Agricultural extension through participatory approaches: Lessons from UMADEP, Morogoro, Tanzania
No Thumbnail Available
Date
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Institute of Continuing Education
Abstract
Description
Journal of Continuing Education and Extension, 2005; 2(1):67-74
The Uluguru Agricultural Development Project (UMADEP) uses a combination of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Participatory Technology Development (PTD), Farmer Groups and Farmer to Farmer extension approaches. Experience in the use of these approaches show that farmers in collaboration with extension workers have developed activities which address location specific problems, generated appropriate technological innovations that are sustainable and take into account the socio-cultural and economic milieu of the communities. In addition, this has led to the formation of farmers ' groups which facilitate learning, decisionmaking, and adoption of agreed innovations. UMADEP's experience shows that use of participatory approaches can lead to making extension efforts more responsive to needs offarming communities, cost effective and sustainable.
The Uluguru Agricultural Development Project (UMADEP) uses a combination of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Participatory Technology Development (PTD), Farmer Groups and Farmer to Farmer extension approaches. Experience in the use of these approaches show that farmers in collaboration with extension workers have developed activities which address location specific problems, generated appropriate technological innovations that are sustainable and take into account the socio-cultural and economic milieu of the communities. In addition, this has led to the formation of farmers ' groups which facilitate learning, decisionmaking, and adoption of agreed innovations. UMADEP's experience shows that use of participatory approaches can lead to making extension efforts more responsive to needs offarming communities, cost effective and sustainable.
Keywords
Uluguru mountains, Participatory technology development, Farmer groups, Innovation