Assessment of Agricultural Advisory Messages from Farmer-to-Farmer in Making a Case for Scaling Up Production: A Qualitative Study

Inadequate access to agricultural extension services often results in poor farm practices, affecting yields and subsequently the income and wellbeing of smallholder farmers. Given the high demand for agricultural information and the limited capacity of extension services, a farmer-to-farmer extension approach has been explored by many underserved farmers. In this study, we use a qualitative case study approach explore how cassava farmers who had limited access to agricultural advisory services from public extension agents managed to up-scale their farming business. Our research question was: what lessons can be learned from the lived experience of these farmers to address current challenges of cassava farming? The results of our study revealed diversity in advisory messages from farmer to farmer and agricultural extension agents. Farmers’ messages focused on encouraging farmers’ commitment and motivation towards farming business, availability of needed financial resources for the entire production season, willingness to reinvest profits, and access to farmland for future expansion. In contrast, the traditional messages from agricultural extension agents focused on encouraging group formation to address marketing challenges, diversification of farm operations, and good agricultural practices. These results show the need for pluralistic extension approaches to ensure farmers get access to necessary information

Using participatory videos in understanding farmers experiences with climate smart agricultural practices: reflections from Ghana

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained traction as one of the effective strategies in tackling the climate crisis. Many CSA practices have been promoted by development agencies to smallholder farmers based on the assumption that farmers would adopt these innovations for their potential benefits. However, the adoption of CSA practices in Ghana and much of Africa remains low and decision making and on-farm innovation processes are poorly understood. This study seeks to provide empirical and participatory insight into how smallholder farmers innovate. Based on a novel application of a participatory video methodology, in farming communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana, that have been exposed to multiple CSA intervention programmes, the paper analyses farmers’ own self-curated accounts of experiences with CSA innovation. The findings show that farmer’s motivation to adopt CSA innovations is driven by their concerns for food security, economic gains, and the environmental impact of climate change on their farming activities and livelihood. The study reveals a mismatch between the CSA technologies and practices advanced by the development agencies and what farmers perceive as relevant and important in addressing their farming challenges. In particular, the findings show that in a pool of more than 12 CSA technologies and practices that had been promoted through three donor-driven intervention programmes in the communities, farmers selected less labour intensive, less costly, and CSA technologies and practices that fitted to their current farming practices and the local context. Agricultural extension agents served as an important information source on the CSA innovation and their practical implementation and farmers’ social groups played a crucial role in facilitating learning about the CSA technologies and practices. There is the need to integrate farmers voices using innovative methodologies such as participatory videos to better understand farmers’ experiences in the innovation process which will help inform the design of effective interventions and promote adoption of innovations aimed at enhancing the productivity of smallholder farmers and reducing environmental impacts in African food systems. By focusing on the innovations that farmers perceive as beneficial and adaptable to their local contexts, development organizations can use their resources more efficiently and promote adoption of contextually appropriate CSA innovations

Making rural services work for the poor

Ziel der Studie ist, zum besseren Verständnis und zum politischen Diskurs hinsichtlich der Reform des ländlichen Dienstleistungssektors in Uganda beizutragen. Sechs Aufsätze zeigen, wie Reformen im genossenschaftlichen Vermarktungsbereich und innerhalb der landwirtschaftlichen Beratung den Aufbau ländlicher Dienstleistungen unterstützen können, um zur Armutsbekämpfung in Uganda beizutragen. Paper 1 analysiert, warum in manchen Gemeinden ein größeres Angebot an Dienstleistungen zur Reduzierung der Armut beigetragen hat, während dies in anderen Gemeinden nicht erreicht werden konnte. Fallbeispiele zeigen, dass (1) der Zugang zu komplementären Dienstleistungen ländliche Lebensgrundlagen verbessern kann, (2) ein hoher Anteil kommunaler Dienstleistungen teilweise durch kollektive Anstrengungen, Selbsthilfe und Partizipation ersetzt werden kann, und dass (3) öffentl. Ordnung, Sicherheit und Eigentumsrechte unentbehrliche Voraussetzungen zur Verbesserung ländlicher Lebensbedingungen und zur Verbesserung ländlicher Dienstleistungsangebote sind. Paper 2 ist eine Literaturstudie über den Zusammenhang zur genossenschaftlichen Organisation und Armutsbekämpfung. Paper 3 untersucht die Bestimmungsgründe für Resilienz und Untergang des ehemaligen Genossenschaftssystems. Paper 4 analysiert den Wandel des Genossenschaftssystems anhand struktureller Unterschiede zwischen dem alten und neuen System. Fazit: Das ‚Revival des Genossenschaftsgedankens‘ war begleitet von der Implementierung neuer Institutionen, Verbesserung der Fortbildung und Ausweitung politischer Unabhängigkeit sowie finanziell tragfähiger Genossenschaften. Paper 5 u. 6 untersuchen den Beitrag einer der bedeutendsten politischen Reformen im ländlichen Raum des heutigen Ugandas: die Dezentralisierung des Angebotes landwirtschaftlicher Dienstleistungen. Fazit: Die weit verbreitete Einflussnahme auf den politischen Meinungsbildungsprozess schwächt das gute Image des National Agricultural Advisory Services.The objective of this study is to contribute to the understanding and policy debate on the changing landscape of agricultural rural services reforms in Uganda. My study analyzes service reforms in cooperative marketing and agricultural extension as part of efforts to make rural services work for the poor. Paper 1 presents empirical evidence to the paradox of why over the last two decades in some communities’ service provision has worked to get the poor out of poverty whereas in other communities services have not. I show that efforts to reduce poverty should focus on improving security, property rights, then analyze the capacity for self help and strengthen it with capacity building and improve public service provision. With cooperatives back on the development agenda, I further examine the revival and reform of agricultural cooperatives. The first question is addressed in Paper 2: What are the bases for general claims that the cooperative model has a potential to reduce poverty? Paper 3 addresses a second question: Why did a few agricultural cooperatives survive the crises in the cooperative movement while most other cooperatives had collapsed? Paper 4 examines a third question: How are the reformed cooperatives differently organized, how are they contributing to reducing poverty? The revival of cooperatives has included the introduction of new institutions, capacity building and promoting autonomous financially viable cooperatives. Paper 5 and Paper 6 analyze the impact of decentralization on provision of agricultural extension services. It is evident that widespread political interference is negatively affecting the overall good image of the National Agricultural Advisory Services. The study contribute to answering the questions what mechanisms of service provision have worked, why they have worked whereas others have not and what so far has been the role of political decision makers in the process of governance reform in particular areas of service provision

Revival of agricultural cooperatives in Uganda

Due to their highly democratic and locally autonomous nature, cooperatives have a potentially strong role in reducing poverty and social exclusion, and promoting rural and national development (Develtere et al. 2008; Birchall 2004, 2003). However, the development of cooperatives has been limited by inadequate research. There is a dearth of up to date literature on the status of African cooperatives since the liberalization of the agriculture sector in the mid-1990s (Wanyama et al. 2008). In addition, policymakers, practitioners, and others harbor outdated views on cooperatives, hampering progress in the sector. Cooperatives in Uganda, especially those involved in cash crops, successfully provided agricultural-related services to farmers until the mid-1980s. At that time, due to political instability, liberalization of markets, and mismanagement, among other reasons, almost all the cooperatives failed. However, a few survived, and cooperatives are enjoying a revival in Uganda. This policy note is based on a case study of the recent revival and reform of the agricultural cooperative sector in Uganda.Non-PRIFPRI1; GRP32; Subtheme 6.2; USSPDSG

Why a few agricultural cooperatives survived the crisis in the cooperative movement in Uganda while many others collapsed

Agricultural cooperatives in Uganda date back to 1913 as a response to the disadvantageous terms of trade imposed on smallholder farmers by colonial administrators and middlemen who monopolized both domestic and export markets for coffee and cotton (Kabuga and Kitandwe 1995; Kyazze 2010; Mugisha et al. 2005; Flygare 2006). In such an economic context, forming a farmers' cooperative provided a mechanism for smallholders to collectively bargain for higher output prices, achieve higher margins through economies of scale, and engage in value-added activities. Until the 1980s, cooperatives in Uganda had some success in counteracting the effects of unfavorable market positions for smallholder farmers. At that time, political instability, the liberalization of markets, and mismanagement, among other reasons, caused almost all to fail. However, a few cooperatives survived. This brief summarizes case studies that examine the underlying factors that resulted in the survival of some cooperatives, and the collapse of so many others.Non-PRIFPRI1; GRP32; Subtheme 6.2; USSPDSG

Cooperatives and Poverty Reduction: A Literature Review

There is growing consensus among both practitioners and the academic community that the cooperative business model is a form of institution that meets most of the dimensions of poverty, providing opportunities, facilitating empowerment, and enhancing security. But what is the basis for the claim that the cooperative model has a potential to reduce poverty? This paper presents a literature review of empirical research on cooperatives’ potential to reduce poverty and finds substantial evidence to support this claim. Four different perspectives on this proposition are identified, all agreeing to this claim but emphasizing further the need to respect cooperative principles and values

Farmer Organizations in Armenia's Agricultural Development

The purpose of this paper is to analyze cooperatives in Armenian fruit and vegetable sector and the dairy sector, reveal the existing problems, study the reasons why the speed of organization of new cooperatives is not fast enough, and find the factors that prevent farmers from taking advantage of the potential benefits. We also discuss governmental regulation of cooperation, the role of various NGOs and other supporting organizations and their contribution to farm consolidation

Tree Species Diversity and Socioeconomic Perspectives of the Urban (Food) Forest of Accra, Ghana

Urban and peri-urban forestry has emerged as a complementary measure to contribute towards eliminating urban hunger and improved nutritional security. However, there is scanty knowledge about the composition, diversity, and socioeconomic contributions of urban food trees in African cities. This paper examines the diversity and composition of the urban forest and food trees of Accra and sheds light on perceptions of urbanites regarding food tree cultivation and availability in the city. Using a mixed methods approach, 105 respondents in six neighborhoods of Accra were interviewed while over 200 plots (100-m2 each) were surveyed across five land use types. Twenty-two out of the 70 woody species in Accra have edible parts (leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.). The food-tree abundance in the city is about half of the total number of trees enumerated. The species richness and abundance of the food trees and all trees in the city were significantly different among land use types (p < 0.0001) and neighborhood types (p < 0.0001). The diversity of food-bearing tree species was much higher in the poorer neighborhoods than in the wealthier neighborhoods. Respondents in wealthier neighborhoods indicated that tree and food-tree cover of the city was generally low and showed greater interest in cultivating food (fruit) trees and expanding urban forest cover than poorer neighborhoods. These findings demonstrate the need for urban food policy reforms that integrate urban-grown tree foods in the urban food system/culture