Using geographic information systems (GIS) to improve on extension and advisory services in Africa: lessons from main bean producing regions of Cameroon.

USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) TO IMPROVE ON EXTENSION AND ADVISORY SERVICES IN AFRICA: LESSONS FROM MAIN BEAN PRODUCING REGIONS OF CAMEROON G.T. Mafany 1* , S.B.N. Musongong 2 , A.E. Sama 1,,2 1 South West Regional Centre of Research and Innovation, P.O. Box 461, Buea, Cameroon. Tel: (+237) 77 87 74 60 Email:gmafany@yahoo.com 2 Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Ekona Centre, Cameroon

BACKGROUND
PROBLEM
OBJECTIVES
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPLICATIONS
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Extension services play vital role in ensuring food security and sufficiency
Many African governments, in the early days of independence invested heavily in extension services
Extension contributed tremendously to post-independence Green Revolution in Africa
Government-driven extension vulnerable to economic crises
Hence public investment in extension dwindled in late 80s and early 90s because of economic crises
Today many more governments have rekindled investment in these services
BACKGROUND

However , optimum impact of post independence extension and advisory services undermined by inefficiency and ineffectiveness
Existing challenges e.g. Food Insecurity are accentuating while new challenges such as Climate Change are emerging
Efficiency and effectiveness of extension services need to be improved on to meet current challenges
Several avenues exploited e.g. policy formulation, capacity building, innovative technologies
Innovative tools with a great potential is Geographic Information System (GIS)
PROBLEM

A GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing things that exist and events that happen on earth (i.e. things and events with a geographic component.)
GIS technology integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps
These abilities distinguish GIS from other information systems and make it valuable to a wide range of precision agricultural applications
More than 70 % of all extension information has a geographic component
WHAT IS A GIS ?

OBJECTIVES
Main objective: test if GIS could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of extension and advisory services in the three main bean-producing regions of Cameroon.
Providing useful information to farmers is an essential component for most extension services.
The idea is to investigate whether the application of GIS to the process of information dissemination can improve on farmers’ understanding of bean market information and the efficiency of the extension workers.

STUDY AREA
Three main bean producing regions were selected:
North West,
West and
Littoral
WEST REGION LITTORAL REGION NORTH WEST REGION

STUDY AREA
Farmers in these regions were tested on their knowledge on bean market information in their respective regions, Cameroon and Central Africa

METHODS
Providing useful information to farmers is an essential component for most extension services.
Information used in this study was bean market information
The idea was to investigate whether the application of GIS to the process of information dissemination can improve on farmers’ understanding of bean market information and the efficiency of the extension workers.

METHODS
Six extension workers were selected from each bean producing region.
Among six extension workers in each region:
Three were given fundamental training in GIS and equipped with global positioning system (GPS) units and appropriately called the gis-literate workers (GLW).
Other three had no GIS knowledge and no GPS units non-gis-literate workers (NGLW).
Both groups assigned task of disseminating information on bean production and market trends to farmers.

METHODS
Information given to farmers had been earlier on acquired through previous surveys.
After dispensing bean market information to farmers, questionnaires were then administered.

METHODS
Two groups of farmers interviewed in each region:
GEF: GIS-exposed-farmers (GEF) interected only with GLW
NGEF: Non-gis-exposed farmers (NGEF) nteracted only with NGLW
Measures were taken to prevent interaction between GEF and NGEF before administering the questionnaires.
Total of sixty structured questionnaires administered: 20 per region
Ten of 20 questionnaires in each region where given to GEF and the other ten ere administered to NGEF.

METHODS
All the sixty questionnaires distributed were retrieved and analyzed.
Questionnaires supplanted by focused group discussions with the different groups of farmers and the extension workers.
Data analyzed using the EXCEL statistical package.

METHODS
Information given to farmers had been earlier on acquired through previous surveys.
After dispensing bean market information to farmers, questionnaires were then administered.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Table summarizes main outcomes of 09 issues raised in questionnaire to test farmers’ understanding of information imparted unto them by extension workers.
(Ƒ = frequency, % = percentage, n = sample population, GEF = Farmers who were exposed to GIS-literate extension workers; NGEF= Farmers who were exposed to non-GIS-literate extension workers)
Variable Total for all Regions Reliable Source of Improved Seeds GEF (n-30) NGEF (n=30) Ƒ % Ƒ % Region 28 93 22 73 Country 24 80 13 43 Central Africa 15 50 9 30 Bean Price GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 30 100 30 100 Country 27 90 20 67 Central Africa 23 77 6 20 Main Production Sites GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 27 90 14 47 Country 24 80 16 53 Central Africa 20 67 10 33 Main Variet(ies) Produced GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 27 90 22 73 Country 23 77 20 67 Central Africa 17 57 7 23 Main Markets GEF (n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 30 100 28 93 Country 27 90 24 80 Central Africa 25 83 14 47 Main Market Channels GEF (n-30) NGEF (n=30) Region 24 80 21 70 Country 25 83 12 40 Central Africa 21 70 10 33 Main Consumption Sites GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 28 93 18 60 Country 29 97 20 67 Central Africa 27 90 17 57 Main Variet(ies) Consumed GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 27 90 23 77 Country 30 100 18 60 Central Africa 18 60 17 57 Prevailing Road Transport Situation GEF(n-30) NGEF(n=30) Region 30 100 30 100 Country 30 100 17 57 Central Africa 17 57 9 30

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: General Trends
Generally level of understanding of various parameters decreases with increasing distance
of farmer from the geographic area in question.

All groups of farmers display better understanding of parameters in their respective regions and less so in the country and even lesser in Central Africa.

Geographic hindrance minimized in GEF group
NGEF: decrease in understanding with increasing distance is more acute.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Specific Trends Figure 2: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Bean Price Figure 1: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Reliable Source of Improved Bean-Seed Varieties Figure 3: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Producing Sites Figure 4: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Varieties Produced

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Specific Trends Figure 6: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Market Channels Figure 5: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Markets Figure 8: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Varieties Consumed Figure 7: Knowledge of Bean Farmers in the NW, W and Lt Regions of Cameroon on Main Bean Consumption Sites

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Overview

CONCLUSIONS
GIS can improve on the efficiency of extension workers in disseminating bean market information to farmers in the North West, West and Littoral bean producing regions of Cameroon.

RECOMMENDATIONS
GIS is a useful tool in improving on the efficiency and efficacy of extension services in Africa.
Hence we recommend that GIS should be integrated into all extension services in Africa: be they public or private.
Some steps to be taken:
All extension workers should be given fundamental training in GIS and the use of a GPS unit.
All extension workers should be equipped with a GPS
All existing analogue extension data should be digitized and integrated into a GIS system

IMPLICATIONS
It has been established that a GIS simplifies complex operations such as:
query and statistical analysis of agricultural data and
visualization and geographic analysis of such data through map making
In extension besides bean market information dissemination by extension workers GIS can be useful in apparently simple activities like :
Distributing planting materials
Distributing farm inputs
Tracking farm to market roads
Tracking farm performance e.g. yield
Tracking characteristics of farms
Locating farmers house and farms
The initial cost of adopting a GIS system into an extension service may be high but the short term and especially long term benefits will even be higher

IMPLICATIONS
The initial cost of integrating a GIS system into an extension service may be high but the short term and especially long term benefits will even be higher
Hence adopting a GIS system will in the long term reduce cost and ultimately increase effectiveness and efficiency
Especially during this era of precision agriculture

THANKS FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

Using geographic information systems (GIS) to improve on extension and advisory services in Africa: lessons from main bean producing regions of Cameroon.

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Using geographic information systems (GIS) to improve on extension and advisory services in Africa: lessons from main bean producing regions of Cameroon. Presentation Transcript