Concepts and practices in agricultural extension in developing ...

According to Farrington (1994), a network with a sectoral (e.g. agriculture), or subsectoral (e.g. irrigationor crop processing) mandate generally operates more closely with ultimate beneficiaries (such as thosederiving livelihoods from agriculture) than those concerned with generic or cross-cutting themes suchas methods of agricultural research or extension.Every network arises in response to a unique set of circumstances: the challenges it proposes to address,the organizations and individuals available and interested in working together and the resourcesavailable to support the work. The five major elements of network performance and related indicatorsof success as indicated by Creech and Ramji (2004) includes effectiveness, structure and governance,efficiency, resources, and sustainability and life cycle. Some of the most common methodologies(Willard 2001) to assess the impact of network are:• SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)• results-based management• logical framework analysis• outcome mapping• appreciative inquiry.In networking and partnership, the combined strengths and skills enable individual entities and societyto function more effectively and successfully. The main motivation is to maximize mutual benefitson issues of common interest. Furthermore, partnerships should be seen as a means for generatinginnovation and not as an end in itself.1.3.7 Rural livelihoods 4Poverty is multidimensional, it goes beyond income and includes vulnerability and lack of voice.The poor have assets on which they can draw (and which they can build up), they can use to pursuemultiple livelihood strategies and outcomes, often by managing a portfolio of part-time activities. Thepoor generally have limited entitlements, are commonly deprived of those they do have, and haveinadequate information, knowledge and power to claim them.The Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) framework argues that the poor have assets and choices; developmentis not merely about increasing income, but about broadening livelihood-related choices. In its broadestconception, the purpose of extension is to help in broadening choice. It is clear that the very poorestare unable to engage in production and even if they do; they are producers, consumers and labourersat the same time. Hence, they cannot be helped by agricultural extension directly. Here social policywill take on a more important role, incorporating livelihood extension and safety nets.Sustainable livelihood approaches identify the current livelihood strategies and objectives of thepoor, in the context of vulnerability, the influence of policies, institutions and processes and currentlevels of access to assets and entitlements. According to Christoplos et al. (2001), poor producersface high transaction costs due to limited information and weak infrastructure to access markets, newquality standards which may be unattainable, and growing instability as major purchasers (such assupermarkets) shift bulk purchases from one country (or continent) to another in response to short-termmarket fluctuations. This stresses that the poor draw on a range of assets, which they either own or canaccess, in order to achieve a range of livelihood outcomes (going beyond income to include greater wellbeing,increased voice and reduced vulnerability). To do so, they pursue a range of livelihood strategies,4. This section is heavily drawn from Christoplos et al. (2001).19