Bi.,5 - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

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5. Sociology. At present, the ISP program includes no sociology
course as a result of a lack of staff to teach it. The ISP recognizes,
however, the importance of sociological training for its
students. Here, as with other courses, the emphasis should be on
practical, applied sociology. The course should include: Information
on each of the major ethnic groups of UV with specific attention
to agricultural practices and their importance in every day life;
the specifics of the interaction between ethnic groups in agriculture,
e.g. the role of the Fulani as cowherds for other groups; practical
experience in gathering sociological information through the use of
participant observation, key informants, etc. (as none of these
students will become sociologists per se, it is suggested that methods
should be informal and designed to answer specific technical questions
rather than test theory); brief introduction to the general principles
of sociology as they relate to agriculture, e.g., farm roles, the farm
family, rural institutions, village development, etc.
6. Agricultural Economics. While there are agricultural economics
subjects now listed in the curriculum, there is no full-time, trained
agricultural economist available to teach them. When such a person is
available, the Team wishes to recommend that the following specifics
be covered to ensure practical knowledge in this field: General principles
of economics, including especially the theory of the firm; cost
analysis, including tudgeting of costs and returns for different
enterprises; supply and demand analysis; principles of marketing
agricultural products; farm management, including farm records and
accounting and general accounting; prices and National agricultural
policy; agribusiness, including cooperatives; agricultural credit;
principles of development of an under-developed economy; economic
geography of Upper Volta; planning, including cost-benefit analysis;
and, foreign trade and international commodity agreements.
7. Research Methods. This is an area typically missing in B.S. level
degrees. It should include the scientific method, how to set up and
design research, how to carry it out, sources of data, methods of analysis,
and technical writing. 'sUV will not have great numbers of PhD
level trained personnel soon, research, in many cases, will have to be
carried out in the MDR and elsewhere by Voltaics trained at this level.
It is,therefore, necessary that some training methods of reserach be
included in their training.
8. Rural Family Living. Recognizing that the well-being of the family,
including the farmer and actual field workers, as well as children and
other members of the family, is the ultimate goal of rural development,