Presented by Jim Ellis-Jones at the Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms, Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

1. Participatory Research and Extension
Approaches (PREA)
Jim Ellis-Jones
Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms
Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

2. Some requirements for success
• Positive engagement with partners and
•
communities
Identification and addressing of communityidentified priority challenges and opportunities
- Use of value chain approaches
• Work with and strengthen existing CBOs and
•
private sector
Jointly plan, implement and learn
Development of strong R&D partnerships (IPs)

3. A traditional (linear) approach
3
Research
Extension
Farmer

4. An innovation systems approach
4
Knowledge generation
Supply / Push
Information market
Stakeholders and partners
Demand / Pull
Increasing farmer capacity
to source and use knowledge
Putting knowledge into use

5. TRADITIONAL VS PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES
Methods
Participatory (Innov Sytems)
Building farmer capacity
to use knowledge
Outsiders
Farmers, facilitated by
outsiders
Messages, fixed packages Options considered
Farmer behavior
Adopt, adapt or reject
Intended outcomes
Widespread adoption of
package
Main extension mode
Extension worker to
farmer
Teacher, trainer
Main objective
Opportunities analysis
Role of R&E
Traditional (linear)
Technology transfer
Choose from basket and
experiment/ innovate
Wider choices, enhanced
adaptabilities
Farmer to farmer
Facilitator

6. Facilitation
Referenc
e No.6
• Playing a neutral, guiding and encouraging
role
• Gaining the respect and trust of partners and
the community
• Not dominating or allowing others to do so
• Encouraging all to express opinions
• Ensuring objectives and deadlines are met

7. PREA in practice
Stage 1: Social engagement, and
community analysis (PCA)
Social mobilisation
Stage 2: Action planning
Searching for solutions
Stage 3: Implementation
Encouraging local interest groups to try out new ideas
Stage 4: Sharing experiences
Learning (monitoring and evaluation) and scaling out

8. Participatory Research and Extension Approach
Technical
backstopping
Training
midSeason
evaluation
Trying
out new
ideas
PREA
Learning Cycle
Training
PREA Training
End of
season review
and process
monitoring
Training
Prioritising
needs and
problems
Entering
community
build trust
Raising
awareness
Identifying
local organisations
Feedback
To
community
Identifying
needs &
problems
Action
planning
Exchange
visits
Searching
for
solutions
Mandating
local
institutions
Consider
options
Planning
for next
learning
cycle
Ethiopia
Africa Rising

9. PREA process
Africa Rising
Y1
Y2
Y3
Years
9
Y4
Y5

10. Stage 1: Engagement and mobilisation
Engaging with stakeholders


Research Centres, Universities, Bureau of
Agriculture, (private sector)

Establishing common interests and approaches (MoU)
Selecting areas – woreda, kebele


Engaging with the community
Meeting with local leaders and community representatives
 Understanding the community (livelihoods, institutions, types
of farmer, farming systems, crops – livestock and which are
the most important), early identification of challenges and
possible solutions
 Views of men, women, young people (PCA)


11. PCAs (June-July 2013)

Meetings in eight kebele (4 regions, 4 woredas)
 Participants
 Kebele
and community leadership
 Representatives of CBOs
 Men and women (more men)
 Probably better resourced farmers
 Facilitators
 Universities,
Research Centres
 Kebele and Woreda agricultural staff

12. Stage 2: Action planning…….

Agree “options” to be tested (as prioritised by
farmers)
Consider input supplies
 Production methods including NRM
 Storage and marketing arrangements



Mandate local organisations
Selection of model/lead/research/host farmers
 Agree
selection criteria with group
 Such
as - respect, reliability, honesty, communication
ability, full time farmer
 Group
selection of host farmer

13. Stage 2: Action Planning……
Facilitation and backstopping
 Provide guidance for implementation
 Agree
site, trial plot design & inputs required
 Agree what activities, by whom and when

Develop criteria for lesson learning (pM&E)
 Mid
season evaluations
 End of season evaluations

Ensure all partners know, agree and play their
role in implementing the plan

14. Phase 3: Implementation - experimentation

Encouraging learning by doing
Land prep, fertilising, planting, weeding, pest
control, harvest
 Farmer field school
 Farmer-to-farmer-extension


Encouraging maximum local involvement
Enhancing people’s ability to innovate
 Generating new options and solutions

CIP initiative – Potatoes, Faba beans, Wheat
IMWI – small scale irrigation

15. Mother
Researcher
controlled
Research centre
On-farm
Babies /
Daughters
Farmer
controlled
On-farm

16. Phase 4: Sharing experiences
Mid season evaluation
 Facilitate
evaluation of field performance
 Build
confidence through farmer presentation
 Identify/confirm farmers’ evaluation criteria
 Use as a joint learning experience
 Encourage farmer-to-farmer extension
 Assess
how crops/livestock are proceeding
 Share ideas and provide feed back

17. 
Phase 4: End-of-season evaluation
• Re-assess findings of mid season
evaluations
Assess
performance against farmer
criteria
Compare yields achieved
• Assess acceptability

Cooking and tasting products
• Assess profitability
Participatory
budgets

18. Role of local organisations/farmer groups
Referenc
e No./18




Adopt the programme into their activities
Select the host farmer
Encourage participation by other farmers
Arrange field days


Evaluation mid and end-of-season
Review and plan for the new season

19. Farmer-to-farmer uptake pathways