STAFF TRAINING IN EXTENSION INNOVATION APPROACHES REPORT

SUBMITED BY

WEZI CHISI

18th December, 2019

INTRODUCTION

The staff training in extension innovation approaches was conducted on the 17th December 2019
by the kasungu district extension department staff, Mr Chidakwa and Mr Baloyi. This training
was held at Mponela research training center (RTC).

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this training was to impart knowledge and information to extension
workers that is useful and practical for increased agricultural production.

DISCUSIONS

The staff trainings at RTC Mponela was focused on these three topics, with a presentation for
each topic. The first presentation was on model village approach, second on lead farmer concept
and third on clusters and ulimi wamndandanda.

First Presentation: Model village approach

This presentation highlighted that the model village is a village with improved live-hoods of
people through integrated planning and implementation of interventions.

The processes of transforming a village into a model village involves; sensitizing stakeholders
and partners to create awareness, create profile for the village (document basic data), conducting
PRA output should be action plan with harmonized interventions packaged, implementation of
action plan and participatory monitoriung of action plans.

The phases of transforming village is in three phases; livelihood phase, empowerment phase and
specialization phase. The livehood phase contains improved crop production, livestock
production, backyard gardens, promote labour and energy saving technologies, improved
housing and sanitary conditions (Pit latrines and bath shades), conserved fields and improved
storage of farm produce. The Empowerment phase contains two categories, Community and
Economic. Community involves; Capacity building of local leadership in groups, creation of
communal assets such as woodlots, grain storage banks, roads, and strengthen group learning at
DTC, RTC, demonstrations, field days. On the economic part it involves facilitate creation of
income through coops, associations, access to micro lending institutions. The last phase is the
specialization phase which involves specialized FOs-community groups producing for the
market, value addition to farm produce, registration of FBOs and establish networks beyond
village, district and national boundaries.

What is expected to be seen in a model village is healthy and well nourished people, water and
sanitation facilities-protected water sources, pit latrines, rubbish pits, empowered people who can
participate effectively in decision making platforms-organise demand, and engage service
providers

Fig 1: Mr Chidakwa training staff on Model Village approach

Second Presentation: Introduction to lead farmer concepts

This presentation underlined that the concept of lead farmer uses a bottom-up and farmer
centered approach which empowers farmers to express meaningfully their demand for services
and legitimize ownership of the learning process. This started in the 1990s with DANIDA
funded by Agriculture sector programme support II under the department of Animal Health and
Livestock Department.
A lead farmer is an individual farmer who has been trained in certain technologies, follows them
and is able to pass on to other farmers in the community. The identification of the lead farmer is
done in four steps by the local leader in a meeting facilitated by the extension worker and the
community is responsible for endorsing the lead farmer after going through the four steps
thoroughly.

Some of the many roles of a lead farmer are; teach others, conduct demonstrations, implement all
new technologies introduced by AEDOs, conduct follow ups on farmer action plans, multiply
extension technologies through farmer training, field days, extension meetings, demonstrations
and local field tours, encourage other farmers to adopt technologies through follow ups, field
days, local tours and by being a role model give feedback on problems faced during adoption of
extenstion technologies through reports, and leads communities in community based monitoring
and evaluation.

Some of the many characters of a lead farmer are; able to lead others, an exemplary performer in
agricultural technology adoption, a communicator with good facilitation skills, willing to share
information with others, approachable and cooperative.

The entry point of District Agriculture Extension System (DAES) is the village, hence the lead
farmer acts as a promoter in the village through mobilizing the community to consolidate the
priorities of the village to be responded to various service provider. The lead farmer is also a
representative of other farmers at the area stakeholder’s panel.
Fig 2: Mr Baloyi Training staff on Lead farmer concepts

Third Presentation: Clusters and Ulimi wamndandanda

This presentation highlighted that clusters and ulimi wamndandanda is the flag carrier of
extension department. Agricultural clusters were defined as farmers undertaking similar
agriculture enterprises in the same catchment area or locality. Ulimi wa Mdandanda is a stretch
of well managed crop enterprises in a catchment area covering a minimum of 1 km varying on
the farmers resources. The objectives of clusters and mndandanda were; to impart agricultural
knowledge and skills and change attitude of farmers in the catchment, to foster development of
farmer organizations with similar enterprises and to provide a wide area for publicizing and
advertising integrated agricultural technologies.

CHALLENGES AND WAYFORWARD

WHY MNDANDANDA’S FAIL WAYFORWARD

Farmer expectations that they will receive
inputs
There is too much freedom, hence some
choose not to participate
Sub-leased land
Enemity between farmer and extension
workers
Farmers knowledge gap to understand the
good agriculture practices
Knowledge gap of extension workers about
mndandandas
Poor coordination
There is need to fully address them to
eradicate this dependency syndrome
Bring awareness of the benefits of good
agriculture practices
Sensitizing them from the get-go
Yellow van should sensitize the areas that
they want to set mndandanda’s
Bridging the gap through trainings
Have a committee that will look into the
setting of mndandandas

CONCLUSIONOI

This training was successful because Participants were able to confirmation new understanding
of the topics after being taught.
END OF REPORT