Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 3.3.
Rewards to farmers, extensionists, and scientists for working together
Rewards to farmers
Rewards to extension
Rewards to scientists
• new perspectives through • better understanding ofhow • new perspectives on farmer
•
exchange with other farmers
•
farmers observe and make
•
observation and decision-
•
and with scientists and
•
decisions as basis for better
•
making criteria for weed
•
extensionists
•
design ofextension programs
•
management to improve
• structured analysis of
• in-depth understanding of
•
research strategies
•
information and procedures
•
on-farm conditions,
• intellectual challenge of
•
for decision-making; a
•
including weed problems;
•
understanding spatial and
•
sounding board for new
•
assessment ofcurrent
•
temporal weed variability at
•
approaches
•
technologies for more
•
field and landscape levels
• source ofideas for short-
•
effective feedback to
• definition ofnew research
•
term problem solving
•
researchers
•
directions integrated with
• better understanding of
• farmers as partners in
•
other disciplines
•
how to manage weeds
•
extension programs rather
• practical cases and examples
•
than as recipients of
•
for teaching and training
•
technology transfer
•
presentations
• pilot fields and farms for
• access to data from many
•
visits from other farmer
•
fields and farms
•
groups
individuals and the methods for monitoring weeds, analyzing decision-
making,and linking group meetings with individual actions form critical ele-
ments for the multiplication of learning.
In the second stage, extensionists promote new groups, relying on estab-
lished farmer groups. Although scientists are not present, the principles of
participatory learning continue: farmer experimentation, field observation,
group analysis of plans and decisions, and discussion of new weed manage-
ment methods. In addition, extensionists strengthen farmer-to-farmer
exchanges among pilot groups and new groups with surrounding farmers.
Other household members and diverse non-farm sectors of rural communities
may also be incorporated into these exchanges. Much needs to be learned
about how ideas spread in rural social networks; insights on this subject
would contribute to more effective facilitation of farmer-to-farmer exchanges
(Box, 1989; Engel, 1997; Selener, Chenier & Zelaya, 1997).
The configuration of the third phase represents a wider spread of the par-
ticipatory learning approach in informal rural communication networks and
a potential for partnerships between farmer networks and formal research
organizations. For example, in the Netherlands, horticultural study groups
begun by growers to compensate weak research programs now make up a
national federation that is developing links with government research pro-
grams (Oerlemans, Proost & Rauwhorst, 1997). In Colombia, farmer experi-
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