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Appropriateness of the Training and Visit Extension Method for Rainfed Agriculture
In most rainfed projects, an assumption was that while by no means all-encompassing, 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 and/or the provision of office buildings, housing, transport, training and operating funds, an effective channel for providing farmers with access to technology would be created.
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. The formal role of extension services (that is, the provision of technical advice) in the rainfed projects of Sudan, was limited with extension in both rainfed projects (181-SU, SRS-016-SU) playing an important part in input distribution role in situations where, often, no established outlets existed. Extension assistants, selected with the cooperation of the villages, from within the villages, were used as the link with authorities in distributing inputs. This approach constituted a valid intervention, considering the fact that inputs, were a main priority with farmers and that were few new applicable technologies available for promotion. Extension activities, as such received little attention. General experience from the three countries, together with data from projects evaluated, indicated that any worthwhile technology once demonstrated and proven at village level will spread in any case. Thus ‘saturation extension coverage’ is unnecessary and, in any case, unaffordable. A smaller, efficient service with its agents strategically located and working through extension assistants, because of the considerable distance between villages in many rainfed areas, would be more appropriate.
As the classical T&V is unsustainable, the concept of non-government paid extension assistants, recruited by government services in association with villagers from within the target area, should be further tested in remote and isolated communities.
The critical element is an effective network of extension officers acting as supervisors to support the extension assistants regularly.
As radios and, occasionally televisions, are widely spread throughout farming communities in the sub-region, the strategy of small village-based extension 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.
In all cases, the extensionists should try to address the farmers’ immediate needs. If the agent can provide the farmer with something concrete, this will help him gain the confidence of the people and therefore facilitate future operations.
As an overall strategy, project design should try to identify elements which, if supported, could yield positive results quickly. They should not only focus attention on the most difficult situations.
References:
1. Sudan - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE94 CESSU94E IFAD 1992.
2. Sudan - En Nahud Cooperative Credit, SRS 016-SU, 1988
3. Sudan - Western Savannah Project - phase II, 181-SU R181SUAE,Mid Term Evaluation, 1988.
4 Yemen - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE92 CESYE92E IFAD 1992.
