Skip to main content
UploadLanguage (EN)Support
BusinessMobileSocial MediaMarketingTechnologyArt & PhotosCareerDesignEducationPresentations & Public SpeakingGovernment & NonprofitHealthcareInternetLawLeadership & ManagementAutomotiveEngineeringSoftwareRecruiting & HRRetailSalesServicesScienceSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipFoodEnvironmentEconomy & FinanceData & AnalyticsInvestor RelationsSportsSpiritualNews & PoliticsTravelSelf ImprovementReal EstateEntertainment & HumorHealth & MedicineDevices & HardwareLifestyle
MEAS , profile picture
Uploaded byMEAS
PPTX, PDF695 views

Farmer-to-farmer extension: The quiet transformation

Farmer-to-farmer extension is widely used in countries like Malawi and Cameroon. However, little was known about lessons learned across organizations. Surveys of organizations and farmers in Cameroon, Kenya, and Malawi found that the main benefits of farmer-to-farmer extension according to organizations were increased knowledge sharing and sustainability. Farmers were motivated to become trainers by altruism, knowledge gain, and social status rather than material benefits or income. Motivations changed over time, so programs need incentives like recognition, training, and market links. Farmer-to-farmer extension can help address gender imbalances by increasing the number of women extension providers, but proactive recruitment and training

Government & Nonprofit◦
Downloaded 14 times
Photo:DanQuinn,HorticultureInnovationLab Farmer-to-farmer extension: The quiet transformation Steven Franzel, Head Rural Advisory Services, ICRAF & Brent Simpson, Senior Ag. Officer, FAO/Michigan State Univ. June 4, 2015 MEAS Symposium
What did we do and why? • Farmer to farmer extension (F2FE) is widely used: In Malawi, 2/3 of development organizations use it and in Cameroon, 1/3. • But almost nothing available on lessons learned across countries or organizations. • Our objective was to assess – How organizations select, train, and reward farmer trainers – Organizations’ and farmers’ views on effectiveness – Ways to enhance effectiveness and sustainability • We conducted surveys of organizations using F2FE (26-30/country) in Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi) and farmer trainers (100-200/country)
Key finding no. 1: Organizations’ views on benefits of F2FE Percentages of organizations
Key finding no. 2: Motivations for farmers to become farmer trainers: Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi Motivations For becoming a trainer % scoring motivation as important Project material benefits Knowledge Social status/ networking Helping others Income from extension activities
Motivations for farmers to become and remain farmer trainers: Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi Motivations For becoming a trainer For remaining a trainers % scoring motivation as important Project material benefits 22 Gain knowledge 61 Social status and networking 17 Helping others 56 Income from extension activities 14
Motivations for farmers to become and remain farmer trainers: Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi Motivations For becoming a trainer For remaining a trainers % scoring motivation as important Project material benefits 22 22 Gain knowledge 61 49 Social status and networking 17 23 Helping others 56 62 Income from extension activities 14 37
Key finding no. 2: farmer trainers’ motivations • Motivations vary among farmers and change over time. • Programs need to identify lead farmers’ motivations and provide low-cost incentives: Motivation Incentives Altruism, social status Contests, certificates, badges, community recognition Knowledge Training, study tours, training materials Income-generating activities Links to buyers of inputs and services
Key finding no. 3: Gender imbalance in rural advisory services: Farmer to farmer extension programs can help! • Key problem: Women lack access to advisory services and proportion of women extension staff is low. • Farmer-to-farmer extension programs are an underutilized instrument in addressing the gender imbalance in extension. Figure 1. Proportion of staff and lead farmers who are women 40 33 43 21 5 33 0 10 20 30 40 50 Min. of Agriculture, Malawi EADD Project, Uganda 28 extension organizations, Kenya % staff who are women % farmer trainers who are women
Implications for improving EAS • F2FE is an important (but neglected!) approach for improving extension effectiveness. • F2FE is not a substitute for extension staff, rather it is a complement • Understanding farmers’ motivations, and finding low cost ways to motivate them, is a key to improving effectiveness • F2FE can be used to increase numbers of women providing extension services, but proactive measures needed, in recruiting and training women.