A Review of Farmer-led Extension Practices: Implications for Extension Practices in Ghana

This dissertation seeks to explore the Advantages, disadvantages, challenges and lessons in farmer-led extension globally and assess the implications for its full implementation in Ghana.

Extension, since its inception has gone through some changes with the view of improving services for the beneficiaries (farmers). Transfer of technology (ToT) model introduced in 1960s was top-down in prescribing technologies to farmers. Hence it faced a lot of criticism from farmers. Later, Training and Visit (T&V) was introduced as a modified form of ToT approach but still faced the same criticism levelled against ToT.

Search for alternative approaches led to introduction of several bottom-up approaches including farmer-led extension. The farmer-led extension approaches involve farmers’ directly in setting and fulfilling their own development goals and recognises them as owners and shapers of their own development. The approaches create opportunity for farmers, researchers and extensionists to learn from each other by combing indigenous and scientific knowledge. Through this process farmers’ knowledge are enhanced and their confidence level boosted.

This system of extension delivery is receiving a lot of attention and promotion. It is believed that, if farmers lead extension activities it can reduce the cost in extension to some extent. Moreover, it will have more positive impact since many farmers prefer listening and adopting technology from peer farmers simply because they share the same environments, risks, cultures and beliefs. This provides easy flow of information using the traditional channels of communication.

Farmer-led extension just like ToT and T&V approaches also face some criticism. It faces the criticism that, farmers may not have access to new and externally developed technologies and the information received from fellow farmers may be distorted or inaccurate. Also, the approaches may not work in the context of commercial agriculture because of the complication of market competition. The issue of remuneration and motivation for the farmer-extensionist also poses big challenges for the approaches.

Although there are different approaches within farmer-led extension, they seem to follow the same principles and concepts with few differences existing between them. With all farmer-led extension approaches experiments are conducted on farmers’ field and the technologies developed are combination of indigenous and scientific knowledge. The difference exists with procedures and the methods of carrying out the activities.

Extension delivery in Ghana to a larger extent is based on modified T&V model even though the Extension Policy promotes multiple extension approaches. Therefore farmer-led extension is viewed as a better option to address extension problems of the country. Moreover, there are facilities such as RECLs and FBOs in existence which will enhance smooth implementation of the approaches. Nevertheless, the introduction of the approaches may face a lot of challenges. Funding may be difficult since government budget alone cannot support the approaches. However, the country can depend on international agencies for assistance.