Strengthening rural advisory services in Africa, with perspectives on agricultural biotechnologies

1. Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
Nov - 2017
Dr. Silim M Nahdy
Executive Director
African Forum for Agricultural Advisory
Services
Strengthening Rural Advisory Services in
Africa, with Perspectives on Agricultural
Biotechnologies

2. 1. BACKGROUND: Need to feed
the current & future
populations
Cited from FARA
10bn

3. Background …….
Many face serious food insufficiency and reduced
livelihoods from their farming.
The situation is serious in Africa

4. Background …..
In AFRICA Rural poverty linked to
untransformed agriculture.
But it is not just about application of
Technologies -----

5. Climate change
&
soil degradation
MYRID OF CAUSES
OF FOOD
INSUFFICIENCY IN
AFRICA -
Agricultural
productivity
Capacity issues
Market issues
Policy
environment
Conflicts
Population growth
and Inclusiveness
Scaling up
innovations
Application of
technologies

6. 2. Application of R and D Results
Application of Technologies and
Innovations in general is a big part of the
solution-----
Scaling up application is critical ……..

7. Application of R and D Results …….
Scaling up & out AR&I Results needed
Scaling Up
Scaling Out
InvestmentInstitutional
change
Agricultural
productivity
Policy changes
AR4D/Is
-Strategic
-Applied
-Adaptive
Generation
Adoption
Commercialization

8. Application of R and D Results …….
And Scaling up application of Agricultural
Biotechnologies is key part of the solution …..

9. Background …….
…….. agricultural biotechnologies should be
considered in tandem with other technologies,
production practices and use of appropriate approaches
and tools.
In Africa, particularly, successful development and
application of biotechnology for smallholders requires
well functioning;
• policy and regulatory framework
• research institutions,
• rural advisory services,
• markets,
• farmer organizations and
• components of the agricultural innovation system.

10. 3. AEAS in scaling R&I
The AEAS is last mile link in dissemination and scaling of
Agricultural Biotechnology. AEAS has however greatly
undergone a paradigm shift – The New Extensionist;
• It goes beyond technology transfer to facilitation,
• Beyond training to education,
• Includes assisting producers to form and organize,
innovate and to be competitive,
• Helps farmers deal with marketing issues, form
partnerships and develop networks
• Supports farmer capacity building to dialogue,
advocate and increase their voice
• Promoting inclusiveness
• Support dissemination of new knowledge through
demonstrations, use of new tools and methods

11. AEAS in scaling….Capacity
needs of the New Extensionists
With the expanded role “New
Extensionist”, require new skills &
capacities at;
• the individual,
• organisational, and
• system levels

12. AEAS in scaling R&I …….
With low capacity AEAS is weak Link in scaling
application
Broken diffusion pipeline that
needs fixing
Feed back system

13. AEAS in scaling R&I………
Identifying the Broad Challenges in upscaling
technologies in general and agricultural
biotechnology in particular

14. AEAS in scaling R&I … Broad Capacity areas
Enabling environment
• Policies, regulations & Policy implementation
Institutional and Organizational Inadequate F-
E-PR-R linkages
Individual level
Knowledge Management & Information
systems for ARD innovations
Building strong partnership
Funding & funding mechanisms

15. AEAS in scaling.. Capacity needs
Individual Capacities at field level AEAS
• Communication skills including use of ICTs
• Sound technical knowledge and social
skills
• Community mobilization, Farmer
organization development and Facilitation
skills
• Needs assessment and planning
• Developing links to markets, financial
services, private sector etc.

16. AEAS Capacities needs….
middle level AEAS actors
• Networking, developing partnership,
linkages and coordinating actions
with different stakeholders
• Leadership, Team building,
Coaching, Mentoring and
Organizing
• Planning and designing need based
programmes
• Technical knowledge

17. AEAS in scaling ….
Capacity needs at senior level EAS actors
• Policy development, engagement, and
advocacy
• Generating evidence to influence policy
• Leadership, Organisational development,
• Networking, Partnership development,
Regulation, Negotiation and Mentoring
• Visioning, Strategic planning
• Resource mobilization

18. AEAS in scaling …
Organisational level Capacities needs
• Developing appropriate Vision, mission, mandate
and goals with respect to role for EAS
• Human Resource Management
• Culture of collaboration, networking and learning
• Knowledge of new methods, approaches and tools
• Good Governance (accountability to clients,
transparency etc)
• Fiduciary management & Resource mobilisation
• Knowledge management
• Result based management
• Recognition of the role of all actors

19. Capacities specific to Biotechnology
• ToT for increased public awareness on
biotechnology
• Capacity to establish public private
partnership;
• Developing the appropriate mechanisms to
transfer the research findings
• Identifying farmers’ needs with respect to AB
• Educating the end users on available AB
• Providing feedback on effectiveness of BT
• Demonstration methods and tool kits to
sustain proven biotechnology

20. AFAAS Thrusts
Championing Knowledge Management and Innovation
in Africa
• Strengthening Country Fora for national level
engagement
• Partnerships and collaboration with all ARD actors for
scaling up and out technologies & innovations
• Capacity Strengthening for AEAS
• Policy and advocacy for AEAS and feeding into
CAADP, AUC agendas

21. Key Achievements Contd …
Specific areas
Global Knowledge linkages
21
21
MELA
SARFAAS

22. Appreciation
http://www.afaas-africa.org
http://networking.afaas-africa.org