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1.
Abstract

The process of innovation-development to scaling is varied and complex. Various actors are involved in every stage of the process. In scaling the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)-led integrated watershed management projects in India and South Asia, three drivers were identified—islanding approach, multi-layered partnership, and innovative means of knowledge sharing. Through a consortium mode of partnership, ICRISAT established ‘islands’ or models for showcasing soil and water conservation interventions and integrated these with other concerns of the farming system (crops and livestock) and socio-economic dimension (capacity building). Activities on the islands were planned and implemented by the locals and replicated in satellite watersheds. Partnerships forged through the consortium approach provided a dearth of resources such as social capital. Projects built on trust and good relationships can be sustained even when direct financial support ceases. Innovative means of knowledge sharing like the Virtual Academy for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT)—ICRISAT's innovation in capacity building and information management—provided the link between rural farm households and researchers. Credible intermediaries and markets were linked to farmers by information communication technology channels and markets through an interface of information and open/distance learning methods. VASAT's multi-dimensional strategy has been an important resource for a south–south partnership.  相似文献   

2.
Abstract

This study was designed to investigate changes in farming and to look at how farmers adapt to diverse changes in and around their farms in the province of Esfahan, Iran. It is part of a larger project aimed at developing a job competency profile for agricultural extension instructors (AEIs). One hundred and two farmers who had previously followed extension courses in the province of Esfahan were interviewed. The findings demonstrate that a large number of farmers in the target group who are older, married, have low education levels, are smallholders and lack adequate job diversity on their farms. The study revealed that these farmers have experienced sluggish internal and external agricultural change, and they are generally more positive about internal changes than external ones. Respondents designated ‘extension courses’, ‘individual farm visits by official extension agents’ and ‘trial and error’, respectively as their three main learning strategies (LS) to help them adapt to the various changes. The results also indicate that older and more poorly educated farmers have more problems in adopting different LS.  相似文献   

3.
Abstract

Rural areas are changing and extension if it is to remain relevant must meet the current needs of rural people. Over 50% of farm households in Ireland will have difficulty in maintaining viability and many farm households have an increasing dependence on off-farm earned income and on social transfers. The Irish advisory service Teagasc strongly supports the development of a competitive agriculture and although charging for some of its services is still heavily subsidised by state funding. The number of people employed by Teagsac is falling and it is suffering from an embargo on the recruitment of new staff. Other broader based rural development type extension services are emerging. The role that traditional extension services should play is now a critical issue and its response may determine whether it lives or dies.  相似文献   

4.
Abstract

Competition among farmers is increasing. There are large differences between countries in labour productivity in agriculture, and in the rate of change in this productivity. This has resulted in a decrease in prices of farm products. Only those farmers who manage to increase their productivity more than that of their competitors will be able to continue to earn a living from farming. In this process extension services have two roles (1) helping farmers to increase their productivity, and (2) helping farm families, who are no longer able to compete, to find other sources of income. The first role requires that considerable attention is paid to developments in the markets. The second role has received so far little attention, although it is important for the welfare of the family. However, in countries with a limited growth outside agriculture it is difficult to perform this role adequately.  相似文献   

5.
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6.
Abstract

In order to profit from the economic growth in their society farmers can (1) increase the yields of their crops and animals, (2) switch to the production of high value products for which there is an increasing demand in the market, (3) increase the labour productivity on their farm, (4) find non-farm sources of income for some or all of their family members. Many farmers are aware that with the increasing average income in their country the proportion of the labour force which can find employment in agriculture decreases. Therefore options (3) and (4) are important for them, but in many countries they do not get much help from extension services and social institutions to realize these options in their situation. These extension services and institutions need support from socio-economic research to be able to provide this help.  相似文献   

7.
Abstract

Changes in education and agriculture in South Africa indicate that agricultural extension practitioners should facilitate continuous learning among farmers. This requires that extension practitioners acquire new skills. To provide these skills requires a critical examination of agricultural extension curricula in the light of South Africa's educational, agricultural and rural development policies with a view to rewriting extension curricula. An initial theoretical examination of extension education in the light of South African education policy yields seven learning outcome indicators encapsulating theory and practice in: 1) theory and practice in problem solving; 2) collect, analyse, organize and critically evaluate information relevant to his extension responsibilities; 3) theory and practice in Participatory Technology Development and innovation; 4) theory and practice in systems (systems thinking), including beyond farm systems; 5) theory and practice in learning facilitation; 6) theory and practice in participatory ‘curriculum’ (extension outcomes, content and process) development; and 7) theory and practice in learning and learning styles. Tertiary institutions and other stakeholders can use these indicators to examine and continuously adjust curricula to ensure extension practitioners are equipped to deliver relevant support to farmers as the agricultural landscape changes.  相似文献   

8.
Abstract

In many countries agriculture is in a process of rapid change,

  • - it has to meet a growing demand for food in a sustainable way,

  • - the international competition is increasing,

  • - the increase in labour productivity is decreasing the employment opportunities in agriculture,

  • - agricultural research is offering many new opportunities to increase productivity,

  • - government price support for agricultural products in industrial countries is decreasing.

These changes have many implications for agricultural extension, such as:

  • - the knowledge and capabilities of farmers has become a major factor in their ability to compete in national and international markets,

  • - advice is not only needed on the adoption of new technologies, but also on many other decisions farmers have to make, such as the choice of their farming system and the decision whether or not to earn an income from outside agriculture,

  • - this requires a change in extension methods and in the information sources extension agents use,

  • - agricultural development demands painful changes in the way of farming and of living for many farm families. It is a challenge for extension agencies to help farm families to realise this,

  • - a major task for leaders of extension organisations is to manage a process of change in agricultural extension. Often the role extension has to play in agricultural development can not be performed by one extension organisation, but only by a pluralistic extension system.

Agricultural extension is often expected to contribute to a reduction of poverty among farmers and farm labourers. One has to think seriously how one can realise this objective.  相似文献   

9.
Abstract

Purpose: In India, a national survey conducted in 2003 showed that only 40% of farmers accessed extension. But little is known of the characteristics of farmers who did not access extension. However, this understanding is needed in order to target approaches to farmers, who differ in their access and use of information, that is their information search behaviors. The main objective of this paper is to segment farmers from this survey based on their information search behaviors and identify the factors that determine farmers' information search behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach: Cluster analysis is applied to the number of sources accessed and frequency of source used, to define farmers' information search behaviors.

Findings: The four groups that emerged are: ‘no search’, ‘low search’, ‘moderate search’ and ‘high search’. Sixty percent of farmers had no search behavior, which means they had not accessed any extension that year. By state, the largest group of these farmers was in Rajasthan. By comparison, the largest group of high searchers was in Kerala. Using Rajasthan and Kerala as case studies, these search behaviors differ by landholding size and education. ‘No search’ farmers had the smallest landholdings, lowest education, used fewer inputs and relied on groundwater for irrigation. By comparison, ‘high search’ farmers had the largest landholdings, most education, used more inputs and irrigated using canals.

Practical implications: The difference in search behaviors between the case study states, and within the states, shows that targeted extension approaches are needed to reach different farmers, particularly the no, low and moderate search groups, with programs customized to address their context-specific information needs.

Originality/value: Using information search strategy as the basis for analysis, this paper provides additional evidence of the need to consider the context-specific situations of farmers when designing extension services.  相似文献   

10.
Background: Universities in many countries increasingly deliver outreach programmes to raise aspirations and encourage participation in higher education. At the University of Canberra in Australia, these programmes target schools that have been identified as having a large number of students from rural/regional, financially disadvantaged and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds – groups that continue to be underrepresented in higher education. Involved in the delivery of these programmes are current university students – at the University of Canberra termed ‘Aspiration Agents’ – many of whom come from similar backgrounds to the students with whom they work. Although not the focus of the outreach programmes, the Aspiration Agents themselves also derive benefits from the experience.

Purpose: This research aimed to explore the reasons why students choose to become Aspiration Agents, and the perceived benefits of the mentoring/ambassador role.

Sample, Design and Methods: The data collection comprised two small-scale exploratory questionnaire studies (N = 12; N = 20). Qualitative methods were used to investigate participants’ self-reported motivations for, and experiences of being Aspiration Agents.

Findings: Findings suggest that students perceived benefits in personal, student-related and future professional domains. Dominating all these areas, however, was the recurring theme that the students were both motivated to, and derived satisfaction from, helping others. These findings are discussed in terms of the specific role of the Aspiration Agent and how this form of employment can positively, rather than negatively, impact on the student’s own university experience.  相似文献   

11.
Editorial     
Abstract

The availability of adequate knowledge is an important prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable forms of agriculture. It will be shown that the nature of the knowledge necessary for this differs from that which forms the basis for conventional agricultural practices. The generation of such knowledge requires other forms of research and extension than those that are currently widespread. It is now necessary, more than ever before, to direct efforts towards the organisation and support of joint learning processes aimed at the development of new technologies (and accompanying social‐organisational arrangements) at local level. While the first part of this article outlines some basic methodological elements that may be relevant in this respect, the second part addresses the question of whether changes occurring in the Dutch agricultural knowledge network are helpful in bringing about the required forms of experiential learning and interactive technology development at local level. It is argued that market‐oriented knowledge policies in agriculture (e.g. in the form of privatisation of research and extension institutions and ‘output‐financing') pose a number of threats to this. It is suggested that the idea of a ‘knowledge market’ is logically connected to outdated forms of linear thinking with regard to the source of innovation processes. In relation to this, a number of aspects causing friction are identified in the co‐operation between fanners, extensionists and researchers. With reference to insights from (institutional) economics, it is concluded that other institutional arrangements than markets are probably more suitable when the aim is to support experiential learning and interactive design towards sustainable agriculture. In such processes, applied knowledge and information cannot be treated as marketable ‘end‐products’, but are better regarded as ‘building‐blocks’ that need to be re‐arranged and re‐shaped through numerous creative ‘transactions’ and exchanges. If all of these transactions have to be paid for, innovation is unlikely to emerge.  相似文献   

12.
Abstract

This study aimed to investigate farmers’ attitudes and skills of farm management. Two scales were constructed as an instrument for data collection, based on a sample of 100 farm units. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were .84 or higher, which indicated that the instrument scales were internally consistent. Non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data. Operators appeared to be largely commercial, but they did not highly rate the significance of farming as a business, or their level of management skills. Two-thirds of respondents perceived technical skills as the key to success. Poor management skills limit the operators’ ability in making informed decisions, planning and analyzing the financial performance of their operations. Farm management extension enhances farmers’ willingness and ability to make successful changes to their management practice. Improvement programs have to be targeted to the groups of operators who are more favorable to management extension, that is, full-time farmers, renters, the more experienced, the educated and the more dependent on farm income.  相似文献   

13.

Abstract:

This paper, which offers a positive assessment of the role of markets in education, is a ‘reply’ to an earlier contribution to the Journal (41, 4) in which Stewart Ranson argues that markets are intrinsically flawed as a vehicle for improving educational opportunities. The ‘reply’, among other things, argues that Ranson fails to address the shortcomings of education under democratic control and ignores the educational benefits of authentic markets.  相似文献   

14.
Purpose: Understand the emergence of new potential career trajectories in the liberalised Irish dairy farming sector through analysis of the narratives of students of a Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management

Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature highlights that entry to a working life in agriculture has been characterised by protracted farm succession processes; a strong association between being a farmer and owning land in the family name; lingering male identities esteeming manual labour; and a pragmatic need at farm level for manual work. The abolition of milk quota in 2015 was predicted to catalyse expansion of production on dairy farms with an increase in milk production; accompanied by a demand for qualified personnel. The BNIM method was employed.

Findings: Results confirm that agricultural education is perceived and experienced as offering new pathways for young farmers to enter the occupational category of ‘farmer’, helping to manoeuvre around the constraints of non-inheritance. The students’ narratives evidenced managerial identities, being strongly influenced by encountering management approaches through their agricultural education. All students desired to eventually own a farm someday and to be to employed as a professional dairy farm manager was a perceived as an intermediary goal.

Practical implication: Discontinuation of the traditional family farming model based on family farm/land ownership is not imminent even among a cohort qualified to become employed dairy farm managers.

Theoretical implication: This paper contributes to theoretical framework which highlights the shift in farmer masculine identity and the career trajectory of graduates of specialised agricultural education programmes.  相似文献   


15.
Abstract

In recent years, alternative teacher preparation programmes are globally emerging to address teacher quality in ‘hard-to-staff’ schools. These programmes commonly attract graduates from prestigious universities to teach in disadvantaged schools for two years. One programme of this kind in China is the ‘Exceptional Graduates as Rural Teachers’ (EGRT). In this paper, we repurpose Bourdieu’s sociology to understand the power shift and social change through EGRT fellows’ position-(re)takings in subjective and objective crisis during their EGRT service term. Interviews with 16 EGRT participants reveal two themes: (1) In the initial stage of EGRT service, contemptuous habitus navigated EGRT fellows to a position of assumed privilege and misrecognised the arbitrary value of educational capital; (2) Over the EGRT service term, position-retaking gradually came to the fore. EGRT fellows learned to recognise a range of rural teachers’ attributes termed as ‘localised pedagogical capital’. We conclude the paper with some recommendations for EGRT to transform both EGRT fellows and local teachers into reflexive sociological workers. These recommendations have important implications for a long overdue response to the urban-oriented rural education.  相似文献   

16.
促进农民持续增收事关农民生活水平提高和农村经济社会的发展大局。要促进农民持续增收,就必须发展现代农业,培育壮大农民专业合作组织,发展低碳高效生态设施农业和农产品加工业,实现低碳农业产业化,提高农民的农业收入;就必须促进转移就业,增加农民的工资性收入;就必须保障和改善民生,提高农民的转移性收入;就必须完善城乡平等的要素交换关系,提高农民的财产性收入。  相似文献   

17.
Abstract

In Australia, the introduction of extension approaches based on adult learning, action learning and action research theory has resulted in a turn around in the way in which Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) agencies operate. These approaches are being used particularly in projects involving farmer groups to improve decision‐making skills of both fanners and extension agents and have become common agendas of funding bodies and agencies that support such projects. However, the questions remain concerning both funding bodies and extension agencies: ‘Does participatory action learning (PAL) make a difference? And is it more effective than traditional models of extension for improving the adoption of sustainable farming practices? This paper presents the results from evaluating the learning occurring within an on‐going conservation cropping farmer group using PAL. The results illustrate real‐world evidence to suggest that participatory action learning and other action research based approaches make a difference in improving the effectiveness of group learning compared to more traditional extension approaches. Qualities of and indicators for effective learning can be developed from empirical research as well as common concepts drawn from theories of learning. In addition, the use of qualitative evaluation methods (eg. convergent interviewing) and ‘soft’ systems approaches, are useful for traditionally perceived ‘difficult‐to‐measure’ advances in learning. The overall finding is that PAL was both feasible and rewarding.  相似文献   

18.
Abstract

This article concerns capacity building for gender‐sensitive agricultural extension planning in a two‐year FAO pilot project at the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia. The aim of the paper is to review and analyse the capacity‐building process, drawing out the lessons learned, regarding both ‘best practice’ and challenges faced. The author was engaged fully in the project for its two‐years duration and this study is a reflection of that experience. The project involved training extension staff in both participatory rural appraisal and gender analysis to ensure more client‐oriented extension planning. It is concluded that the use of the experiential learning cycle in capacity building, the reliance on participatory management and implementation styles, networking and the mainstreaming of the project within the Extension Department constitute ‘best practice’. Four challenges to the project's success are reviewed. They are, the difficulty of institutionalising the process within the short time‐scale of the project, the necessity of involving policy‐makers at all stages and levels, the need to raise gender awareness amongst rural men and women and the importance of addressing women's lack of decision‐making power.  相似文献   

19.
Abstract

Purpose:

Though women are engaged in farming and play a major role in almost every agricultural operation, they continue to receive very limited extension support. While several interventions have been made to address this ‘gender’ bias in extension delivery, there continues to be a shortfall between the kind of support that is provided and the needs and demands of rural women. This gap between supply and demand needs to be addressed in order to improve the lives and livelihoods of women in the rural farming sector.  相似文献   

20.
Abstract

Recent social policy discourses in Aotearoa New Zealand focus on vulnerable children’s well-being and the detrimental, long-term and costly impacts of child poverty. The discourse pervading much of the policy labels children and young people as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘at risk’ or ‘in crisis’, a view, which we argue, is both disempowering and marginalising. We propose a shift in focus which views children and young people as agentic, capable and competent. Drawing on several small-scale research projects and reports we demonstrate how, when asked, children and young people can participate effectively in discussions about policy matters that concern them (Article 12, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 [UNCROC]). We have much to learn from the insights children share with us when asked, but very often existing structures, at both government and community level, do not include adequate processes to hear their voices, let alone act on what has been communicated.  相似文献   

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