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The First Kilometre Challenges and Opportunities

The First Kilometre Challenges and Opportunities. How should we respond?. WorldAgInfo Objectives. Can we identify the most effective near-term (5 yr.) and medium-term (10-20 yr.) opportunities

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The First Kilometre Challenges and Opportunities

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  1. The First KilometreChallenges and Opportunities How should we respond?

  2. WorldAgInfo Objectives Can we identify the most effective near-term (5 yr.) and medium-term (10-20 yr.) opportunities for strengthening the contentof agricultural education/curriculum and information systemsto meet the needs of smallholder farmers in So. Asia and Africa How should we respond?

  3. Can We Give Voice to the Smallholders • Accessing smallholder knowledge • Analyzing smallholder knowledge • Indexing and dissemination of smallholder “wisdom” to all stakeholders • Feedback to the smallholders • Shared decision-making How should we respond?

  4. How Can We Provide the Most Effective Feedback • Real-time feedback of all kinds transforms the potential for rapid development • Accountable, formative evaluation of all initiatives with rapid response strategies in place increases the pace of change • Developing new traditions of feedback in all aspects of smallholder interaction promotes a habit of mind which embraces change How should we respond?

  5. How Can Smallholders Best UseTransforming Change in Information Technology • Internet connectivity via mobile phone - likely to become accessible by about 90% of rural populations in So. Asia and Africa within the next five years • Community radio - An authentic new potential for local “voice” can reach neglected audiences • Overwhelming information access - the need for new approaches to aggregation, indexing, sharing, and synthesis How should we respond?

  6. How Can We Redefine the Agriculture Education Curriculum • Transforming the time-line of curriculum development • Half-life of the technical knowledge of a first year university agriculture student - 2 years • Current processes for redesigning a new agriculture curriculum 5-10 years or more • Blurring the lines between formal and non-formal education • Radio-delivered agriculturally-oriented general education • New responsibilities for extension agents • The integration of the content and process of education • A more horizontal rather than vertical curriculum How should we respond?

  7. Do We Believe Everyone is a TeacherEveryone is a Learner • “We can learn more from one student with access to Google than we can from ten teachers without Google.” • Patrick O’Shea, WorldAgInfo team member How should we respond?

  8. How Can We OvercomeThe Information Gulfin the Developing World • In the industrial world, the media are the mediators of new academic knowledge for the average person • In the developing world there are no effective mediators of new knowledge for the smallholder • A new role for scholars? • A new role for extension agents? • A new role for students? • A new role for mobile phones? • A new role for community radio? How should we respond?

  9. How Can We UseThe 80-20 Rule • Pareto’s Rule - 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Applies to many phenomenon • Our goal: Find the 80% of the potential for improvement of smallholder lives with a targeted 20% investment of time and resources - for both farmers and donors How should we respond?

  10. Wanted: Focused 80-20 Issues • Getting the right type of information (both quantity and quality) to those who need it, • Relevant, understandable, trustworthy, and credible information • Market information • Extension/crop/livestock management information • Educational information (curriculum at different levels) • Aggregation, indexing, summarization, translation • Pervasive formative evaluation for rapid improvement • Delivery (sharing) requirements - selecting the best medium for each transmission type How should we respond?

  11. How will we respond? • Priority Forepointer Group recommendations - informing… • Priority Small Group recommendations - informing… • Design Team recommendations to our second workshopTHE SECOND WORKSHOP WILL IN TURN RESPOND WITH… • Priority recommendations from the second workshop to the Design Team - informing… • Our Design Team recommendations for funding initiatives to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other agencies

  12. Now It Is Your Turn Help us respond!

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