By John Preissing (FAO) presented at the 2015 MEAS Symposium

1. Photo:DanQuinn,HorticultureInnovationLab
Participatory Extension Experiences from Latin
America
John Preissing
Country Representative
FAO
June 4, 2015
MEAS Symposium
Session: Strengthening
the Role of F2FE and
Farmer Organizations in
Extension

2. Participatory Extension in LA
Historical
– Paolo Freire, Roland Bunch, others
– Decline of publicly funded extension in 80s & 90s
– Fin. & philosophical drivers to PTARE
• NGO experiences in the region
• Farmer Field School experiences
• Newer goals of food security, decentralization, small
farmer, CC

3. Participatory Extension Study
Coverage - Organization/Governance – Financing - Participatory
Methods Used - Capacity Building - Institutional Relations - Local
Promoter Activities - Effects and Impacts
Guatemala,
Nicaragua,
Peru &
Bolivia
cases

4. Findings
 Production Increases
 Lower Cost Deliver
 More Culturally & Language
appropriate
 Reaching Scale
 Holistic & Biodiversity Focus
 Democratic & Decentralized
& Horizontal
 Reaching more Women
But …..
 Financial Sustainability
 Linkages w Research Weak
 Difficulties for Promoters
beyond their Community
 Difficulties for Promoters in
their Community
 Weak Institutional Ties
 Data, data, data
Alright …..

5. Policy Recomendations
 Domestic Funding -
Public & Private
 Continual Training
 More Technical &
Material Resources
 Greater Institutional
Ties
 Link to Broader
Development Goals
• Improved Data

6. Indicators Bolivia Perú Nicaragua Guatemala
Coverage 4
Provinces
43
Districts
85
Municipalities
2
Departments
Families 575 90,000 23, 000 564
Promotores 95 2,700 2,500 139
Families/Promotor 6 33 9 4
Years as Promoter 8 20 24 5
Female Promoters 26% % % 31%
Female Producers % % % %
USD Costs/Year 1,257* 90 960
Findings