Delivering Non-Academic Agricultural Content to Support Agricultural Extension Activities

Abstract

WorldAgInfo Project Solution Scenario 4: Technologies and Information Exchange Systems. Based on the deliberations of participant groups in Workshop 1, the WorldAgInfo Design Team drafted a problems and solutions summary document (available within Section Three of the Final Report). This is one of several potential solution scenarios to emerge through that process. These were in turn used to inform proposed information projects generated by Workshop 2 participants in Livingstone, Zambia (available within Section Two of the Final Report).Solution Scenario Concept: Extension agents and NGO workers need access to reliable agricultural information if rural livelihoods of small-holder farmers in Africa and Asia are to improve. Information does exist, but it is typically in English-language scientific publications that are inaccessible to non- English speakers, and those who are not highly trained scientists. Further, these as well as extension publications are not easily or widely available. Thus, even trained personnel who might bridge the gap between knowledge creation and its local application by small-holder farmers do not have the information to effectively do this. A model is proposed that involves personnel with agricultural expertise working with agricultural program graduates to make scientific knowledge more accessible to such “bridge workers” in the agricultural sector. In addition, community-based findings of local significance and applicability would also be included for dissemination by extension and other agricultural sector workers. Such information would be organized on a website, but would also be available in a variety of formats, including other, non-internet formats (CDROM or hard drives), video/audio (via TV, radio, phone), and paper. The information needs to be regularly updated material that is location and need-specific, multi-lingual, and visual to accommodate the varying literacy levels of farmers. It needs to be accessible and relevant to women who are the majority of small-holder farmers in Africa and Asi