Capacity Building of Farmers through e Extension Model. Challenges and Opportunities Dr. Carol Kramer LeBlanc, USDA Dr.

Transcription

1 Capacity Building of Farmers through e Extension Model Challenges and Opportunities Dr. Carol Kramer LeBlanc, USDA Dr. Greg Crosby, USDA

2 CSD Ag Text Employ science based approaches, and local and indigenous knowledge, while undertaking research and development, to improve plant varieties, livestock and soil. Encourage development and adoption of locally appropriate farming systems and agricultural practices. Promote the use of soil conservation and improvement techniques, including integrated

3 (continued) Nutrient management and nutrient use efficiency Promote sound water management and saving Strengthen research, education and extension that advances the practice of sustainable agriculture and rural development. Improve linkages among research, instruction in schools and universities, and diffusion of knowledge by extension services. Expand agricultural extension services to help small holders to access and take advantage of modern information and communication technology Strengthen multi stakeholder participation and partnerships...

4 (continued) Foster expanded scientific and technical cooperation, including North South and South South cooperation,... Sustainable bioenergy production, arid and semi arid agriculture, and combating desertification Diffuse more widely pre and post harvest technologies... Strengthen the assistance from the UN System and all relevant international organizations... To help farmers... Increase production and integrate with markets.

5 Platform for Knowledge Sharing An Auspicious Time to Fast track Knowledge Sharing for Sustainable Development

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7 extension, is a collaboratively built Internet based learning environment delivering sound, science based information on a 24/7/365 basis.

8 Why extension? Better together than separate Content * best of best * peer reviewed * scalable * more specialized Efficiencies Development potential

9 Community of Interest An identified group of individuals sharing similar interests, concerns, and educational needs around a subject area.

10 Community of Practice Virtual network Multi institutional Multi disciplinary Open (new members) Fluid and flexible Evolve over time Responsive to Communities of Interest

11 Communities of Practice Examples Goats Livestock and Poultry Waste Management Horticulture Equine Meat Processing Organic Dairy Entrepreneurship

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13 eorganic

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15 Goats

16 Small Meat Processors

17 Facebook

18 eorganic YouTube

19 Widgets

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21 Traffic (how people find us)

22 Traffic (since launch)

23 about.extension.org

24 Educational Web Conferences

25 Recommendations Convene a collaboration of existing international organizations and partnerships most concerned with knowledge management and extension either virtually or face to face to assess feasibility through a business case for a Global Extension Platform Participants might include FAO, IFPRI, UNEP, IFAD, WSIS, ADB, WB, CGIAR, SARD, ILC, SIANI, BMGF, US extension, USAID, MCC and others. This might be hosted by the Sustainable Development Knowledge Partnership.

26 Recommendations Consider organizing COPs around cropping systems, agro ecological regions or other dimensions such as nutrient management, integrated pest management, land use planning, agriculture production and marketing, cooperatives, micro credit, erosion, food handling, livestock production, or land tenure and rights.

27 Recommendations Target audiences in developing countries might include: small holder farmers, women farmers, small and medium enterprise owners, extension personnel, private sector advisors, university faculty, formal school teachers, young people, scientists, and policy makers.

28 Recommendations Develop swift assessment protocols of developing countries that include: IT infrastructure, cell phone usage by consumers, producers, extension and other audiences, extension capacity, cropping traditions, and other criteria to determine the kind of content, level of presentation, and kinds of delivery modes that would be most effective in building capacity to maintain an extension system.