Video-mediated farmer-to-farmer learning for sustainable agriculture

1 Background
The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI)
Platform and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) have asked Agro-Insight to
implement the following study:
How can video and a web-based platform for video exchange contribute to farmer-to-farmer
learning among the rural poor across the globe, with a focus on sustainable agriculture?
The purpose of this study is to provide evidence-based information and a framework of analysis for
development partners to make decisions regarding the launching of a common project of an open
and global internet-based exchange platform for farmers using short video clips.
In particular, the study provides scenarios regarding:
o the challenge of combining a global platform with a demand-oriented approach for specific
contexts and groups (gender, age, culture), and promoting intercultural exchange across
the globe;
o the mix of content of the information/knowledge produced and provided, ranging from
technical and methodological learning to “opinion sharing” and awareness raising;
o the combination of ICTs according to content and contexts;
o the potential for linkages with existing initiatives, for institutional ownership and
embeddedness in national and sub-national contexts.
2 Method
From June to September 2011, research was conducted on the production, dissemination and use
of farmer training videos in developing countries, with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Literature
was consulted, the internet screened, and experts across the globe were consulted via email.
During other assignments in Africa and South Asia more in-depth interactions took place with
people who had a keen interest in agricultural video, such as staff from Digital Green, India.
At the same time a global on-line survey was launched in English, French and Spanish. The survey
was announced via various listservs, websites and blogs (Association for International Agricultural
and Extension Education; CTA; FFSNet; KIT; LinkedIn Association for International Agriculture and
Rural Development; Prolinnova E-group; Swiss Forum for Rural Advisory Services; and various
regional farmer platforms such as ROPPA, PROPAC, EAFF). A full list of websites on which the survey
was announced is given in Annex 1. Quite some respondents were subsequently contacted by email
with targeted questions. A selection of their responses has been included in the report as quotes.
A draft report was submitted on August 31 st . The results and ideas for a proposal were presented in
Lausanne, Switzerland on September 26-27 during which colleagues from GFRAS, SDC, Nestlé and
SAI Platform provided valuable feedback that helped to revise the proposal.
The report follows a logical structure: Video in agricultural extension (Section 3); Models of
producing and disseminating farmer training videos (Section 4); Agricultural videos on the internet
(Section 5); Feasibility of web-based platform for video sharing (Section 6); Proposal (Section 7);
and an Implementation plan with budget (Section 8).
Video for farmers Agro-Insight, October 2011 page 6