Disseminating Improved Practices: Are Volunteer Farmer Trainers Effective?

Lukuyu, Ben A.; Place, Frank; Franzel, Steven; Kiptot, Evelyne

doi:10.1080/1389224x.2012.707066

Cited by 82 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A key challenge that EADD and other similar FFE programmes face is how to ensure that VFTs remain motivated to keep doing extension activities. Several studies such as Hellin and Dixon (2008), Lukuyu et al (2012) and Weinand (2002) have been conducted on FFE in Kenya, Peru and Malawi, respectively; however, few have looked at how understanding volunteer motivation in FFE programmes can provide insights into how to improve retention rates and effectiveness of VFTs. Lukuyu et al (2012) for example in a study on VFTs in western Kenya several years after the project supporting them ended showed that engaging in income-generating activities that are in line with dissemination activities kept VFTs engaged in training.…”

Section: Rationale Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies such as Hellin and Dixon (2008), Lukuyu et al (2012) and Weinand (2002) have been conducted on FFE in Kenya, Peru and Malawi, respectively; however, few have looked at how understanding volunteer motivation in FFE programmes can provide insights into how to improve retention rates and effectiveness of VFTs. Lukuyu et al (2012) for example in a study on VFTs in western Kenya several years after the project supporting them ended showed that engaging in income-generating activities that are in line with dissemination activities kept VFTs engaged in training. Kiptot and Franzel (2014) in their study on FFE in Kenya showed that VFTs can work effectively without being paid for their services; however, for their extension activities to be sustained, they need to be supported and encouraged to invest in human, social and financial capital.…”

Section: Rationale Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These extension approaches are demand driven, client oriented, cost effective and efficient (Kiptot & Franzel, 2014;Lukuyu, Place, Franzel, & Kiptot, 2012;Wellard, Rafanomezana, Nyirenda, Okotel, & Subbey, 2013). Farmers are placed at the centre of knowledge generation and dissemination processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Schmiesing, Soder, and Russell (2005), in their study on participants in an Extension Education Programme (focused on youth literacy), found that participants' values (altruism) were most important in the decision to engage in volunteer activity. A few studies such as Kiptot and Franzel (2014), Lukuyu et al (2012) and Kawash (2009) on FFE that have looked at reasons for volunteering identified factors such as altruism, gaining knowledge and skills, social and indirect financial benefits as the reasons that motivate farmers to volunteer.A number of researchers argue that people have two broad reasons for volunteering (Kawash, 2009;Omoto & Snyder, 1995;Penner & Finkelstein, 1998;Unger, 1991;Uny, 2008, reasons related to concern for others (altruistic motives) and those addressing their needs (egoistic motives). Clary et al (1998) suggest that the extent to which the volunteering experiences fulfil the underlying motivational factors corresponds to satisfaction with volunteer activities.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One such community-based extension approach is the volunteer farmertrainer (VFT) approach, a type of farmer-to-farmer extension (FFE). FFE approaches have been widely practised in many developing countries in different forms (Hellin & Dixon, 2008;Kiptot & Franzel, 2014;Lukuyu et al, 2012;Ssemakula & Mutimba, 2011;Weinand, 2002;Wellard et al, 2013). In Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project has adapted the VFT approach for the dissemination of livestock feed innovations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Volunteer farmer-trainer motivations in East Africa: practical implications for enhancing farmer-to-farmer extension

Kiptot

Karuhanga

Franzel

et al. 2016

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

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Farmer-to-farmer extension (FFE) has received considerable interest in developing countries due to a decline in government extension services. There are, however, questions as to how FFE can be improved to enhance effectiveness and sustainability of the approach. One area that may hold the key is to understand volunteer farmer-trainer (VFT) motivations. Informal and formal interviews were held with VFTs in a smallholder dairy development project in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Data were collected on the reasons why VFTs became trainers and why they continue to train. Findings of the study showed that VFTs were motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. These factors are not static; they change over time. Gaining knowledge and skills as well as altruism were found to be the most important motivating factors for becoming trainers in the three countries. However, a few years after becoming trainers, income earned from selling inputs and specialized services associated with training was an important motivating factor to VFTs in Kenya. In Uganda gaining knowledge and skills remained the most important whereas in Rwanda, a new motivation, increased demand for training, was the most important reason for continuing to train. These findings point to the fact that the general reasons that motivate VFTs irrespective of context are similar; however, the importance attached to motivations is context specific. These motivations can provide insights into which incentives can be enhanced to improve effectiveness and sustainability of FFE.Keywords: farmer-to-farmer extension; volunteer farmer trainers; fodder innovations; East Africa; motivation; sustainability Introduction Following the decline of government extension services in developing countries, low-cost community-based extension approaches have been developed to deliver technologies, help empower farmers to improve their capacities and, in addition, facilitate farmers to organize themselves for service provision and marketing (David, 2007). These extension approaches are demand driven, client oriented, cost effective and efficient (Kiptot & Franzel, 2014;Lukuyu, Place, Franzel, & Kiptot, 2012;Wellard, Rafanomezana, Nyirenda, Okotel, & Subbey, 2013). Farmers are placed at the centre of knowledge generation and dissemination processes. These approaches work on the assumption that farmers have the ability to spread innovations effectively due to their local knowledge, use of the local # 2016 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. * Corresponding author. Email: e.kiptot@cgiar.org International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2016 Vol. 14, No....

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Section: Rationale Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Rationale Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Volunteer farmer-trainer motivations in East Africa: practical implications for enhancing farmer-to-farmer extension

Kiptot

Karuhanga

Franzel

et al. 2016

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

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Identities, interests, and preferences matter: Fostering sustainable community development by building assets and agency in western Kenya

Fuchs

Peters

Neufeldt

2019

Sustainable Development

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The efficiency and sustainability of climate change adaptation projects depend on appropriate models and tools to take climate‐smart practices to scale. This paper presents the “Building assets and agency” approach taken by the Accelerating Adoption of Agroforestry project whose objective is to scale the adoption of context‐specific adaptation and mitigation options. Through the approach, communities are encouraged to identify, mobilise, and use their existing assets to define community plans that are responsive to their identities, interests, and preferences. This innovative approach combines conscious selection of project staff and partners, group capacity and agency training, cocreation of skills in self‐selected agricultural practices with an emphasis on business skills, and tools for sustainable scaling through farmer‐to‐farmer extension. The paper addresses challenges and solutions, and case study data justifying proof of concept. While developed in a climate change context, and being sensitive to a number of factors, the approach can support effective, efficient, and socially appropriate action in any sector.

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Farmer-To-Farmer Extension: A Low-Cost Approach for Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture

Franzel

Kiptot

Degrande

2018

The Climate-Smart Agriculture Papers

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Disseminating Improved Practices: Are Volunteer Farmer Trainers Effective?

Cited by 82 publications

References 15 publications

Volunteer farmer-trainer motivations in East Africa: practical implications for enhancing farmer-to-farmer extension

Volunteer farmer-trainer motivations in East Africa: practical implications for enhancing farmer-to-farmer extension

Identities, interests, and preferences matter: Fostering sustainable community development by building assets and agency in western Kenya

Farmer-To-Farmer Extension: A Low-Cost Approach for Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture

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