22 research outputs found

    Research and extension processes and practices in relation to smallholder agriculture in Africa: Present, past topresent

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    Agriculture constitutes the backbone of most economies in developing countries, especially in Africa. However, benefits in the sector mostly accrue to industry and to the large-scale commercial farmers. The “transfer of technology” (ToT) paradigms introduced during the colonial era, failed to provide research and technology outputs that meet smallholder farmers' needs. In various review reports and regional consultation meetings stakeholders identified extension-research as the weakest link to wealth creation and as the primary contributor to the widening gap between resourceendowed and resource-poor farmers. Resources in this context refer to access to physical production assets, financial and skill-based support, as well as trade networks for participation in local, regional and global markets. In this regard, smallholder resource-poor farmers, as opposed to large-scale resource-endowed farmers, have limited access to these resources in most parts of the African continent. In addition, successful smallholder farmer innovations, technologies and dissemination approaches are not well publicized. Using the development perspective, this paper summarizes 1) the problems of technology development and transfer as perceived by the resource-poor farmers 2) the evolution of Transfer of Technology and the implication for extension services in developing countries, 3) the impact of two development approaches on extension, 4) the importance of research and extension linkages in fostering change, and 3) Farmer Field Schools as an alternative extension paradigms. Recommendations to promote pro-poor extension and technology development strategies are discussed. South African Journal of Agricultural Extension Vol. 35 (2) 2006: pp. 199-22

    Factors influencing adoption and non-adoption of acquired knowledge and technologies at Denman Rural Training Centre, Gaborone Agricultural Region, Botswana

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    This paper investigates the factors that influence adoption and non-adoption of agricultural technologies presented to farmers who attended training courses at the Denman Rural Training Centre in Botswana. . A structured questionnaire was administered to 223 respondents, from these respondents 153 attended training at Denman Rural Training Centre, twenty-one respondents were never trained, thirty-three were extension agents, nine support staff, five instructors and two managers. The findings of the study show that most of the respondents (61%) are implementing the acquired technologies, while 39% are not implementing. More than half (65%) of trained respondents indicated that they were never involved in identification of the courses they attended. Eighty percent reported that courses were suggested by extension agents. Thirty-six percent of respondents indicated that training had no impact at all on their production efficiency, while 45% indicated a moderate impact on their production to ensure that the training will be effective. More than half of all extension staff (64%) reported that the status of implementation for acquired technologies is usually negative, indicating that there was less or no implementation. The most important factor revealed by the study contributing to nonadoption of technologies is lack of resources. The study concluded that extension has to address the needs and perception of trainees to ensure that the training will be effective. Keywords: Adoption, non-adoption, acquired knowledge, technologies, extension agents.South African Journal of Agricultural Extension Vol. 36 (1) 2007: pp. 124-14

    Evaluation of community-based growth monitoring in rural districts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa

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    Background: The Health Systems Trust implemented a community-based growth monitoring intervention project that fits into the Integrated Nutrition Programme focus areas and commissioned an evaluation of this project. Objective: To assess project volunteers’ knowledge on infant and young child nutrition and growth monitoring, and evaluate communitybased growth monitoring activities.Design: Five randomly selected growth monitoring sites per sub-district were evaluated. Project volunteers (n = 45) and caregivers (n = 186)attending the growth monitoring sites were interviewed by means of a questionnaire. Growth monitoring and nutrition education activities were observed at the growth monitoring sites. Setting: Two rural districts in KwaZulu-Natal (Umkhanyakude: sub-district Jozini; and Zululand: sub-district Phongola), and one rural district in the Eastern Cape (OR Tambo), South Africa. Results: Project volunteers were mostly women (87%), 38 ± 10 years old, and 27% had matric/Grade 12. There was a high turnover of project volunteers. Their nutrition knowledge varied. Forty-six per cent of the project volunteers and 39% of the caregivers could correctly identify the growth curve of a healthy growing child. Seven of the 13 sites that were visited were at a crĂšche. There was a referral system between the growth monitoring site and the local clinic, and links with the Department of Agriculture and, to a lesser extent, the Department of Social Welfare. Weighing methods were inconsistent and the steps of growth monitoring were not followed through. Nutrition education to the caregivers was lacking at several of the sites. Conclusion: The study highlighted both strengths and limitations of the project. Areas that need improvement include the selection, training and supervision of project volunteers performing community-based growth monitoring.

    Why do women not use antenatal services in low and middle income countries? A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

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    Background: Almost 50% of women in low & middle income countries (LMIC’s) don’t receive adequate antenatal care. Women’s views can offer important insights into this problem. Qualitative studies exploring inadequate use of antenatal services have been undertaken in a range of countries, but the findings are not easily transferable. We aimed to inform the development of future antenatal care programmes through a synthesis of findings in all relevant qualitative studies. Methods and Findings: Using a pre-determined search strategy, we identified robust qualitative studies reporting on the views and experiences of women in LMIC’s who received inadequate antenatal care. We used meta-ethnographic techniques to generate themes and a line of argument synthesis. We derived policy relevant hypotheses from the findings. We included 21 papers representing the views of more than 1230 women from 15 countries. Three key themes were identified: ‘Pregnancy as socially risky and physiologically healthy’; ‘Resource use and survival in conditions of extreme poverty’and ‘Not getting it right first time’. The line of argument synthesis describes a dissonance between programme design and cultural contexts that may restrict access and discourage return visits. We hypothesize that centralized, risk-focused antenatal care programmes may be at odds with the resources, beliefs and experiences of pregnant women who underuse antenatal services. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there may be a mis-alignment between current antenatal provision and the social and cultural context of some women in LMIC’s. Antenatal care provision that is theoretically and contextually at odds with local contextual beliefs and experiences are likely to be underused, especially when attendance generates increased personal risks of lost family resource or physical danger during travel; when the promised care is not delivered due to resource constraints; and when women experience covert or overt abuse in care settings
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