Using the agricultural innovation systems (AIS) framework, this study analysed farmer-to-farmer (F-2-F) extension to understand how it is supporting and contributing to agricultural innovation, i.e., the generation, dissemination, and utilisation of innovations, among smallholder farmers in Mbawa and Kaluluma Extension Planning Areas, Malawi. The study investigated the extent and how farmer extensionists (FEs) are supporting and contributing to agricultural innovation; identified FEs' work performance assessment criteria; assessed effectiveness of FEs in reaching different groups of farmers; and the impact of F -2-F extension on smallholder farmers' livelihoods. Data were collected using questionnaire surveys from 774 and 179 randomly sampled farmers and FEs, respectively. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews, document analysis, and innovation histories were also used. Empirical findings show that FEs were largely supporting and contributing to dissemination of externally generated innovations; and generation and dissemination of locally generated innovations was limited. Using principal components analysis (PCA) to delineate better-off and poor farmers, findings show that, through group contact method, FEs were mostly working with wealthier follower farmers. Further analysis showed that, through individual contact method, FEs were accessible to all farmers regardless of their wealth, household headship, sex, and education status as they were able to consult FEs at their convenient time. Findings suggest that provision of non-monetary incentives to FEs, and addressing the constraints that FEs face in the course of their work can be key in incentivising FEs work. FEs were wealthier farmers than fellow farmers and largely selected by the community. Also, the present evidence suggest that F-2-F extension has contributed to improving smallholder farmers ' livelihoods by enhancing human, physical, financial, and social capital. The findings of this study offer guidance on the design and implementation of F-2-F extension approaches in Malawi and other developing country contexts. Lastly, the current findings point to the need for a government policy to harmonise the implementation modalities of F-2-F extension in Malawi.

Extension advisory services are critical for the transformation of smallholder agriculture. Democratisation opened spaces for pluralistic extension in Malawi since 2000. Public and private sector actors provide extension advisory services to farmers. Governance structures were instituted to create platforms for interaction with farmers in order to improve responsiveness of advisory services. This study was conducted to investigate experiences of smallholder farmers with pluralistic extension and understand whether or not advisory services are more responsive to their needs, and how they have affected their households and livelihoods. A case study approach was used in which quantitative and qualitative data was collected from four villages which were purposively selected. Focus group discussions (FGD) for male and female fanners (n=64), semi structured interviews for key informant farmers (KI) (n=20), households (n=117) and extension agents from public and private sector extension (n=22) were conducted. Data from the FGD and KII were analysed based on content where themes such as factors influencing choice of farm enterprise, timelines of key events with the key enterprise, farmers' perceptions of pluralistic actors and perception of pluralistic extension were explored. Data from the households and extension agents were analysed using SPSS 16 to generate descriptive statistics on numbers and percentages of fanners accessing extension, extension agents most met by farmers, markets for farm produce, preferred markets and perceptions on responsiveness of extension. The agricultural innovation system framework was used to understand farmers' experiences and perceptions with pluralistic extension. Three key aspects were explored namely access and responsiveness of technologies, farmer organisation and access to markets. Findings showed that fanners have mixed experiences with pluralistic extension. Availability of many innovation actors, diversity of technical advices, and provision of free hand-outs of farm inputs such as improved seed, fertilizer and livestock were regarded as positive effects of pluralistic extension. In contrast proliferation of user committees, creation of elites (villagers holding several leadership positions in committees) because of their literacy and numeracy skills, inaccessible markets for farm inputs and farm produce, poor organisation of farmers to engage in agribusiness and non-farmer friendly financial institutions were mentioned as major flaws of pluralistic extension.

This study investigated socialisation processes on Scottish family fanns. Although land and knowledge transfers within established succession systems are important to environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability issues, the reasons behind changing succession patterns are not well understood. Past studies have tended to focus on how external factors are associated wifu particular occupational choices. However, this neglects the role of socialisation processes and identity in framing behaviour. Therefore, this study looked at how children's identities are constructed and how these, in tum, frame particular occupational choices. The results suggest that children develop fanner identities according to four salient dimensions of established fanner ideal types: maleness, commitment, common sense and physical robustness. A key conclusion is that whether or not children develop fanner identities acts a good predictor of their occupational choices. Also, fanner identities are established relatively early and are relatively non-reversible, indicating the importance of the 'successful' socialisation of ,' children into their family fann context. Further, these socialisation processes are integrated within endogenous cycles, oscillating between socialisation processes,' succession processes and fann trajectories. Moreover, while issues and processes that are external to the fann and family context have no objective relevance for individuals' occupational choices, they may become subjectively relevant in the context of these endogenous cycles. Keywords: Family fanning, succession, Scotland, knowl~dge transfer, successors, socialisation, identities, social constructedness, fanner ideal types, commitment, gender, common sense, physical robustness, internalisation, abstract identification, experience-based identification, endogenous cycles, fann business trajectories, structure, agency.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The aim this study was to assess the impact of training of Extension Officers on poverty alleviation agricultural projects in Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality. It aimed to assess if the skills that the Extension Officers acquired from the training offered to them did have a positive impact on the farmers and their projects. The objectives of the study thus, were: to identify and describe the nature and relevance of the training programs offered to the Extension Officers; to assess the impact of training and development on service delivery; and to suggest appropriate actions or interventions as may be necessary to improve the impact on service delivery. The study was qualitative in design and it sampled 10 projects. Data was gathered from Extension Officers attached to the 10 projects, famers, key informants consisting of community leaders and headmen and Deputy Managers. The study used focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to collect data. The key findings from this study are: computer literacy skills training seems to be the most popular one among the Extensions Officers. Some of them have never been given the opportunity to attend agricultural-related training. The study recommends that the computer literacy should be combined with the technical agricultural subjects so that the Extension Officers could be equipped with more information which will assist them to search for information from the internet and to impart the agricultural information to the farmers so that they could improve their productivity and income. Training in marketing and financial management is imperative for farmers to enhance their productivity and to manage their finances. The study also found out that the Extension Officers are not receiving adequate posttraining supervision in the form of evaluation. The frequent project visits and supervision of the extension officers’ daily duties by their superiors can improve their commitments to their work as well as increase the farmers’ productivity. Farmers lament the fact that they are offered the training theoretically and none of the extension officers make an effort to demonstrate to them practically. The work-related training which the Extension Officers have attended have improved service delivery at their work place because some of the beneficiaries since they started working in their projects, they have been getting their salary every month and their secret is that they cultivate the correct vegetables at the right time and this helps them to manage the three months waiting period easily. The Limpopo Provincial Department of Agriculture should extend the number of the extension officers in their municipality so that they could be available when they need them. The study adds to the knowledge base on the impact of training of extension officers on poverty alleviation agricultural projects.