18 pages, This study examines the application of a self-reliance framework for practitioners and evaluators to better understand the capacities and intrinsic factors impacting smallholder coffee farmers’ commercialization behaviors. We surveyed 40 smallholder coffee producers in Peru using a quantitative instrument. Data were analyzed to determine if statistical relationships exist between farmers’ self-reliance (measured via knowledge and skills, attitudes, and aspirations) and their commercialization behaviors. Findings indicate the self-reliance framework effectively illustrates relationships between farmers’ aspirations, knowledge and skills and their commercialization behaviors, while future, additional studies are needed to better measure and understand the role of commercialization-related attitudes. Practitioners can leverage the study’s findings by using a self-reliance framework to infer farmers’ likeliness to pursue sustainable commercialization practices and align their trainings and design interventions based on evaluation findings. The conceptual self-reliance framework is the first of its kind applied for smallholder coffee commercialization. The findings demonstrate that self-reliance concepts employed recently in other contexts may potentially be used similarly by extension and development facilitators.
25 pages, Online journal article, Existen diferentes modelos para pensar la extensión rural. Con el fin de indagar las concepciones de extensión rural de los extensionistas que trabajan en diez diferentes países latinoamericanos se realizó una encuesta. La muestra fue no probabilística incidental (n=589). Se observa predominio de una concepción transferencista de la extensión rural en el promedio de las 10 muestras, con importantes diferencias entre países. La muestra uruguaya posee una orientación dialógica. No se observa presencia de concepciones asociadas al desarrollo local/territorial o a la noción de sistemas de innovación. Se recomienda implementar acciones para definir de manera crítica y consciente los modelos de extensión rural que se desea implementar.
The Netherlands: International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 151 Document Number: D10122
Notes:
124 pages., Via website., This is the final report for the IICD-led Connect4Change programme implemented during 2011-215 in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Peru, Uganda, and Zambia. The Connect4Change programme was implemented by an alliance of Dutch development organisations, incl. IICD, Edukans, Cordaid, ICCO, Akvo and TTC Mobile.
Online via keyword search of UI Library eCatalog., Report of an interdisciplinary journalism project involving relationships between information gathering and reporting in the mass media and in medical communications. Involved links between fishmeal and the fish farming industry in Peru.
6 pages, via online journal, In order to design and implement public policies in the context of rural development, information tends to be gathered about family farming in different Latin American countries. In contrast, scarce attention has been given to the description of rural extensionists, who are the ones supporting family farming in the fi eld. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted between 2010 and 2012 including surveys to rural extensions working in 10 different Latin American countries, this allowing for a preliminary description of the socio-demographic profile of the respondents. The samples were incidental ranging from 19 (Bolivia) to 220 (Argentina) subjects, this implying that they were not representative. Significant statistical differences were found with regards to the sex, age, experience, level of education and university degree of the samples pertaining to the different countries. In average, most extensionists are men (70.1%), age 40.3 and have little more than 11 years of experience as extensionists. Brazilian practitioners surveyed are the oldest, most educated and experienced among the different samples. In general, most extensionists have a technical background and are agricultural engineers. The Uruguayan sample showed the highest percentage of extensionists coming from the area of social sciences.
14 pages, This study examines how smallholder coffee farmers’ perceptions may influence their engagement in peer mobilization and collective action. Forty smallholder coffee farmers were interviewed in the Central Highlands region of Peru using a closed-ended instrument. The sample of smallholder farmers was achieved using purposive and snowball sampling methods. Quantitative data on farmers’ attitudes and aspirations regarding working with peers, autonomy, and external support as well as knowledge, skills, and behaviors pertinent to collective actions were collected and analyzed using descriptive and correlational procedures. Key findings indicate farmers perceive a need for external support, feel there are benefits of collective actions, and aspire to work with their peers. Based on the findings, it is recommended that practitioners and farmer group leaders focus training efforts on building smallholders’ knowledge and skills in mobilization, encourage peer association/collective action as a source of external support, and target knowledgeable, skilled and confident farmers to lead collective actions. This study has implications to bolster support for farmer-to-farmer extension and technical assistance systems and inform the identification of leader farmers.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 166 Document Number: D11691
Notes:
2 pages., Online from website of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, France., Description of the UNESCO Horizontes Program, through which young people from some rural schools in Peru learn to grow vegetables in their homes and farms. Youths work with their families, using audios and texts provided to them. Through the program, they can "implement their life projects and dedicate themselves to activities linked to the development of their communities inside or outside their locality without losing their identity."
