Topic: Modeling the Effectiveness of Lead Farmer Approach in Agricultural Extension Service Provision: Nationally-representative Panel Data Analysis in Malawi
Wednesday, February 27, 2019, 14:00 pm - 15:30 pm
IFPRI Malawi Office
Area 14/205, Lilongwe
For directions to our office click here.
IFPRI Malawi invites you to a Brown Bag Research Seminar presentation by Catherine Ragasa, Research Fellow, IFPRI.
Abstract
The lead farmer (LF) approach is implemented and heavily promoted nationwide in Malawi to support government extension workers and accelerate technology dissemination. Earlier reports show that the LF approach has been widely adopted by most agricultural projects in Malawi, indicating positive roles and contributions of LFs. However, national data show persistently low adoption of management practices being promoted by these LFs, prompting this study to look closely at the implementation and effectiveness of the approach. This paper utilizes data from 531 randomly-selected lead farmers linked to a panel data from 2,800 farming households and uses correlated random effects to model the effectiveness of LF approach on technology awareness and adoption. This is complemented by 55 Focus Group Discussions and interviews with service providers. Our results show that the LFs support and assist agricultural extension development officers (AEDOs) in their work, especially in organizing community meetings and farm demonstrations. They are also an important bridge between farmers and AEDOs. However, we see limited coverage and weak implementation and effectiveness of LF approach at national level. Only 13 percent of farmers reported receiving agricultural advice from LFs in the last two years, and only 20 percent reported having interacted with any LFs. Our econometric models consistently show no effect of the presence of LFs in the community or farmers’ interaction with LFs on awareness and adoption of almost all major agricultural management practices being promoted, except pit planting.
Please RSVP to the IFPRI Malawi office (ifpri-lilongwe@cgiar.org) if you plan to attend, or designate someone to attend in your place as space is limited.
