Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms

Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

Jim Ellis-Jones

Participatory Research and Extension Approaches (PREA)

Some requirements for success

• Positive engagement with partners and communities • Identification and addressing of

community-identified priority challenges and opportunities- Use of value chain approaches

• Work with and strengthen existing CBOs and private sector• Jointly plan, implement and learn

Development of strong R&D partnerships (IPs)

A traditional (linear) approach

3

Research

Extension

Farmer

An innovation systems approach

4

Knowledge generation

Demand / PullIncreasing farmer capacity

to source and use knowledge

Putting knowledge into use

Information market

Supply / Push

Stakeholders and partners

Traditional (linear) Participatory (Innov Sytems)

Main objective Technology transfer Building farmer capacity to use knowledge

Opportunities analysis Outsiders Farmers, facilitated by outsiders

Methods Messages, fixed packages Options considered

Farmer behavior Adopt, adapt or reject Choose from basket and experiment/ innovate

Intended outcomes Widespread adoption of package

Wider choices, enhanced adaptabilities

Main extension mode Extension worker to farmer

Farmer to farmer

Role of R&E Teacher, trainer Facilitator

TRADITIONAL VS PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES

Facilitation

• Playing a neutral, guiding and encouraging role

• Gaining the respect and trust of partners and the community

• Not dominating or allowing others to do so

• Encouraging all to express opinions• Ensuring objectives and deadlines are

met

Reference No.6

PREA in practiceStage 1: Social engagement, and

community analysis (PCA)Social mobilisation

Stage 2: Action planning Searching for solutions

Stage 3: Implementation Encouraging local interest groups to try out new

ideas

Stage 4: Sharing experiencesLearning (monitoring and evaluation) and scaling out

Consideroptions

Exchange visits

Participatory Research and Extension Approach

Enteringcommunity build trust

Identifyinglocal organ-

isations

Raisingawareness

Identifying needs &

problems

FeedbackTo

community

Training

Technicalbackstopping

Training

mid-Season

evaluation

Training

Planningfor nextlearning

cycle

PREALearning Cycle

PREA Training

Ethiopia Africa Rising

Prioritisingneeds andproblems

Actionplanning

Searchingfor

solutions

Mandatinglocal

institutions

Tryingout new

ideas

End of season review

and processmonitoring

YearsY2Y1 Y3 Y4 Y5

PREA process

9

Africa Rising

Stage 1: Engagement and mobilisation

Engaging with stakeholders Research Centres, Universities, Bureau of

Agriculture, (private sector) Establishing common interests and approaches

(MoU) Selecting areas – woreda, kebele

Engaging with the community Meeting with local leaders and community

representatives Understanding the community (livelihoods,

institutions, types of farmer, farming systems, crops – livestock and which are the most important), early identification of challenges and possible solutions

Views of men, women, young people (PCA)

PCAs (June-July 2013)

Meetings in eight kebele (4 regions, 4 woredas) Participants

Kebele and community leadership Representatives of CBOs Men and women (more men) Probably better resourced farmers

Facilitators Universities, Research Centres Kebele and Woreda agricultural staff

Stage 2: Action planning……. Agree “options” to be tested (as prioritised

by farmers) Consider input supplies Production methods including NRM Storage and marketing arrangements

Mandate local organisations Selection of model/lead/research/host

farmers Agree selection criteria with group

Such as - respect, reliability, honesty, communication ability, full time farmer

Group selection of host farmer

Stage 2: Action Planning……

Facilitation and backstopping Provide guidance for implementation

Agree site, trial plot design & inputs required

Agree what activities, by whom and when Develop criteria for lesson learning

(pM&E) Mid season evaluations End of season evaluations

Ensure all partners know, agree and play their role in implementing the plan

Phase 3: Implementation - experimentation

Encouraging learning by doing Land prep, fertilising, planting, weeding, pest

control, harvest Farmer field school Farmer-to-farmer-extension

Encouraging maximum local involvement Enhancing people’s ability to innovate Generating new options and solutions

CIP initiative – Potatoes, Faba beans, WheatIMWI – small scale irrigation

MotherResearcher controlled

Babies /DaughtersFarmer controlled

Research centreOn-farm

On-farm

Mid season evaluation Facilitate evaluation of field performance

Build confidence through farmer presentation Identify/confirm farmers’ evaluation criteria Use as a joint learning experience Encourage farmer-to-farmer extension

Assess how crops/livestock are proceeding

Share ideas and provide feed back

Phase 4: Sharing experiences

Phase 4: End-of-season evaluation•Re-assess findings of mid season evaluations

Assess performance against farmer criteria

Compare yields achieved

•Assess acceptability Cooking and tasting products

•Assess profitabilityParticipatory budgets

Reference No./18

Role of local organisations/farmer groups

Adopt the programme into their activities Select the host farmer Encourage participation by other farmers Arrange field days

Evaluation mid and end-of-season Review and plan for the new season

Farmer-to-farmer uptake pathways