Evaluation of Farmer Research Extension Group (FREG) as Extension Approach: the Experience of Sida - Amhara Rural Development Program in Kalu District, of Amhara Region, Ethiopia PDF Download
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Author: E.Z. Abebe Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 42
Book Description
Agriculture is the main driver of the economy and the source of living for the majority of the population in Ethiopia. However, its performance has been poor and unable to feed the ever increasing population. Thus there is a need to change this trend and ensure the food security of the population. Agricultural extensions which is believed to be the main driving force for improvement of production and productivity has not yet brought significant change in level of productivity. In the country, different extension approaches have been adopted in different forms and types. However, their contribution to the improvement of the country’s economy and livelihood change of the rural poor is very limited. Designing and implementing appropriate agricultural extension services that contribute to sustained increase in production and productivity is vital. Extension activities has been the exclusive mandate and responsibility of government but there is a growing trend of involvement of other actors in the providing extension services by designing their own approach drawing lesson from the existing government extension approaches. One of the extension approaches introduced by Sida Amhara Rural development program (SARDP) is Farmer Research Extension Group (FREG) and has been implemented for five years in eight districts of south Wollo zone. The main objective of the study is to make recommendations to the Amhara Regional state on FREG as an alternative extension approach through evaluating its working modalities and activities. The successfulness of the FREG approach has not been evaluated either to be promoted further as alternative approach or to improve it. In view of that this research was conducted in kalu district among eight districts where FREG has been operating. For the study, an evaluative research method was used. A total of 30 FREG members and 2 extension workers, 5 development agents, head of the district agriculture office, ARARI crop director were involved in the interview and empirical findings are gathered and analysed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques and using SWOT as analysis tool of the study. As it is indicated from the findings FREG is found to be appropriate alternative extension approach to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing that ultimately improves the human and social capital of members. FREG as an approach has many relative advantage as compared to other extension approach that includes: Provide equal opportunity for both sex in the extension activities implemented under FREG, strengthen the link between extension research as a system, build the capacity of the farmers in technology testing and evaluation, improve productivity and production among FREG members and improve the income and livelihood of the FREG members. Major crops like maize, wheat teff grown in the area that have been tested and evaluated under FREG members have shown significant production improvement as the result of the introduced technologies and knowledge gained during the interaction of different stakeholders. Besides, FREG has also enhanced the participation and involvement of stakeholders in the process of technology evaluation and dissemination that pave the way for the institutionalization of the approach. The overall assessment and findings of this study has shown FREG is an appropriate alternative extension approach to be scaled up by the regional government with some modification of the approach. Ensuring gender equality, involving stakeholders through the process, inclusion of marketing which was not considered as component of the approach, strengthening and creating the link between input suppliers and FREG should be considered during further improvement of FREG. Finally, realising FREG is appropriate alternative extension approach, SARDP should play proactive role in finding or creating responsible body to own the approach for its sustainability.
Author: E.Z. Abebe Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 42
Book Description
Agriculture is the main driver of the economy and the source of living for the majority of the population in Ethiopia. However, its performance has been poor and unable to feed the ever increasing population. Thus there is a need to change this trend and ensure the food security of the population. Agricultural extensions which is believed to be the main driving force for improvement of production and productivity has not yet brought significant change in level of productivity. In the country, different extension approaches have been adopted in different forms and types. However, their contribution to the improvement of the country’s economy and livelihood change of the rural poor is very limited. Designing and implementing appropriate agricultural extension services that contribute to sustained increase in production and productivity is vital. Extension activities has been the exclusive mandate and responsibility of government but there is a growing trend of involvement of other actors in the providing extension services by designing their own approach drawing lesson from the existing government extension approaches. One of the extension approaches introduced by Sida Amhara Rural development program (SARDP) is Farmer Research Extension Group (FREG) and has been implemented for five years in eight districts of south Wollo zone. The main objective of the study is to make recommendations to the Amhara Regional state on FREG as an alternative extension approach through evaluating its working modalities and activities. The successfulness of the FREG approach has not been evaluated either to be promoted further as alternative approach or to improve it. In view of that this research was conducted in kalu district among eight districts where FREG has been operating. For the study, an evaluative research method was used. A total of 30 FREG members and 2 extension workers, 5 development agents, head of the district agriculture office, ARARI crop director were involved in the interview and empirical findings are gathered and analysed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques and using SWOT as analysis tool of the study. As it is indicated from the findings FREG is found to be appropriate alternative extension approach to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing that ultimately improves the human and social capital of members. FREG as an approach has many relative advantage as compared to other extension approach that includes: Provide equal opportunity for both sex in the extension activities implemented under FREG, strengthen the link between extension research as a system, build the capacity of the farmers in technology testing and evaluation, improve productivity and production among FREG members and improve the income and livelihood of the FREG members. Major crops like maize, wheat teff grown in the area that have been tested and evaluated under FREG members have shown significant production improvement as the result of the introduced technologies and knowledge gained during the interaction of different stakeholders. Besides, FREG has also enhanced the participation and involvement of stakeholders in the process of technology evaluation and dissemination that pave the way for the institutionalization of the approach. The overall assessment and findings of this study has shown FREG is an appropriate alternative extension approach to be scaled up by the regional government with some modification of the approach. Ensuring gender equality, involving stakeholders through the process, inclusion of marketing which was not considered as component of the approach, strengthening and creating the link between input suppliers and FREG should be considered during further improvement of FREG. Finally, realising FREG is appropriate alternative extension approach, SARDP should play proactive role in finding or creating responsible body to own the approach for its sustainability.
Author: Berhane, Guush Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst ISBN: Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 33
Book Description
We document the state of the extension system in Ethiopia and review the empirical evidence on the links between the key extension services provided, adoption of modern inputs, and agricultural productivity. In particular, we take stock of the provision of agricultural extension services, synthesize the evidence on the performance of the system, and suggest ways that it might contribute to accelerating agricultural growth and poverty reduction in the years ahead.
Author: Abate, Gashaw T. Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst ISBN: Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 74
Book Description
Despite a rapidly growing enthusiasm around applications of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to smallholder agriculture in developing countries, there are still many questions on the effectiveness of ICT-based approaches. This study assesses the effects of videomediated agricultural extension service provision on farmers’ knowledge and adoption of improved agricultural technologies and practices in Ethiopia. The study focuses on a program piloted by the Government of Ethiopia and Digital Green and poses three questions. First, to what extent does video-mediated extension lead to increased uptake of improved agricultural technologies and practices by smallholder farmers? Second, is video-mediated extension targeted at both spouses of the household more effective than when only targeted at the (typically male) household head? Third, how cost-effective is a video-mediated approach to extension provision? The study explores these questions with a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the video-mediated approach as applied to three priority crops (teff, wheat, maize) and three technologies (row planting, precise seeding rates, and urea dressing). The trial was implemented in 347 kebeles (village clusters) during the 2017 meher (rainy) season in Ethiopia’s four most agriculturally important regional states. Analysis of data from our surveys of 2,422 households and 896 extension agents indicates that the video-mediated approach is more effective than the conventional approach in achieving several key outcomes. Specifically, we find that videomediated extension reaches a wider audience than the conventional approach and leads to higher levels of agricultural knowledge and uptake of technologies in those kebeles randomly assigned to the program. While our results do point to greater participation and greater knowledge of female spouses in kebeles where both male and female spouses were targeted by the program, we do not find clear evidence that the more inclusive approach translated into higher uptake of the subject technologies and practices. Finally, we find that the video-mediated approach becomes less costly as the scale of operation increases.
Author: Ragasa, Catherine Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst ISBN: Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 45
Book Description
The lead farmer (LF) approach has been implemented and heavily promoted nationwide in Malawi since 2009 to support government extension workers and accelerate technology dissemination. Earlier reports have shown that donor-funded projects in Malawi widely adopted the LF approach, indicating positive roles and contributions of LFs. However, national data show persistently low rates of adoption of management practices being promoted by the LFs, prompting this study to look closely at the nationwide implementation and effectiveness of the LF approach. Specifically, we model the effects of farmers’ interaction with and exposure to LFs and farmers’ access to LFs’ advice on farmers’ awareness of and adoption of several promoted technologies and management practices. We use data from 531 randomly selected LFs linked to panel data from 2,800 farming households and, using correlated random effects, model the effectiveness of the LF approach on technology awareness and adoption. This is complemented by 55 focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with agricultural extension development officers (AEDOs) and service providers. Our results point to two major conclusions. First, LFs support and assist AEDOs in their work, especially in organizing community meetings and farm demonstrations, and are also an important bridge between farmers and AEDOs. But LFs complement AEDOs’ work rather than substitute for it. In communities without strong AEDOs and community leaders to work with and monitor them, LFs were not active or performed at a substandard level. Second, results show limited coverage and weak implementation and effectiveness of the LF approach at the national level. Only 13 percent of farmers reported receiving agricultural advice from an LF in the last two years, and only 20 percent reported having interacted with an LF. Our econometric models also consistently show neither the farmers’ exposure or interaction with LFs nor farmers’ access to LFs’ advice had an effect on awareness of and adoption of the major agricultural management practices being promoted. When heterogeneity and types of LFs are unpacked, results show that quality of LFs, adoption behavior of LFs, and regular training of LFs have strong and consistent effect on the awareness and adoption of most agricultural practices promoted.