Agricultural extension, as a discipline and a service, is the most frequent scapegoat when it comes to putting blame for poor adoption of latest technologies among farmers. Whereas, the researchers often fail to understand the compatibility of their technologies with respect to farmers’ situation, resources, social structure and other relevant factors. Therefore, the research should be farmer-driven and farmer-lead. Participatory technology development provides for farmers to lead the research process and result into farm appropriate technologies.

1. 1
Ashish Santosh Murai1 and Renu Balakrishnan2
1 Scientist (Agricultural Extension), ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
2 Scientist (Agricultural Extension), ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

2.  Growing population and yield gapsGrowing population and yield gaps
 Poor adoption by resourcePoor adoption by resource--poor farmers due topoor farmers due to
their inappropriatenesstheir inappropriatenesstheir inappropriatenesstheir inappropriateness
 Researchers control the process of technologyResearchers control the process of technology
developmentdevelopment
 Little or no input from farmersLittle or no input from farmers
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3.  Few researchers for millions of farmers & immenseFew researchers for millions of farmers & immense
agroagro--ecological diversityecological diversity
 Local farmers have been carrying experimentationLocal farmers have been carrying experimentation
since immemorial timesince immemorial time
 Extension still followsTransfer ofTechnology modelExtension still followsTransfer ofTechnology model
3

4.  India, Green Revolution had a major impactIndia, Green Revolution had a major impact
 NARS felt more secure with conventional approachesNARS felt more secure with conventional approaches
to agricultural researchto agricultural research
 Less need to experiment with alternatives.Less need to experiment with alternatives.
 Africa, where the GR effects were patchy, andAfrica, where the GR effects were patchy, and
suffered major setsuffered major set--backs under policybacks under policy
 The need to try out alternative approaches was moreThe need to try out alternative approaches was more
widely accepted.widely accepted. 4

5.  Origins from 1970s and 1980sOrigins from 1970s and 1980s
 FSR/EFSR/E
 introduced socialintroduced social--economic issueseconomic issues introduced socialintroduced social--economic issueseconomic issues
 idea of 'onidea of 'on--farm' trialsfarm' trials
 Appropriate technologyAppropriate technology
 matching the design of technology to the resources andmatching the design of technology to the resources and
cultureculture
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6.  ITKITK
 importance of local expertise and traditional wisdomimportance of local expertise and traditional wisdom
 PRAPRA
 involvement of rural people in decisioninvolvement of rural people in decision--makingmaking
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7. 1.1. Based on needs and conditions of farmersBased on needs and conditions of farmers
2.2. Knowledge of farmers is equally consideredKnowledge of farmers is equally considered
3.3. Stimulates creative combination of local andStimulates creative combination of local and
scientific knowledge to mobilize internal resourcesscientific knowledge to mobilize internal resources
4.4. Other related concepts lack the collaboration withOther related concepts lack the collaboration with
extensionextension
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8.  ItIt isis aa processprocess ofof bringingbringing togethertogether thethe locallocal
communitiescommunities withwith theirtheir ownown knowledgeknowledge andand
capacitycapacity forfor research,research, onon oneone platformplatform withwith thethe
researchersresearchers andand otherother professionalsprofessionals..researchersresearchers andand otherother professionalsprofessionals..
((HansaraHansara et al.)et al.)
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9.  Institute for Low External Input Agriculture (ILEIA),Institute for Low External Input Agriculture (ILEIA),
NetherlandsNetherlands
“a process between local communities and outside facilitators“a process between local communities and outside facilitators
which involves:which involves:which involves:which involves:
1.1. joint understanding of the particular agrojoint understanding of the particular agro--ecological system;ecological system;
2.2. defining priority problems;defining priority problems;
3.3. experimenting locally with a variety of optionsexperimenting locally with a variety of options
4.4. enhancing farmer’s experimental capacities and farmerenhancing farmer’s experimental capacities and farmer--toto--
farmer communication”farmer communication” 9

10. 10

11. ExtensionistExtensionist FarmersFarmers
ResearcherResearcher
SustainableAgricultureSustainableAgriculture 11

12. Scientific knowledgeScientific knowledge
Analytical skillsAnalytical skills
Scientific base related to the localScientific base related to the localScientific base related to the localScientific base related to the local
Facilitation skillsFacilitation skills
Understand the localUnderstand the local
Knowledge on local situationsKnowledge on local situations
Practical experiences and skillsPractical experiences and skills
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13. 1. Farmers have problem but no solution
2. Existing solutions involves high external input2. Existing solutions involves high external input
usage
3. Farmer’s idea needs to be experimented
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14.  All actors are equally regarded.All actors are equally regarded.
 No issues beyond the control of the localNo issues beyond the control of the local
community.community. Things that requireThings that requirecommunity.community.
Things that are decided and controlled by:Things that are decided and controlled by:
--village communityvillage community
---- the communethe commune
--or through discussion and agreementsor through discussion and agreements
with neighboring communeswith neighboring communes
Things thatThings that
householdshouseholds
themselves canthemselves can
dealdeal
Things that requireThings that require
administrative or politicaladministrative or political
decisions above communaldecisions above communal
levellevel
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15.  Only new ideas are experimentedOnly new ideas are experimented
 Ideas must come from needs & capacity/resources ofIdeas must come from needs & capacity/resources of
local peoplelocal peoplelocal peoplelocal people
 Ideas must have potentials to be disseminatedIdeas must have potentials to be disseminated
 Process must be monitored and recorded forProcess must be monitored and recorded for
evaluation of experiment’s results and impactsevaluation of experiment’s results and impacts
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16. a)a) Preparation phase :Preparation phase :
a)a) Situation analysisSituation analysis
b)b) Selection of topicSelection of topic
b)b) Initiation phase :Initiation phase :
a)a) Idea generationIdea generation
b)b) Idea sheet developmentIdea sheet development
c)c) Experiment selectionExperiment selection
d)d) ExperimentExperiment sheet developmentsheet development
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17. 3.3. Implementation :Implementation :
a)a) Action plan developmentAction plan development
b)b) Collaborative implementationCollaborative implementation
4.4. Monitoring & Evaluation :Monitoring & Evaluation :
Monitoring & DocumentationMonitoring & Documentation
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18. 4.4. Finalization :Finalization :
a)a) Experiment evaluationExperiment evaluation
b)b) Report writingReport writing
6.6. Dissemination :Dissemination :
a)a) Extension Material developmentExtension Material development
b)b) Experiment disseminationExperiment dissemination
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19.  Project title (Duration): Dryland Applied Research and Extension
Project (1993-97)
 Area of operation: Mbeere, Tharaka-Nithi and Central Isiolo districts
KenyaKenya
 Principal agencies:
 KenyaAgricultural Research Institute, Regional Research Centre –
Embu
 Department of Extension (Veterinary Officer)
 Natural Resources Institute
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20.  Local farmers revealed animal health as the main constraint
 Local veterinarians and local farmers identified
i) contagious caprine pleuro pneumonia,
ii) gastro-intestinal parasites andii) gastro-intestinal parasites and
iii) mange as the main diseases.
 Mange was selected
▪ Since the commercial solution was unaffordable
▪ disease was endemic to the area
▪ it was the second most important cause of mortality amongst goats in the
districts. 20

21.  Talks with locals reveled that there were eight local concoctions
being used or tested by the local herbalists.
 Four were selected for the trials.
 Finally, both farmers and researchers agreed to use the Finally, both farmers and researchers agreed to use the
concoction of tamarind and castor oil.
 It was compared with the two recommended commercial
medicines namely organo-phosphorus acaricide (Supa dip) and
Ivermectin (Ivomex)
 A trial was organized on infected herds of farmers.
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22.  Farmers: identified animal health as the priority constraint,
prioritized which animals were most important to them,
identification of main diseases etc.
 Extensionists: diagnostic PRAs, group discussions etc.
 Researchers: identification of main diseases, check
effectiveness of technology, compare experiment with the
control etc. 22

23. 23

24.  At PTD initiation stage, it is very important to haveAt PTD initiation stage, it is very important to have
a common understanding and collaboration amonga common understanding and collaboration among
relevant actors.relevant actors.relevant actors.relevant actors.
 The farmers and village must show real needs andThe farmers and village must show real needs and
desires to find out new technologies.desires to find out new technologies.
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25.  Clearly defined land ownership is one of theClearly defined land ownership is one of the
conditions to implement PTD.conditions to implement PTD.
 One should not mention any support when startOne should not mention any support when start
PTD .PTD .
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26.  Planning and working with farmers needs to happenPlanning and working with farmers needs to happen
rapidly and with commitment.rapidly and with commitment.
 Working in partnership with national governmentWorking in partnership with national government
and NGOs is essential.and NGOs is essential.
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27.  Working with a small number of enthusiasticWorking with a small number of enthusiastic
farmers you can support is more successful .farmers you can support is more successful .
 Smallholder farmers don't maximize their mostSmallholder farmers don't maximize their most
profitable activities, but minimize their risks.profitable activities, but minimize their risks.
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28.  The extensionists are not effectively trained.The extensionists are not effectively trained.
 Difficulty in the coDifficulty in the co--ordination of the three actors inordination of the three actors in Difficulty in the coDifficulty in the co--ordination of the three actors inordination of the three actors in
PTD.PTD.
 There are difficulties in finding out new ideas forThere are difficulties in finding out new ideas for
experimenting.experimenting.
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29.  The ideas are new but the experiments are designed
to solve problems superficially.
 Innovative organization or management is rarely
facilitated.
 Decreasing Public funds.Decreasing Public funds.
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30.  No technology will ever be permanent.No technology will ever be permanent.
 Technology development is a never ending process.Technology development is a never ending process.
 The farming communities should be changeThe farming communities should be change
oriented.oriented.
 The prime importance should be strengtheningThe prime importance should be strengthening
farmers’ innovative spirit and building up thefarmers’ innovative spirit and building up the
capacity to continue innovating.capacity to continue innovating.
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31.  PTD has the potential for development research andPTD has the potential for development research and
improvement of extension approaches.improvement of extension approaches.
 Philosophy ofPhilosophy of
“ Helping them to HelpTHEMSELVES”“ Helping them to HelpTHEMSELVES”
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32.  Anonymous (1989) Proceedings of the ILEIA Workshop on Operational
Approaches for Participatory Technology Development in Sustainable
Agriculture. Information centre for Low External Input and Sustainable
Agriculture,The Netherlands. 67 pages.
 Bao Huy, Vo Hung, Hoang Huu Cai (2002) Handbook of Participatory
Technology Development (PTD). Social Forestry Training Network. ExtensionTechnology Development (PTD). Social Forestry Training Network. Extension
and Training Support Project for Forestry and Agriculture in the Uplands. Hanoi,
Vietnam.
 Conroy, C and Sutherland, A (2004) Participatory Technology Development with
Resource-Poor Farmers: Maximising Impact Through the Use of
Recommendation Domains. Agricultural Research and Extension Network
(AgREN). Network Paper No. 133, January 2004.
 Kumar, B and Hansara, B S (2000) Extension Education for Human Resource
Development.Concept PublishingCompany, New Delhi.
 Maity, A and Mukherjee, A (2015) Public–private partnership for convergence of
extension services in Indian agriculture. Current Science, 10 (9), pp 1557-1563.
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