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Appropriateness of the Training and Visit Extension Method for Irrigated Agriculture
In all project designs, the basic assumption was that there were sufficient technological packages for dissemination, but farmers did not have adequate access to it. The premise was that by strengthening extension services either through changes in methodology, including the introduction of the T&V system of extension and/or the provision of office buildings, transport, training and operating funds, an effective channel for providing farmers to technology would be created. The T&V system was tested under irrigation conditions in Egypt, Sudan and Yemen. Although the methods and intensity with which the system was tested, as well as commitment by the authorities to the methodology varied substantially between the three countries, the conclusions were similar. The system was too expensive and generally not necessary in irrigated areas where farms are generally contiguous. An alternative, less expensive system, was necessary.
In Egypt (114-EG, 157-EG), the T&V system was judged to be effective but very much dependent on regular injections of incremental funding. Two Egypt evaluations questioned the need to maintain a close field worker to farmer ratio (1:200) particularly once the bulk of technological information had been imparted to the farmers. The evaluators concluded that a much smaller cadre of T&V workers who are better trained, better paid and adequately equipped, is likely to be more cost-effective in transferring technology. Studies in Sudan (134-SU) came to the same basic conclusions. In Yemen, it was concluded that although the T&V system had administrative advantages including defined lines of authority and personnel management, it could not be sustained after the end of the project. General experience from the three countries together with data from projects evaluated indicate that any worthwhile technology, once demonstrated and proven at village level, will spread in any case. This indication supports the contention that rather than having ‘saturation extension coverage’, a smaller, efficient service with its agents strategically located and well supported is adequate.
In the economic climate of the sub-region, the lesson is that the classical T&V is unsustainable through normal budgetary funding and is, in fact, unnecessary in communities with small contiguous farms once a basic injection of technological packages has been made. Future recommendations would be intermittent and could be disseminated by a small cadre of better trained, more focussed and adequately remunerated extension workers. The corollary here is that existing extension numbers would have to be substantially reduced and the resultant savings be used to sustain a smaller, revamped extension force.
IFAD and other donors should persuade (and support) government in matching its resources to activities by adequately funding a smaller, more efficient extension force.
To have the confidence of farmers, extension workers must be competent and well-versed in extension methodology. Intensive training should be an integral part of project design.
Efficiency and motivation are linked to remuneration as well as training. Donors should persuade government to adequately pay its retained staff as part of any rationalisation of staff numbers.
As radios and, occasionally televisions, are widely spread throughout farming communities in the sub-region, small village-based extension services could benefit immensely through communication using these potential extension tools. Future IFAD projects should give more consideration to media communications as a complementary extension tool.
References:
1. Egypt - Minya Agricultural Development Project,114-EG R114EGBE, Interim Evaluation, 1992.
2. Egypt - Fayoum Agricultural Development Project,157-EG R157EGBE, Interim Evaluation, 1992.
3. Sudan - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE94 CESSU94E IFAD 1992.
4. Sudan - Northern Region Agricultural Rehabilitation Project, 134-SU R134SUBE,Interim Evaluation, 1991.
5 Yemen - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE92 CESYE92E IFAD 1992.
