The Hanoi Statement on Rural Advisory Service Systems

Transcription

1 Federal Department f Freign Affairs FDFA Swiss Agency fr Develpment and Cperatin SDC Glbal Prgramme Fd Security Stefanie Kaegi and Peter Schmidt The Hani Statement n Rural Advisry Service Systems "Reaching the millins" with rural advisry services in a pverty riented, eclgical and sustainable way A synthesis f the SDC Face t Face Wrkshp n Rural Advisry Services (RAS) Reaching the Millins, 2-7 March 2015, Hani, Vietnam. Endrsed by 68 RAS experts and practitiners that participated at the Reaching the Millins wrkshp. Supprted by the Agriculture & Fd Security Netwrk f the Swiss Agency fr Develpment and Cperatin in cllabratin with HELVETAS Swiss Intercperatin, GFRAS, APIRAS, and AESA. A+FS Netwrk With family farmers twards a wrld withut hunger Definitin f terms: RAS cnsist f all the different activities that prvide the infrmatin and services needed and demanded by [agricultural prducers] and ther actrs in rural settings t assist them in develping their wn technical, rganisatinal, and management skills and practices s as t imprve their livelihds and well-being 1. RAS prviders are institutins that ffer ne r several rural advisry services as defined abve. RAS prviders are typically gvernment extensin ffices, prducer and market rganisatins, private service prviders including input and utput cmpanies, civil sciety rganisatins, and research institutins.

2 A. The Hani Statement The Hani statement was elabrated in the frame f the SDC face-t-face wrkshp Reaching the Millins, in March 2015 in Hani. It is the synthesis f the discussins, intensive grup wrk and pririsatin exercises, which tk place during this six-daylng learning event. The starting pint fr these discussins was the results f seven studies n RAS prjects and cuntry RAS systems in Asia, as well as the experience f the 68 gathered RAS experts. Current RAS systems are pluralistic: A multitude f service prviders interacts with agricultural prducers, and these service prviders are funded frm varius surces. The purpse f the Hani statement is t increase the capacity f future pluralistic RAS systems t reach ut t a large number f agricultural prducers ( Reaching the Millins ) in a pverty riented, eclgical, and sustainable way. T this aim, the statement describes identified cre aspects f RAS systems and defines the factrs that are supprting them. Based n the cre aspects, it prvides recmmendatins n hw develpment cperatin can cntribute t strengthen RAS systems. The figures belw shw the Hani statement, whereas the subsequent text prvides related specificatins. The first figure s centre depicts three essential cre aspects f RAS systems. These are: 1. cnducive plicies, 2. delivery capacities f RAS prviders, 3. effective demand fr RAS frm private and public sectr, as well as frm farmers and their rganisatins. In rder that RAS systems reach ut t a large number f agricultural prducers in a pverty riented, eclgical and sustainable way, certain requirements need t be fulfilled. The surrunding bxes shw these requirements. The secnd figure summarises the elabrated recmmendatins fr develpment cperatin prjects and dnrs. Cre aspects f RAS systems and related requirements 2

3 Recmmendatins fr Overseas Develpment Assistance (ODA) B. Cre aspects f RAS systems and related requirements 1. Cnducive plicies Pverty-riented and eclgically sustainable RAS systems require a cherent set f supprtive plicies. They prvide the nrmative frame fr an effective respnse t the RAS demand f diverse stakehlders, and underpin the delivery capacity f the RAS system. Plicies must be cnducive t decentralised crdinated RAS planning and financing, and t capacity develpment f RAS prviders (see Delivery capacity). Furthermre, plicies must mitigate eclgical and scial risks related t RAS delivery that might therwise serve exclusively private interests (see Effective demand). Cnducive and inclusive gvernance is the basis fr a balanced pwer relatinship between RAS stakehlders, which is necessary fr plicy prcesses that respnd t the requirements f all stakehlders f a pluralistic RAS system, in particular thse f disadvantaged grups. Capacities f agricultural prducers and lcal RAS prviders t cntribute t plicy prcesses ften remain weak. Therefre, it is crucial that RAS prviders are capable t cntribute t plicy making prcesses, t strengthen the vice f agricultural prducers, and t put existing plicies int actin. Gvernments are respnsible t facilitate transparent and inclusive prcesses with adequate participatin f agricultural prducers, their rganisatins, and RAS prviders, in rder t develp cherent plicies and t ensure their implementatin. Whether and hw gvernments assume this respnsibility depends n their resurces, n the stability f the plitical cntext, and n the abve-mentined pwer relatinship amng RAS stakehlders. Amng plicy related issues, three are particularly imprtant fr the functining f RAS systems: 1. Decentralised planning and financing f RAS: Decentralised public funding and lcal develpment plans are crucial t enhance agricultural prducers participatin in RAS prcesses. Plicies shuld thus prvide a 3

4 regulatry framewrk fr lcal gvernments t allcate public funds fr RAS delivery, be they funds frm higher administrative levels r funds frm lcal tax revenue systems. Furthermre, plicies shuld prvide a framewrk fr dvetailing lcal and natinal develpment planning, which allws agricultural prducers t articulate their RAS demands in an effective way. 2. Institutinalised capacity develpment f RAS prviders: Cntinuus capacity develpment f RAS prviders is key fr the quality f RAS. Plicies must prvide the regulatry framewrk fr (participatry) curricula develpment based n needs assessments, cntinuus in-service educatin, quality assurance and accreditatin f RAS prviders. 3. Slid frame fr private investments and prtectin f public interests: Private investments are necessary fr reaching ut t large numbers f farmers with RAS. Hwever, privately financed RAS is likely t neglect public interests such as eclgical sustainability r gender and scial equity. These risks are mst likely t arise in the cntext f embedded services r cntract farming arrangements. Hence, plicies have basically tw functins: t develp a slid frame fr private investments, and t take care f the public interests, respectively mitigate eclgical and scial risks f RAS that fcus n private interests. 2. Effective demand Present cuntry RAS systems are pluralistic: Diverse stakehlders demand and finance varius RAS prviders. Typically, gvernments and dnrs demand RAS t serve a public interest in line with natinal agricultural develpment strategies; private cmpanies want RAS t generate ecnmic benefits; civil sciety rganisatins ften pursue RAS fr scial r envirnmental bjectives; and agricultural prducers expect frm RAS t imprve their livelihds. The cumulative demand f all stakehlders is the driving frce fr a cuntry RAS system. In rder fr the systems, which are ften lsely crdinated, t reach ut t large ppulatins in a pverty riented and eclgical way, the fllwing three cnditins must be met: 1. Interventins in the public interest are financed frm public surces. Pverty alleviatin and eclgical sustainability are public interests, which may require different services than shrt-term private interests. Examples fr RAS that is primarily in the public interest are: RAS t agricultural prducers living in remte areas with lw agricultural ptential, where the private sectr des nt intervene. RAS t smallhlders that d nt have sufficient resurces (land, knwledge, financial capital, mbility) t cllabrate with the private sectr. RAS t reduce pverty and t increase fd security f lcal cmmunities. RAS t supprt sustainable natural resurce management, t maintain bidiversity and adaptatin t climate change. RAS t maintain scattered settlement structures and t prtect cultural heritage. Withut allcatin f public resurces, these services are either nt ffered r dn t reach scale. 2. Interventins in the private interest are financed frm private surces. Private cmpanies demand fr RAS: Such privately financed RAS are likely t neglect public interests. Therefre, strng plicies and strengthened vice f agricultural prducers are needed t mitigate eclgical and scial risks. Cnsumers demand fr scial and eclgical prducts: A cmplementary way t assure scial equity and eclgically sund RAS is the pwer f united cnsumers wh demand and are ready t pay fr eclgically sustainable and fairly prduced and traded prducts. 3. Agricultural prducers are aware abut RAS and able t articulate their demand fr RAS: Independently f wh pays fr RAS, strengthened vice f RAS users and strng lcal leadership are required t enhance scial equity, and t fster implementatin f cnducive plicies. Therefre, agricultural prducers capacities t articulate their demand fr RAS, t prvide feedback and t advcate fr plicies and their implementatin are key. Infrmatin and awareness abut ptential RAS are crucial fr agricultural prducers t articulate their demand fr RAS. 4

5 3. Delivery capacity The delivery capacity f a RAS system encmpasses three aspects, namely 1) t prvide effective services, 2) in an efficient manner and 3) t reach scale. Capacities f RAS prviders t ffer services Capacities f RAS prviders are ne, if nt the key element f a RAS system. Tday s new extensinists 1 are expected t ffer a diversity f services ranging frm technlgy develpment and transfer t facilitatin f market access and financial services, and include advcacy and netwrking activities. RAS prvisin requires the fllwing equally imprtant capacities 1. Individual capacities: RAS cntent, RAS methds, persnal attitudes Facilitatin capacities: e.g. linking agricultural prducers t market actrs r t financial services Organisatinal capacity: e.g. management and financial capacities Plicy and advcacy capacity: t cntribute t plicy making prcesses, t strengthen vice f agricultural prducers, and t put existing plicies int actin Netwrking capacity: t becme an effective member f the agricultural innvatin system. In an ever-changing cntext, capacity develpment is a cntinuus prcess, which needs t be institutinalised. T this end, tw avenues are mst imprtant: 1) demand based and regularly reviewed curricula, which are embedded int training and educatin institutins, and 2) sustainable financing mechanisms. Such capacity develpment significantly relies n innvatins, which are develped in s-called agricultural innvatin systems 1. There are three critical issues related t agricultural innvatin systems: Agricultural innvatin systems perate thrugh netwrks and inter-relatins amng RAS prviders, agricultural prducers, research institutins, agribusinesses and ther knwledge and innvatin bearers. Thus, strng netwrks and netwrking capacities r RAS stakehlders are required t enhance agricultural innvatin. Intermediatin between innvatin bearers is a significant surce f innvatin and an imprtant rle f RAS prviders. Particularly, intermediatin between research and agricultural prducers ften remains weak and insufficiently institutinalised. Indigenus knwledge and agricultural prducers perspectives are ften neglected but are cnsiderable surces f innvatin. Reaching scale fr RAS delivery In mst cuntries, public RAS prviders are still the back-bne f the RAS system and the guarantr fr cverage and equity. The newly develping pluralistic RAS systems cntain the ptential fr increasing efficiency, effectiveness and scale f the cuntry RAS systems. Hwever, this ptential is generally nt yet fully explited. A particular ptential fr scale and scial rientatin is seen in cllabratin between: Private and public sectr Private sectr and civil sciety (including prducer rganisatins) Furthermre, cmmunicatin platfrms that are reaching large ppulatins, such as ICT and mass media are develping fast and ffer additinal ptential that is nt yet fully used. Surce f finances and RAS prviders in pluralistic RAS systems 5

6 C. Recmmendatins fr dnr and prject interventins Overseas Develpment Assistance (ODA) can best cntribute t the functining f the abve-described cre aspects f RAS systems by paying particular attentin t the fllwing three issues. 4. Interventin prcess Strive t institutinalise ODA interventins are limited in time and resurces. Thus, realistic planning needs t anticipate phasing ut frm the beginning. By institutinalising successful cntributins, such as prmising RAS delivery mechanisms, effective RAS methds, relevant RAS cntents, as well as prcesses that strengthen the demand side f RAS (with fcus n agricultural prducers), ODA prjects cnsiderably enhance the prbability t sustainable imprvements in RAS systems. A well-tried and recmmended interventin prcess leading t institutinalisatin is given belw: 1. Pilt ideas with the aim t experiment, learn, and institutinalise. This accunts fr all RAS related activities, including financing mechanisms, delivery methds, cntents, demand articulatin, r capacity develpment, netwrking, etc. 2. Integrate RAS activities int existing structures als pilt activities. Implementing prject activities thrugh existing structures that functin withut ODA supprt allws fr creating realistic evidence f the pilt ideas, and enables pssible up-scaling fr which these structures are key. 3. Create evidence. Pilt activities are a cnsiderable means t create evidence f the benefits f the tested/prmted idea. Experiences gained frm pilt activities are the basis fr an evidence-based plicy dialgue. 4. Institutinalise. Such institutinalisatin prcesses are nly pssible thrugh lng-term interventins that encurage flexible reactin accrding t trial and errr, adaptatin t changing cntexts, and spntaneus use f upcming pprtunities. In shrt, lng-term and flexible financing is key fr institutinalisatin prcesses. Watch ut! There is a trade-ff between quality in prject interventin prcesses and up-scaling. Dnrs' principles d nt always tally with gvernments, peple s r private cmpanies pririties. Use fund flws effectively Fund flws are the trigger t influence decisin pwer within a RAS system. Right frm the beginning, they must be designed cnsciusly and purpsefully: 1.) ODA funds shuld be used t serve public interests. 2.) If fund flws shuld be adpted by RAS actrs in the lng run, the fllwing aspects deserve attentin: Integrate prject funds int existing funding systems. This is the prerequisite t institutinalise fund flws fr RAS in the lng run. Link prject funding t decentralisatin f public funds and tax systems. Decentralised funding f RAS increases the vice f agricultural prducers and lcal leadership with respect t RAS planning and delivery. By using ODA funds t reinfrce r create decentralised funding systems, develpment actrs effectively use their ptential t increase lcal availability and management f funds. Watch ut: Fund flws are nly institutinalised successfully if they reflect the effective demand fr RAS. Effective decentralisatin f public finances requires adequate capacities f lcal gvernments t manage public funds and ultimately decentralised fiscal systems. Withut putting special attentin t service market systems, ODA risks t distrt service markets. 6

7 5. Demand and supply side interventin Usually, RAS prject interventins aim at strengthening the supply side f RAS. Lking at the abve-mentined cre aspects f RAS, a strng demand side is equally imprtant fr a RAS system. Accrdingly, ODA needs t take int accunt the supply and demand side f RAS equally, and address bth sides in parallel. Since agricultural prducers are generally the weakest element f the demand side, interventins at the demand side shuld fcus n them. In rder t becme an effective part f the demand side, agricultural prducers and their rganisatins need capacities t participate in RAS planning and t prvide feedback t raise vice t enhance scial equity f RAS delivery t fster plicy implementatin. Watch ut! Strengthening the abve-mentined capacities f farmers is an element f RAS, and culd therefre be carried ut by RAS prviders. Hwever, in the absence f gd lcal gvernance, RAS prviders may nt see this as part f their rle. In this case, ODA interventins t strengthen the demand-side must be independent frm thse n the supply side. Last but nt least, sensitising cnsumers t the benefits f scial and eclgical prducts is a significant means t strengthen private sectr invlvement in RAS that benefits t pr agricultural prducers in an eclgical way. 6. Capacity develpment f RAS prviders Access t knwledge and innvatin ODA can best supprt required access t knwledge and innvatin f RAS stakehlders by Wrking twards institutinalised capacity develpment by supprting the develpment and implementatin f curricula and relevant plicies Institutinalising financing mechanisms fr capacity develpment Strengthening netwrks f RAS stakehlders and supprt alternative learning appraches Capacity develpment n five levels Watch ut! Shrt-term ODA interventins tend t neglect institutinalisatin f capacity develpment f RAS stakehlders, therefre a lng-term perspective is required. With capacity develpment activities, ODA interventins significantly cntribute t the cntent f future RAS and influence the prmted agricultural practices. This needs t be taken int accunt when planning capacity develpment. Supprting capacity develpment f RAS prviders is a typical and meaningful ODA cntributin t RAS systems. The changing paradigm away frm simple technlgy transfer twards participatry hlistic RAS services bradens the requirements fr capacity develpment. Prjects and dnrs best respnd t the requirements f tday s new extensinists by including the five abve-mentined levels f capacity develpment int their activities. Since plicies set the nrmative framewrk fr RAS activities, the vice f agricultural prducers and RAS stakehlders in plicy prcesses is key. Yet, such plicy and advcacy capacities f lcal RAS actrs and agricultural prducers remain weak. Develpment prjects and dnrs ften successfully cntribute t plicy prcesses but they frequently neglect t strengthen the ability f lcal stakehlder t assume this rle in the lng run. Hence, capacity develpment activities shuld give a particular fcus n the capacities f RAS prviders t cntribute t plicy prcesses and t strengthen vice f agricultural prducers. 1 Reference: The New Extensinist : Rles, Strategies, and Capacities t Strengthen Extensin and Advisry Services. Psitin Paper f the Glbal Frum fr Rural Advisry Services. Nvember