scholarly journals Applying the Best-Fit Framework to Assess and Strengthen National Extension and Advisory Services

2017 ◽  
pp. 80-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Davis ◽  
David J. Spielman
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Performance Incentives ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Innovative Solutions ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Best Fit

Agricultural extension and advisory services are critical to supporting technological and institutional changes that can improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in developing countries. However, many extension services are under-resourced, out of date, and need of structural and content changes. However, efforts to systematically strengthen local extension systems often fall into the trap of promoting blueprints that are insufficiently adapted to local context. To that end, researchers developed the best-fit framework in the 2000s to provide impetus for pursuit of more locally-tailored extension solutions. Today, almost a decade later, researchers test the framework under real-world conditions in a cross-country application. This paper examines the application of this framework across six dimensions and seven countries to formulate a set of best-fit recommendations that are also broadly appreciable. The findings show that it is possible to apply the framework to the analysis of EAS across countries while also maintaining a very localized perspective on recommendations. Across the seven countries, certain obvious commonalities exist: The growth in pluralism in extension providers, the persistence of weak incentives for extension agents, and the lack of enabling policies. At the same time, innovative solutions to many of the challenges held in common—ICT-enabled extension, performance incentives, and value-chain oriented extension—are heterogeneous. The framework allows users to pursue change processes in EAS in response to their own local realities.

Researching Alternative Cash Crops for Small Scale Farmers in Southern Ohio

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 530a-530
Author(s):  
Brad Bergefurd ◽  
Gary Gao
Keyword(s):  
Applied Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Cash Crops ◽  
Grant Program ◽  
Culinary Herbs ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Speciality crops are great alternative cash crops for small scale farmers. Small scale farmers are constantly searching for viable economic crops to grow. We have been conducting applied research on the production and marketing of culinary herbs, oriental vegetables, colored peppers, and muskmelons to name a few. These crops show excellent potential for southern Ohio. Field demonstration, seminars, and surveys were used to gather and disseminate information on these speciality crops. More than 230 people attended our seminars on alternative cash crops. More than 150 people attended our field days. In addition, we had identified many chefs that are willing to purchase from local speciality crop growers. It will be a win-win situation for both chefs and growers. Growers will be able to maximize their profitability while chefs will receive fresh and unique produce. As a result of our research, we were able to show small scale growers what they can grow successfully and how they can market their crops for most profit. These applied research projects received a combined funding of $10000.00 from OSU Extension-Innovative Grant program. These projects are a great way to establish credibility among clients. We would also like to demonstrate how other extension agents can help their clients. A lecture utilizing slides and overhead transparencies will be the format of the seminar.

scholarly journals Linking small-scale farmers to the durum wheat value chain in Ethiopia: Assessing the effects on production and wellbeing

Food Policy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 77-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Biggeri ◽  
Francesco Burchi ◽  
Federico Ciani ◽  
Raoul Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
Durum Wheat ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Who and what set the price of walnuts for small-scale farmers in Southwest China?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei Yan ◽  
Anne Terheggen ◽  
Dagmar Mithöfer
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Village Level ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Village

Purpose Domestic demand for walnuts has been on the rise for the last decades. Consumption outstrips domestic production capacities, which led to increasing prices until recently. Small-scale farmers are at the centre of walnut tree planting and walnut collection efforts. Farmers are now integrated into rapidly expanding agrifood value chains. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the walnut value chain originating in Yunnan (the dominant producer of walnuts in China). The authors are especially interested in the position of small-scale farmers in the chain and the factors affecting the price that they receive. Design/methodology/approach Price and intra-chain governance information were collected through structured interviews with value chain actors like certified and conventional small-scale farmers, traders, processors, food manufacturers and wholesalers. The resultant price data set was analysed using a multiple regression analysis. Findings Timing of harvest, distance to market and sales volume are correlated with the village-level price. Farmers are in a market governance segment of the chain. Lead firms (e.g. supermarkets) are price-setters and determine the value distribution, with farmers receiving a smaller share relative to downstream actors’ shares. Research limitations/implications Improved connectivity to markets, transparency of standards and price (formation), processing and certification could improve farmers’ profits. Originality/value The authors contribute to the growing literature of value chain studies focussing on farmers’ integration into food systems at different scales. The authors investigated the price determinants at the village level and additionally provide information on an organic marketing arrangement.

scholarly journals Determinants of small-scale farmers’ participation in Ethiopian fruit sector’s value chain

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1842132
Author(s):  
Mengistie Mossie ◽  
Alemseged Gerezgiher ◽  
Zemen Ayalew ◽  
Zerihun Nigussie
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

scholarly journals Building Resilient Value Chains After the Impact of the COVID-19 Disruption: Challenges for the Coffee Sector in Central America

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Fromm
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Central American ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
External Shocks ◽  
Climate Change Effects ◽  
Coffee Farmers ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Coffee Sector ◽  
The Impact

Coffee is an important agricultural sector in Central American, directly employing over 1.2 million people in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Although export revenues from coffee trade have an overall positive effect on the gross domestic product (GDP) of these countries, poverty still prevails. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressure on the sector which is vulnerable to fluctuations in the international coffee prices, low productivity levels, and climate change effects and damages caused by pest and diseases. This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzes if the sector is resilient to withstand unexpected external shocks such as the pandemic and the hurricanes which impacted the region in the last months of 2020. The capacity to absorb, adapt, and/or transform to these shocks was assessed from the perspective of small-scale coffee farmers, traders, exporters and the entire sector in two time periods—immediately after the start of the pandemic and after the coffee harvest. Although the actors in the coffee value chain absorbed these shocks and could withstand them, adaptation to the disruptions has been challenging for small-scale farmers. Despite the vulnerability to unexpected external shocks, results indicate that a long-term transformation of the sector to build resilience is likely to be slow.

scholarly journals Developing agriculture value chain inclusive for small-scale vegetable farmers in the highland of Bedugul, Bali

2021 ◽  
Vol 892 (1) ◽  
pp. 012103
Author(s):  
I M S Utama
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Distribution Channels ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Abstract As a major global tourist destination, the demand for a large variety of fresh produce in Bali has developed following the country of origins of tourists and their eating habits. The varieties of fresh produce demanded by hotels and restaurants have increased since the 1970s. More than 100 types of vegetables (leafy and fruity vegetables, tubers, roots, shoots, immature flowers) and herbs are produced in the highland of Bedugul, Bali. As the market competition increases, the small-scale vegetable farmers have to be more value-oriented, efficient, and effective in production and postharvest handling. How is the competitiveness of the evolving value chain to meet the dynamic needs of institutional consumers and retail modern markets? Therefore, the aims of the study were to assess the competitiveness of the vegetables value chains and develop a model design of value chain inclusive for small scale farmers for improvement. This study was carried out through surveys and focus group discussions (FGD) involving actors in production and distribution channels. It was found that there were five groups of distribution channels,and most of them are less value-oriented. However, the emerging integrated value chains are shown, mainly to which derive from the institutional consumers (hotels and restaurants) and modern markets. A designed alternative model of value chain system inclusive for small-scale farmers has been developed, especially with the end on institutional consumers and modern markets.

Analysing the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the integration of East African farmers in a value chain context

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madlen Krone ◽  
Peter Dannenberg
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Knowledge Flow ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Commercial Value ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Financial Transactions

AbstractInsufficient access to markets, limited financial transactions, and a lack of information and knowledge often restrict opportunities for small-scale farmers to link up with commercial value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa. Advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially mobile phones and the internet, have expanded the possibility to communicate across geographical distances and to integrate into commercial value chains. By using a novel combination of conceptual considerations on ICTs, value chains, and relational proximity, this paper assesses: 1. How the use of ICTs affects the integration of small-scale farmers into the value chains (by analysing the information and knowledge flow, the financial and market transactions) and 2. to what extent the use of ICTs is on the other side influenced by the value chain context (i.e. the structure and coordination of the chain and the relational proximity between farmer and buyer). Our findings showed that even simple ICTs (phones) can lead to improvements for farmers to integrate into the chain as they facilitate simple information and complex knowledge flow, financial transactions, and market access, even though a greater structural transformation was absent. However, our results showed that the extent of the effects depends on the context in the value chains, in particular their structure, coordination, and the relational proximity between the actors. In this way, this paper contributes to the conceptual discussions on information and communication for development (ICT4D) and the dynamics in value chains.

scholarly journals Effect of agricultural programmes on the livelihood of the vulnerable group: a case study of the Fadama III programme in Kwara State, Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-35
Author(s):  
Gbolagade Benjamin Adesiji ◽  
Abraham Falola ◽  
Oladipo Gboyega Abikoye
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Vulnerable Group ◽  
Rural Infrastructure ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Group A ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Abstract This study examines the contribution of the Fadama III programme to the livelihood of the vulnerable group in Kwara State, Nigeria. Results revealed that the group was made up of mainly old, less-educated, small-scale farmers, with many years of farming experience. Benefits derived from the programme by the group include input support, asset acquisition, rural infrastructure, advisory services, capacity building, increased output, and income. The major constraints faced by the group were illiteracy, pests and diseases, inadequate inputs, and untimely funding. This study suggests policy measures on how to better the livelihood of the vulnerable group of farmers.

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