Developing Innovative Extension Systems to reach Small-scale, poor Men and

Women Farmers

Burton E. SwansonProfessor Emeritus of Rural Development

University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignModernizing Extension and Advisory Services Project

Coordinator, Worldwide Extension Study

Background

Key goals of the international community: Maintain national food security and Increase the incomes of small-scale farm households

Agricultural extension can be the key pathway to achieving both goals

However, pluralistic extension systems are now common in most countries (and competing for resources)

First, let me give you an overview of the pluralistic extension systems now functioning in most developing countries, especially due to USAID’s strong value-chain strategy

Demand Supply

SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS

RULES

Laws

Info

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rule

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& n

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Standards

Regulations

InformationIn

fras

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Related

services

Value Chains are now the Primary Donor-Financed Advisory Services

Business membership

organisations

GovernmentPrivate sector

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

MARKET PLAYERS

InputSuppliers

Producers Wholesale Retailers

USAID: Meeting the Challengesof Value Chain Development: A Learning Event

Unless specified in project design, the primary recipients are the more progressive (male) farmers

Generally, only 5-10% of farmers are served by all of these donor funded projects;

Most advisory services provided by value-chain projects are not sustainable after projects end;

In many cases, entrepreneurial NGOs are: hiring away the best public extension workers (Liberia); or giving public extension workers the program & travel

funds needed so they can give good advisory services to farmers in their target area (Malawi), but then these NGOs take most of the credit for these services.

Key Problems of Donor Supported Pluralistic Extension Systems

USAID’s new FtT Strategy is now focusing on the Rural Poor, but…

They still want to pursue about 4 value-chains, which differ from country to country

In most countries, the primary focus is still on staple food crops, many of which are primarily grown by male farmers, plus livestock (e.g. sheep or goats)

The current plan is for USAID to only finance local organizations (not int’l firms), but are still reluctant to invest in public extension (e.g. Bangladesh).

With this overview of the donor-driven approach, let’s look at the key extension functions and then examine how new innovative extension systems can help the rural poor

• Building social capital: Helping

men and women farmers organize into

producer groups to increase market access &

other needed services

• Achieving Long- term food security by using sustainable land, soil, water & other NRM practices

• Increasing farm-household income by

helping small-scale men and women

farmers learn how to produce and

market high- value food products

• To achieve national food security the primary target group will continue to be small-scale male farmers since they produce these crops in most countries

Technology transfer, especially for the staple food crops Training

farmers how to intensify &

diversify their farming

systems

Training farmers how

to organize into producer and self-help

groups

Training farmers how to use sustainable NRM practices

Training rural women how to improve family nutrition and use improved family planning, hygiene and health care practices

Improving Rural LivelihoodsMaintaining National Food Security

PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS INNOVATION

What are the Key Functions of an Effective,Comprehensive Agricultural Extension Systems

Key Functions of an Innovative, Market-Driven Extension System in Helping Small-Scale Men AND Women Farmers Increase their Household Income

An Innovative Extension

System

1Expanding

High-Value

Markets6

Develop Market Chains

5

Train Interested Farmers 4

Farmer-to Farmer Assess-

ment

3

Organize Self-Help Groups

2

Identify Innovative Farmers

On-farmresearch re:

HVC/Ps recommend-

ations

Research on HV Markets

& Value Chains

PRA

NGOs can helporganize SHGs,especially ruralwomen

Why Should Extension Systems become more Decentralized and Bottom-Up?

1. Both markets for high-value crops/products and agro-ecological conditions are location specifica. First, extension workers should identify which HVC/Ps

have the highest potential of success in each area

b. One approach is to identify innovative farmers who are already producing and marketing specific products

2. In addition, to make extension systems more farmer-driven, they must formally establish Steering and/or Advisory Committees to identify the specific needs and priorities of representative poor farmers, especially rural women!

Example of how the ATMA approach was ImplementedIn the Patna District in Bihar, India

Diara = Ganges river-basinSilt builds-up in the diara, which is good for post-monsoon horticultural crops

Tal = wetlands good for post-monsoon (rabi) pulse cropsNumber and type of FIGs and SHGs

created in different blocks in Patna District, Bihar (Slide developed by K.M. Singh, 2008)

Vegetables - 46 FIGs/SHGs

HMACs – 140 FIGs

Dairy – 125 FIGs/SHGs

Poultry/Fish - 35 FIGs/SHGs

Beekeeping – 13 FIGs/SHGS

Vermi-compost – 52 SHGs

Mushrooms – 152 FIGs/SHGs

Basmati Rice-40 FIGs

Pulses - 25 FIGs

Oilseeds - 10 FIGs

Potato/Onion - 35 FIGs

(Slide developed by K.M. Singh, 2008)

Major Urban Centres

Floriculture 19 FIGs/SHGs

Swanson, Singh & Reddy, 2008

Post-harvest – 26 SHGs

Micro-credit = 45 SHGs

TOTAL= 763, including 249 SHGs

Why Should Pluralistic Extension Systems be Transformed?

With rapidly increasing economic growth in most developing countries), urban consumption is changing, including Increased demand for meat, milk and horticultural products; Many of these products are traditional produced by rural women

Most Asian countries have maintained and some are now transforming their public extension systems; however, many SSA and most LAC countries have either reduced or eliminated their public extension systems.

Finally, if pluralistic extension systems are to help small-scale farm households to improve their livelihoods, they must become more a) decentralized, b) farmer-led and c) market-driven!

Role of Non-Governmental Organizations Providing Agricultural Advisory Services

The role of NGOs in providing extension services has changed substantially over past 20+ years Originally, most NGOs focused on “social skills” Now, with expanded donor resources being invested in

agriculture, “entrepreneurial NGOs” are hiring away the best public agricultural extension advisors, and

Most new agricultural NGOs are very successful in competing for and carrying out donor-driven projects, especially those focused on “value chains.”

But, are these new NGO advisory service providers sustainable after donor funding ceases?

There is a need for Public-Private Partnerships!

Conclusions

1. Value Chains are important, but donors should think more broadly about all HVC/Ps, not just 4!

2. Donors must think about how to intensify and diversify farming systems for small-scale farm households, especially rural women!

3. Organizing farmer groups is very important, but poor farmers cannot take many risks and what they can produce and market will be based on: Size of farm and their agro-ecological conditions Gender and number of family members

who can work on these very small farms

Conclusions

4. Public extension should give priority to process innovations, especially focusing on the rural poor

5. Public extension must also give high priority to natural resource management (NRM) practices

6. To make these institutional changes, public extension systems must become more decentralized, farmer-led and market-driven.

7. Finally, the donor community should start reinvesting in public extension systems to make it more financially sustainable