1.
IPMS Innovative Extension Ranjitha Puskur Presented at Tigray Technology Exhibition 13-14 March 2006

2.
Role of extension <ul><li>Key actors in agricultural innovation system </li></ul><ul><li>Major source of knowledge for farmers </li></ul><ul><li>Strong and wide grassroots presence </li></ul><ul><li>Pursuing market-oriented agricultural development following an ISA, requires extension to take on a transformed role - not just technology transfer </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Extension – not just a service or a system, rather a knowledge and information support function </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>the new role has to evolve and be tested.. </li></ul></ul>

3.
While technology transfer is important.. <ul><li>Interrelationship between actors, intensive communication </li></ul><ul><ul><li>include all those who contribute to innovation </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Extension organisations should become the nodal point for linking farmers to both technology and non-technology services – creation of networks </li></ul></ul><ul><li>New extension approaches need to emerge locally , based on experimentation, learning and adaptation to prevailing circumstances </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Building on existing structures and strengths </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>“ Flexibility ” should be the mantra.. </li></ul></ul>

4.
To enable market-oriented development.. <ul><li>Envisaged functions of extension.. </li></ul><ul><li>Move to commodity value chain approach </li></ul><ul><li>Help farmers respond to market signals by providing information on </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Markets (prices, quantities, location, timing) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Market requirements (grades & standards, quality) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Technical market information (Post harvest handling/packaging, processing) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Prospective markets (new and alternative markets) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Acquire regular complete market intelligence </li></ul><ul><li>Establish marketing and agro-processing linkages between farmer groups, markets and private processors </li></ul><ul><li>Advise on product planning, benefits of direct marketing </li></ul>

5.
Farmer capacity building <ul><li>Capacity building of farmers should be aimed at helping them respond to constantly evolving markets, in addition to improving production and productivity.. </li></ul><ul><li>Organize commodity based farmer interest groups and build their capabilities to bargain, negotiate and understand market functions, stakeholder strategies and, price formation </li></ul><ul><li>Enhance interactive and communication skills of individual farmers to exchange views with customers and other market forces </li></ul><ul><li>Support to entrepreneurship </li></ul>

6.
Potential role of FTCs and DAs <ul><li>Not just “ training ” centres – but “ knowledge ” centres </li></ul><ul><li>Multi-purpose sites where farmers </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Can receive training and exposure to new production, processing and marketing technologies and management techniques </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Can be facilitated to directly access available technical knowledge and market information </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Get support to work collectively on marketing issues such as access to inputs and collective marketing of outputs </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Get technical and other support for small scale agro-processing and post-harvest operations by households, farmer groups and co-ops </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Are facilitated to forge linkages with markets and other services </li></ul></ul>

7.
Optimal use of FTCs <ul><li>Depends on.. </li></ul><ul><li>Quality and relevance of services and training offered – ensured through community consultations </li></ul><ul><li>Technical and financial support to DAs </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Effective linkages of FTCs with woreda level marketing and co-operative experts </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Continuous upgrading of skills of DAs </li></ul><ul><li>Provision of adequate and relevant training and demonstration materials , both related to production and marketing and, their continuous updating </li></ul><ul><li>Effective inclusion of gender and HIV concerns in extension activities </li></ul>

8.
FTCs.. <ul><li>Important to pilot innovative approaches in few FTCs and scale up based on experiences and lessons learnt </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Recognise value of diversity of approaches and arrangements – flexibility </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>No blue prints even for market-oriented extension support- recognising that market-orientation might not be possible in all woredas/PAs – e.g., food insecure woredas </li></ul></ul>

9.
Interconnecting farmers using appropriate media <ul><li>Use of appropriate technologies </li></ul><ul><li>Modern ICTs need significant initial and operating cost </li></ul><ul><li>Application should be considered along with more traditional extension methods </li></ul><ul><li>Address the problem of scale, complexity, and fiscal sustainability </li></ul><ul><li>Print with graphics and radio – appropriate and cost-effective for developing countries </li></ul><ul><li>Suitability of medium depends on the message, target audience, and social environment </li></ul>

10.
Rural Information and Knowledge System Multisource Multidisciplinary Information Development for Client & Media (Business, Market, Technical, Legal, Environmental) Information Sources Govt. Agencies Universities Ethiopian Research Academies Agricultural Institutions Input Suppliers Foreign Sources International Research Institutes Local/Foreign Data Banks Client Information Needs Assessment Print Radio Video Computer TV Exhibitions & Fairs Multimedia Multiusers Private Farms Co-operatives Government Agro Industries Consumers Feedback Feedback

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Opportunities <ul><li>Commitment in principle </li></ul><ul><ul><li>to decentralize, </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>to implementing participatory extension approaches, </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>to develop demand-driven extension and research services, </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>to co-operative development and improvement </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Strong infrastructure of TVETs for capacity development of extension functionaries </li></ul>

12.
The way forward.. <ul><li>Need for a national/regional agriculture extension policy/framework and a strategy to institutionalize the changes </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Changes in organisational cultures and professional attitudes – through action learning </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>“ Change agents” within the system and political commitment at a high level </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Clear definitions of mandates and roles of functionaries at various levels </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Review of incentive structures </li></ul></ul>

13.
The way forward.. <ul><li>Making extension services/training demand-driven </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Participatory Extension and market-oriented approaches need to be mainstreamed </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Needs capacity development - integrate into TVET curriculum </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><li>Capacity development – staff and system </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Not only training - but learning by doing , facilitated experimentation </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Not only personnel and infrastructure – but development of linkages and networks </li></ul></ul>

14.
<ul><li>FTCs as knowledge centres – nodes for experiential learning </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Stimulate a diversity of extension innovations that respond adaptively to local and evolving circumstances </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Learn from experiences to distill principles for scaling up </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Integration of HIV and gender concerns </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Incorporate into TVET and university curricula </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Incorporate short awareness sessions into all training programmes/courses </li></ul></ul>The way forward..

15.
Critical role of M&E <ul><li>Review the current M&E plan </li></ul><ul><li>Revise it to make it more learning oriented - move towards more innovative targets </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Outcome monitoring and responsibility </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Mainstream planning, implementation and M&E tools </li></ul><ul><li>Accountability to farmers or FAs - farmer control over R&E resources </li></ul>

16.
<ul><li>Thank you.. </li></ul>