Communicating with smallholder farming families - a review with a focus on agro-dealers and youth as intermediaries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract

The CABI African Soil Health Consortium (ASHC) aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers through better access to practical information about integrated soil fertility management. The next phase focuses on two types of intermediaries to reach smallholder farmers: agro-dealers and youth. This review reflects this focus and is therefore biased towards recent publications relevant to these intermediaries and also the impact of gender on provision of and access to agricultural information. There is a consistent demand for information on new varieties, pests and diseases, use of pesticides and fertilizer, as well as weather, credit and markets. The most frequently used sources of information are still the more traditional ones. Extension services, family, friends and neighbours, and agro-dealers are all important face-to-face sources of information. Radio dominates as the main mass media source. Local agro-dealers are often included by smallholder farmers among the most frequently used sources of information and they enjoy a degree of trust. There has been considerable investment by donors in extending and strengthening agro-dealer networks over recent years, including more emphasis on their roles as sources of information and advice. A new type of tech-savvy young entrepreneurial farmer is emerging who is more likely to wield a smartphone than a hoe. This is especially important against a background in which, despite the median age in African being just 19.7 years, the average age of farmers is estimated to be over 55. Family farming is receiving renewed emphasis. During its phase 2, which will run from 2015 to 2019, ASHC will share its experiences, successes and failures, and lessons learned in working with agro-dealers and youth intermediaries. In this way it aims to help others to communicate their key messages more effectively including via these intermediaries.

Achieving scale of farmer reach with improved common bean technologies: the role of village-based advisors

“…However, in the last years, yields of common beans have declined (Linus, Lema, and Ndakidemi 2015), largely attributed to low uptake of improved technologies. While proven and scalable legume practices already exist, the extent to which smallholder farmers can implement these new practices is limited by many factors, but primarily the lack of access to actionable information (Sones et al 2015). Extension services in SSA remain weak or dysfunctional characterized by poor staffing, insufficient funds for supporting public extension, limited involvement of rural farmers in extension processes, and lack of appropriate extension methods.…”

“…However, these approaches are expensive in terms of human resource and facilitation needed to reach farmers, who are often widely distributed (FAO 2014). The use of village-based intermediaries to help disseminate information to farmers has taken center stage in many extension initiatives in developing countries (Lukuyu et al 2012;Sones et al 2015;Kiptot et al 2016). This approach has the aim of reaching a large number of farmers in communities at low cost (Noordin et al 2001) and is especially considered more effective when combined with group-based extension approaches that help reduce transaction costs (Kiptot and Franzel 2015).…”

“…This approach has the aim of reaching a large number of farmers in communities at low cost (Noordin et al 2001) and is especially considered more effective when combined with group-based extension approaches that help reduce transaction costs (Kiptot and Franzel 2015). It is also considered more inclusive and offers a wide-reaching alternative in supporting agricultural innovation (Lukuyu et al 2012;Wellard et al 2013;Sones et al 2015). Village-based intermediaries are farmers or other resource persons who live in the village and are trained to provide assorted advice/services to farmers.…”

Delivering Actionable Plant Health Knowledge to Smallholder Farmers Through the Plantwise Program

“…In order to deliver the published content to more extension workers and farmers, Plantwise is turning its focus now to mass extension methods. While face-to-face information sharing through extension workers and agro-dealers is effective at reaching some groups of farmers, a range of approaches and multiple intermediaries is more likely to reach all members of farming families and strengthen messages delivered (Sones et al, 2015). Adopting information and communication technology in agricultural extension will be crucial in facilitating farmers' access to more information on the current trends in agriculture (Nyaga, 2012).…”

“…Smallholder farmers in developing countries are most vulnerable, due to lack of access to reliable, up-to-date and contextually relevant information on managing these crop pests. While the world is full of research and information, it is widely recognized that getting that research information into a format that is of practical use to smallholder farmers is a major challenge (Benard, Dulle, & Ngalapa, 2014;Chundi, 2014;Masuki et al, 2011;Odongo, 2014;Sones, Odour, Watiti, & Romney, 2015).…”