Volker Hoffmann

Privatising agricultural extension: caveat emptor

Abstract Improvement in agricultural systems requires good information and sound advice. This has often been provided to farmers through public extension systems. The paper describes some of the forces that require a reduced role for the public sector in agricultural extension and greater reliance on the private sector. Some experiences of privatisation and commercialisation of extension, as well as the caveats these suggest, are highlighted. A role for the state in agricultural extension will continue to be important in many countries for both economic and social reasons. Where forms of privatisation are useful, this will require tested strategies that are situation specific, multi-dimensional, gradual and flexible if resource-poorer farmers are to benefit.

Infant feeding practices among mildly wasted children: a retrospective study on Nias Island, Indonesia

BackgroundThis study investigated the infant feeding practices of participating mothers who were recruited into a research project aimed at improving the nutritional status of mildly wasted children (< -1.0 to ≥ -1.5 Weight-for-Height Z-score s) aged ≥ 6 to < 60 months on Nias Island, Indonesia.MethodsCross-sectional, questionnaire-based interview of mothers of the index children (n = 215) who were admitted to the community program for mildly wasted children in the study area. Four focus groups and twenty in-depth interviews were conducted to explore further information on infant feeding practices in the study area.ResultsRetrospective results indicated that 6% of the mothers never breastfed. Fifty two percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding within six hours of birth, but 17% discarded colostrum. Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age was practiced by 12%. Seventy-four percent of the mothers offered supplementary liquids besides breast milk within the first 7 days of life, and 14% of infants received these supplementary liquids from 7 days onwards until 6 months of age. Moreover, 79% of the infants were given complementary foods (solid, semi-solid, or soft foods) before 6 months of age. About 9% of the children were breastfed at least two years. Less than one in five of the mildly wasted children (19%) were breastfed on admission to the community program. Qualitative assessments found that inappropriate infant feeding practices were strongly influenced by traditional beliefs of the mothers and paternal grandmothers in the study areas.ConclusionGenerally, suboptimal infant feeding was widely practiced among mothers of mildly wasted children in the study area on Nias Island, Indonesia. To promote breastfeeding practices among mothers on Nias Island, appropriate nutrition training for community workers and health-nutrition officers is needed to improve relevant counseling skills. In addition, encouraging public nutrition education that promotes breastfeeding, taking into account social-cultural factors such as the influence of paternal grandmothers on infant feeding practice, is needed.

Group-based Learning in an Authoritarian Setting? Novel Extension Approaches in Vietnam's Northern Uplands

ASCTRACT This study aims to analyze the potential and constraints of group-based extension approaches as an institutional innovation in the Vietnamese agricultural extension system. Our analysis therefore unfolds around the challenges of how to foster this kind of approach within the hierarchical extension policy setting and how to effectively shape and enable learning groups. The analysis draws on qualitative data from case studies of five newly established extension groups in Son La province, collected between 2007 and 2008. Content analysis was applied as the main analytical tool. The basic principles of group-based learning approaches are still underdeveloped, mainly due to a non-supportive institutional environment and a command-and-follow mentality. Extension groups suffer from an insufficient distinction between social processes and technical procedures. Finding an appropriate balance between enhancing leadership and supporting collective responsibility is identified as key to sustain groups. The research identified room for adjustments in group-organizational issues since the external institutional environment is hard to change. The particular value of this paper lies in addressing how to organize group-extension approaches in the context of reformed extension systems in a transitional socialist setting.

Improved Nutrition Knowledge and Practice through Intensive Nutrition Education: A Study among Caregivers of Mildly Wasted Children on Nias Island, Indonesia

Background Inappropriate nutrition knowledge and feeding practices of caregivers are among several important causes of persistent malnutrition problems in young children. Thus, it is essential to provide caregivers with the necessary knowledge to help them modify their feeding practices. Objective To examine the effectiveness of two different nutrition education methods, weekly intensive nutrition education (INE) and monthly nonintensive nutrition education (NNE), designed for caregivers of mildly wasted children (weight-for-height z-score ≥ −1.5 to < −1) aged ≥ 6 to < 60 months on Nias Island, Indonesia. Methods To assess the impact of the two different nutrition education approaches on nutrition knowledge and practice of caregivers with their children, respondents were assigned to receive either weekly INE (n = 114) or monthly NNE (n = 96). The knowledge and practice levels of the mothers in each group were assessed and compared using a pretested validated questionnaire at admission and after the intervention period. Results At admission, the knowledge and practice levels of caregivers in both groups were not statistically significantly different. After participating in the nutrition education program, the percentage of correct answers on nutrition knowledge and practice in the INE group was significantly higher than that in the NNE group. Significant improvement in knowledge and practice scores was observed in the INE group after the intervention (p < 0.001), whereas only a significant improvement in knowledge was found in the NNE group (p < .05). Conclusions In comparison with NNE, the INE approach was significantly better in bringing about a positive change in knowledge and practice of caregivers of mildly wasted children in the study area.

POTENTIAL AND CONSTRAINTS OF LITTLE BAG SILAGE FOR SMALLHOLDERS-RESULTS AND EXPERIENCES FROM HONDURAS

Little bag silage (LBS) is seen as a low-cost alternative suitable for resource-poor smallholders to alleviate dry-season feed constraints. Within a research project carried out by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and partners in Honduras, LBS was tested and its use encouraged during farmer training and field days. The present study highlights the most relevant technological and socio-economic potential and constraints of LBS. Surveys and experimental results revealed great vulnerability of plastic bags to pests, particularly rodents, accompanied by high spoilage losses. The main constraints to wider adoption include availability of i) suitable and affordable plastic bags, and ii) appropriate chopping equipment and storage facilities on smallholder farms. LBS proved to be useful and could play an important role in participatory research and extension activities, as a demonstration, experimentation and learning tool that can be used to get small-scale silage novices started with a low-risk technology.

Advisory work as assistance in problem-solving — Problem-solving models as basic concepts for advisory work

Abstract This article summarises some basic concepts of advisory work, incorporated into novel forms of extension over the past half century at Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany. It emphasis a certain understanding of advisory work: as support through “mental help” in structuring and restructuring by informing, motivating and enabling. Through exercises given in the article one can get the idea that problem situations are determined by ones own lack of insight and difficulties in breaking through the limitations of perceptions. The concept presented here in “stages of systematic problem-solving” starts with the perception of a problem by the client. The further critical steps are described within this process from perception of a problem towards solutions and evaluation of results. Two other models that are useful in thinking about problem-solving are also presented. Advisors should value them and be able to make use of them in a flexible way.

Cost analysis of community-based daily and weekly programs for treatment of moderate and mild wasting among children on Nias Island, Indonesia.

Background Ready-to-use food in the form of biscuits (RUF-Nias biscuit) was locally produced for rehabilitation of moderately and mildly wasted (weight-for-height z-score ≥ −3 to < −1.5 SD) children on Nias Island, Indonesia. Daily programs were performed in semiurban settings, and weekly programs took place in rural areas. Objective To analyze the cost of daily and weekly distribution and supervision of RUF-Nias biscuit programs. Methods The costs of the daily and weekly programs were derived from the financial report and interviews with program implementers and participating households. Costs were calculated on the basis of total rehabilitation costs per child per day required to achieve a target weight-for-height z-score ≥ −1.5 SD in daily and weekly programs. Results Institutional costs to the implementing organization were similar for both programs (approximately US

Participatory Approaches to Research and Development in the Southeast Asian Uplands: Potential and Challenges

4 per child per day). The daily programs resulted in a significantly higher proportion of recovered children (78.6% vs. 65.4%) and higher weight gain (3.7 vs. 2.2 g/kg/day) than the weekly programs. About 6% to 7% of the total cost of the programs was accounted for by locally produced RUF-Nias biscuits. The social cost borne by the community for the weekly programs was about half that for the daily programs. Conclusions The daily programs achieved better results for the implementing organization than the weekly programs; however, the weekly programs were preferred by the community because of the lower time constraints and the lower opportunity cost of time. The willingness of community and household members to invest their time in more intensive activities in the daily programs led to better program outcomes.

Impact of Daily versus Weekly Supply of Locally Produced Ready-to-Use Food on Growth of Moderately Wasted Children on Nias Island, Indonesia

Participatory approaches have been discussed as alternatives to and complementary elements of more conventional research on sustainable land use and rural development in upland areas of Southeast Asia. Following a brief overview of the history of participatory approaches (Sect. 9.1), this chapter discusses the potential and limitations of applying Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools to field research practice in Vietnam (Sect. 9.2) and of involving stakeholders in priority setting, modeling and environmental valuation in the Southeast Asian uplands (Sect. 9.3). Section 9.4 scrutinizes the use of the Payments for Environmental Services (PES) tool, which aims to actively engage smallholder farmers in preserving fragile mountain ecosystems in Southeast Asia by rewarding them in cash or in kind. Section 9.5 provides an example of a successful multi-stakeholder knowledge and innovation partnership in northern Thailand – in the form of a litchi processing and marketing network formed among Hmong villagers, an approach which uses a promising action-research approach towards building sustainable rural livelihoods among ethnic minority groups.

Social risk screening using a socio-political ambiguity approach: the case of organic agriculture in Iran

This study reports the outcomes of daily (semi-urban areas) and weekly (remote rural regions) programs for moderately wasted children supplemented with locally produced ready-to-use foods in the form of fortified cereal/nut/legume-based biscuits on Nias Island, Indonesia (RUF-Nias biscuit). Thirty-four children in daily and twenty children in weekly programs aged ≥6 to <60 months with weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) ≥ −3 to < −2 SD were recruited (October 2007–June 2008) on Nias and admitted into existing nutrition centers in the Church World Service project area. Individual discharge criterion was WHZ ≥ −1.5 SD. Weight gain of the children in daily and weekly programs was 3.9 ± 3.8 and 2.0 ± 2.0 g/kg/day, respectively. A higher proportion of children in daily than weekly programs reached target WHZ (76% vs. 35%, P = 0.004). Weight gain at program discharge/closure was highly predicted (R 2 = 0.228, P < 0.001) by compliance to RUF biscuits: high vs. low compliance resulted in a 1.33 (95% CI 0.16 to 1.53) g/kg/day higher weight gain. Compliance and admission in daily programs were significant factors in reducing the risk of not reaching the discharge criterion. However, mothers complained more frequently about time constraints in the daily relative to weekly programs.