Abbott, Eric A. (author / Iowa State University), Carr, Ana Ramirez (author / Iowa State University), and Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Format:
conference papers
Publication Date:
1997-03-04
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20286
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, Section F; from "1997 conference papers : Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education", 13th Annual Conference, 3, 4, 5 April 1997, Arlington, Virginia
Abbott, Eric A. (author) and Carr, Ana Ramirez (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
1997-04
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 116 Document Number: C11771
Notes:
Francis C. Byrnes Collection, Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Arlington, Virginia, April 3-5, 1997.
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.
Findings prompt researchers to recommend the use of information and communications technologies with conventional approaches in conservation agriculture knowledge networks.
Adams, Deanne (author) and World Conservation Union (IUCN), International Union for Conservation and Natural Resources.
Format:
Proceedings
Publication Date:
2003-09-07
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 154 Document Number: C24944
Notes:
Chapter 28 in Denise Hamu, Elisabeth Auchincloss and Wendy Goldstein (eds.), Communicating protected areas. Presented to the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa, September 8-17, 2003.
4 pages, This article introduces the Regional Conservation Partnership Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The program encourages partnerships among Extension professionals, conservation agency representatives, and farmers that focus on addressing natural resources concerns through the development and implementation of regional watershed plans. These plans assist farmers in practicing sustainable crop and animal production methods. Extension professionals will find the program useful as a tool for building collaborations at watershed and regional scales to promote agricultural production practices that enhance natural resources conservation.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 116 Document Number: C11885
Journal Title Details:
11 pages
Notes:
UNCTAD Expert Meeting on Systems and National Experiences for Protecting Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices. Geneva, 30 October - 1 November 2000
