12 pages, via online journal, Since the rice crisis of 2007, the government of Benin has initiated many programmes for rice intensification. Comparison of three rice production areas shows that local rice production has indeed been increased by the facilities provided by the government programmes. Although broadly the same facilities (market outlet, credit, input, etc.) were provided to rice farmers in the three study areas, which are located close to one another, there are not only similar, but also some different outcomes with regard to farmers' practices. There were also some unexpected changes, like the shift from limited collective canal cleaning to individual canal cleaning in Koussin-Lélé and the use of pumps in upland areas in Bamè. The study explores the interplay between these external interventions of government programmes and local actions of farmers to explain the outcomes. Using an actor-oriented perspective, the study concludes that farmers' agency played a critical role in the success of interventions; the changes occurred because of local actions of the farmers and intermediaries interacting with the external interventions at diverse junctures. Differences in strategies for resolving livelihood problems, in production options and biophysical conditions influence farmers' local actions and contribute to the explanation of the diversity of outcomes. The main lesson drawn from this research is that evaluation studies should not consider external interventions as the only or primary source of change. The dynamic interplay between local agency, intermediation and external interventions makes room for change.
Burke, Stephen C. (author), Menanteau-Horta, Dario (author), and Professor, Rural Sociology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Marywood College, Marywood, PA
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA: St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 98 Document Number: C08202
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 116 Document Number: C11808
Notes:
Francis C. Byrnes Collection, Pages 103-105 in: Drosdoff, Matthew (ed.), World Food Issues, Second Edition, Program in International Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 1984. 116 pp.
James F. Evans Collection, Many state governments in the United States promote locally-produced farm products. This paper discusses issues related to the ethics and equity of such promotional programs. The paper argues that generic promotion is generally easier to justify in terms of ethics and equity than brand promotion. It also argues that informative and factual brand promotions are easier to justify than deceptive and persuasive brand promotions. Additional equity issues arising when taxpayers finance state-promotional programs are also discusses. (original)
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 147 Document Number: C23506
Notes:
Time/CNN from Yankelovich Clancy Shulman, Westport, CT, via http://poll.orspub.com/poll/ 1 page., Responses in a national survey to a question inviting views about whether some portions of the federal government, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, should be moved to other cities elsewhere in the country.
