Promotion of Technology Transfer Project to Peasant Communities in the Highlands

Promotion of Technology Transfer Project to Peasant Communities in the Highlands (FEAS)

The aim of this project was to stimulate private markets of technical assistance services to provide agricultural advice to small farmers.

To make extension services available and affordable for the farmers’ communities, the project established two main lines of action:

• providing a direct credit line for farmers’ communities, to enable them to contract for services of extension specialists as required
• promoting information technologies, such as radios owned and managed by the community, to reinforce the community’s training capacities and to share knowledge

The sharing of information went beyond its initial goal and helped build a sense of transparency, accountability and ownership of the project. The 20 farmers’ radio stations informed listeners daily on project activities – such as resources effectively transferred and payments made – and broadcast technical advice.