Sudan: Northern Region Agricultural Rehabilitation Project, Khartoum, Sudan
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20498
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, pages 21-35, from "Transfer of technology for the agricultural development in the northern region of Sudan", proceedings of the in-house meeting Khartoum, Sudan, 20-22 October 1987
19 pages., ISSN: 2168-3565 (Print)
2168-3573 (Online), Via online journal, Biodiversity conservation outside designated protected areas remains challenging in South Africa, where 80% of the biodiversity resources occur on private and communal lands. This applies to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, which is the focus of this study. Landholders logically choose agricultural production ahead of conservation, which they often perform using non-ecological methods. Extension is well positioned to promote ecological agriculture, but its current contribution is unknown. This study examined the role of extension in ecological agriculture in KZN by investigating extension’s promotion of ecological agriculture among smallholder farmers and the factors impacting their employment of ecologically compatible practices. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with 44 respondents, comprising 5 provincial biodiversity conservation practitioners, 1 national biodiversity conservation manager, and 1 national and 4 provincial agricultural extension managers, selected by purposive sampling; as well as 25 extension officers and 8 farmers, selected by convenience sampling. The study found that extension mainly engages in technology transfer and distribution of production inputs, which poses challenges to biodiversity conservation. Extension shows little concern for biodiversity, and effectively promotes its degradation. Four sets of factors impacting extension’s capacity to promote ecological agriculture emerged: household/community-level, governmental, extension management, and ecological factors. Key among these were inadequate involvement of youth and men in agriculture; inadequate household production resources; poor collaboration and coordination between extension and biodiversity conservation institutions; top-down extension intervention; poor extension management and delivery capacities; and irregular and inadequate rainfall, as well as droughts and flooding. The study concluded that there is a need for a clearly articulated extension and biodiversity conservation policy supporting appropriate linkages and better coordination and integration of services among extension and biodiversity agencies within the National and Provincial Departments of Agriculture and with farmers; more effective agricultural education in schools; strengthening extension support systems; and creating conducive atmospheres for effective extension.
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a credible alternative to tackle food insecurity under the changing climate is gaining wide acceptance. However, many developing countries have realized that concepts that have been recommended as solutions to existing problems are not suitable in their contexts. This paper synthesizes a subset of literature on CSA in the context of small-scale agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa as it relates to the need for CSA, factors influencing CSA adoption, and the challenges involved in understanding and scaling up CSA. Findings from the literature reveal that age, farm size, the nature of farming, and access to extension services influence CSA adoption. Many investments in climate adaptation projects have found little success because of the sole focus on the technology-oriented approach whereby innovations are transferred to farmers whose understanding of the local farming circumstances are limited. Climate-smart agriculture faces the additional challenge of a questionable conceptual understanding among policymakers as well as financing bottlenecks. This paper argues that the prospects of CSA in small-scale agriculture rest on a thorough socio-economic analysis that recognizes the heterogeneity of the small farmer environment and the identification and harnessing of the capacities of farming households for its adoption and implementation
Aberle, Jennifer T. (author), Fetsch, Robert J. (author), Haddock, Shelley A. (author), Peterson, Rick L. (author), and Zimmerman, Toni Schindler (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2005-04
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 160 Document Number: C26222
Abuhassan, M.A. (author), Cheah, P.F. (author), Choo, T.W. (author), Kamaruddin, M. (author), Pharo, H.J. (author), Sopian, M.J. (author), and Ruminant Development Project, Department of Veterinary Services, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1990-05
Published:
UK
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 91 Document Number: C06560
Current Contents Agr/Bio, The emphasis on cow records in Malaysian dairy extension programmes reflects the importance of herd fertility in the economics of dairying. Manual record keeping has not been able to make an impact on management due to difficulties experienced in quality control of the data and in analyzing the data to produce useful information for farm managers. Computerized recording systems have been in use in Malaysia since 1985, both on government farms and in the smallholder dairy sector. The aim of both is firstly to improve farm efficiency by the provision of information to managers and extension workers and secondly to provide information for departmental planning purposes. The systems used in Malaysia are outlined, and the results over the first three years of operation are summarized. (author)
Findings prompt researchers to recommend the use of information and communications technologies with conventional approaches in conservation agriculture knowledge networks.
Chad: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20242
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, In section G of the "2000 conference proceedings: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education", 16th Annual Conference, March 29th-April 1st, 2000, Arlington, Virginia, USA
Acker, David (author / Iowa State College) and Carrasco, Alejandrina (author / Iowa State University)
Format:
Proceedings
Publication Date:
2001-04-04
Published:
Cuba: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: C20920
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, pages 71-78, from "Emerging trends in agricultural and extension education", AIAEE 2001, Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference, April 4-7, 2001, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: Byrnes13a Document Number: C12524
Notes:
Francis C. Byrnes Collection, Pages 210-231 in U.S. Agency for International Development, Proceedings of the workshop on social science research and the CRSPs, June 9-11, 1992, at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. Related to the Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSP). 279 p.
16 pages., via online journal., The goal of this study was to evaluate a radio program as a source of agricultural information and examine the relationship between specific socioeconomic characteristics and listenership. The findings revealed that half of the farmers listen to the radio program, while older farmers are more likely to be listeners. Moreover, there are no significant differences between listeners and nonlisteners with respect to education level. More focus should be given to mountainous and less favored areas where more traditional information sources prevail. It is strongly recommended that the broadcast be sustained and improved based on farmers' suggestions and be regularly assessed.
