment of their suitability and effectiveness;
collection of information on the human, physical and - especially - financial resources of various operators and the technical and geographical scope of their individual operations, and identification of any current or planned modalities for sharing resources, especially aimed at cost-sharing;
assessment of the importance that the government attaches to each operator in terms of budgetary allocations, staff benefits (incentives), and promotion and career development opportunities (enabling environment);
identification of the main constraints such as institutional, physical, political, financial, human resources, etc. that discourage various operators from planning and operating jointly;
collection of the views and suggestions of various operators for facilitating joint planning and operations;
analysis of the current programmes of various operators and identification of the programme areas where they can collaborate with the aim of implementing the AKIS/RD concept effectively rather than operating in isolation from one another;
assessment of the extent of decentralization, delegation of power and authority for financial control of income and expenditure to lower administrative levels, such as the district level, in the cases of the various operators;
identification of cases where the operators use in their field operations client-oriented and participatory approaches to planning, programming and implementation, involving several operators;
assessment of the importance attached by various operators to human resources development, such as through development of problem solving skills, participatory learning and empowerment, as compared with a mainly technology and production focus;
critical assessment of any appropriate mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment of their respective programmes used by various actors.
In addition to the FAO/World Bank publication on AKIS/RD, the following information on major discipline-specific issues, trends and considerations was provided to each consultant responsible for conducting a study:
Agricultural extension: broader role beyond mere agricultural technology transfer, stakeholders’ participation, decentralization, privatization, pluralism, client focus, gender sensitivity, application of electronic information technology, etc.
Agricultural research: research policy environment and management style; participatory and gender-sensitive research agenda; research coordination, priority setting and M&E; decentralization and resource allocation; research partnerships, linkages and outreach.
Agricultural education: systemic approach (i.e. looking at basic, vocational and higher education in the context of rural development systems); curriculum renewal and relevance (including gender, environment, biotechnology, food safety and rural development issues); pedagogical innovation (i.e. using more participatory and experiential teaching methods, and giving opportunity for practical experience and skill building); equity of access to quality education.
Farming practice: indigenous knowledge, farmer organizations, farmer empowerment, and participation in the making of decisions related to agricultural extension, research and education that affect farmers’ lives.
Analysis and synthesis of the studies
The objectives of analysing and synthesizing the country studies are: 1) to identify major hurdles to smooth functioning that are faced individually by any one AKIS/RD partner institution and/or by all the partner institutions, any good practices being followed by any AKIS partner/s in any country, which could be tried in other countries; and, based on the lessons learned from the case studies, 2) to come up with normative guidelines that developing countries could follow for the satisfactory functioning of AKIS/RD, and that could also be used for formulating projects aimed at AKIS/RD strengthening.
A consultant who has working knowledge of English, Spanish and French, is familiar with the AKIS/RD concept, has the necessary training and at least ten years of senior-level experience in an international setting in agricultural extension, research and education, and has a basic degree in agriculture and preferably a Ph.D. in one of these fields will be contracted to do the analysis and synthesis of the country studies and prepare a comprehensive report on the subject. Working under the direct technical supervision of the Senior Officer for Agricultural Training and Extension, SDRE (M. Kalim Qamar) and the Senior Research Officer, SDRR (Henry Mwandemere), the consultant will perform the following specific tasks:
prepare a tentative framework for analysing and synthesizing the country case studies, which may be used to extract, analyse, synthesize and use the information in executing the following remaining terms of reference;
critically review the ten country case study reports on AKIS/RD, starting with the reports that are immediately available, followed by the remaining study reports as soon as they are completed;
identify the main commonalities among AKIS/RD in all the study countries in terms of organizations and institutions involved, organizational mandate, methods of operation, institutional linkages, extent of human and physical resources, types of clientele served, etc.;
identify any unique, innovative steps undertaken in any country/countries to strengthen AKIS/RD that seem promising and may be tried elsewhere;
identify the areas of strengths and the reasons for those strengths, along with the weaknesses and the causes of those weaknesses, that distinctly emerge in most of the case studies;
identify the recommendations most frequently given in the country study reports that are aimed at strengthening specific weak areas, and assess whether those recommendations are sufficient to establish a sustained, efficient and productive AKIS/RD;
based on the review, analysis and synthesis of the studies, formulate normative guidelines that developing countries can use for establishing effective AKIS/RD;
identify and select any unusual, unique and eye-catching content from the text of the various studies, which may be used for preparing "boxes" to be inserted in the text of the final analysis and synthesis report;
prepare a report in English on the work done, with the following contents:
- Executive summary.
- Introduction/Background.
- Main conclusions of each country study.
- Unique, innovative features in various country studies.
- Common strengths related to AKIS/RD as revealed by the country studies, and reasons for these.
- Common weaknesses related to AKIS/RD as revealed by the country studies, and reasons for these.
- Recommendations most frequently made for strengthening AKIS/RD in various country studies.
- Normative guidelines for strengthening AKIS/RD.
- At least two project profiles aimed at strengthening AKIS/RD, based on the normative guidelines, containing rationale, objective, outputs and the human, physical, and financial resources needed to achieve the outputs, as well as the estimated time required. (This has not yet been done).
- Conclusion.
- Annexes, etc.
