Information flows within development are often depicted as either 'top down' i.e. from decision-makers to the poor or 'bottom up' i.e. from the poor to decision-makers. However, within the livestock sector, neither of these two pathways are working terribly efffectively. While it is not surprising that the poor face difficulties with regard to information flows, what is more surprisingis that the poor are not alone. Development decision makers equally suffer from a lack of timely and relevant information. This information vacuum is not only from a 'bottom up' perspective. Rather, decision-makers often lack information regarding the impacts of particular interventions and the potenial effects of their decisions, particularly on poverty. Given these issues, the following thesis explores development information flows from a technological perspective. However, it is important to remember that the poor are not a generic group. Rather, poor livestock keepers have diverse knowledge needs which befit the many subgroups involved in livestock production i.e. women and children. Thus, the author developed three separate tools to address the information needs of decision-makers and a diverse range of poor livestock keepers. The first tool, the Poverty Assessor enables decision-makers to assess the direct poverty impacts of a wide variety of factors important to the well being of poor households such as demographic, geographic and livelihood activities. The programme also enables decision-makers to determine the exact impact of livestock disease on affected households. Finally, as livestock keeping among the poor is not simply an economic activity, the programme contains a component to evaluate the social value of livestock and the social vulnerability of households involved. The second tool developed by the thesis offers a direct means of transferring livestock information to the poor: The Livestock Guru.

Knowledge transfer is a complicated and enduring issue in overseas development, particularly in relation to poor livestock keepers. Indeed, for over 60 years, agricultural extension has been at the forefront of disseminating information to farmers. Nevertheless, during this time period there have been many criticisms leveled against the delivery of information to the poor. First, many approaches have had little or no impact on learning. Second, often there are few overt behavioural changes noticeable on the ground. Indeed, over the course of this time period, livestock disease has increased rather than decreased in many nations around the globe and productivity levels for the poor have declined. While not all of these impacts can be blamed on poor extension services, it is clear that sustainable livestock keeping is dependent upon effective knowledge transfer and translation. Nevertheless, as the ICT revolution sweeps both the North and the South, knowledge transfer to the poor, as was formerly practiced, has been dramatically revitalised. Indeed, a wide body of research has illustrated that these tools can enhance communication and learning for both individual learners and groups and have rapid uptake among the poor. However, it is important to remember that the poor are not the only stakeholders in livestock development. Policy makers, practitioners and researchers are also important to the sector. Therefore, any solution regarding knowledge transfer to the poor must also incorporate and accommodate these other actors. Indeed, these actors also have their own particular knowledge needs. For exampliple, practitioners often cannot access accurate and relevant mtormation to transier to tneir poor clienis. Policy makers equally must sift through large amounts of information to obtain that which is relevant to the issue at hand.

This study looks at the ongoing exchange of information among dairy goat keeping communities in Kenya. Its aim is to understand the mechanism of communications between farmers and to consider how this mechanism could be used to scale up development initiatives in order to create maximum impact among poor farmers. The field study was carried out in Meru Central and South districts in Kenya between September 2005-August 2006. Based on the research questions, it employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods (for purpose of triangulation) using Focus Group Discussions (n=16), structured questionnaire interviews (n=144) and Repertory Grid interviews (n=124) to obtain data on information exchange processes among rural dairy goat farmers. The study provides and tests a conceptual and methodological framework for eliciting and studying features of the ongoing information exchange. A similar framework can also be used in evaluating the effectiveness of farmer-to-farmer extension communications in rural development.

Nepal is predominantly an agricultural country. However agriculture's dominance does not match its performance. Literature portrays this as a result of weaknesses in services of the dominant agricultural extension service provider that is particularly affecting service to small and marginal farmers which indicates need for agricultural extension reform. Review of literature indicates that incorporation of past lessons from similar environment and integration of modem concepts and theories related to agricultural extension are two complementary routes for the agricultural extension reform process. Although government of Nepal has also realized the need for reform, efforts towards it seem lacking and less comprehensive. To guide this reform process, this research aims at identifying the success factors within agricultural extension projects run in the diverse organizational settings of government, nongovernment and donor-funded projects specifically considering the smallholder commercial vegetable fanning context of Nepal. To measure effectiveness and identifying success factors, this research developed a CIPPIREES matrix framework of variable selection-and utilized it on the three case studies selected. Utilizing mixed method approach, data was collected through document analysis, questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant surveys, observation, and some PRA tools under the case study design. The cases for the study and the ultimate sampling units for qualitative data collection methods were selected purposively while for the questionnaire survey, stratified random sampling has been done dividing farmers' groups into successful and unsuccessful ones. Altogether 90 sample households were utilized for the purpose. The study was conducted in Jyamire of Chitwan, Bankatwa of Banke, and Kunathari of Surkhet for the DADO, ILISSCON, and CDP projects. The results show that the projects under study have been mostly effective in improving wellbeing status of the participants by transforming their livelihood strategy from subsistence oriented, mainly traditional agriculture and labour work to largely commercial vegetable farming and some non-agricultural diversification. These outcomes were mainly found achieved due to appropriate selection of project locations and participants, leadership quality of the field staff and the community and participant farmers, demonstration effect from the neighbours, villagers, and relatives, participant relevant innovation and program activities, and provision of innovation relevant infrastructural and market support. It was also revealed through the study that strengthening and motivating the fanners' groups and their networks is very much vital for project success along with inclusion of women fanners as project participants. In the context of time bound nature of different nongovernmental agricultural extension projects, linking the project participants with the permanent and dominant agricultural extension entity has also evolved as an important determinant factor for the, especially, post-project sustainability of the project effects.

Nigeria is an agrarian country with the northern region prone to droughts; despite this pastoralism is an important source of livelihood of the inhabitants. Due to scarcity of water and grazing land, pastoralists migrate to greener areas in search of pasture, leaving their families behind. As a result, women in pastoralist households engage in a variety of economic activities to supplement family incomes. This study investigates the economic dimensions of pastoralist women's livelihoods, their coping and adaptive strategies and the role of extension in supporting their livelihoods. The study was carried out in Kwara State, Nigeria M an area where pastoralists have settled. The research adopted a mixed methods approach, employing qualitative and quantitative research tools. 169 participants were randomly drawn using a multi-stage sampling procedure. From these participants, questionnaire surveys (63 women and 25 extension agents), focus group discussions (58 women), key informant and in-depth interviews (13 people), and daily activity profile charts (10 women) were used to elicit information. Gender analysis frameworks were also used to analyse the data. It was found that women process milk into cheese, and this serves as their major source of income. The study established that pastoralist women lack productive resources such as land, livestock, capital, and infrastructure. This predisposes them to environmental, time, physical and social vulnerabilities. Extension service is limited among pastoral communities due to marginalisation, inappropriate extension service approaches and models, and cultural challenges. The study recommends a demand-driven participatory approach of extension service provision and employment of female extensionists to address the problems of extension approaches and culture. The study concludes that adequate extension can enhance women's socio-economic empowerment.

Résumé thèseLe métier d'agriculteur se recompose face aux nouvelles exigences de production et de prise en compte des enjeux environnementaux et de développement territorial. Dans de telles conditions, l'institution scolaire agricole et ses agents sont interrogés sur le rôle qu'ils peuvent prendre pour accompagner la recomposition du métier d'agriculteur. Nous avons émis l'hypothèse que cela supposait de faire évoluer le sens et les manières de faire des agents vers ce que nous avons désigné comme une « médiation pédagogique ». Qu'en est-il d'une telle pratique dans l'enseignement agricole et en quoi et à quelles conditions peut-elle émerger ?Pour tenter de répondre à cette question, nous avons considéré que confronté à la situation d'incertitude du devenir de l'agriculture, les enseignants-formateurs mettaient à l'épreuve leurs manières de faire et de penser leur action. Nous avons alors cherché à rendre compte en quoi ces différentes manières de faire influençaient ce qui se joue dans l'espace social de la formation agricole.Pour cela, nous positionnant dans une approche sociologique constructiviste, nous avons élaboré un cadre théorique basé à la fois sur une sociologie de l'action, dans une perspective interactionniste et une sociologie du champ selon une approche structuraliste et constructiviste, au sens où l'exprime Bourdieu. Nous avons analysé l'action des enseignants-formateurs agricoles à partir de 25 entretiens en nous appuyant sur la construction d'idéaux-types pour rendre compte des rapports de forces et de sens qui œuvrent dans le champ de la formation agricole.Nous parvenons à construire 5 idéaux-types. Ils nous permettent de mettre en évidence que dans le champ de la formation agricole, une médiation pédagogique suppose de confronter les savoirs construits en cours d'action des agriculteurs à un cadre théorique « agronomique » et « écologique ». Cette médiation pédagogique suggère également que les agents portent un regard réflexif sur leurs pratiques d'enseignants-formateurs agricoles à partir des sciences de l'éducation, faisant émerger la figure symbolique du « pédagogue ». Cette position dans le champ est singulière car elle tend à aplanir les rapports de forces entre catégories de savoirs légitimes (savoirs experts, savoirs experts et pluridisciplinaires, savoirs d'action) et elle se justifie à partir des pratiques sociales de l'enseignant-formateur. Au final, cette position s'avère difficile à tenir tant du côté des agents que de l'institution scolaire agricole.Nous posons cependant que les interactions et le travail quotidien des agents à partir desquels se construit leur expérience sociale sont susceptibles de nourrir le champ de la formation agricole, moyennant une approche réflexive des agents sur leurs actions. Le système national d'appui à l'enseignement agricole technique est alors invité à ce travail qui permet de redéfinir le référentiel de l'enseignant-formateur. / *

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / Agricultural Extension workers could play a key role in fostering sustainable agriculture production as well as economic growth. The training for extension staff is a step towards sustainable development. Agriculture is an important sector in the South African economy. Its existence impacts directly on job creation, rural development, food security, foreign exchange and poverty reduction. Because the agricultural sector is crucial to rural development and contributes significantly to any initiative to alleviate poverty, it is for this reason that there is a great need for strong extension and advisory services led by governmental operations in partnership with relevant role-players. The study therefore makes use of qualitative data to determine the level and frequency of achievements, challenges, and demographic information of extension officers. Data collection instruments, such as interviews and group discussion, are used to measure the outcomes of the extension training. The results of this study will inform the Department of Agriculture on the achievements, challenges and resolutions into enhancing effectiveness of training for extension staff. The major conclusions and recommendations include: A majority possess national diplomas. In terms of the job requirement, a person must possess a BSc degree in agriculture. It is recommended that bursary must be awarded to extension officers with diplomas so that they upgrade their qualification to a BSc degree. A majority of the extension officers received on the job training, for example, in customer care, HR practices, participatory extension approach and basic computer literacy. It is recommended that training should be accelerated in participatory extension approach, and customer because of the imperative to transmit agricultural skills and knowledge to the farmers in endeavour to promote sustainable agriculture and rural development. According to the study, the training provided to most extension officers was outdated because it was not applicable to current challenges. It is recommended that a study should be undertaken on the situational analysis of the challenges being experienced by the farmers. The study also found out that the infrastructure such as office accommodation, poor technology; insufficient funds disabled the extension officers to transfer the skills to the farmers. It is recommended that there should be sufficient resources to address these challenges.

Valoriser l'expérience des agriculteurs, pour développer une agriculture « écologiquement intensive », constitue un changement de paradigme dans le régime de production de connaissances en agronomie, qui invite à s'interroger sur les dynamiques d'apprentissage des agriculteurs.En se fondant sur des entretiens auprès de vingt céréaliers, qui ont réduit l'usage des pesticides et engrais azotés au cours de leur carrière professionnelle, cette thèse apporte des résultats sur la diversité des trajectoires de changement dans le territoire, les façons d'apprendre au cours de ces trajectoires, et sur les dynamiques de connaissances. Notre démarche méthodologique, étayée par des emprunts à la didactique professionnelle, nous permet d'analyser les trajectoires selon des enchaînements de phases de cohérence agronomique, d'identifier des pratiques-clefs de transition, de caractériser des styles d'apprentissage selon les modes de mobilisation d'autrui, de l'expérience et de référentiels d'évaluation. Le contenu des apprentissages est abordé grâce à une analyse des jugements pragmatiques qui s'avèrent partiellement différents selon les trajectoires suivies.Sur le plan agronomique, nos résultats ouvrent des perspectives pour traiter de la dynamique des changements techniques au sein de l'exploitation, élaborer des démarches de diagnostic territorial et des dispositifs de conception/évaluation. L'identification de styles d'apprentissage constitue une perspective intéressante pour traiter des apprentissages en situation de travail. Enfin, sur le plan opérationnel, ce travail offre des outils pour structurer un travail d'accompagnement des agriculteurs vers des systèmes de culture innovants. / Taking into account farmers' experience is essential to develop “ecological intensification” of agriculture. This paradigm shift within agronomic knowledge production raises questions about farmers' learning processes.Based on interviews conducted in Champagne Berrichonne of Indre with twenty cereal growers, who have reduced the use of pesticides and nitrogen over the course of their professional career, this thesis provides evidence on : (i) the different trajectories adopted in changing farming practices in the area studied, (ii) the dynamics of knowledge during these trajectories and (iii) the diversity of the ways farmers learn about technical change. Our methodological approach, borrowing some concepts of “professional didactic” (a French field of psychology) enables us to analyze trajectories as a combination of phases of agronomic coherence, to identify key practices of these transitions, and to characterize learning styles according to the mobilization of other individuals, the farmer's experiences and their references of evaluation. The content of learning is addressed through an analysis of pragmatic judgments which proved to be partially different for each particular trajectory.On the agronomic front, our results offer new perspectives to deal which the dynamics of technical change in farming systems or to develop approaches for territorial diagnosis and farming system design. The identification of learning styles is an interesting perspective to deal with learning issues in work situations. Finally, in operational terms, this work provides useful tools for experimental work in innovative cropping systems, and more generally for agricultural advice.