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Conventional vs Modern

Improving food security, nutrition, and income through a participatory, market-driven, and decentralized approach focusing on women farmers in Tajikistan. Incorporating innovative technology adoption and empowering women in household plots.

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Conventional vs Modern

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  1. Agricultural extension for women smallholder’s in Central Asia: Improving food security, nutrition, and income Peter Malvicini, PhDDirector, Center for Policy Research and Outreach (CPRO)Westminster International University in Tashkent 28 June 2019 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign implementer of Farmer Advisory Services in Tajikistan project The presentation combines my work as lead technical expert with that of Don Van Atta (Chief of Party) and Willem van Weperen (Evaluation Consultant) Presented for discussion.Author’s views may not reflect those of USAID, UIUC or the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

  2. Expert-led Telling / receiving Technology packages from single source Centralized decisions Single crop / large farm Receive technology Conventional Conventional vs Modern Participatory, market-driven, decentralized, and pluralistic Farmer-led expert assisted Actively participating Multiple sources:public / private / NGO Household decision-making Diverse farming system including household plots Innovate and adapt technology on learning plots

  3. Women farmer groups in mahallas Why work with women? Women have strong influence on household plots and family nutrition. When you start with men, you rarely reach women. Why household plots (averaging only 0.2 ha.)? Household farmsproduce 56% of food for domestic consumption in Tajikistan. When you start with commercial farms, you rarely reach households.

  4. Four-stage extension approach Participatory Extension Workshop: Describes (maps) village farming practices (system: “FSRD”) Product Identification & Analysis Workshop: Identifies constraints & possible solutions for a single crop Regular extension visits across each stage first season: Introduce innovations (external inputs and local practices) Womens’ Group’s Evaluation Workshop:Did innovations succeed / expand? (measure results)

  5. Focus on women farmers; Motivated, good quality, high % female staff; Staff cross learning, during Friday meetings.

  6. Agricultural situation 70 percent of population live in rural areas Agriculture is primary employment in rural areas As many as 1 million Tajiks have emigrated to RussiaAgriculture has become feminized Ethnic Tajik and Uzbek mahalla across Khatlon Technology, education, and research are out of date Most households in Tajikistan depend on their “household farms” Perhaps 1 million household farms in Tajikistan

  7. Why backyard gardens matter? Land within the household plot often less than 0.2 ha 90% of livestock held by households Household farm work is primarily women’s work Many subsistence households Poor health and nutrition Low income households unable to afford fee-for-service agricultural extension

  8. Clear signs of appreciation of the model, especially focus on female farmers; Maximum support received for implementation.

  9. Innovations adopted for growing tomato in Zarnisor

  10. Sustainability Full system requires government or donor support Serving smallholders requires a change in thinking about agriculture Local staff unaccustomed to participatory approach “Handout culture” difficult to break

  11. Increased production more food carried over to winter season

  12. Lessons in support of extension • Extension effectively includes parts of society otherwise neglected. • --Women farmers contribute to: food security, livelihood improvement, nutrition, and women’s empowerment; • Needs to be part of government structure • --female staff recruitment (where to find?) and • --longer term capacity building • Decentralize agricultural extension and connect with local key participants Clear signs of appreciation of the model, especially focus on female farmers; Maximum support received for implementation.

  13. Change in Group Results, by Yield & Net Income

  14. Success factors and actions Focus on women farmers groups: start in backyard Hire motivated, good quality, high % female staff Systematic participatory extension approach Topics close to women farmers interest and needs Field—based and practical training Focus on cost—saving, yield—increasing technologies Strong government linkages: national? provincial, county, municipal, village

  15. Thank you

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