Strategic communication: from technologies transferred to empowered farmers

According to Phouttasin Phimmachanh of the Laos NAFES, adoption of strategic communication approaches has helped transform the effectiveness of research and extension in Laos.

He started by explaining how agriculture in Laos is generally moving from a subsistence to a market led environment, and that this poses information and decision making challenges for everyone involved in the sector - farmers, extension and research, and policy makers.

The main focus of his presentation was on strategic communication processes they recently adopted.

Two of the key reasons they adopted this approach:

First, communictaion materials were often developed in a top down way - "to meet the needs of the boss or the needs of the project", rather than to meet the needs of farmers. Second, these materials were often promotionsal rather that educational.

He characterized this past experience as "just producing without knowing where it goes and whats the impact of it."

He characterized the new approach: "so now we try to produce differently and to better communicate with farmers." This new approach is systematic, strategic, it draws in multidisciplinary research-extension-farmer teams, is designed and tested with target users, and involves better M&E.

One of the key lessons: "the communications process is not any more about transferring technologies, it is about empowering farmers to make their own choices"

See his presentation:

Aginfo systems for research country case studies

In late 2007, participants in the 2nd Expert Consultation on International Information Systems for Agricultural Science and Technology (IISAST) heard a series of country case studies documenting experiences in developing information systems and institutional networks for agriculture.

This IISAST process has now evolved into CIARD - the Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development initiative.

The country case studies have recently been published examining concrete expereinces of the following aginfo initiatives:

• Thai AGRIS Centre
  
• PhilAgriNet
  
• AGRORED Peru
  
• Lao Agriculture Database
  
• Kenya Agricultural Information Network
  
• Ghana GAINS
  
• Egypt National Agricultural Research Information Management System. 
  

Laos builds open knowledge base on conservation agriculture

The 'Open Resource on Conservation Agriculture for Trade and Development' (ORCATAD) project aims to "build a comprehensive and open knowledge base on best practices in conservation agriculture for certain cash crops" in Laos ... that can "encourage the production of eco-friendly agro-products targeted towards niche markets in Europe."

The idea is to enhance the export capabilities of Lao farmers in eco-friendly cash crops while also promoting best practices in conservation agriculture and making use of modern Information and Communication Technologies.

The project draws on expertise of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) - whose information and ICT activities seem to be fast developing. The ORCATAD site includes an interesting presentation on 'Creating knowledge projects: how information services contributes to the Lao Agriculture Knowledge and Information System.'

AgInfo management in Laos

Information and communication management are important aspects of the work of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institution (NAFRI) of Laos.

Through its information management and strategic planning division, it has developed an Information Service Strategy (2004-2010) with a vision to "seek to improve researchers’ ability to better access and use information so as to improve the quality of their research and in turn assist them to communicate their results and recommendations to better inform decision
making at different levels."

Key information services needs and priorities identified in the strategy include: Need for better collection and dissemination of research results and technical reports; Improved dissemination of NAFRI materials; More systematic linkages with other actors in the Agriculture Knowledge and Information System (AKIS); and Improved access to communication facilities to develop an effective information network between NAFRI centers and Headquarters.

As part of its Library and data management services, NAFRI has developed three on-line information systems: Lao Agriculture Database (LAD); National Agriculture Library Information System (NALIS); and Lao AGROVOC. Each is accessible online in English and Lao.

NAFRI has also joined with the National Agriculture and Forestry Extension Service (NAFES) to improve research-extension linkages. For this, a joint working group on Agricultural Information Management (AIM) - aiming to improve extension staff and farmers’ access to agriculture and forestry related information and knowledge - and a dedicated web site (Laolink) have been set up. The sites contain much information on what the two institutes are doing in the area of rural communication and information dissemination, including very interesting documents outlining the AIM concepts they have developed, meeting reports, and plans.

A separate LaoEx web site provides information and key full text reports on agricultural and forestry extension in Laos.

All in all, a valuable collection of resources and ideas, including on a "Lao Wisdom Bag" that hangs on the wall in District and Provincial offices.

Tags: agricultural information laos