Five Key Dimensions of Extension Policy
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The document discusses five key dimensions of extension policy to improve extension and advisory services in developing countries, emphasizing the importance of implementation, process reflection, broader support, budget-performance linkage, and resource quality. It stresses that successful policy requires engagement from farmers, transparency in funding, and quality programming. The presentation, given by Dr. Paul E. McNamara at the GFRAS annual meeting, also highlights the need for real resources in policy development and the value of farmer involvement.
Five Key Dimensions of Extension Policy
- 1. Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Five Key Dimensions of Extension Policy Based on MEAS Activities in Developing Countries Dr. Paul E. McNamara Side Event on Extension Policy GFRAS Annual Meeting Associate Professor, Manila, Philippines Department of Agricultural & Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign September 25, 2012 Project Director, Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Project (MEAS); and, Extension Specialist, University of Illinois Extension
- 2. 1. Implementation Pressman and Wildavsky: “Implementation actually establishes policy” • Key point = Without implementation the policy is simply a hollow statement • Simplicity and directness are great virtues for implementation
- 3. 2. Process Does the process reflect the policy? • If we say that farmer-led extension is the objective, are farmers engaged significantly in the policy development process? • Market oriented? Are any private sector dealers and firms involved in the process? • Pluralistic? Are a mix of providers involved?
- 4. 3. Broaden the Base of Support • Does extension have support beyond the people who are paid to deliver the programs (staff, iNGOs, NGOs, paid advisors, etc.)? • Do other government ministries care whether or not the program exists? • Do farmers/clients value the services? • Example of nutrition coalitions (e.g., Thailand and others) • Key role of national level forums
- 5. 4. Link Between Budget and Performance Broken link between budgeting and performance • Often farmers and farmer groups have very little input into extension programming • Often hires and placements are made centrally or by District level leaders • Farmers report not seeing an extension agent after the project has ended • Little transparency on flow of funds • Lack of link discourages active field staff
- 6. 5. Resources and Quality • How public programs are supported depends in part on how well they are delivered • Is program quality emphasized in the policy? • Assertion: “The quality of spending to agriculture is more important than the overall level of spending.” Akroyd and Smith, 2007, “Review of Public Spending to Agriculture,” p. 20
- 7. Conclusions • Starting with the end in mind helps shape the policy development process and the policy • Implementation • Groups engaged in the process • Developing the policy takes real resources of time, effort, and funds • What is hoped to be gained?
- 8. This presentation was given by: Dr. Paul E. McNamara Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural & Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Project Director, Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Project (MEAS); and, Extension Specialist, University of Illinois Extension. on behalf of MEAS at the a side event on Extension Policy at the GFRAS Annual Meeting Manila, Philippines on September 25, 2012
- 9. Terms of Use: © Paul McNamara, MEAS project. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Users are free: • to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work • to Remix — to adapt the work Under the following conditions: • Attribution — Users must attribute the work to the author(s)/institution (but not in any way that suggests that the authors/ institution endorse the user or the user’s use of the work).
- 10. Disclaimer: This presentation was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. The contents are the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. www.meas-extension.org