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Moderated conference on rural advisory services for family farms: 1-18 December 2014

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Sender: "Moderated conference on rural advisory services for family farms: 1-18 December 2014" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 11:30:08 +0100
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My name is Katinka Weinberger, and I am the Head of the Centre for the Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA) of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). 

 

With this intervention, I would like to contribute to question 4.6 of the email conference, on national strategies, based on the findings of an Expert Consultation that CAPSA hosted in Bangkok, Thailand on 11-12 December 2013, and that addressed the question of how to enhance research to extension linkages (see full report here: http://www.uncapsa.org/publication/Research_extension_linkages_report.pdf (6 MB)). The expert group, representing public (extension & research), civil society and private sector, deliberated on an Action Framework for the Asia-Pacific region that included the following: 

 

Adapting to a new research-extension environment:

New and emerging challenges such as climate change and land degradation are leading to a paradigm shift from input-intensive to knowledge-intensive agriculture. There is thus need to reorient the institutional capacity of extension systems to better align with the change in research focus towards sustainable practices. It is necessary for extension systems to move beyond a narrow commodity focus and adopt a broader focus on diversified farming systems, sustainable value-chains and industries. This requires innovative thinking and out-of-the-box solutions.   

 

Creating space for research-extension interface:

Research-extension linkages need to be institutionalized more effectively through coordinated agriculture sector programmes. The concept of Research and Development and Commercialization (R&D&C – a strategy pursued in Malaysia) in agricultural development can be introduced to take science to commercialization, as the commercialization of science outputs can accelerate the use of research findings by farmers. The increased involvement of researchers in farmers’ fields must also be encouraged to provide opportunities for them to be extension agents, better assess farmers’ needs and socioeconomic constraints, and to undertake adaptive and applied research. Building of national and regional consortia of research-extension organizations, as well as establishment of a dedicated ‘Extension Research Institute’ at national levels and a Network at regional level were suggested to facilitate closer linkages between research and extension. 

 

Enhancing quality of extension services:

Extension systems must deliver up-to-date, accurate and location-specific information and services to farmers, but are often not up to the required standards. In this context, development of legal frameworks defining roles and responsibilities of all extension stakeholders should be assessed. In addition, professionalizing capacity-building of extension agents through regular skill development programmes including improved university education and refresher courses, must be prioritized. The training should ensure that the knowledge of extension agents keeps ahead of that of their clientele and must address the shift in emphasis in their role from technology transfer to facilitating knowledge-sharing as ‘knowledge brokers’. The potential for introduction of a certification programme for trained extension workers (both public and private sector) for quality assurance can be explored. Moreover, to enhance the quality of services in areas with an excessively high ratio of farmers’ households per extension worker, more extension workers can be hired if permitted by availability of financial resources.  

 

Mobilizing resources and establishing stakeholder partnerships:

Increased investment in strengthening research-extension systems is necessary to meet new and difficult challenges facing the agriculture sector. Innovative mechanisms to leverage additional resources like creation of a competitive investment fund for agricultural extension and innovation to support entrepreneurial ideas should thus be explored to address the frequent budgetary constraints faced by these systems. The engagement of other stakeholders such as the private sector and civil society organizations in delivery of integrated research-extension services, of which successful examples are already available in many countries, needs to be further strengthened and institutionalized. The possibility of organizing multi-stakeholder ‘National Consultations’ to promote research-extension linkages and to allow private sector and civil society organizations to undertake advocacy, pitch new ideas to governments, share knowledge and enable review of market distortions and subsidies, should be explored. 

 

Fostering enabling policy initiatives:

The public sector has a central role in providing integrated research-extension services in most countries of the region while also enabling access to knowledge and undertaking overall regulation and monitoring. At the same time, government policy initiatives can be leveraged to promote a market-alignment and technology-provider role for the private sector, a community-mobilization role for NGOs, and a cost-sharing and change-facilitator role for development agencies. Policy interventions can also be used to support innovation by small and medium enterprises (SME) in the agricultural sector, investment in research and extension systems, increased use of ICT for agricultural innovation, promotion of fairly managed contract farming or similar approaches and sharing of experiences on implementation of national agricultural extension policies and impacts via an official platform.

 

Documenting evidence: 

It is important to initiate studies to enable better understanding of the impact of research-extension linkages on agricultural growth. Documenting this impact and spreading greater awareness about impact pathways and potential returns from agricultural innovation can facilitate advocacy initiatives and attract investors. A meta-study at the regional level to provide a firm empirical basis for further promoting integration of research and extension is required.

 

Dr Katinka Weinberger

Head

Centre for the Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA) of the

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Jalan Merdeka 145

16111 Bogor

Indonesia

Mobile: (+62811)1117191

Work: (+62251)8343277

www.uncapsa.org

e-mail: k.weinberger (at) uncapsa.org



[To contribute to this conference, send your message to [log in to unmask] For further information, see http://www.fao.org/nr/research-extension-systems/res-home/news/detail/en/c/264776/  



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