Participatory Research and Extension Approaches (PREA)
1. Participatory Research and Extension
Approaches (PREA)
Jim Ellis-Jones
Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms
Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014
2. Some requirements for success
• Positive engagement with partners and
•
communities
Identification and addressing of communityidentified 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)
4. An innovation systems approach
4
Knowledge generation
Supply / Push
Information market
Stakeholders and partners
Demand / Pull
Increasing farmer capacity
to source and use knowledge
Putting knowledge into use
5. TRADITIONAL VS PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES
Methods
Participatory (Innov Sytems)
Building farmer capacity
to use knowledge
Outsiders
Farmers, facilitated by
outsiders
Messages, fixed packages Options considered
Farmer behavior
Adopt, adapt or reject
Intended outcomes
Widespread adoption of
package
Main extension mode
Extension worker to
farmer
Teacher, trainer
Main objective
Opportunities analysis
Role of R&E
Traditional (linear)
Technology transfer
Choose from basket and
experiment/ innovate
Wider choices, enhanced
adaptabilities
Farmer to farmer
Facilitator
6. Facilitation
Referenc
e No.6
• 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
7. PREA in practice
Stage 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 experiences
Learning (monitoring and evaluation) and scaling out
8. Participatory Research and Extension Approach
Technical
backstopping
Training
midSeason
evaluation
Trying
out new
ideas
PREA
Learning Cycle
Training
PREA Training
End of
season review
and process
monitoring
Training
Prioritising
needs and
problems
Entering
community
build trust
Raising
awareness
Identifying
local organisations
Feedback
To
community
Identifying
needs &
problems
Action
planning
Exchange
visits
Searching
for
solutions
Mandating
local
institutions
Consider
options
Planning
for next
learning
cycle
Ethiopia
Africa Rising
10. 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)
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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, Wheat
IMWI – small scale irrigation
16. Phase 4: Sharing experiences
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
17.
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 profitability
Participatory
budgets
18. Role of local organisations/farmer groups
Referenc
e No./18
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