Innovations in Agricultural Advisory Services

Innovations in Agricultural Advisory Services

Erin AntcliffeTeam Leader – Public Sector Agriculture Ghana

Who is EWB Canada?

Canadian NGO who is harnessing the problem-solving power of engineers to address the root causes of poverty.

Working in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Zambia and Malawi on service delivery innovations.

Independent funding, no projects.

Innovation

5 Areas of innovation in development:• Technologies• Services• Organizations• Projects• Funding mechanisms

Innovation

5 Areas of innovation in development:• Technologies• Services• Organizations• Projects• Funding mechanisms

Most people work here

Innovation

5 Areas of innovation in development:• Technologies• Services• Organizations• Projects• Funding mechanisms

EWBworks here

Bottleneck to Innovation

Vertical Communication

Donors

National actors

Extension agents

Farmers

Communication

Pluralistic AAS Approach

There are lots of actors: NGOs, media, FBOs, agribusinesses, government, academia

With what goals? Poverty reduction, national food security, income generation, business

With what roles? Policy, regulation, service delivery, M&E, research, innovation

The role each actor plays will be different depending on the context

EWB's work

We are innovating in two areas:• Agricultural Advisory Services

– Agriculture As a Business (AAB)– Conseil à l'exploitation familiale (CEF)

• Organizational Development– Education and training– Leadership and management– Organizational effectiveness– M&E

Recommendations

Four recommendations:• Test before Scaling• Coordinate with other Actors• Have a Long-Term Approach• Continuously Learn and Adapt

Test Before Scaling

Ben is currently writing about HOW to do this at http://theborrowedbicycle.ca

Test Before Scaling

Donors should:• Fund ideas that have been tested and proven

at a small scale first• Be flexible; provide ideas and suggestions for

AAS, but allow extension agents to adapt tools and materials to the local context

• Be willing to fund a variety of actors (government, FBOs, NGOs, businesses) based on whoever is working most effectively

Coordinate with Other Actors

NRGP

Masara N’Arziki

MoFADery (farmer)

African Cashew Initiative

ADRA

Block Farms

AAB

Day-to-day extension

Coordinate with Other Actors

Tahiru (extension agent)

Have a Long-term Approach

Mindset shifts...Farmers: can do something with what they

have, don't need handouts, can be entrepreneurial and business-minded

Organizations: long-term investment in farmers, vision for farmer development, monitor results rather than activities

Continuously Learn and Adapt

Recognize failure, learn from it and change your approach

EWB Annual Failure Reporthttp://www.ewb.ca/publications

Admitting Failurehttp://www.admittingfailure.com/

More Information

Thank you!!

EWB's website:http://www.ewb.ca/africanprograms

Erin Antcliffeerinantcliffe@ewb.ca