Download or read book Assessing agricultural extension agent digital readiness in Rwanda written by Davis, Kristin and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2024-07-01 with total page 17 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Effective agricultural extension and advisory services are a key component of efforts to achieve sustainable agricultural production, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive economic growth. These are all necessary elements for accelerating Rwanda’s agricultural transformation. Both extension and information and communication technologies (ICT) are important elements in Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation. This paper examines the capacities of public and private agricultural extension agents in Rwanda and their readiness to use ICT in their work—that is, to be digitally equipped—and provides recommendations for enhancing agricultural extension capacities through expanding and effectively using ICT. To examine capacities and readiness, we use a representative survey of 500 public and private extension agents in Rwanda, augmented by qualitative data from a literature review and key informant interviews. To assess agents’ ‘digital readiness,’ we create two indices focused on their digital experiences and attitudes toward digital modernization.

Download or read book Ready to go digital Assessing the digital readiness of young agripreneurs in East Africa written by Pafumi, M., Arimbi, V. and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2022-03-02 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Food and Agricultural Organization’s Integrated Country Approach for boosting decent jobs for youth in agrifood systems carried out a digital readiness assessment of youth in agribusiness in partnership with the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation and youth-led organizations in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Over 360 young male and female entrepreneurs engaged through an online survey and virtual focus group discussions that generated insights on their interaction with digital technologies, either as entrepreneurs, service providers, or members of youth organizations. This summary note presents key findings on the following topics: agribusiness information flows, youth digital access and preferences, information technology use for business including e-commerce, e-learning, online mentoring, and online activities of rural youth networks.

Download or read book Assessing the digital readiness and communication ecosystem of rural youth written by Pafumi, M. and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2024-02-12 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Digitalization is a potential game-changer to boost youth engagement and leadership in agrifood systems. Digital engagement can increase youth access to timely information, training, or marketing opportunities while providing more venues for peer learning, networking, and participation in policy dialogues. Yet, the transformative power of digital technologies also entails the risk of widening existing divides. As we seek to engage youth in the digital space, we must consider a series of interrelated factors that influence their online experiences ranging from digital access, use, and literacy, to overall information flows, offline communication resources, social interactions, and the norms shaping them. These methodological guidelines will be a useful resource for development professionals who wish to leverage communication and digital technologies in their work with and for youth. The document provides an analytical framework and practical orientation to conduct age-specific and gender-responsive research on digital readiness and the overall communication ecosystem of young people in order to inform inclusive engagement strategies and youth-centred digital services. Section 1 explains the rationale behind investing time and resources in appraising the existing communication ecosystem before designing any initiative aimed at engaging youth in agrifood systems and in rural areas. Section 2 outlines an analytical framework to unpack the digital readiness and the communication ecosystem of young rural women and men along major investigation areas: digital access, use and skills; information flows; offline communication resources; and social capital and social norms. Section 3 describes how to conduct hands-on research combining the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Section 4 summarizes final considerations and take-home messages. The Annexes provide two examples of data collection tools, namely a mobile survey questionnaire and a focus group discussion guide, while the Field Stories present real-life examples testifying to the multiple and varied applications of the methodology within the scope of FAO’s Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for Boosting Decent Jobs for Youth in the Agrifood System project.

Download or read book Agricultural extension and rural advisory services What have we learned What s next written by Davis, Kristin E. and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2021-10-29 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural extension provides the critical connection from agricultural innovation and discovery to durable improvements at scale, as farmers and other actors in the rural economy learn, adapt, and innovate with new technologies and practices. However, lack of capacity and performance of agricultural extension in lower- and middle-income countries is an ongoing concern. Research on agricultural extension and advisory services (in short, extension) has been an integral part of the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) since its inception. This brief synthesizes key findings from research funded by and linked to PIM from 2012 to 2021, presenting lessons learned and a vision for the future of extension. A list of all PIM-related extension and advisory services research is provided at the end. Designing and implementing effective provision of extension is complex, and efforts to strengthen extension services often fall into a trap of adopting “best practice” blueprint approaches that are not well-tailored to local conditions. An expansive literature examines the promises and pitfalls of common approaches, including training-and-visit extension systems, farmer field schools, and many others (Anderson and Feder 2004; Anderson et al. 2006; Waddington and White 2014; Scoones and Thompson 2009). To understand extension systems and build evidence for what works and where, the “best-fit” framework, a widely recognized approach developed by Birner and colleagues (2009) and adapted by Davis and Spielman (2017), offers a simple impact chain approach (Figure 1). The framework focuses on a defined set of extension service characteristics that affect performance: governance structures and funding; organizational and management capacities and cultures; methods; and community engagement — all of which are subject to external factors such as the policy environment, agroecological conditions, and farming-system heterogeneity. To enhance extension performance and, ultimately, a wide range of outcomes and impacts, new and innovative interventions can be applied and adapted within this set of extension characteristics.

Download or read book Global agricultural extension staff functional competencies written by Davis, Kristin E. and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2021-12-09 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Public and nonpublic extension and advisory services are both key to sustainable agriculture, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive growth1. The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) has called for “the new extensionist”(Davis and Sulaiman 2014), emphasizing the functional competencies needed to help clientele cope with complex challenges such as climate change and nutrition. Since 2015 the GFRAS “New Extensionist Learning Kit” (NELK)has been equipping extension agents globally with functional competencies through face-to-face, online, and blended learning(AFAAS 2018). Competencies are defined in many different ways (Westera 2021). For this paper, we define competency simply as “the capability to perform actions which add value” (Mulder, 2012: 319). Functional competencies(the so-called soft skills, as distinct from more technical areas in agriculture, animal sciences, natural resources, etc.)have not been well documented in the academic literature, especially with respect to digitally enabled extension (Strong et al. 2014). According to Khalil and colleagues (2009), competencies such as leadership, communication, program planning, and evaluation are important factors for performance of extension staff. Digital skills are also becoming more important for extension officers. The utilization of digital technology (online modules, webinars) to deliver the NELK modules provides the opportunity to use expertise available globally to train many extension professionals at the same time. How ready, however, are extension officers globally to use such digital approaches –for continuous professional development and learning and also for outreach? Spielman and colleagues (forthcoming) developed an index of “digital readiness” of extension agents in Rwanda. Digital readiness is also referred to as Networked Readiness Index or Technology Index, and indicates the status and growth of information and communications technologies (ICT) and how ICTs are effectively used to achieve maximum benefits to the country and its citizens (Bharatula and Murthy 2020).

Download or read book South African extension agent competencies and attitudes for the future Results of a survey written by Davis, Kristin E. and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2021-12-09 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Extension and advisory services are key to sustainable agriculture, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive growth. In South Africa, there is need for new training, skills, and attitudes by extension staff to meet the demands of the changing sector. The purpose was to find out South African extension agent competency levels, attitudes and mindsets, especially toward digital extension, to be relevant for the future. Using a population survey, we targeted all public and non-public extension staff from every province using an online and paper-based questionnaire. We examined existing competencies, new needs, and differences in attitudes and competencies by factors such as education, employer, age, and gender. We created an index of “digital readiness” and an index of “technological readiness” based on technology use and attitudes and compared by various factors such as sector, age, and gender. We find that while extension officers tend to have a good arsenal of technical skills, they are less equipped with functional skills. Several competencies and attitudes necessary for the new norms and standards for extension officers are lacking in a good proportion of respondents, such as inclusivity and empowerment. While extension staff recognize the importance of digital literacy for the future, only about half have received any training on the use of digital tools. We recommend that extension role players take a systems view to revitalize extension. For extension to perform effectively, we must go beyond skills and training. Extension departments and organizations also need a certain level of competencies, and the enabling environment should be conducive. We recommend that, in addition to rounding out the technical and functional expertise of South African extension and advisory services staff that adequate incentives and rewards are in place to ensure professionalism and motivation.

Download or read book Concepts and Practices in Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries written by and published by ILRI (aka ILCA and ILRAD). This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Scaling Up Disruptive Agricultural Technologies in Africa written by Jeehye Kim and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2020-07-16 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study—which includes a pilot intervention in Kenya—aims to further the state of knowledge about the emerging trend of disruptive agricultural technologies (DATs) in Africa, with a focus on supply-side dynamics. The first part of the study is a stocktaking analysis to assess the number, scope, trend, and characteristics of scalable disruptive technology innovators in agriculture in Africa. From a database of 434 existing DAT operations, the analysis identified 194 as scalable. The second part of the study is a comparative case study of Africa’s two most successful DAT ecosystems in Kenya and Nigeria, which together account for half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s active DATs. The objective of these two case studies is to understand the successes, challenges, and opportunities faced by each country in fostering a conducive innovation ecosystem for scaling up DATs. The case study analysis focuses on six dimensions of the innovation ecosystem in Kenya and Nigeria: finance, regulatory environment, culture, density, human capital, and infrastructure. The third part of the study is based on the interactions and learnings from a pilot event to boost the innovation ecosystem in Kenya. The Disruptive Agricultural Technology Innovation Knowledge and Challenge Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together more than 300 key stakeholders from large technology companies, agribusiness companies, and public agencies; government representatives and experts from research and academic institutions; and representatives from financial institutions, foundations, donors, and venture capitalists. Scaling Up Disruptive Agricultural Technologies in Africa concludes by establishing that DATs are demonstrating early indications of a positive impact in addressing food system constraints. It offers potential entry points and policy recommendations to facilitate the broader adoption of DATs and improve the overall food system.

Download or read book Agricultural extension Global status and performance in selected countries written by Davis, Kristin E., ed. and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2020-09-02 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural transformation and development are critical to the livelihoods of more than a billion small-scale farmers and other rural people in developing countries. Extension and advisory services play an important role in such transformation and can assist farmers with advice and information, brokering and facilitating innovations and relationships, and dealing with risks and disasters. Agricultural Extension: Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries provides a global overview of agricultural extension and advisory services, assesses and compares extension systems at the national and regional levels, examines the performance of extension approaches in a selected set of country cases, and shares lessons and policy insights. Drawing on both primary and secondary data, the book contributes to the literature on extension by applying a common and comprehensive framework — the “best-fit” approach — to assessments of extension systems, which allows for comparison across cases and geographies. Insights from the research support reforms — in governance, capacity, management, and advisory methods — to improve outcomes, enhance financial sustainability, and achieve greater scale. Agricultural Extension should be a valuable resource for policymakers, extension practitioners, and others concerned with agricultural development.

Download or read book Improving Agricultural Extension written by Burton E. Swanson and published by Fao. This book was released on 1997 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book on Improving Agricultural Extension: a Reference Manual offers a critical review and inventory-analysis of the "State of the Art" in agricultural extension theory and best practices written by internationally known agricultural extension practitioners, educators and scholars. A total of 38 authors from 15 countries contributed to the 23 chapters of this book and thus they provided broad international perspectives, covering both theory and practice, as well as micro and macro issues related to agricultural extension. It is the third edition of a classic reference manual on agricultural extension published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Aimed at agricultural extension planners, managers, trainers, educators, and field practitioners, this book could be useful in improving the quality of agricultural extension and in generating new ideas and methods for increasing further the cost-effectiveness of agricultural extension programmes. It provides many sound and practical suggestions for developing and improving the conceptual, technical, and operational methods and tools in order to strategically plan, efficently manage, and scientifically evaluate a problem-solving, demand-driven and needs-based agricultural extension programmes.

Download or read book Digital technologies in agriculture and rural areas written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2019-06-01 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report aims to identify the different scenarios where the process of digital transformation is taking place in agriculture. This identifies those aspects of basic conditions, such as those of infrastructure and networks, affordability, education and institutional support. In addition, enablers are identified, which are the factors that allow adopting and integrating changes in the production and decision-making processes. Finally identify through cases, existing literature and reports how substantive changes are taking place in the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture.

Download or read book The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report 2018 2019 written by Tsan, Michael and published by CTA. This book was released on 2019-06-30 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An inclusive, digitally-enabled agricultural transformation could help achieve meaningful livelihood improvements for Africa’s smallholder farmers and pastoralists. It could drive greater engagement in agriculture from women and youth and create employment opportunities along the value chain. At CTA we staked a claim on this power of digitalisation to more systematically transform agriculture early on. Digitalisation, focusing on not individual ICTs but the application of these technologies to entire value chains, is a theme that cuts across all of our work. In youth entrepreneurship, we are fostering a new breed of young ICT ‘agripreneurs’. In climate-smart agriculture multiple projects provide information that can help towards building resilience for smallholder farmers. And in women empowerment we are supporting digital platforms to drive greater inclusion for women entrepreneurs in agricultural value chains.

Download or read book Global Trends 2040 written by National Intelligence Council and published by Cosimo Reports. This book was released on 2021-03 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.

Download or read book Agricultural Innovation Systems written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2012-02-21 with total page 685 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Managing the ability of agriculture to meet rising global demand and to respond to the changes and opportunities will require good policy, sustained investments, and innovation - not business as usual. Investments in public Research and Development, extension, education, and their links with one another have elicited high returns and pro-poor growth, but these investments alone will not elicit innovation at the pace or on the scale required by the intensifying and proliferating challenges confronting agriculture. Experience indicates that aside from a strong capacity in Research and Development, the ability to innovate is often related to collective action, coordination, the exchange of knowledge among diverse actors, the incentives and resources available to form partnerships and develop businesses, and conditions that make it possible for farmers or entrepreneurs to use the innovations. While consensus is developing about what is meant by 'innovation' and 'innovation system', no detailed blueprint exists for making agricultural innovation happen at a given time, in a given place, for a given result. The AIS approach that looks at these multiple conditions and relationships that promote innovation in agriculture, has however moved from a concept to a sub-discipline with principles of analysis and action. AIS investments must be specific to the context, responding to the stage of development in a particular country and agricultural sector, especially the AIS. This sourcebook contributes to identifying, designing, and implementing the investments, approaches, and complementary interventions that appear most likely to strengthen AIS and to promote agricultural innovation and equitable growth. It emphasizes the lessons learned, benefits and impacts, implementation issues, and prospects for replicating or expanding successful practices. The information in this sourcebook derives from approaches that have been tested at different scales in different contexts. It reflects the experiences and evolving understanding of numerous individuals and organizations concerned with agricultural innovation, including the World Bank. This information is targeted to the key operational staff in international and regional development agencies and national governments who design and implement lending projects and to the practitioners who design thematic programs and technical assistance packages. The sourcebook can also be an important resource for the research community and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Download or read book Future Drivers of Growth in Rwanda written by The World Bank;Government of Rwanda and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2020-07-06 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A strong and widely acknowledged record of economic success-including a three-and-a-half-fold increase in per capita income since 1994--places Rwanda among the world’s fastest--growing economies. Traumatic memories of the 1994 genocide are gradually fading, as associations begin to take a more positive form--of a nation on the rise, powered by human resilience, a sense of common purpose, and a purposeful government. Past successes and a sense of frailty have fueled aspirations for a secure, prosperous, and modern future. Sustaining high rates of economic growth is at the heart of these ambitions. Recent formulations of the nation’s Vision 2050 set a target of achieving upper-middle-income status by 2035 and high-income status by 2050. Future Drivers of Growth in Rwanda: Innovation, Integration, Agglomeration, and Competition, a joint undertaking by experts from Rwanda and the World Bank Group, evaluates the country’s possibilities and options in this endeavor. The report identifies four essential drivers of growth--innovation, integration, agglomeration, and competition--and reforms in six priority areas: human capital development, export dynamism and regional integration, well-managed urbanization, competitive domestic enterprises, agricultural modernization, and capable and accountable public institutions.

Download or read book Strengthening Agricultural Education and Training in Sub Saharan Africa from an Innovation Systems Perspective Case Studies of Ethiopia and Mozambique written by Kristin Davis, Javier Ekboir, Wendmsyamregne Mekasha, Cosmas M.O. Ochieng, David J. Spielman and Elias Zerfu and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book State of Food and Agriculture written by Food and Agriculture Organization and published by Food & Agriculture Organization. This book was released on 2017-01-12 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unless action is taken now to make agriculture more sustainable, productive and resilient, climate change impacts will seriously compromise food production in countries and regions that are already highly food-insecure. The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, represents a new beginning in the global effort to stabilize the climate before it is too late. It recognizes the importance of food security in the international response to climate change, as reflected by many countries prominent focus on the agriculture sector in their planned contributions to adaptation and mitigation. To help put those plans into action, this report identifies strategies, financing opportunities, and data and information needs. It also describes transformative policies and institutions that can overcome barriers to implementation. The State of Food and Agriculture is produced annually. Each edition contains an overview of the current global agricultural situation, as well as more in-depth coverage of a topical theme."